ARMENIA: IMF allocates $13.6 million for poverty reduction and growth programme over three years

(IMF) has approved a three-year programme to reduce poverty and boost economic growth in the Republic of Armenia. The decision will enable the Armenian government to draw a total of $13.6 million from the IMF to implement its economic programme through 2011, starting with about US$1.9 million immediately.   The IMF said Armenia is poised...

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ASIA: Central Asian states adopt transport, trade and energy plans

documents outlining plans to invest $21 billion by 2017 to deepen regional economic cooperation in transport, trade facilitation, trade policy and energy in the region and their neighbours. The plans were agreed at last month’s 7th Ministerial Conference of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) programme. The signatories were ministers and senior officials representing...

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AUSTRALIA: BHP Billiton to invest $245 million in NWS’s Cossack, Wanaea, Lambert and Hermes fields

its US$245 million share to invest in redeveloping the North West Shelf Cossack, Wanaea, Lambert, Hermes (CWLH) fields. The project calls for  the replacement of the existing Cossack Pioneer floating, production, storage and offtake (FPSO) vessel, selected refurbishment of existing subsea infrastructure and the existing riser turret mooring. It will also capture additional oil production...

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AUSTRALIA: Coal plant converts waste gas into energy

company to convert waste gas at its Queensland state mine to energy, thus helping save up to 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide from being released each year. GE said the mine achieved this by using its ecomaginationTM certified Jenbacher power plant at Anglo Coal’s coal mine in Moranbah North to help reduce greenhouse gas...

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CHINA: Netherland’s Econcern to venture into Chinese wind power sector

Econcern, said it plans to invest 863 million euro in building up 720 MW in onshore wind energy capacity in China. (US$1=0.77 euro). Econcern said it has signed agreements for three onshore wind farm projects with CNOOC New Energy, a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and for one onshore wind farm project...

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CHINA: Shell acquires gas emissions treating specialists Cansolv Technologies Inc

major, said it has acquired all the shares of Cansolv Technologies Inc (Cansolv), a provider of technologies designed to counter air pollution. Cansolv offers technology for the control of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and other contaminants as well as a carbon dioxide (CO2) capture process for greenhouse gas reductions. Cansolv has a strong research and development...

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MARKETS: Oil price could spike again as financial crisis hit energy investments

analysts say. While reduced economic activity in the wake of the financial crisis has cut oil prices to a third of its peak of US$147 per barrel in July, the credit crunch has also hit investments in energy projects. As more projects are suspended or cancelled, future production and supply will be reduced, setting the...

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QATAR: Start-up of key gas project delayed to 2010

been delayed by at least two years to 2010, said officials.   They blame the delay on labour and material shortages. A related project, Qatargas IV, is on schedule for 2010 start-up. Both projects are majority-owned by state oil firm Qatar Petroleum, while US energy major ConocoPhillips and London-based Shell hold stakes in Qatargas III...

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BOOK: ‘Solar Technologies for Buildings’ overviews technologies relevant to the built environment

(EnergyAsia, December 5, Friday) — ‘Solar Technologies for Buildings’ by Ursula Eicker provides an overview solar technologies relevant to the built environment, including solar thermal energy for heating and cooling, passive solar energy for daylighting and heating supply, and photovoltaics for electricity production. The book provides practical examples and calculations that will enable component and (more…)

SHIPPING: Tankers diverted on piracy threat, says Intertanko

(EnergyAsia, December 5, Friday) — Following recent high-profile incidences of piracy, Intertanko said it will support the decision of tanker operators to avoid sailing in the waters off Somalia’s coasts and in the Gulf of Aden, and to sail instead via the Cape of Good Hope and East of Madagascar. The association has issued a (more…)

ABU DHABI: Experts hail emergence of renewable market

market for renewable energy in the Middle East. At the recent World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi showed its credentials, winning numerous international awards and attracting 300 companies to exhibit at the event. “In terms of policy and leadership, the response from the Middle East is quite revolutionary”, said Prashant Kapoor, WSP’s Director of Sustainability....

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CHINA: GE Oil & Gas sets installation record on work on West-East gas pipeline

ahead of schedule for two of the final four compression stations being built for an expansion of China’s landmark West-to-East Gas Pipeline, increasing the supply of natural gas to Shanghai in time for the upcoming harsh winter season. The gas turbine-driven compressor unit at the Yanchuan compressor station started up on October 11, more than...

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MARKETS: Greenpeace releases list of electronic companies stalling on climate action

Greener Electronics’ shows that most consumer electronics companies have been slow to get serious about climate change. Despite much green marketing, many brands still show little engagement with the issue. Since the first edition of the ‘Greener Electronics Guide’, Greenpeace said there have been gradual improvements on toxic and e-waste issues, but only a minority...

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KAZAKHSTAN: China to hasten work on developing Darkhan oil field

a giant oilfield in the centre of the Caspian Sea. In 2005, Kazakh state oil company KazMunaiGas signed an agreement with China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) to jointly develop the Darkhan field which holds an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil. However, they have failed to make progress...

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KAZAKHSTAN: State firm gets bigger role in revised Kashagan deal

stake in the country’s Kashagan oil field as part of an agreement to settle a dispute over stake holdings with Italy’s ENI and other project partners. Earlier, the Kazak government had complained against delays to the field’s start-up and massive cost overruns. Production had been expected to start in 2005, while development costs had shot...

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MARKETS: Credit crunch and low oil prices hamper energy investments

threatening much needed investments in new energy projects. The crisis is impacting both investments in conventional oil and gas developments as well as ambitious innovative undertakings such as carbon capture and storage and other environment-friendly energy projects. Shell, for example, recently cancelled the development of a wind farm project in the UK and an oilsands...

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OMAN: Oman Oil, Occidental and Mubadala Development Company to jointly develop gas fields

 Company of Abu Dhabi have signed an exploration and production sharing agreement with Oman’s Ministry of Oil and Gas to develop a gas field in the sultanate. Occidental said it will serve as operator with a 48% interest, with Mubadala holding a 32% interest and the Oman Oil Company the remaining 20%. The parties will...

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AUSTRALIA: Credit crunch, carbon rules to hit LNG projects

could be delayed by the global credit crisis. Analysts said projects that could be delayed by financing issues include Woodside Petroleum’s Browse LNG project and Chevron’s Gorgon projects, both located off northwest Australia. The UK’s BG Group, Japan’s Inpex and Malaysia’s Petronas have also been checking out large LNG projects in Australia but must now...

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AUSTRALIA: Work on new solar factory to begin next year

an A$70 million solar cell factory next year. (US$1=A$1.55). The plant, likely to be sited near the nation’s capital Canberra, is expected to create 115 jobs. Initially, it will produce 19,000 million solar cells each year, enough to provide power for some 20,000 homes. The bulk of the output would be exported to Europe. In...

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AZERBAIJAN: Looming threat from Iran

Islamic fundamentalism from its big southern neighbour, Iran. Iran resents the fact that Azerbaijan, a secular Shiite Muslims nation, seems to favour Europe and the US in its energy and political dealings, analysts said. The Islamic regime is irritated by what it sees are Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s expanded ties with the US. Iran fears...

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA: LNG Energy Ltd granted new licences

licences have been approved by the Papua New Guinean government. The top file process involved the relinquishment of and re-application for licences 245, 246, 249 and 252. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company said the new licenses granted will have fresh six-year terms along with new expenditure commitments for each licence. “We are very pleased to...

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AUSTRALIA: Origin welcomes support for solar power in New South Wales state

government to introduce a feed-in tariff scheme to support its residents who produce solar energy. “This is a positive step by the NSW government to encourage households to invest in generating their own solar power,” said Carl McCamish, executive general manager for corporate development. Origin is a leading provider of grid connected solar solutions to both...

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China: Emerson opens new technology center in Nanjing city

China, strengthening the company’s ability to provide process automation solutions for customers in the Asia Pacific region. The centre expands production capacity and services for Emerson Process Management’s leading flow metering and measurement technologies that serve the oil and gas, refining, petrochemicals, marine, life sciences, food and beverage, metals and mining, and pulp and paper...

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CHINA: Banks barred from lending to environmentally destructive companies

problems including pollution and climate change, according to a report released by Friends of the Earth-US (FOE). The environmental group praised China’s effort to improve the sustainability of its financial sector and said it could provide US regulators with ideas for how to approach the financial crisis. The report, The Green Evolution: Environmental Policies and...

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CHINA: Sunrise Consulting Group Inc targets international solar energy market

Sunrise Consulting Group Inc said it wants to become a major player in the fast-growing international solar energy market. Sunrise Solartech is one of China’s largest solar photovoltaics (PV) manufacturers. Due to the growing demand for clean energy, solar PV production has been doubling every two years, making it the world’s fastest-growing energy technology. Solar...

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