Offshore project momentum continues, signs of Middle East onshore progression Eni is progressing Verus, a very large new integrated offshore/onshore gas project in Australia featuring major opportunities within SURF, SPS, FPSO, trunkline and CCUS, with FEED activities targeted to commence in 2H23 ahead of FID in mid-2024. Offshore Canada, Equinor surprised the market this week by selecting KBR ahead of its compatriot Aker Solutions for the Bay du Nord topsides FEED, while BP has accelerated plans to drill a key wildcat at Ephesus. TotalEnergies is set to take FID on its $6bn+ Cameia-Golfinho project off Angola, six months later than planned, while Petronas has reportedly cancelled (again) the standalone development of Limbayong off Malaysia. In the UAE, Adnoc Gas has received bids from shortlisted contractors, including Petrofac, for the Meram ethane project. In Iraq, tenders for three new refinery projects have been launched with the government''s newly approved three-year budget seen to be accelerating the pace of infrastructure development. Awards and FIDs: Venture Global''s Plaquemines Ph.2 first out of the blocks in 2023 Venture Global this week announced FID on the second phase (8mtpa) of its $21bn Plaquemines LNG project on the US Guld Coast, the first major LNG project to be sanctioned in the US this year. NextDecade is targeting FID on the 17.6mtpa Rio Grande LNG project by the end of 2Q23, while Cedar FLNG has made key progress toward sanctioning this week. In PNG, JGC and Hyundai EandC have been selected by Exxon to construct four all-electric LNG trains. EU Response to the IRA: Positive implications for EU OFS While the proposals published yesterday by the European Commission for the two Acts to increase EU competitiveness within renewables lacks the simplicity, future visibility and incentives as the US IRA, they should help to accelerate permitting processes for renewables developments and kick-start the building out and scale-up...