Violence in Basra rooted in oil smuggling

BASRA, IRAQ – This once-placid port city is looking a lot like the mob-ruled Chicago of the 1920s, an arena for settling scores between rival gangs, many with ties to the highest echelons of local and national political power. Basra’s sudden political troubles and violence are rooted in a bloody competition for control of millions […]

Nuclear Waste Looms As Challenge in Asia

With royal tombs and a history dating back 1,000 years to the Shilla Kingdom, Gyeongju is a cradle of Korean civilization. But it’s about to get a tomb of a different type. A hillside bunker overlooking the Sea of Japan is to become one of Asia’s first permanent nuclear dump sites, ending South Korea’s 19-year […]

Shell to develop more cleaner biofuel

Royal Dutch Shell aims to develop a second generation of biofuels that diminishes their impact on climate change and competition with food crops, the company’s head of biofuels said. But Darran Messem distanced the group from comments by a senior Shell executive in Singapore, quoted by Reuters, that generating biofuels from food crops was morally […]

Lack of petroleum engineers

The outlook for our domestic petroleum industry has not looked this good since the last oil boom a generation ago. Oil prices have doubled since 2004. Wall Street and investors from around the world have been getting on board for the next big energy deal. The energy sector seems to have learned the hard lessons […]

HP: Demand Will Rise for Low-Power Devices

Consumers have been used to energy ratings on “white goods,” such as refrigerators or washing machines. But no standards have been established for the increasing panoply of digital cameras, printers and other consumer products. But by 2010, the consumption of consumer electronic goods is expected to double, Meric said. HP expects energy to become a […]

Spectres loom for booming BP

Despite admiration for BP and Browne, these are not easy times for either. Last year the company’s reputation for safety was hit by an explosion at its Texas City refinery. Along with the reputational damage, the incident wiped $700m off BP’s profits. There have been oil spillages and more recently BP has been accused by […]

Measures Taken For Coping With Past Oil Shortages

While the depletion of world oil supplies is still a number of years ahead, some countries have already experienced lengthy oil shortages in the past for various reasons. The methods used by these countries to cope with severe oil shortages may give us some idea of what sort of measures might have to be taken […]

Revealed: G8 plan for global nuclear expansion

World leaders are planning a massive expansion of nuclear power in their own countries and across the developing world, according to documents drawn up for the G8 summit and leaked to the Sunday Herald. An action plan for sundayherald

ConocoPhillips starts $2bn worldwide oilfield disposal

US oil giant ConocoPhillips has launched a $2bn (E1.6bn, thebusinessonline

FACTBOX-The factors that sent oil above $75 a barrel

Worries about disruption along the entire supply chain from major OPEC producers to U.S. refiners are the most striking reasons for record oil prices of above $75 a barrel. But beyond the headlines, the energy complex has been propelled higher by an array of factors. reuters

This farming hamlet is aiming at generating its own electricity and gas, using everything from municipal trash to farm waste, hog manure and even town sewage. If the experiment works, Reynolds and its 500 residents will be the nation msnbc

Iraq’s oil production could reach nine million barrels a day

Iraq’s oil production could reach 9.0 million barrels a day in 2016, up from around 2.4 million barrels currently, the head of international oil producer Heritage Oil, said. But the lack of a clear development strategy for Iraq’s oil resources is delaying the much-needed foreign investment required to reach this level of production, Micael Gulbenkian […]

Obsession with nuclear power is wrong for Britain, Mr Blair

The worst kept secret in British politics will be out this week, when the government’s Energy Review confirms that Labour wants a new generation of nuclear power stations. It will be the central conclusion of the Review, though expect ministers to play it down and announce some welcome surprises for supporters of renewable energy, energy […]

Mexico’s Calderon Interested in Deepwater Exploration

Felipe Calderon, the winner of Mexico’s presidential vote, said Friday he would continue the country’s efforts to exploit crude oil in deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and is also interested in promoting the use of ethanol. rigzone

Brazilian Ethanol Exports to US Surge Despite Tariff

Brazil exported upwards of a record 428 million liters (113 million gallons US) of ethanol in June due to surging demand from the US, according to UNICA, the S greencarcongress

US DOE Releases Roadmap for Cellulosic Ethanol

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released a detailed research agenda for the development of cellulosic ethanol as an alternative to gasoline. The 200-page research roadmap greencarcongress

Industry Stakeholders prepare for the Joint Technology Initiative on Hydrogen

On 29 June 2006, the 59 companies and other takeholders interested to become shareholders of the Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell met to discuss the modalities of industry’s participation in this Public Private Partnership proposed by the European Commission in September 2005. During the meeting, industry stakeholders reached a number of […]

Peak Oil: the next big thing (Part Three)

Oil is getting scarce. The alternatives are unattractive. What does that mean in economic terms? The availability of oil and its price are linked by the laws of supply and demand. These laws are often cited as a deus ex machina that will save us from energy privation and avert a crisis. Those who think […]

Bus systems see ridership increases

Public transportation is a lifeline for Linda Hanes. When she has to get to her dialysis appointment, Hanes relies on Cadillac-Wexford Transit Authority for a ride. Wheelchair bound, the senior citizen also depends on the bus system to get to the grocery store and other destinations necessary to meet her survival needs. A growing number […]

Beyond the Solar Panel

The government tests cars for gas mileage. Now it’s testing roof tiles for wattage. Homeowners have long been able to partially power their homes with sunlight, but it meant clumsily mounting photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof. Now the latest generation of PV panels look and act much like ordinary roofing tiles or shingles. And […]

Kremlin ignores democracy to snatch oil from the wilderness

This eerily beautiful land of fishermen and reindeer herders is now the frontline of the Kremlin’s campaign to curb local democracy and seize control of Russia’s energy resources. Somewhere beneath Nenets’ tundra and marshland lies an estimated 3.6 billion tonnes of untapped oil and gas reserves — enough to supply Britain for almost 20 years. […]

Countries need to oil their wheels

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in conjunction with the UN, published a major agricultural study last week. The study said that there are very few countries in the world that are able to produce biofuels that can compete on price with conventional fossil fuels. In fact, with the exception of Brazil, all […]

Energy superpower or high-tech hub? Russia puts diversification on back burner

Russia has come a long way since its 1998 default on $40 billion US of Soviet-era debt, burying its image of a handout-hungry giant and positioning itself as one of the world’s energy superpowers. But with oil revenues gushing in and its state-controlled oil and natural-gas companies in the ascendancy, the Kremlin’s oft-stated goal of […]

Asia going nuclear amid rising oil prices, concerns over global warming

Led by fast-growing China and India, Asia is going nuclear in a big way to feed its ravenous appetite for energy. The strains of economic growth are already showing. Energy shortages have forced Chinese factories to scale back production, and farmers in India often have power for only half the day. Both countries say their […]

Kurds Protest Energy Shortages

Iraqi Kurds have been taking to the streets in recent weeks to protest the shortage of fuel and electricity in the region. Kurdish officials have promised to fix the shortages but blame the central government for not providing Iraqi Kurdistan with enough resources. The argument has not convinced residents in the northern region, however, who […]

Ministers praise bio-energy

The Nordic Council of Ministers today agreed on a joint campaign to increase the use of bio-energy in the Nordic countries. An annual DKK 50,000 Nordic bio-energy prize will be awarded to individuals or organisations that distinguish themselves in the field. At their meeting in SvolvThe initial goal is to collate relevant knowledge about “bio-energy […]

Oil sands rush needs to pause

During his tenure as Alberta premier, Peter Lougheed was known as a reflective man whose observations were often astute. So when he calls for a moratorium on oil sands projects until public hearings are called to reflect Albertans’ wishes, it’s well to sit up and listen. Retrieving black gold from the oil sands is so […]

Record oil price sets the scene for $200 next year

With many commentators now on holiday the record $75.78 oil price last week was almost ignored. Yet with the world economy still hot the scene is set for a powerful rally in oil prices and the equally inevitable price spike. So will we see oil hit $200 a barrel in 2007?Nobody ever really knows the […]

Shell fears cost overrun at Canada oil sands

Shell Canada Ltd has said its C$7.3 billion ($6.6 billion) Athabasca oil sands expansion in northern Alberta faced big expense overruns, and a partner said capital costs could be 50 per cent more than anticipated last year. “We see signs of a heated market for labour, materials and equipment everywhere and we must assure ourselves […]

Mexico’s Calderon Interested In Deep-Water Oil, Ethanol

Felipe Calderon, the winner of Mexico’s presidential vote, said Friday he would continue the country’s efforts to exploit crude oil in deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and is also interested in promoting the use of ethanol. State oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, sees deep-water exploration as the long-term answer to replacing reserves […]

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