(EnergyAsia, September 6) — The biggest biodiesel plant in Shanghai city, with an annual capacity of 100,000 tons, is on course to start up late next year. The plant in Shanghai Zhangjiang Hightech Park in Pudong will use animal fats and crops to produce biodiesel for local consumption. It will be among several plants now...
(EnergyAsia, September 6) — India’s Essar group has announced plans to build an oil refinery of between 16 to 20 million tonnes capacity in Jamnagar city in India’s Gujarat state. The proposed Rs150 billion plant is located in a new special economic zone being built in the city. (US$1=Rs46). Essar is also commissioning a...
(EnergyAsia, September 6) — India’s Sterling Infotech Group (SIG) is diversifying into the renewable energy business with an acquisition of 40% of the paid-up share capital of Finland-based WinWinD, a pioneer in the manufacture of wind turbines. WinWinD, a technology leader in the wind energy space, supplies one and three Megawatt wind turbines based...
(EnergyAsia, September 6) — The rising cost of crude palm oil could derail Malaysia’s plan to mandate biodiesel use in diesel from next January. If crude palm oil prices rose beyond its current level of more than RM1,500 per tonne, analysts said diesel with a 5% palm oil content is unlikely to be profitable and...
(EnergyAsia, September 6) — The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (Inec) in a northern Philippines province said its wind farm project in Bangui has started generating savings for its members. Romillas Pascual, Inec’s general manager, said its member services department will issue details to show how they have saved from using wind-generated electricity by buying power...
Play Video (EnergyAsia, September 5) — Conergy, Europe’s leading renewable energy company, last week opened its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore to spearhead its expansion into the region. The German company plans to triple its total sales internationally in 2006, with Asia providing “a considerable portion” of the growth. Hamburg-based Conergy has existing business...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — Vopak has reported a 22% rise in first half net profit to 55.3 million euro on revenue of 382.8 million euro (+17%). Group operating profit was up 28% to 103.3 million euro. The company said its earnings per ordinary share grew 25% to 0.85 euro 005. Vopak said it...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — The Japanese government has announced it will start a pilot project next year to grow vegetables in greenhouses using biomass energy instead of fossil fuels. The project is aimed at helping farmers find an alternative energy source to produce food crops. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it aims...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — The bleak outlook on the world’s oil supply shook participants at the recent 18th Regional Research and Development Extension (RDE) held at the Phillippines’ Naval Institute of Technology (NIT). In a speech promoting biofuels, Roberto C. Guarte, Dean of the College of Engineering and Agriculture at the Leyte State University,...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — Malaysia is expected to soon resume issuing biodiesel licences after a temporary freeze to weed out “fly-by-night” applicants, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui. The current boom in biofuels has attracted many companies into the sector, raising concerns that many of the applicants do not have...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) said it has enough fuel stockpile especially for diesel to meet the needs of consumers for the rest of the month. Blaming hoarders, speculators and the media for causing panic buying, BPC officials said they had been stepping up imports despite over the past year...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — The Malaysian government will set up a RM500 million fund to promote biodiesel production and use next year as part of a RM3.6 billion investment in the agricultural sector. (US$1=RM3.67). The fund will be administered by Bank Pembangunan Malaysia, the country’s main development bank. In announcing Budget 2007, Prime Minister...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — Germany has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to assist India in developing its energy efficiency through a special programme. The MOU was signed by India’s Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and the German donor agency KfW at a recent ceremony witnessed by Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and the German Ambassador...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — Engineering group Foster Wheeler Ltd said its subsidiary Foster Wheeler Energy Limited has been selected by Woodside Energy Ltd to undertake the front-end engineering design (FEED) for Woodside’s planned Pluto Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) development in Western Australia. Foster Wheeler isleading a joint venture with WorleyParsons Services Pty Ltd (FWWP joint...
(EnergyAsia, September 5) — The board of Indian upstream company ONGC has approved proposals to develop a marginal oil field off the coast of Mumbai and the Dahej petrochemicals complex. The C-series marginal field located 60 km west of Daman in the Tapti Daman block of Mumbai offshore will be developed at a cost...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — The Philippines’ Davao region is expected to become the country’s largest of biofuels, said local biodiesel producer Chemrez Incorporated. The company is the Philippines’ biggest supplier of coconut methylester-based biodiesel and claims to operate Asia’s biggest biodiesel plant. Spokesman Carlos Palad said Davao region is getting a quarter of Chemrez’s...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — Within a year of its founding, Becco Biofuels has grown into a globally integrated operation with crop farms, seed-crushing plants and refineries in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Starting in Spain where it now operates biodiesel refineries, the integrated biodiesel producer has expanded into China, which will eventually become one...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — French major Total said it has bought a 24% stake in a natural gas block off the coast of northwestern Australia from Japan’s Inpex, which previously fully owned the block. The deal for Block WA 285-P, which contains the Ichthys gas field, is subject to the approval of the Australian authorities....
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — The Singapore Exchange (SGX) said its “SGX AsiaClear” service will begin offering the clearing of over-the-counter (OTC) balance-of-month fuel oil 180cst and 380cst swaps from today. SGX said it launched the service in response to demand from traders who trade partial month contracts (balance-of-month) and are currently unable to clear such...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — Singapore-listed KS Energy Services Limited, which refurbishes and leases capital equipment as well as distributes equipment, parts and consumables to the world oil and gas industry, has outlined its plan for Indonesia. The company said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with PT Citra Tubindo Tbk (PTCT) to incorporate...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — The Bangladeshi government has reportedly cancelled all contracts related to the Phulbari coal mining contract after at least six people were shot dead during a protest against the project on August 26. At least 50 people were seriously injured when police fired upon a crowd of several thousands who had gathered...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) US-based Univation Technologies said that China Petroleum &Chemical Corporation (Sinopec CORP) has selected the UNIPOL PE process for a 450,000-tonnes-per-year polyethylene plant at its affiliate, Sinopec Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Company Ltd, in Ningbo, China. The new facility, scheduled for start-up in 2009, will produce a full range of linear low...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — Sakhalin Energy said it has successfully completed construction of the main elements of the company’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) loading jetty, including the full length of the trestle and the loading platform. The jetty forms an integral part of the first in Russia LNG plant, which is currently under construction at...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — A week after announcing Singapore’s decision to proceed with the construction of its first LNG terminal, Trade Minister Lim Hng Kiang was in Moscow to check out the availability of Russian natural gas supply. The giant Sakhalin oil and gas fields in the Russian Far East are preparing to supply to...
(EnergyAsia, September 4) — Engineering group Foster Wheeler Ltd said its subsidiary Foster Wheeler International Corporation (Abu Dhabi branch), has been awarded a contract by Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (TAKREER) for a detailed feasibility study for a grassroots refinery to be located alongside its existing Ruwais refinery in the UAE. TAKREER is the refining...