(EnergyAsia, September 30 2015, Wednesday) — The oil markets will continue to pay for the past sins of overproduction as record-high inventories continue to offset the otherwise bullish impacts of strong demand growth and declining supply, judging from the latest International Energy Agency (IEA) monthly report….
BANGLADESH: Singapore’s Sembcorp awarded contract to develop 426MW power plant
(EnergyAsia, September 29 2015, Tuesday) — Singapore’s Sembcorp Industries said a subsidiary will lead a joint venture firm to build a 426MW plant in Bangladesh valued at US$390 million. The Bangladesh government awarded the build-own-operate contract to Sembcorp Utilities to develop the project in the Sirajganj district by 2018. To be fuelled primarily by natural...
MARKETS: Low prices threaten long-term oil and gas investments
(EnergyAsia, September 29 2015, Tuesday) — The world will have to brace for sharply reduced oil and gas investments in the long term as the industry slashes capital expenditure in response to protracted low prices, according to separate analysis by a US government agency and two private firms. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) said sustained...
SAUDI ARABIA: Why Riyadh is having such trouble with its Syria policy
(EnergyAsia, September 24 2015, Thursday) — Essay by Simon Mabon, Lecturer in International Relations, Lancaster University, UK, published from www.TheConversation.com. The violent civil war in Syria and rise of Islamic State (IS) has forced millions to flee their homes, cascading across Europe in search of safety. And yet, despite the crisis unfolding on its doorstep,...
INDIA: Sembcorp Industries says 1,320MW coal-fired power plant in full operation
(EnergyAsia, September 16 2015, Wednesday) — Singapore’s Sembcorp Industries said subsidiary Thermal Powertech Corporation India (TPCIL) has begun fully operating its 1,320MW coal-fired power plant in Nellore in India’s Andhra Pradesh state. The company recently started up the second 660-megawatt unit of the US$1.5 billion plant in the coastal town of Krishnapatnam to follow through...
MARKETS: Crude pushed back after brief late August recovery
(EnergyAsia, September 2 2015, Wednesday) — Crude oil prices ran out of steam as traders quickly cashed out on that brief 27% recovery over the last three days of August. North Sea Brent just about held onto US$50 a barrel while US WTI traded just above US$45 after both had sunk to their lowest levels…
AUSTRALIA: Chevron may delay over-budget Gorgon LNG project start-up to 2016
(EnergyAsia, September 1 2015, Tuesday) — Having overshot its initial US$37 billion budget to build Australia’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, a Chevron-led consortium is also likely to miss its latest end-2015 start-up target for the same set of reasons: bad weather, labour disputes and equipment failure….
MARKETS: IEA says strong oil demand growth unable to mop up global oil glut
(EnergyAsia, August 31 2015, Monday) — The world will still face an oil supply glut even after adding nearly three million b/d to total consumption between last year and 2016, said the International Energy Agency (IEA)….
MARKETS: EIA predicts US production decline in 2016, dragging down global supply growth
(EnergyAsia, August 31 2015, Monday) — After years of strong growth, US oil and liquids production will decline in 2016 to weaken the world’s supply increase, said the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its August monthly report….
MARKETS: Oil prices remain under pressure as OPEC boosts supply forecast for 2015 and 2016
(EnergyAsia, August 29 2015, Saturday) — Oil producers outside the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will continue to raise supply over the next two years despite the pressure of falling prices, the cartel said in its latest monthly report….
INDIA: State firms looking to activate agreement to import LNG from Iran
(EnergyAsia, August 28 2015, Friday) — India wants to activate a shelved decade-old agreement to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Iran as the Islamic regime prepares to be freed of international trade sanctions following breakthrough talks with six world powers over its nuclear energy programme….
MARKETS: Refiners face imbalance of global gasoline glut and middle and heavy products deficit, says Wood Mackenzie
(EnergyAsia, August 27 2015, Thursday) — Refiners will face an unbalanced global products market as early as 2017 pitching a gasoline surplus with a deficit in middle distillates and fuel oil that could start undermining profitability, said UK consulting firm Wood Mackenzie….
CHINA: Weak demand push thermal coal prices to lowest since May 2007
(EnergyAsia, August 22 2015, Saturday) — Slowing energy demand from China and India has pushed Australian thermal coal prices to their lowest levels in over eight years….
MALAYSIA: Vitol’s VTTI acquires MISC’s oil storage stake for US$830 million
(EnergyAsia, August 22 2015, Saturday) — Swiss trading giant Vitol Group will fully own a Malaysian oil storage terminal after completing the US$830 million purchase of its local partner’s 50% share later this year….
IRAN: Oil supply could surge even before conclusion of nuclear deal with six world powers
(EnergyAsia, August 21 2015, Friday) —Kept out of the international market by trade sanctions for years, Iranian oil could be flowing again a lot sooner than expected following Tehran’s July 14 breakthrough talks with six world powers over its nuclear energy programme. The six, known as the P5+1 group, include the five UN Security Council…
CHINA: Economy faces vulnerabilities and challenges adjusting to slower growth, say IMF and World Bank
(EnergyAsia, August 19 2015, Wednesday) — China faces “financial vulnerabilities” and “challenges” as its economy adjusts to a new era of significantly slower growth, according to recent separate reports by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)….
MALAYSIA: Petronas faces negative cash flow in 2015; 2Q net profit plunged 47.3%
(EnergyAsia, August 18 2015, Tuesday) — After announcing a 47.3% plunge in second quarter profit, the CEO and president of Malaysia’s state-owned energy firm Petronas said he expects the company to tap into cash reserves this year to help pay for on-going operations, capital investments and mandated dividends to the government….
CHINA: More than 1.2 billion people to benefit from clean air with reduced and clean coal consumption, says study
(August 16 2015, Sunday) — More than 1.2 billion people living in China’s 293 prefecture-level cities will benefit from clean air if the country imposes strict air pollution and environmental protection policies that reduces coal dependence or the mix of cleaner coal….
China: Beijing expects coal demand to continue growing through 2030, says IEA
(EnergyAsia, August 14 2015, Friday) — China’s coal consumption will continue to grow through 2030 despite the government’s efforts to cap the country’s carbon emissions and boost the role of renewables in the energy mix, said the International Energy Agency (IEA)….
CHINA: An overview of long-term measures to fight global warming
(EnergyAsia, August 13 2015, Thursday) — China will work with other countries to complement domestic measures to reduce its greenhouse gas output in the fight against global warming, according to a Chinese professor writing for the Institute for Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ)….
MARKET: Developing countries continue to boost coal consumption, say scientists in new research study
(EnergyAsia, August 12 2015, Wednesday) — Despite growing calls to reduce the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, China, India and many developing countries are increasing their consumption of the most polluting fossil fuel — coal, according to a new study undertaken by three scientists at the Berlin-based Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change…
CHINA: Declining coal demand piles further pressure on Australia’s mining industry, says Moody’s
(EnergyAsia, August 11 2015, Tuesday) — China’s slowing energy demand is further draining the financial life out of Australia’s thermal coal miners and services companies at a time when they are struggling with low commodity prices, said US ratings agency Moody’s. China’s thermal coal demand is declining amid the country’s slowing industrial production and push...
LIBYA: National Oil Company’s eastern chairman wants to reopen use of oil terminals, boost production
(EnergyAsia, August 10 2015, Monday) — Boosted by a banking deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last week, the newly appointed chairman of Libya’s National Oil Company (NOC) said he plans to lift the force majeure on the country’s Ras Lanuf and As Sidra oil terminals, according to a briefing note from MAST Security....
JAPAN: Idemitsu to buy bulk of Shell’s refinery stake for 169 billion yen
(EnergyAsia, August 9 2015, Sunday) — Japan’s second largest downstream oil company Idemitsu Kosan has agreed to buy over the bulk of Shell’s 35% stake in the Tokyo-listed refiner Showa Shell Sekiyu for about 169 billion yen. (US$1=124 yen)….
US: Refining throughput hits record high of over 17 million b/d, says EIA
(EnergyAsia, August 8 2015, Saturday) — Reflecting the growing strength of the US economy, its refiners have been operating at a record throughput of over 17 million b/d since mid-July, said the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The rolling four-week average of US gross refinery inputs has been above the five-year range every week so far...