New Corn-to-Ethanol Process Promises Lower Costs, Environmental Benefits

Purdue University scientists have developed an environmentally friendly, cost-effective method for creating ethanol from corn. Using a machine originally designed to make plastics, the new Chen-Xu Method grinds the corn kernels and then liquefies the starch with high temperatures. renewableenergyaccess

Edwards sees threat to oil sands projects

High costs will likely derail some projects in the oil sands, according to Murray Edwards, the reclusive vice-chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., one of many firms working in the overheated Fort McMurray region of Alberta. It was the strongest public declaration yet from a senior industry executive that some projects may not go ahead […]

Bigger is not necessarily better — in hydrogen storage

University of Nottingham scientists have made a breakthrough which could help in the development of the next generation of environmentally-friendly cars. Their latest findings on hydrogen storage could be crucial in the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles that are a viable alternative to the petrol and diesel-powered vehicles of today. physorg

A Gusher For Big Oil Is Drying Up

It’s a new world for oil companies, as Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A), Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), and others are learning the hard way in Russia. In the mid-1990s, the country was in economic turmoil. So the Kremlin agreed to advantageous deals for Western oil majors, which agreed to use their capital and technology to […]

Iraq to tap Ahdab oilfield

Iraq will tap the Ahdab oilfield as a first step towards developing its vast resource wealth, according to published reports. Oil ministry spokesman Asim Jihad, quoting remarks by oil minister Hussain Shahristani, said development would start ’soon’ with an initial output of 30,000 barrels per day, rising to its 90,000 bpd capacity within two years. […]

Researchers Caution on Potential of Energy Crops as Invasive Species

A University of Arkansas researcher and his colleagues are calling for caution in developing dedicated energy crops, citing the possibility of some of those biofuel crops becoming invasive species. Robert N. Wiedenmann, professor of entomology, and his colleagues S. Raghu, Roger C. Anderson, Curt C. Daehler, Adam S. Davis, Dan Simberloff and Richard N. Mack […]

Automakers Look Beyond Oil to Fuel America’s Future

Speed and looks may have less to do with what Americans will drive in the future than the fuel those vehicles use, top government and auto industry officials say. Think ethanol and hydrogen. U.S. auto manufacturers plan to manufacture vehicles that will use these renewable, cleaner-burning fuels, possibly replacing gasoline altogether. But it’s not going […]

James Howard Kunstler on Relocalization & Peak Oil (Transcript)

Global Public Media – Julian Darley: The message is getting out. More and more people have noticed there’s a problem with petroleum and gas. And now, peak oil is spoken – even within the corridors of power. Even though sometimes it’s to deny it. But, not always, by any means. So, I think it very […]

Bush Offers to Shrink Alaska Oil Drilling Plan

(Bloomberg) — The Bush administration, bowing to pressure from environmental groups, has offered to scale back a plan to expand oil and natural gas drilling on Alaska’s North Slope. The U.S. Interior Department yesterday asked a court in Anchorage to allow the planned Sept. 27 sale of about 8 million acres in the National Petroleum […]

Peak Oil Passnotes: Why Is Oil at $60?

Resource Investor – When a commodity or a stock moves fast we tend to get very excited. We hope to discover whether or not it has made some kind of quantum leap or is just part of a long term trend. So what the heck is happening to crude oil? Is this a slip? A […]

Put Crudely, Petrol Panic Runs Out of Puff

The Australian – TWO months ago, Australia was being told to brace for petrol prices of $2 a litre. Israel was pummelling southern Lebanon, US motorists were draining fuel reserves, and oil traders were talking up the real chance a barrel of oil would soon be worth $US100. What a difference a few months can […]

Clinton debuts $1B renewable-energy fund

NEW YORK – Former President Clinton announced the launch of an investment fund expected to raise more than $1 billion for renewable energy on Friday, the final day of his global issues conference. The Green Fund would focus on reducing dependence on fossil fuels, creating jobs, lessening pollution and helping to reduce global warming, all […]

U.S. ‘Very Concerned’ by Russian Steps on Shell

(Reuters) – The United States on Friday added its voice to the chorus of Western nations troubled by Russia’s dealings with foreign oil companies, saying it was “very concerned” by Moscow’s treatment of Royal Dutch Shell. “The United States is very concerned by recent Russian government action threatening the revocation of Shell’s environmental permit for […]

Putting ethanol in the fast lane

Famed venture capitalist calls for four policy changes to help put the plant-based fuel back in the spotlight. NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Despite falling oil prices and a corresponding drop in the stock price of various ethanol companies, famed venture capitalist, Sun Microsystems co-founder and ethanol investor Vinod Khosla outlined four steps he said would […]

Exxon claims Royal Society letter ‘unfair’

ExxonMobil has escalated a row with the Royal Society by accusing it of “inaccurately and unfairly” depicting the world’s largest oil company as a climate change sceptic. However, Exxon admits it is reviewing the funding of various outside groups which were accused by the Royal Society of undermining the scientific consensus on global warming. An […]

Floating garbage piling up in Three Gorges Dam

Several months of drought in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, China’s longest, had reduced its capacity to clean itself, Xinhua news agency quoted Cao Guangjing, vice manager of the Three Gorges Corporation, as saying. The amount of floating garbage in the reservoir is expected to surpass 200,000 cubic meters (seven million cubic feet), […]

Surviving The Oil Crash: Leadership And Social Structure

The biggest news story of modern times rarely appears in the conventional news media, or it appears only in distorted forms. Ironically, the modern world is plagued by a lack of serious information. Today’s news item is usually forgotten by tomorrow. The television viewer has the vague impression that something happened somewhere, but one could […]

The gusher paradox

A new oil discovery is great for the drillers – but may be bad for us. The recent discovery of a massive oilfield under the Gulf of Mexico appears to be a godsend for our crude-hungry country. It’s not that simple, however. The new deep-water find is a pointed example of the way elevated oil […]

Oil Companies are Split on Push by Nations for More Profits

Oil-producing nations demanding contract concessions or seeking outright expropriations have created a split in the petroleum industry, with some companies insisting a contract is a contract and others saying they are willing to renegotiate some terms to reflect higher oil prices. Oil companies have pushed back as developing countries have asked for a bigger share […]

Gas could cost more in State supply plan

Australia Energy Minister Fran Logan revealed this week that companies may be allowed to

Brazil, Bolivia to address energy crisis

SAO PAULO, Brazil – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted Thursday he’s taking a tough line in a major energy dispute with Bolivia, and said he’ll meet with Bolivian leader Evo Morales to try solve the crisis after Brazil’s Oct. 1 presidential elections. Silva used a televised interview to fend off allegations by […]

Suits Say U.S. Impeded Audits for Oil Leases

Four government auditors who monitor leases for oil and gas on federal property say the Interior Department suppressed their efforts to recover millions of dollars from companies they said were cheating the government. The accusations, many of them in four lawsuits that were unsealed last week by federal judges in Oklahoma, represent a rare rebellion […]

Concerns Raised Over Natural Gas From Abroad

Critics say imported LNG burns hotter and pollutes more than the domestic product State utility regulators are embroiled in a debate over new kinds of natural gas that opponents contend would worsen air pollution, trip up power plants and make gas stoves, water heaters and other equipment more prone to fires. The dispute concerns foreign […]

ASPO-USA Conference in Boston now has reasonable priced rooms available.

Limited time availability – rooms at special discount rate of $99 at Comfort Inn, 900 Morrissey Blvd, Boston MA 02122 Offer expires October 2, 2006. You may reserve a room for the nights of October 25, 26, and 27 or any combination of those 3 nights. To make a reservation, call (617) 287-9200. Be sure […]

Biofuels as Invasive Species?

“Most of the traits that are touted as great for biofuel crops – no known pests or diseases, rapid growth, high water-use efficiency – are red flags for invasion biologists,” Wiedenmann said. “We want to start a dialog and approach the question of biofuels systematically.” President George Bush announced the U.S. renewable energy initiative in […]

Russia threatens oil giants’ licences

Oil majors’ relations with the authorities in Russia came under renewed strain when a senior official raised the prospect of taking ExxonMobil’s licence for the giant Sakhalin-1 development off the company as a punishment for possible cost overruns. Sergei Fyodorov, head of geological and subsoil use policies at the Ministry of Natural Resources, said it […]

Heatwaves, biofuel demand push up price of wheat; Irish bread prices to rise

Flour company Odlums has warned consumers that the price of Irish bread is set to rise from next week because of poor wheat harvests and higher energy costs. The demand for wheat for biofuels, in particular in the US is also a big factor.Finfacts

Fears grow over Russia undermining EU energy strategy

Italy has sounded the alarm over Russia’s recent energy deal with Algeria, amid fears that the Kremlin is undermining the EU’s strategy of seeking less energy dependency on Moscow. Russia’s state-owned energy firms Gazprom and Lukoil in August announced they would clinch a co-operation deal with Algeria’s state energy firm Sonatrach, in a move which […]

Farming the World’s Energy

Agriculture offers the first serious alternatives to fossil fuels: Diesel, natural gas, and petroleum could give way in the future to “biomass” energy. As development continues apace, so too do concerns about the farmed fuels’ effectiveness. spiegel

EU Imported More Energy in 2005

The European Union imported more energy last year to plug a deficit after its own production of oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear power fell, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said Thursday. The 25 nations of the EU import more than half of their energy needs _ a trend that continues to rise. They bought […]

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