Scientists Send Message: ‘Cut Air Travel for the Environment’

Britain should drastically reduce the growth of air travel to bring greenhouse gas emissions within levels that will avoid dangerous climate change, a report by leading environmental scientists said Wednesday. Air travel has boomed in recent years thanks largely to cheaper flights, and the government predicts that the number of air passengers in Britain will […]

The Oil Drum: Rita Resources Page

WEATHER MODELS, MAPS, DAMAGE MODELS/PREDICTIONS, and insider information about where the worst places are to for Rita to hit tomorrow… A lot of resources in one place after the jump to The Oil Drum.

Oil refineries, rigs prepare for Hurricane Rita

Storm heads for nationFour Louisiana refineries are still out of operation from last month

Oil continues to climb as Rita approaches Texas

Traders fear storm will hit key oil production facilities along the Gulf Coast NEW YORK – Crude oil prices continued to climb Thursday, approaching $68 a barrel as Hurricane Rita closed in on Texas, raising fears it would hit key production facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast that were largely untouched by Hurricane Katrina

Ford to Boost Production of Hybrids Tenfold

Ford Motor Co., the No. 2 US automaker, will boost global production of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles tenfold by 2010, Chief Executive Bill Ford said on Wednesday. By then, more than half of the company’s Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and light trucks will have hybrid capability, Bill Ford said during a meeting at a research […]

Report says global warming could spark conflict

Rising world temperatures could cause a significant increase in disease across Asia and Pacific Island nations, leading to conflict and leaving hundreds of millions of people displaced, a new report said on Thursday. Global warming by the year 2100 could also lead to more droughts, floods and typhoons, and increase the incidence of malaria, dengue […]

Heatwave study raises new global warming fear

Global warming could reduce harvests and plant growth, with a serious effect on farm productivity, scientists will warn on Thursday. The finding, based upon an examination of the effects of the 2003 heatwave in Europe, is of particular concern because many scientists previously assumed that global warming would increase plant growth, with beneficial effects for […]

China self-supplies 94% of energy need

At the Rizhao Port, a major coal exporting base in east China’s Shandong Province, 25,000 tons of coal are shipped overseas daily, fueling economic growth of neighbouring countries like Japan. ..In 2004, China produced 1.96 billion tons of coal. Together with its oil, natural gas, and other energy output, it produced a total of 1.85 […]

Energy savings potential in housing greatest in EU-10

As prices of heating fuel hit a high, new research shows better housing insulation could save the EU’s newest members billions and shelter them from a looming environmental and social crisis. According to a study performed by research and consulting firm Ecofys for Eurima, the European insulation manufacturers association, better insulation in buildings could save […]

‘Outrageous oil prices burden India’s economy’

Outrageous” international oil prices are burdening India’s budget as the nation struggles to protect its booming economy, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday. .. speaking at an investment forum in New York, Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said the rising cost of energy was taking a toll on India’s finances as the country had to put […]

China, Japan, South Korea urged to buy more Russian oil

China, Japan and South Korea should buy more oil from Russia, the world’s second-biggest producer, to lower the price of West Asian crude, the chairman of Nippon Oil Corp said. “If one million barrels per day of Russian oil are supplied to North-East Asia, it would raise the region’s self-sufficiency by about 7 per cent, […]

Bush Nominee: Chavez Serious About Oil Cutoff

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is not just bluffing when he threatens to cut off the huge volume of oil his country sells the United States, the Bush administration’s nominee to be top U.S. diplomat for Latin America said Wednesday. Although it would be difficult for Venezuela to halt the flow soon, Chavez does want an […]

The Oil Drum: On Low Quality Hydrocarbons

As most of us here know, the planet offers extremely large amounts of low quality hydrocarbons (LQHCs) that could, in principle, be converted to synthetic crude to displace conventional oil as it depletes. The major sources are tar sands (especially in Alberta), oil shale (especially in Colorado), and extra-heavy oil which will not flow readily […]

IMF Warns of $80 Oil by Christmas

The world economy could be plunged into recession by soaring oil prices or a sudden collapse in the dollar, the International Monetary Fund warned yesterday. The world’s financial watchdog said there was a one in five chance that crude prices could hit $80 a barrel by Christmas – surpassing, in real terms, the prices witnessed […]

Rita: Coup de Grace for the American Economy

Fully 30% of all US refining capacity is in the target zone. Perhaps most importantly, almost every refinery capable of producing diesel fuel is in immediate danger. This promises (especially in the wake of Katrina) a devastating and irreplaceable shortage of the diesel fuel needed to power AmericaFrom The Wilderness

Heatwave makes plants warm planet

A new study shows that during the 2003 heatwave, European plants produced more carbon dioxide than they absorbed from the atmosphere. The study shows that ecosystems which currently absorb CO2 from the atmosphere may in future produce it, adding to the greenhouse effect.BBC

Gas may be back on bus timetable

Surging fuel prices have convinced the State Government to reconsider using gas-powered vehicles to expand its ageing fleet of buses. The Transport Minister, John Watkins, said yesterday the next tranche of 505 buses was out to tender and rising fuel prices meant it might be more practical to buy gas vehicles as well as new-generation […]

Panel shortage snags solar system sellers

“The demand is high and, as a result of high demand, there is a long lead time for this product,” said Bob Balzar, renewable energy and conservation program director at Nevada Power and its sister company, Sierra Pacific Power Co. of Reno. “Manufacturers are working very hard to keep up with demand.” The shortage in […]

Ford to Boost Production of Hybrids Tenfold

Ford Motor Co. jumped on the hybrid car bandwagon today with a promise to boost production tenfold to 250,000 cars and trucks per year by 2010, the strongest commitment yet by a Detroit automaker to build gas-electric vehicles. Speaking in Dearborn, Mich., Bill Ford Jr., the company’s chairman and chief executive, said Ford was acting […]

Kano Residents March Against Fuel Price Hike

Hundred thousands of people yesterday marched through the streets of Kano in continuation of protests against the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products by the Federal Government. The protesters led by Mr. Adam Oshiomole, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) commenced at the secretariat of the state chapter of the union and […]

Rita could equal $5 gas

The timing and strength of the latest storm could cause worse spike at the pumps than Katrina did. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – Remember when gas spiked to $3-plus a gallon after Hurricane Katrina? By this time next week, that could seem like the good old days. Weather and energy experts say that as bad as […]

The Oil Drum: What do the models mean for oil and natural gas?

…this is why Rita is going to be a huge deal for energy. With supply and demand at such a knife’s edge because of peak oil, and the damage that Katrina has just wrought, more supply outages, refinery problems, and the like, are going to be very problematic and could drive prices much higher. We […]

Oil, Gasoline Rise as Platforms in Path of Hurricane Rita Shut

…”Rita is developing into our worst-case scenario,”‘ said John Kilduff, vice president of risk management at Fimat USA in New York. “This is headed right into our other major refining center just after all the damage done to facilities in Louisiana. From an energy perspective it doesn’t get any worse than this.’” …”This has the […]

Canada’s energy ministers powerless in face of volatile prices

ST. ANDREWS, N.B. (CP) – Canada’s energy ministers say they have no control over volatile petroleum prices and they’re warning Canadians to prepare for a tough winter. Dane Baily of the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute said the industry doesn’t know what will happen to oil and gas prices in the future since they are largely […]

Rita threat pushes oil above $68

OPEC pledge of spare capacity eclipsed by potential damage to rigs and refineries in Gulf by storm. LONDON (Reuters) – Oil prices climbed by $2 a barrel, topping the $68 mark Wednesday as Hurricane Rita threatened to add to U.S. energy supply woes by hammering Gulf of Mexico rigs, pipelines and nearby refineries. Reuters

Oil Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Keep in mind that Hubbert said production, not reserves, would peak and decline. Since Hubbert made his forecast, vast new reserves have been uncovered. From that peak, Hubbert, whose theory unfortunately gave every doomsayer leave to shriek alarms about the end of oil, believed production would be in perpetual decline. Instead, production actually increased after a short fall-off.

Investor’s Business Daily

Simple Fixes for Saving Energy

Sure, you can put a small fortune into conservation. But some surprisingly modest moves have the quickest returns on investment O.K., so you’ve been putting off weatherizing your home or replacing that aging dishwasher with an energy-efficient model. With the impact of Hurricane Katrina promising higher energy costs this winter, is it finally time to […]

Richard Branson, Oil Tycoon?

Confounded by today’s prices, the billionaire [and airline owner] explains why he’s trying to get into exploration and refining Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson isn’t the type to sit on his tropical island in the Caribbean and merely fume about lethargic politicians. He’s the maverick founder of Britain’s Virgin Group, an empire of 200 companies […]

Lawmakers seek probe into gas price gouging

MADISON, Wis. – Eight Democratic governors asked President Bush and congressional leaders on Tuesday to investigate possible gasoline price gouging in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In a letter, the governors urged an investigation into The letter was signed by the governors of Oregon, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, New Mexico, Iowa, Montana and Washington. It also […]

GM Future Rides On New SUVs

The new SUV that may spell salvation for General Motors has arrived. The SUV is vital to GM returning to profitability and to the fate of thousands of jobs at assembly plants and suppliers in Detroit and across North America. It hits the market when some observers think buyers may have turned away from big […]

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