(EnergyAsia, February 17) — Thai state upstream company PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) Public Company Ltd has found oil in the northwestern Block 44 concession area in northwest Oman.   Oman News Agency said the company found oil reserves in two reservoir formations with a thickness of around 96 meters from 3,750 meters depth.  ...

(EnergyAsia, February 17) — State Electricity of Vietnam Corporation (EVM) will do a bond issuance this quarter to raise proceeds amounting to VND850 billion (US$53.5 million), Vietnam News Service reported.   EVN deputy general director Dinh Quang Tri said the issue would be handled by the Industrial and Commercial Bank (Incombank) and Bank for Investment...

(EnergyAsia, February 17) — India’s Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) said it has installed and commissioned a 110 kWp stand alone solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plant in the Sunderbans in West Bengal.   Set up at Kayla Para, Sagar Islands, the company said this is the second solar power plant commissioned by BHEL through a...

(EnergyAsia, February 17) — The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) will soon launch a wholesale service by selling gasoline and diesel at the customs point and through its depots.   The company said existing distributors and re-sellers can purchase fuels from any of its depots or the customs point, but will have to undertake their own...

(EnergyAsia, February 17) — Renewable energy must play a major role in the global energy supply to meet the increasingly serious environmental and economic threats of climate change, according to a new report from the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21).   Changing Climates, the Role of Renewable Energy in a Carbon-Constrained...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — Japanese engineering firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI), Mitsubishi Corp and Duro Felguera SA, a Spanish heavy machinery manufacturer, have jointly received a full-turnkey order from Endesa SA, Spain’s largest electricity provider, for the construction of two large-scale flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems.   MHI said the systems on order will...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — The Australian government has reduced its discounts on solar-generated electricity to community organisations and schools while financial incentives for residential and commercial installations will be phased out middle of 2007.   The Australia Greenhouse Office, which offers cash refunds to these groups to instal photo-voltaic (PV) panels to generate electricity, has...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — Keppel Shipyard, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd, has delivered FPSO Alvheim, its first floating production and storage offloading (FPSO) facility for Norway’s Marathon Petroleum Company (MPC).   Previously known as MST ODIN, the 87,000 dwt multi-purpose shuttle tanker was contracted to Keppel Shipyard at S$84 million...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) said it has received a full-turnkey order from Mexico’s Comisi—n Federal de Electricidad (CFE) to build a supercritical-pressure coal-fired power plant, the country’s first. The plant, to be installed at CFE’s Pacifico power station, will have the capacity to generate 700 MW of electricity, making...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — The Washington DC-based FutureGen Industrial Alliance has announced a site selection process to determine the host site for the world’s first coal-fuelled “zero emissions” power plant.   A draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for public review will be issued in the latter part of February 2006, with a final RFP targeted...

(Energy Asia, February 16) — The Taiwanese government has yet to agree to proposals by local oil companies to increase domestic fuel prices. Last month, Economics Minister Ho Mei-yueh said she turned requests by Formosa Petrochemical Corp (FPC) and Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC) to raise fuel prices before the Lunar New Year, which began on...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — The World Bank has called on governments and companies to develop and promote the use and production of renewable energy sources. In an essay, it said the extent of the impact of global warming might still be a subject of debate – but daily news referring to climate change reminds us...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — Qatar and Lebanon are sponsoring a joint study for the construction of a new oil refinery in Lebanon.   Qatar Energy Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah said Lebanon’s geographical position makes it an ideal location for a refinery.   The two parties are looking at building...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — Bunker fuel traded in the Middle East was worth a record $11 billion last year, thanks to growing volume and record high oil prices.   Bunker sales are expected to continue surging over the next 10 years on rising fuel consumption and trade throughout the region.   Ships are finding it...

(EnergyAsia, February 16) — A consortium comprising Malaysia’s Petronas, Indonesia’s Pertamina and Vietnam’s PetroVietnam has struck oil in an area off the Malaysian state of Sarawak jointly claimed by the three state oil companies.   According to the Jakarta Post, the well in the SK-305 block is now producing 3,072 barrels of oil per day...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — The value of Indonesia’s oil and gas exports were estimated to have risen by 14.67% to US$16.7 billion last year.   According to Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, the country benefited from the sharply higher prices in crude oil, condensates and liquefied natural gas (LNG).   Exports of crude...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — State Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) plans to spend US$1.25 billion on power projects this year, Vietnam News Agency reported.   EVN general director Dao Van Hung it plans to issue domestic bonds to raise between US$125 and US$187.5 million this quarter. Another US$250 million would be secured from international sources in...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — Nasdaq-listed engineering firm Foster Wheeler Ltd said its Chinese subsidiary Foster Wheeler Power Pachinery Company Limited (FWPMCL) has embarked on a $3.5 million expansion at its highly successful boiler pressure parts manufacturing facility at Xinhui in Guangdong province. Local Chinese banks are financing a substantial portion of the cost of the...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — The Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC) is targeting to launch trading in fuel oil futures by mid-year.   DMCC chief operation officer Ahmad Bin Sulayem said the new product would be launched through the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX).   “DMCC sees sufficient liquidity in the market to launch...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — At 16%, Dubai’s economic growth was probably the fastest last year, outpacing even China, which expanded by a ‘mere’ 9.9%.   Mohammed Ali Alabbar, director-general of Dubai Department of Economic Development, said his country’s economic growth is sustainable over the long-term.   With sound government policies, he said, Dubai’s economy would...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — In trumping Singapore’s PSA for the ownership of UK’s largest port operator last week, Dubai’s DP World shows how starkly the world’s economic geography has shifted in just four years of sustained high oil prices.   After a three-month contest for the UK’s venerable Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co (P&O),...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — Singapore-listed Advanced Holdings Ltd, the best performing stock in Singapore last year, said it has successfully made a private placement of 17 million new shares. The new shares have been listed and quoted on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited Dealing and Automated Quotation System (Sesdaq) since February 7.   The...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — Singapore’s PEARL Energy Limited said its leased jack-up rig, Shelf Explorer, has arrived on location at the Sebuku production sharing contract (PSC) in the Makassar Straits in Indonesia and has begun drilling the first well of a three-well exploration program expected to last 75 days.   The Shelf Explorer spudded the...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — Hong Kong-listed China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL) recently announced its unaudited operational statistics for the year ended December 31 2005.   Noting the strong demand for drilling rigs last year, COSL said it drilled a total of 246 wells, of which 190 were development wells and 56 were exploration wells. The...

(EnergyAsia, February 15) — The chairman of state Thai power company Egat Chai-anan Samudavanija has resigned in protest against plans to list its shares on the local stock exchange.             Mr Chai-anan said he feared foreigners would buy the shares and end up controlling the company. The Egat board is expected to name an interim...