(EnergyAsia, June 14) — Chemrez Inc, a wholly-owned Filipino firm, has announced plans to build the country’s first biodiesel in two phases at a total cost of Peso 2.2 billion. (US$1=Peso 55).   Dean Lao Jr, Chemrez operations manager, said his company has begun constructing the plant in Eastwood, Quezon City. According to the Philippine...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Nasdaq-listed Foster Wheeler Ltd said its Australian subsidiary Foster Wheeler (WA) Pty Ltd has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) contract with operator Woodside Energy Ltd on behalf of the North West Shelf liquefied natural gas (LNG) venture. The contract was awarded following investment approval by the NWS...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Talisman Malaysia Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canada’s Talisman Energy Inc, said it has been granted additional acreage to be included within the Block PM-3 Commercial Arrangement Area (CAA) off the coasts of Malaysia and Vietnam.   “The additional acreage to Block PM-3 CAA represents another important step in our...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Software company Allegro Development said it has signed an agreement to supply Singapore’s PowerSeraya Ltd its industry leading Allegro v.7 Energy Trading, Settlement and Risk Management Software. PowerSeraya operates generation assets with a capacity of approximately 3,100MW, supplying Singapore with about one third of its electricity. PowerSeraya also owns state-of-the-art oil...

(EnergyAsia, June 14) — Australian oil companies will soon have the proof that ethanol is safe to use while helping to correct the country’s trade imbalance, said Trade Minister Mark Vaile. A special taskforce commissioned by Prime Minister John Howard would soon present its findings that ethanol was good for the environment and safe for...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd (Keppel Singmarine), a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), has agreed to acquire an existing shipyard in Nantong, China, for specialised shipbuilding for RMB 45 million (US$1=RMB8.28) in cash. Keppel O&M is the offshore and marine arm of Keppel Corporation Limited.  ...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Petrochemical production holds tremendous promise for Saudi Aramco revenues and for overall development of the Saudi economy, said Aramco’s vice president for corporate planning Ali A. Al-Muhareb.   “Our region is not only a leading player in the oil and gas industry, but it is also destined to become an even...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has appointed Tay Lim Heng as chief executive from June 1, replacing Lui Tuck Yew.   Mr Tay, a Singapore Armed Forces scholar, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Engineering Science and Economics from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — The US Department of Energy’s EIA said retail gasoline prices are expected to edge slightly lower from their spring peak through July and August.               In the June issue of its Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) report, the EIA said that after peaking in early April, retail gasoline prices fell through...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has accepted Chevron’s plans to acquire Unocal pending public comment.   The FTC acceptance followed an agreement by Chevron, Unocal and FTC staff to settle litigation issues relating to Unocal’s US reformulated gasoline patents. Following completion of the acquisition, Chevron has agreed to dedicate to...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Castrol, the lubricant company of the BP group, and China’s Dong Feng Group said they will form a joint venture company to supply lubricants to the growing Chinese market. The new company, Dong Feng-Castrol Lubricant Co., Ltd, will be based in Wuhan, in Hubei Province, the largest city in central China,...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Sri Lanka is scheduled to sign a US$ 100 million fuel purchase deal with Malaysia today, according to Lanka BusinessOnline.   The deal between Ceylon Petroleum Corp (CPC) and Malaysia’s Petronas will help Sri Lanka meet 20% of its fuel requirements.    “It’s a government-to-government agreement which is being signed on...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — A total of 75 bunker suppliers in Singapore have been awarded Certificates of Accreditation for meeting the requirements of the Accreditation Scheme for Bunker Suppliers. The scheme is an initiative by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to recognise good bunker suppliers and deter malpractice in the industry.  ...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Australia’s ARC Energy Limited said it has signed a gas sales agreement with Western Power Corporation (WPC) for a period of four years starting July 1. The contract is worth more than A$20 million. (US$1=A$1.25).   The gas will be for the ultimate use of Austral Bricks, a brickworks company. ARC’s...

(EnergyAsia, June 13) — Shell Australia said it had a “mixed” performance last year, its robust upstream performance and marketing businesses dragged down by disappointing refining results. Shell said the outlook for 2005 and beyond remains very positive. Its upstream sector, comprising exploration, production and natural gas, and downstream (refining and marketing) businesses reported a...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation Ltd said it has entered into a settlement agreement with Hong Kong-based Satya Capital Ltd for damages suffered over a failed deal last year.   Satya Capital had filed a claim of US$51,733,333 against CAO for damages suffered as a result of the termination of a...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — US major Chevron Corporation and Unocal Corporation said they have signed an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff proposing a settlement to resolve all outstanding issues associated with Chevron’s proposed acquisition of Unocal. The terms of the settlement relate exclusively to Unocal’s intellectual property for reformulated gasoline, which has...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — An equal joint-venture between the Australian subsidiaries of engineering firms Technip and J P Kenny have been selected as the front end engineering and design (FEED) and engineering, procurement, construction management (EPCM) contractor for the development of the upstream facilities for the Greater Gorgon upstream project. The companies are represented by...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — The ongoing power shortage in northern Vietnam is to be substantially alleviated by a 4-million-kWh daily backup from southern power stations and increased gas supplies from the southern Nam Con Son gas field, reported the Vietnam News Service. Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the country’s largest power supplier, said that the northern...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — Thailand’s PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), Government Pension Fund (GPF), Government Saving Bank (GSB) and Vayupak Mutual Fund One (VMF-1) together with other institutions have agreed to purchase stakes in the Thai Petrochemical Industry Public Company Limited (TPI).             PTT said the parties have signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) with...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — Thai state oil and gas company PTT Plc said it will start up its sixth gas separation plant with a capacity of 600-650 million cubic feet per day in the last quarter of 2008 to meet the demand of its petrochemical subsidiary.             According to Business Day, PTT Polyethylene will produce...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — Japan will propose at a UN convention against global warming that industrialised nations transfer energy-saving technologies to developing nations as part of emission quota transactions, said the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.   According to the Japan Times, Tokyo will make the proposal during a meeting of the signatory countries...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — Indian Oil Corporation has resumed installing underground oil pipelines linking Paradip port to Haldia refinery after work had been stopped for a fortnight for safety reason.   The Statesman reported that the Kendrapara district administration had ordered the company to stop work on May 12 after major cracks were detected on...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — ADB will help India to efficiently undertake clean development mechanism (CDM) projects to cut back on greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions into the atmosphere, through a technical assistance (TA) grant approved for US$700,000.   The grant, financed by the government of Canada, and administered through ADB’s Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Climate...

(EnergyAsia, June 10) — India’s oil consumption fell 5.3% to 8.88 million tonne in April while crude imports declined 2.9% on lower demand, according to Infraline news service.   Petroleum ministry officials attribute the fall to reduced use of gasoline and diesel.   Demand for diesel, which makes up for over 35% of the Indian...