(EnergyAsia, January 23) — Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah is in China this week to expand ties between the two countries, focusing on oil and energy cooperation and the establishment of an oil stockpiling project in southern China. The two sides could announce building a 100-million ton joint terminal in the island of Hainan as China...

(EnergyAsia, January 23) — Canada’s Ivanhoe Energy Inc said its wholly-owned subsidiary Sunwing Zitong Energy Ltd has farmed out 10% of its exploration and development contract for the Zitong Block in China’s Sichuan Basin to Japan’s Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc.   Mitsubishi will pay Sunwing US$4 million for a 10% interest in the project,...

(EnergyAsia, January 23) — Woodside Natural Gas Inc has announced plans to seek approval for an offshore sea-to-land pipeline that would bring a new secure supply of affordable natural gas to California, the US. The company is a unit of Australia upstream company Woodside Energy Ltd.   The project, known as OceanWay, would use safe,...

(Energy Asia, January 23) — Vietnam’s Dung Quat economic zone is set to attract a number of key industries following the start of construction of a US$2.5 billion oil refinery last November. Already, the central coastal province has attracted infrastructure investments worth more than VND2.2 trillion (US$1=15,000 dong). Officials expect investment figure to exceed exceed...

(EnergyAsia, January 23) — The Chinese government is looking to improve its planning and financing of the country’s strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs).   According to Shanghai Daily, Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said the government needs to look at all options to raise funds to build up its oil stockpile, including issuing bonds, introducing an oil...

(Energy Asia, January 20) — Adnoc and TotalfinaElf have given the go-ahead for their joint urea plant Fertil to proceed with a multi-million dollar debottlenecking project and its integration with Adnoc’s melamine plant in Abu Dhabi. The partners are now studying a feasibility study for Fertil’s expansion, according to the Khaleej Times.   The shareholders...

(EnergyAsia, January 20) — The first high-level official talks between China and Japan on developing natural gas reserves in disputed waters ended on a positive note early this week, according to news reports from both sides.   According to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei said both countries can agree on...

(Energy Asia, January 20)) — Taiwan’s leading solar cell makers, Motech Industries and Sino-American Silicon Products (SAS), are embarking on a massive expansion of their production capacities in response to rising world demand. Motech is set to complete construction at its new plant in the first quarter while SAS will double its capacity at its...

(EnergyAsia, January 20) — A nine-member Japanese delegation was in Canada this week to look into investing in Alberta’s oil sands, said to hold the world’s second largest oil reserves after Saudi Arabia. Oil sands contain deposits of bitumen trapped in a mixture of sand, water and clay.   The Ministry of Economy, Trade and...

(EnergyAsia, January 20) — Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) is gearing to enter the solar power market as a result of having made a significant breakthrough in its solar-cell technology in time to meet the world’s growing demand for renewable energy sources. The company claims its latest solar panels are 50% more efficient than...

(EnergyAsia, January 20) — South Korea has announced plans to buy three million barrels of crude oil this year to add to its 74-million barrel emergency stockpile.   The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy which oversees the stockpiling programme, said it has set aside US$121 million for the purchase.   South Korea, the world’s...

(EnergyAsia, January 20) — A leading money management firm has warned that US utilities could face a major crisis in the coming years on declining availability of uranium for nuclear fuel.   Research analyst Kevin Bambrough for Sprott Asset Management predicts that US utilities will have a tought time securing uranium for their nuclear reactors,...

(EnergyAsia, January 20) — London-based law firm Holman Fenwick & Willan (HFW) said it has hired the highly recommended commodities team of Brian Perrott, Partner and two assistants, Richard Merrylees and Jason Mantovan.   Mr Perrott will be joining the partnership of HFW in London on February 1. He was formerly head of litigation at...

(EnergyAsia, January 20) — Stung by the Sri Lankan government’s refusal to allow a price hike, Shell Gas Lanka Ltd said it has begun reducing supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to the domestic market since early this month. The company said its losses have exceeded Rs790 million and rising from selling LPG at subsidised...

(Energy Asia, January 20) — Kulim (Malaysia) Bhd said it has acquired 50 acres of 60-year leasehold land in the southern Malaysian state of Johor to build a biodiesel plant. It bought the land in Tanjung Langsat Industrial area in Tiram from Johor Corporation (JCorp) for RM26.23 million, according to The Edge newspaper. (US$1 =...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — Asia-Pacific distillate prices stabilised in December along with crude, while product-crude price spreads moved in line with historical seasonal patterns, said US energy consultants ESAI in the latest edition of the Pacific Basin Stockwatch.   Looking ahead, it said distillate demand growth in 2006 should begin to recover as a result of a more stable price environment....

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — Singapore-listed Ezra Holdings Ltd said its wholly owned subsidiary, Lewek Shipping Pte Ltd, has ordered two new deepwater-equipped multi-purpose anchor handling, towing and supply vessels (AHTS) for S$65.3 million, excluding the cost of certain owner furnished equipment. (US$1=S$1.64).   The two 70-metre 12,000 brake horsepower (bhp) AHTS will be Ezra’s first...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — Russia and China has told Iran to stop its nuclear development programme but have also rejected calls by western nations to impose sanctions on the Islamic regime for violating international agreement on non-proliferation. The US and Europe are calling for the issue to be referred to the UN Security Council as...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — Shell Malaysia has named Saw Choo Boon, currently vice president for Shell Global Marine, as chairman, replacing Jon Chadwick, who will be moving into another senior position in Asia, March 1. Mr Chadwick will retain some key roles in Malaysia in a personal capacity until end May 2006.   In his...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — The Philippines government said it is attracting investors to the Davao region, with Hedcor Sibulan Inc registering last December to build two hydro power plants worth a total of P4.03 billion. (US$1=55 peso).   Gil Dureza, who heads the Board of Investments’ Mindanao area, said the two plants in Sta. Cruz,...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — Shell China and Tongji Univeristy will build a hydrogen station for fuel cell vehicles in Shanghai, the city’s first such facility, Beijing Time reported.   The US$500,000 station will be built in the international automotive town in Jiading district and is scheduled to start up by the end of 2006. The...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd (GEECL), the Indian coalbed methane (CBM) firm, has raised US$20 million through a Global Depositary Receipts (GDR) issue to part finance its drilling of wells at the Raniganj coalfields, Press Trust of India reported.   Great Eastern aims to soon drill the first of 20 wells...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — India’s Haryana state has approved a programme to set up projects using solar power energy in urban areas, Web India reported.   State agency Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) will also set up biomass, small hydro and wind power projects.   Haryana wants at least 10% of the state’s additional...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — India’s Minister for Petroleum and Natural gas Mani Shankar Aiyar has introduced a bill for the establishment of a new downstream regulatory agency, the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), India Law News reported.   The PNGRB will regulate refining, processing, storage, transportation, distribution, marketing and the sale of petroleum...

(EnergyAsia, January 19) — EPOD International Inc said its wholly owned subsidiary, Enviromech Industries Inc, has sold a powerPACKª hydrogen fuel system to TUG Technologies for use at the Orlando International Airport in the US.   Enviromech, a leader in the design, production and sale of alternative fuel systems for the transportation and power generation...