QATAR: Environmentalist cite huge solar power potential

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — World-renowned environmentalist David Suzuki wants Qatar to fully utilise its vast solar power potential.   The move would help cut the country’s consumption of fossil fuels, save money and help drive the economy, said award winning scientist David Suzuki.   The Canadian also urged Qatar and other countries in the region...

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INDIA: Mittal, Essar in race for Nigerian refinery stake

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Nigeria’s government has short-listed five Asian firms to take up a majority stake in one of its refineries.             The government is seeking to privatise the 210,000 b/d Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd (PHRC). Bidders include Mittal and Essar from India, Indonesia’s Indorama, China’s Linkglobal International and a Swiss group led...

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OMAN: Thailand’s PTTEP finds success in oil and gas production

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Thai state upstream company, PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), recently began producing natural gas and condensate from the Shams field in Oman, becoming the first Thai company to produce petroleum in the oil-rich Middle East country.   Shams is part of Oman’s tract 44 project located in the Suneinah desert, about...

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QATAR: Qatar Gas, Keppel Offshore & Marine to jointly develop shipyard facility

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd (NAKILAT) has signed an agreement with Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited through its wholly owned subsidiary, KS Investments Ltd., to jointly develop a US$450-million shipyard facility in Qatar’s Port of Ras Laffan.   The agreement signifies a landmark partnership between the world’s leading transporter of...

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MYANMAR: Singapore-listed real estate company invests in biodiesel

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Yoma Strategic Holdings, a Myanmar-based real estate firm, said it has diversified into the biodiesel business.   The company recently paid S$5.87 million for a 53% stake in Plantation Resources Pte Ltd (PRPL), which manages a 100,000-acre plantation in Myanmar. (US$1=S$1.53).   Yoma plans to cultivate the oil-bearing jatropha crop as...

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INDIA: Solar EnerTech signs sales and distribution MOU with Khandelwar Solar

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — US-listed Solar EnerTech Corp said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Khandelwal Solar Power Limited of Noida, India.   The Khandelwal Group, a leading player in the semiconductor industry in India, collaborates with Siemens AG of Germany to manufacture electrical components such as silicon-controlled rectifiers, triacs, power transistors...

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INDONESIA: ExxonMobil signs new production sharing contract for Makassar Straits

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Exxon Mobil Corporation said its subsidiary, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Indonesia (Mandar) Limited, has signed a production sharing contract (PSC) with the Indonesian government for the Mandar block located in the Makassar Straits off the coast of West Sulawesi.   The contract will enable exploration activities on the block to begin,...

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CHINA: Canadian Solar wins contract to supply BIPV solar glass roof system

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Solar module manufacturer Canadian Solar Inc (CSI) has won a contract to supply a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar glass roof system to China’s Luoyang Polysilicon Company.   The three-story building, located in Luoyang in Henan province, will house the Research Department of Luoyang Polysilicon and the China National Silicon Materials...

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SINGAPORE: ASL Marine secures major shipbuilding contracts worth S$164 million

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Singapore’s ASL Marine Holdings Ltd, an integrated marine company offering services in shipbuilding, ship repair and ship chartering, said it has secured major shipbuilding contracts worth S$164 million. (US$1=S$1.52).   ASL Marine, which owns shipyards in Singapore, Batam (Indonesia) and Guangdong (China), has been contracted to build seven vessels for use...

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TAIWAN: LED and solid state lighting industry suppliers to meet in Hsinchu on April 17-19

(EnergyAsia, March 30) — Blue spectrum Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that produce bright white light are proving to be the most energy efficient form of illumination and are likely to replace all forms of conventional lighting fixtures.   The 5th Annual Advanced LED and Solid State Lighting Suppliers Conference, BLUE 2007, will take place on...

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US: First phase of stockpile boost to cost US$168 million

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — US President George W. Bush has prepared a US$168 million plan for the country’s strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) to be expanded to 727 million barrels this year from 689 million barrels now. The plan is part of the President’s strategy to expand the stockpile to more than 1.5 billion barrels by...

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MARKETS: Solar PV installations up 19% in 2006, says Solarbuzz LLC

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — World solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 1,744 megawatts (MW) in 2006, representing growth of 19% over the previous year, said Solarbuzz LLC, a San Francisco-based solar energy consultancy. In its annual PV market report, Solarbuzz said Germany’s grid-connect PV market size was 960 MW in 2006...

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INDIA: Mittal to invest in HPCL’s Bhatinda oil refinery

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — Mittal Investments, controlled by India-born steel magnate L.N. Mittal, has become a 49% owner of a proposed Rs160 billion oil refinery with state oil company HPCL also holding a 49% stake. The rest wil be owned by local financial institutions. (US$1=Rs44).   Mittal Investments will inject Rs33 billion to help build...

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CHINA: Renewable energy target raised from 10% to 20%

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — Renewable energy sources will meet 20% of China’s total energy need by 2020 instead of 10%, said industry officials citing the government’s revised goals. The increased targets will help China reduce environmental and ecological damage as well as dependence on fossil fuels.   According to the Energy Research Institute, China’s installed...

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CHINA: Oil price and adequate water supply crucial to Sasol’s CTL plants

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — Plans by South Africa’s Sasol to start up two coal-to-liquid (CTL) projects in China has entered the crucial second phase. Sasol, which signed an agreement with Shenhua Corp completed phase one feasibility studies at the end of 2005. Each plant will cost at least US$5 billion.   Much will depend on...

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INDIA: Reliance steps up plan for biodiesel production

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — India’s privately owned Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is expected to teaming up with US energy major Chevron to build India’s first biodiesel refinery in Andhra Pradesh state.   RIL said it will invest about Rs 7 billion in the project including cultivating the oil-bearing jatropha crop for feedstock to make biodiesel....

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MALAYSIA: KIC to start work on RM1.4 billion oil storage and blending hub

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — Malaysia’s independent oil logistics and trading firm KIC Oil and Gas Sdn Bhd will begin work in mid-April on what it hopes will evolve into one of the world’s largest petroleum and bunkering hubs.   After years of negotiation with the government, the company received approval to proceed with the construction...

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THAILAND: Carnarvon Petroleum raises A$12.32 million for expanded phase 2 programme

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — Australian upstream company Carnarvon Petroleum Limited said it has reached agreement with Hartleys Limited to place 160 million ordinary shares in Carnarvon at an issue price of 7.7 Australian cents per share, to raise approximately A$12.32 million, principally to international and domestic institutional clients of Hartleys Limited.   The placement is...

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Indonesia: Plans to install solar-power units in 30,000 home

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — The Indonesian government has called a tender for 30,000 home solar-power units as part of a national programme to electrify less developed parts of the country. The government has allocated Rp 247 billion for the project.   Costing Rp 8 million, each unit the capacity to produce between 50 and 80...

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THAILAND: Refiners upgrade to meet Euro 4-grade gasoline

(EnergyAsia, March 29) — Thailand’s oil refiners plan to invest some Baht50 billion to upgrade their plants to produce gasoline and other fuels that meet with stringent Euro 4 environmental standards. (US$1 = Baht31.84). The upgrades are expected to be completed by 2012.   The Euro 4 standards call for the benzene content in gasoline...

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VENEZUELA: Japan to help upgrade damaged refinery

(EnergyAsia, March 28) — Venezuela’s PDVSA was forced to shutdown its 180,000 b/d refinery at Puerto La Cruz on March 10 after it was damaged by fire. No one was injured, but the state oil company did not mention the extent of the damage.   In a statement, PDVSA said oil product supply to customers...

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INDIA: Indian Oil Corp refinery operating again after fire

(EnergyAsia, March 28) — Indian Oil Corp Ltd said operations at a 20,000 b/d refinery in the northeastern state of Assam are back to normal after it was shut down for a week on March 5. The plant was damaged by fire which officials blamed on a pump leak at the main crude distillation unit....

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CHINA: Japan companies land order for M251S gas turbine for use in power generation

(EnergyAsia, March 28) — Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) and Marubeni Corporation have received an order for an M251S gas turbine from Taiyuan Iron & Steel (Group) Co., Ltd. (TISCO), one of China’s leading steelmakers. The gas turbine will serve as a core component of a blast-furnace-gas (BFG) fired gas turbine combined-cycle (GTCC) power...

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CHINA: PetroChina, Shell begins commercial production at Changbei natural gas field

(EnergyAsia, March 28) — PetroChina Company Ltd and Shell China Exploration and Production Ltd have begun commercial production and gas delivery from the Changbei field in China. The companies are jointly developing the field under a production sharing contract, with Shell as the field development operator.   Located on the edge of the Maowusu desert...

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INDIA: Reliance threatens to cut LPG production

(EnergyAsia, March 28) — Privately-owned Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) which supplies a fifth of India’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) demand, said it plans to reduce output at its Jamnagar refinery by nearly one million tonnes a year from April 1, 2008. The giant refinery now produces more than 2.6 million tonnes of LPG a year....

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