(EnergyAsia, March 8) — Chinese scientists are working on a device that aims to generate infinite and clean nuclear-fusion-based energy, local news reports said.   Called the Tokamak fusion device, the apparatus will be built in the coming months in Hefei, capital city of east China’s Anhui Province. This will be followed by experiments in...

(EnergyAsia, March 8) — Malaysia’s Johor Corporation (JCorp) has announced plans to develop a biofuels production centre in the Tanjung Langsat industrial area in Johor state to capitalise on its palm oil industry and existing infrastructure.   JCorp is the major shareholder of Kulim Bhd that has teamed up with Germany’s CremerOleo GmbH & Co...

  (EnergyAsia, March 8) — Singapore-listed China Aviation Oil, which is being revived after surviving a massive trading loss in 2004, said Chen Jiulin has resigned as managing director, director and chief executive officer.             Mr Chen, who had been suspended by the company since November 30 2004, is facing court charges relating to CAO’s...

  (EnergyAsia, March 8) — IndianOil Corp has declared a success the recently ended 14th International Aviation Conference held in Hyderabad city. Experts presented about 20 technical papers on India’s infrastructure needs, the environmental and security issues facing the country, and the aviation business.   The conference brought together more than 100 delegates from all...

(EnergyAsia, March 8) — The Indian government might try to raise domestic LPG and kerosene prices in the new fiscal year starting April 1. The Rangarajan Committee, which is looking into the issues of pricing and taxation of major oil products, has proposed an initial hike of Rs 75 per cylinder for LPG and Rs...

(EnergyAsia, March 8) — India and China could soon be cooperating to buy crude oil from the international market with the aim of securing the lowest price.   IndianOil Corp and Sinopec are discussing setting up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to participate in the Singapore Platt window for Oman and Dubai crude oil.  ...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — IndianOil Corp said it is leading a consortium that includes Skytanking Holding and IndianOilTanking to set up a pioneering aviation fuel supply infrastructure at the new Bangalore international airport. The three companies own an equal stake in the consortium.   IndianOil said it currently operates 95 aviation fuel stations across the...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — Malaysian biodiesel and biotechnology company Carotech Bhd said it will buy 13 hectares in Lumut, Perak for RM9.7 million to build a new crude palm oil (CPO) processing plant. The plant, bought from Lumut Maritime Terminal Sdn Bhd, will support Carotech’s growing venture into biodiesel production. (US$1 = RM3.7).   According...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment has granted a licence for a Vietnam-Singapore joint-venture company to build a US$100 million oil storage terminal in the central region.             According to Thanh Nien news, the Van Phong oil terminal will be built by a joint venture between Vietnam National Petroleum Corp. (Petrolimex)...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — China will focus on developing solar energy and other renewable energy sources following the January passage of a new law mandating the increased use of renewables.   The new law stipulates that real estate developers have to consider the use of solar energy when designing and constructing buildings.   The Ministry...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — Singapore-listed China Petrotech Holdings Limited (CPHL) has posted a 29% increase in net earnings to RMB 53.6 million for 2005. Revenue grew 9% to RMB 66.5 million largely attributable to first time contribution from 70%-owned subsidiary, Shaanxi Long Top. (US$1=RMB8.05).   The company said gross profit rose at a slower rate...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — State-owned Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operation (Adco) will increase its crude oil production to 1.4 million barrels per day by mid year, said Saeed Kouri, its assistant general manager for technology. The first phase of output increase was completed last year, he told the Khaleej Times at a recent...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — Hong Kong-listed China Gas Holdings Ltd has taken a 20 billion yuan loan for its project to supply natural gas to at least 80 cities by 2010. (US$1=8.05 yuan). China Development Bank said it is also ready to provide loans for China Gas to expand overseas, according to Xinhua news agency....

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — A private Indonesian oil company, Medco Energy, has expressed doubts that the country can achieve its goal of raising crude oil output from the current level of 1.07 million barrels/day to 1.3 million b/d in 2009.   Cyril Noerhadi, Medco’s finance director, said it would take a long time to bring...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — South Korea is interested to import ethanol and meat from Brazil following fruitful talks between the two sides, said Roberto Rodrigues, Brazil’s agriculture minister.   Members of Korea’s Bilateral Agricultural Advisory Committee (CCA) were in Brazil recently for trade talks. The committee were in S‹o Paulo where it visited the S‹o...

(EnergyAsia, March 7) — Qatar Petroleum (QP) has formed a new subsidiary, Qatar Petroleum International (QPI), to take over all its overseas assets including its interests in British LNG terminals, said Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, second deputy premier and minister of energy.   Mr al-Attiyah recently told Gulf Times that Qatar’s Emir had issued a...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — Hong Kong-listed Datang International Power Generation Corporation said it will invest more than 11 billion yuan in a nuclear power project in Fujian province in a bid to diversify its generation mix, Shanghai Daily reported. (US$1=8.05 yuan). The move will make Datang the first publicly traded Chinese mainland power firm to...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — War-torn Iraq urgently needs to rebuild, rehabilitate and upgrade its damaged and aging oil refineries to meet its future needs for oil products, said local refining consultant Shawki Al-Khalisi at a recent oil conference in Abu Dhabi.   “The structural changes expected to take place in the economy and the energy...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — International experts have called for the use of solar energy to help solve the problem of water shortage in the Middle East.   Experts at the recent Sustainable GCC Environment and Water Resources Conference in Abu Dhabi said there was urgent need to find new solutions to address the water problem...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — Taiwan’s Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is studying the possibility of building an oil refinery in India, said the Ministry of Economic Affairs.             The ministry has voiced its concern over the project as it said CPC has limited financial capabilities, but stopped short of shooting down the idea.             A ministry...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — Taiwan is developing renewable forms of energy such as solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power as it aims to cut its reliance on imported oil, said the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Energy Bureau. It is also encouraging the use of natural gas and clean coal technology.   Taiwan currently imports 98%...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — Vietnam has overtaken Brunei as Southeast Asia’s third largest crude oil exporter, said state oil and gas company PetroVietnam. Last year, it exported about 18 million tonnes of crude oil and earned nearly US$7.4 billion, up 30% from the previous year.   According to Vietnam News Service, PetroVietnam’s total output has...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — The Malaysian economy could suffer a sharp blow from last week’s surprising move by the government to raise fuel prices by between 18.5% and 23.5%. All grades of gasoline and diesel were raised by RM0.30 a litre, and LPG by RM0.30 a kg.   Gasoline was raised by 18.5% to RM1.92...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — Malaysia LNG Tiga Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of state oil and gas company Petronas, has signed a sale and purchase Agreement (SPA) with Japan’s Toho Gas Co Ltd to supply 520,000 metric tons per annum of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 20 years beginning 2007.   Petronas said the LNG will...

(EnergyAsia, March 6) — Singapore-listed China Petrotech Holdings Limited (CPHL) said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Xi’an Cenozoic Tech Corp, has been awarded the API Specification Q1 and ISO/TS 29001 certifications from the American Petroleum Institute (API) for design, production and service of petroleum exploration systems.             The certifications cover activities such as well logging, geological survey...