Bill filed to boost US refinery construction

Rep. Charles F. Bass (R-NH), who mobilized moderate House Republicans last fall to stop Arctic National Wildlife Refuge leasing authorization, has introduced a bill to facilitate construction of petroleum and biofuel refineries. “We should assist local, state, and federal officials in confronting the confusing and sometimes contradictory regulations, approval timelines, and permits required by dozens […]

House targets energy companies with anti-gouging measures

Measure to expand refining capacity falls short WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday approved criminal penalties and fines of up to $150 million for energy companies caught price gouging, yet lawmakers acknowledged there is no quick and easy fix to higher pump prices. President Bush summoned Democrats and Republicans to the White House to […]

Petroleum Refiner, Agribusiness Firm Team to Build Largest Ethanol Plant in US

A Mississippi-based petroleum refiner and a global agribusiness firm are teaming up to build the largest ethanol plant in the southeastern United States. Ergon Ethanol, Inc. and Bunge North America, Inc. signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture to build an ethanol plant with an annual capacity of at least 60 million […]

Ethanol Direct Injection as an Enabler for Aggressive Engine Downsizing

MIT scientists are exploring the use of ethanol direct injection (DI) to support the use of small, highly turbocharged engines with substantially increased efficiency as a downsizing strategy to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The researchers project that ethanol DI could result in a part-load efficiency increase of 30% relative to conventional port-fueled injection engines. […]

Gas prices up. So are scams.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – It costs less than $40 and, according to its Web site marketing, it will raise your vehicle’s fuel economy by 30 percent or more. Customers swear by it in testimonials. Whatever it is, your best bet is to keep your credit card in your wallet. Whenever gas prices spike, such product […]

‘Clear lead needed’ on green life

Environmental advisers to the UK government are urging more radical action to promote green lifestyles. The Sustainable Consumption Roundtable (SCR) says people need a clear lead from government. Its report, I Will If You Will, urges measures such as taxing flights, rewarding water conservation and banning over-fishing of cod. BBC

EU agrees battery recycling law

The European Union has agreed the text of a law that will make recycling of batteries obligatory from 2008. The directive will ban most batteries with more than a trace of the toxic chemicals cadmium or mercury. It says a quarter of all used batteries must be collected by 2012 – rising to 45% by […]

Criminal action over nuclear leak

The operators of the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria are to face a criminal prosecution over the leak of tonnes of radioactive material. Acid containing 20 tonnes of uranium and 160kg of plutonium spilled from a ruptured pipe into a sealed cell at the site’s Thorp complex. The leak was discovered in April 2005, […]

World Oil Prices To Stay High Through 2007: US EIA

World crude oil prices are expected to stay high through 2007 because of strong petroleum demand, limited surplus oil production and refining capacity and concerns about supply disruptions due to geopolitical risks in countries like Iran, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Wednesday. The EIA said none of these “forces that contribute to current high […]

As Gas Prices Soar, the Marketplace Reacts

While Washington dithers, consumers are changing their habits “I don’t know what happened,” he mused. “All winter long we’re selling SUVs, and no one ever asks about the gas mileage. But this week practically everyone who came in here wanted to know, ‘What gets the best mileage?’ We’ve never had that happen before. I had […]

‘Clear’ human impact on climate

A scientific report commissioned by the US government has concluded there is “clear evidence” of climate change caused by human activities. The report, from the federal Climate Change Science Program, said trends seen over the last 50 years “cannot be explained by natural processes alone”. It found that temperatures have increased in the lower atmosphere […]

Oil sinks on surprise build in supplies

Backs away from record prices as crude inventories swell by 1.7 million barrels, gasoline adds 2.1 million barrels. NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – Oil prices fell Wednesday after a government report said gas and oil inventories rose unexpectedly. U.S. light crude for June delivery fell $1.01 to 73.60 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. […]

As Oil Leaps Again, Market Braces For Much Higher Prices

If you’re worried about high oil prices, get this: $75 oil may look considerably cheap in a few months’ time. As oil prices tried again on Tuesday to break towards a new record of more than $75, some analysts played catch up and raised their forecasts predicting much higher prices. Not only are $70-plus oil […]

The Oil Drum: OPEC Declines and the World Plateau

The EIA came out with the latest International Petroleum Monthly yesterday, which allows us to update the plateau graph, and triggered me into a little investigation of what’s going on with OPEC production. Firstly, the world situation. [Graph of Average daily oil production, by month, from various estimates. Click to enlarge. Runs from Jan 2002 […]

Boycott for $1.30-a-Gallon Gas Divides Tiny Bee County, Texas

BEEVILLE, Texas What they didn’t count on was how it would divide this south Texas county. “We certainly look like hicks now!” Pam Tull wrote the local newspaper. Added another letter writer, teacher Charles Marley: “You have a standing invitation to come to high school economics class and learn how supply and demand affects gasoline […]

Industries hit hard by hike in fuel prices

Airlines, truckers and railroads under pressure. Factories not yet anxious. As bad as a motorist may feel paying $50 or more to fill the gas tank of the family car, imagine if your job were to keep hundreds of airplanes flying, or a fleet of trucks on the highway. Airlines, trucking companies and railroads are […]

Fuel, fertilizer prices expected to keep climbing

Central Illinois farmers planting their corn and soybean crops are paying fuel prices 113 percent higher than four years ago, according to a University of Missouri energy economist. Fertilizer prices – largely based on energy costs due to the petroleum products comprising fertilizer – have increased 70 percent during the same period. Lori Wilcox, UM […]

Gas guzzling Hummers still selling strong

Hummer sales up 231 percent Larry Tynes sold five Hummers last weekend. While crude oil prices reach all time highs, the Hunt Valley car salesman said he doesn’t think his customers are concerned about the extra money spent at the pump. Industry experts agree. The car dealership sells 45 new and 15 used Hummers each […]

The troubling trend of nationalization

As governments take over natural resources, global companies take note WASHINGTON – First Russia. Then Venezuela. Now Bolivia. Soaring energy prices are fueling a global wave of natural-resource nationalization that is souring the investment landscape for international oil companies and reshaping energy politics for years to come. While it is anyone

Nigeria: Youths Invade Mobil Terminal

A bloody protest by Ibeno youths in Akwa Ibom State yesterday left one dead, two others shot, two expatriates kidnapped and several wounded at the Qua Iboe terminal of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited MPN, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation. The youths barricaded the entrances of the terminal thereby making it impossible for employees, visitors […]

Gas price dents sales of guzzlers

DETROIT F-series sales were down 9.3% in April from a year ago. Sales of Ford Explorer, which has been the top-selling SUV in the country, were off a stunning 42%. In April, Explorer was outsold by the smaller Toyota RAV4 SUV. Gas prices went up nearly 40% during April, and industrywide sales showed signs that […]

Betting On A Better Future

Put all the factors that you can think of that might lead to tremendous oil scarcity in the next four years on one side. Then, on the other side put one single factor: the intelligence of free human beings determined to lower the cost of energy. Which would you bet on? An interesting article in […]

MIT hoping to short-circuit energy crunch

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is planning an ambitious effort to solve the world’s energy problems, including spending at least $25 million annually on new research, according to a report set to be released today. MIT president Susan Hockfield declared in her inaugural address last year that finding solutions to the looming energy crisis would […]

Across USA, wave of anger building over gas prices

FRONT ROYAL, Va. Jennifer Sperry, 32, works at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Her mother, Linda Burnett, 51, is bound for the same agency. Regina Sommers, 39, works at a law firm. And Pete Williams, 53, is building manager at the Reagan federal building. Two weeks ago they faced the inevitable and formed this […]

BBC : Easyjet – Fuel costs double loss

Soaring fuel costs have almost doubled half-year losses at budget carrier Easyjet, but the firm is still forecasting higher profits. The carrier reported a pre-tax loss of The figures were hit by a 49% rise in fuel costs, Easyjet said, and the later timing of this year’s Easter weekend. However, Easyjet said the loss was […]

High oil prices set to trigger more strikes

As workers celebrated their day yesterday, one question that remained unanswered is when the agitation for higher salaries would stop, given the escalating price of crude oil on the world. ..The danger is that if America attempts a regime change in Iran like it did in Iraq or opts to invade Iran, Iran will shut […]

World Bank urges economic growth with clean energy

According to a new report validated by the World Bank, the global community needs to address issues hindering economic growth without losing sight of environmental goals. But environmental groups say the report does not indicate the way developed countries should effectively take a lead. ..Titled “Clean energy and development: Toward an Investment Framework,” the report […]

Bolivia stirs fears of energy producer power

Bolivia’s startling seizure of its gas fields has intensified fears of “resource nationalism” tightening global energy supplies and inflating prices for years to come. Emboldened by record oil prices, producer governments from Venezuela to Russia are grabbing more money and control from foreign investors. “When government action, whether it goes by resource nationalism or any […]

Experts doubt oil shale answer to energy crisis

Walter Youngquist, a retired University of Oregon geology professor, says he’s considered ways of exploiting America’s untapped oil shale resources for 40 years and concludes that extracting commercial amounts is like a mirage: every time it is approached, it just keeps retreating into the distance. Youngquist said it takes more energy to extract a barrel […]

EIA: Tight Global Production Capacity Reason For High Oil Prices

Oil prices remain at high levels because global supply is “stretched very thin” by insufficient spare production capacity and recent supply disruptions, Energy Information Administration head Guy Caruso said on Tuesday. “There’s very little upstream capacity,” Caruso told a group of industry executives at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston. “We’re still living in a […]

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