TotalEnergies Rejects Venture Global as LNG Supplier

ByIrina Slav– Feb 06, 2025, 2:40 AM CST

LNGimage

TotalEnergies passed on the opportunity to sign up for long-term liquefied natural gas from U.S. Venture Global because it did not trust the company, the French supermajor’s chief executive told Reuters.

“I don’t want to deal with these guys, because of what they are doing. … I don’t want to be in the middle of a dispute with my friends, with Shell and BP,” Patrick Pouyanne told the publication.

‘;
document.write(write_html);
}

Venture Global is currently embroiled in a dispute with Shell, BP, and several other European energy majors after it refused to start deliveries to them under long-term contracts in favor of selling its LNG on the spot market, making billions, according to the clients.

The LNG exporter used a legal loophole that allowed it to delay the official commissioning of its Calcasieu Pass LNG facility, which was when the long-term contracts would come into effect.

BP, Shell, Repsol, and Eni are suing Venture Global, with Shell last September accusing Venture Global of earning some $3.5 billion from selling LNG on the spot market while it should have supplied it under its long-term contracts. This, Shell alleged, caused serious LNG sourcing difficulties for one unnamed company that had to resort to sourcing the gas from five other U.S. producers, incurring additional costs of $1.5 billion.

BP, Shell, and Spain’s Repsol, along with two other European energy companies, were foundation buyers for the Calcasieu Pass facility, meaning they provided Venture Global with the money to build the place in Louisiana in exchange for a commitment from the company to supply them with certain volumes of LNG over a long-term period.

The facility has a capacity of 10 million tons, and it started producing in early 2022—right on time for Europe, which was beginning to experience a shortage. But instead of honoring its contracts with the European buyers, Venture Global chose to sell more LNG on the spot market.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com

Join the discussion | Back to homepage

 

  • Related Posts

    Strait of Hormuz Traffic Grinds to a Halt Again as Iran Fires on Passing Ships

    Traffic via the Strait of Hormuz has been paralyzed again, with Bloomberg reporting there was only one vessel attempting to exit the strait and none trying to enter. The lonely…

    Brazil’s Trade Surplus Surges To A Record $14.2 Billion Amid High Oil Prices

    Brazil posted a record trade surplus of $14.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 47.6% increase compared to the same period in 2025 thanks in large part…

    Have You Seen?

    Linde subsidiary launches 5MW green hydrogen plant in Brazil

    • April 23, 2026
    Linde subsidiary launches 5MW green hydrogen plant in Brazil

    Golden Pass Says First LNG Export Cargo Has departed From Sabine Pass Terminal

    • April 23, 2026
    Golden Pass Says First LNG Export Cargo Has departed From Sabine Pass Terminal

    Brazil’s Trade Surplus Surges To A Record $14.2 Billion Amid High Oil Prices

    • April 23, 2026
    Brazil’s Trade Surplus Surges To A Record $14.2 Billion Amid High Oil Prices

    Strait of Hormuz Traffic Grinds to a Halt Again as Iran Fires on Passing Ships

    • April 23, 2026
    Strait of Hormuz Traffic Grinds to a Halt Again as Iran Fires on Passing Ships

    UK Energy Sec Says North Sea Is an ‘Important Resource’

    • April 23, 2026
    UK Energy Sec Says North Sea Is an ‘Important Resource’

    QatarEnergy ships first LNG cargo from Golden Pass in the US

    • April 23, 2026
    QatarEnergy ships first LNG cargo from Golden Pass in the US

    QatarEnergy ships first LNG cargo from Golden Pass in the US

    • April 23, 2026
    QatarEnergy ships first LNG cargo from Golden Pass in the US

    Itochu to offtake 300,000 tonnes of Indian green ammonia for maritime fuel in Asia

    • April 23, 2026
    Itochu to offtake 300,000 tonnes of Indian green ammonia for maritime fuel in Asia

    ‘First’ commercial green ammonia bunkering completed in South Korea

    • April 23, 2026

    Helium 2 plant in Qatar ‘to restart for domestic market’

    • April 23, 2026
    Helium 2 plant in Qatar ‘to restart for domestic market’