** U.S. natural gas futures plunged close to 11% to a one-year low on Thursday on a smaller-than-expected storage draw and forecasts for warmer-than-normal weather to continue into late January. That should keep heating demand low during what is usually the coldest part of the year and allow utilities to leave more gas in storage than usual in coming weeks.
** EQT Corp said it has eliminated all natural gas-powered pneumatic devices from its production operations, reducing the natural gas producer’s methane emissions by 70%.
** Ford is American’s number two EV builder, China discontinued its electrification incentives, and Tesla can’t seem to move its China-built cars. All that and more in The Morning Shift for Thursday, January 5, 2023.
** Chrysler parent Stellantis NV Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares said on Thursday that more auto plant closures will happen if high prices for electric vehicles (EV) cause vehicle markets to shrink from pre-pandemic levels.
** Opponents of the largest lithium mine planned in the U.S. urged a federal judge in Nevada to vacate the U.S. government’s approval of the project until it completes additional environmental reviews and complies with all state and federal laws. A decision could be 2-3 months away.
** PG&E Corp said it will partner with Energy Vault Holdings Inc to build a green hydrogen energy storage system in California, capable of powering about 2,000 customers for up to 48 hours during a planned outage.
** Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Richard Glick, and FERC commissioners urging them to listen to the Oregon Attorney General and deny permits for TC Energy’s Gas Transmission Northwest (GTN) Xpress project.
** North Carolina leads the Southeast’s six states — excluding Florida — in rooftop solar installations and estimated jobs, according to a new study by the Southern Environmental Law Center.
World
** Germany imported 12.3% less natural gas in 2022 than the previous year, at 1,449 terawatt hours (TWh), as the withdrawal of Russian export supplies of fossil fuels triggered an energy crisis, the country’s energy regulator said on Friday.
** Shell, Europe’s largest oil and gas company, said it will have to pay about $2 billion in additional taxes in the fourth quarter, but still sees strong earnings from natural gas trading for the period.
** The West Qurna 2 oilfield in Iraq, one of the biggest oilfields in the world, could see delays in the next phase of its development, Middle East Business Intelligence (MEED) reported on Thursday.
** An electric concept car burst into flames during a recent car show in Guangzhou, China. Images and videos of the incident have been circulating on social media since the Chinese electric vehicle parked at the show’s IAT Automotive display caught on fire on Dec. 29, 2022.
** -Hess Corp said drilling results expected this month could add a seventh platform in Guyana, which would lift the nascent oil producing nation’s output above the 1.2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day planned.