IRAN: Security officials meet Chinese counterparts as Syria, Egypt crises threaten regional stability

(EnergyAsia, July 9 2013, Tuesday) — Iranian security officials met their Chinese counterparts in Beijing and Shanghai last week as the recent escalation of violence and conflict in the Middle East along with cyber-hacking threaten geopolitical stability across the region and Asia. Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar met Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun as...

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CANADA: Petronas subsidiary applies to export 19.68 million tonnes/year of LNG from Port Edward terminal

(EnergyAsia, July 8 2013, Monday) — The Canadian subsidiary of Malaysia’s state energy firm Petronas said it has applied for a licence for the annual export of 19.68 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its proposed terminal in western British Columbia province. Pacific NorthWest LNG has applied to the National Energy Board (NEB) (more…)

AUSTRALIA: Coal association welcomes IEA endorsement of carbon capture and storage technology, slams green groups

(EnergyAsia, July 8 2013, Monday) —- The Australian Coal Association (ACA) has welcomed the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) endorsement of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology as a key solution in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change. In a landmark report, released last week, “Technology Roadmap: Carbon Capture and Storage”, the IEA predicts (more…)

VIETNAM: Coal export tax raised by three percentage points to 13% from July 7

(EnergyAsia, July 8 2013, Monday) — Since July 7, Vietnam’s main coal trader has been hit with a higher tax rate of 13% to export the fuel, up from 10% as the government looks for ways to increase feedstock supply to the country’s power sector. State-owned Vinacomin has been under pressure to reduce exports as (more…)

OMAN: Crude oil output up 1.3% to 930,000 b/d in first half of 2013

(EnergyAsia, July 5 2013, Friday) — Thanks to the application of enhanced oil recovery techniques, Oman raised its first-half oil production by 1.3% to 930,000 b/d over the same period last year, said the oil and gas ministry. Oman produced around 889,000 b/d of petroleum liquids in 2011, up sharply from just 714,000 b/d in...

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AUSTRALIA: Greenpeace lists 91 “unaffordable” coal projects, while association slams climate commission

(EnergyAsia, July 5 2013, Friday) — Australia “cannot afford” to develop 91 coal projects that will change the climate, warns Greenpeace, while the industry’s world association has criticised the country’s climate commission for being driven by “ideology”. In a special report, Greenpeace provides details of the 91 new coal projects planned for Australia, with a (more…)

IRAQ: New pipeline will help raise crude oil production from 3.2 million b/d to 4.5 million in 2014

(EnergyAsia, July 5 2013, Friday) — Two leading state-owned engineering firms of Iraq and China have been awarded a contract to jointly build a pipeline to deliver crude oil from the fields in the Missan region to an export terminal in southern Iraq. China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Corp (CPPE) and Iraq’s State Company for Oil...

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SINGAPORE: Oil spilled in yet another collision between ships

(EnergyAsia, July 4 2013, Thursday) — About 100 metric tonnes of bunker fuel spilled into Singapore waters following a collision on Tuesday morning between two vessels about 6.6km southwest off the Tanah Merah ferry terminal. No one was injured in the collision between a South Korean-registered bulk carrier, Oriental Pioneer, and a Bahamas-registered bulk carrier, (more…)

IRAN: Crude oil exports to China surged as Western trade sanctions continue to collapse

(EnergyAsia, July 4 2013, Thursday) — Iran’s crude oil exports to its biggest customer have risen around 10% to more than 480,000 b/d in the first five months of this year, underlining the extent of failed trade sanctions by the West against the Islamic regime. China’s surge of Iranian crude import was helped by May’s...

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CHINA: Peabody Energy chief Boyce endorses emissions plan, sees increasing coal use

(EnergyAsia, July 4 2013, Thursday) — The chairman and CEO of one of the world’s largest coal mining firms has endorsed the vision of China’s new government to improve the country’s air quality by accelerating the use of emissions control technology while continuing to use coal to fuel the economy. China’s State Council recently announced (more…)

INDONESIA: May Bank sees near-term weakness for thermal coal price on abundant supply

(EnergyAsia, July 3 2013, Wednesday) — Thermal coal prices are likely to remain weak as the market remains well supplied in the short term due partly to “lack of discipline” among Indonesian producers, said MayBank. “Inventory levels are high, and the resumption of operations at Daqin Railway as well as the resolution of supply issues...

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NIGERIA: Shell slammed for “exaggerating” claims that pipeline sabotage is main cause of oil spills

(EnergyAsia, July 3 2013, Wednesday) — Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) and Amnesty International said Royal Dutch Shell is making exaggerated claims that sabotage is the main cause of Nigeria’s persistent oil spills to avoid taking responsibility and having to pay compensation for the environmental disasters. Citing National Contact Point (NCP) of the Netherlands (more…)

SAUDI ARABIA: Aramco says oil output, exports and reserves reached record high in 2012

(EnergyAsia, July 3 2013, Wednesday) — Saudi Arabian Oil Co or Aramco said it achieved record levels of oil production, exports and reserves last year. In its annual review for 2012, the state-owned company said it produced 9.506 million b/d of crude last year, compared with 9.067 in 2011 and 7.91 million b/d the previous...

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ASIA: Region absorbed 25% of US coal exports in 2012, up from 2% in 2007, says EIA

(EnergyAsia, July 2 2013, Tuesday) — The US remains a small supplier of coal to Asia despite reporting a sharp rise in sales to the region over the last five years, said the Energy Information Administration (EIA). From just 2% in 2007, Asia’s share of total US coal exports surged to 25% in 2012, with...

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SINGAPORE: Vopak chairman thanks customers, partner and local employees in speech on 30th anniversary celebration

(EnergyAsia, July 2 2013, Tuesday) — The following is an edited version of a speech by Royal Vopak chairman and CEO, Eelco Hoekstra, on the occasion of its Singapore subsidiary’s 30th anniversary celebration last week. “In 1980, what started as an idea to predict future opportunities towards the next decade, materialised into the founding of (more…)

AUSTRALIA: Caltex’s improved first-half net profit tarnished by A$50 million refining loss

(EnergyAsia, July 2 2013, Tuesday) — Australia’s largest downstream company Caltex said an A$50 million loss at its refining business partly took the shine off its first-half net profit of between A$180 and A$200 million. (US$1=A$1.05). Investors sold the shares of the Australia-listed firm despite its improved profit level compared with A$167 million reported for (more…)

SINGAPORE: DNV starts construction of laboratory to serve deepwater oil and gas sector

(EnergyAsia, July 1 2013, Monday) — Norwegian classification, inspection and survey firm DNV has started work building on its specialised S$15 million laboratory in Singapore to provide testing services for ships and companies involved in deepwater oil and gas activities. (US$1=S$1.28). When completed by the first quarter of 2014, the new facility will provide a (more…)

UZBEKISTAN: Chinese firm awarded US$100 million tender to develop two major coal mines

(EnergyAsia, July 1 2013, Monday) — China Coal Technology & Engineering Group (CCTEG) has won a contract, worth more than US$100 million, to develop the Baisun and Shargun coal deposits in southern Uzbekistan. CCTEG is tasked to develop the mines, each with an annual capacity of 450,000 tons, by 2016. State-owned Uzbekugol JSC, which awarded...

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GHANA: New exploration and production law will strengthen oil industry, says energy minister

(EnergyAsia, July 1 2013, Monday) — Ghana’s new exploration and production law will set it apart as a “shining example” for the oil and gas industry in Africa as well as the world, said Minister for Energy and Petroleum Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah. Legislations being planned to add to those already passed will strengthen the rule (more…)