(EnergyAsia, November 7 2012, Wednesday) — India’s newly appointed power minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has promised to untangle the Gordian knot of coal supply and pricing issues that is strangling the nation’s once-booming economy through a largely self-made power supply crisis. Appointed to one of the most troubled portfolios in a Cabinet reshuffle last month, the...
INDIA: Coal imports surged 18% in April-September period
(EnergyAsia, November 7 2012, Wednesday) — Despite its slowing economy, India’s coal imports surged 18% to nearly 64 million tonnes for the first half of the current financial year from April 1. Industry officials are not surprised by the apparent contradiction between fast-rising coal imports and slowing economic growth as India’s domestic coal supply system...
INDONESIA: Adaro Energy reports 4% decline in nine-month coal production, 5.8% drop in net revenue
(EnergyAsia, November 7 2012, Wednesday) — Weighed down by slower demand in China, Indonesia’s Adaro Energy said its coal production fell 4% for the first nine months of this year, causing net revenue to fall 5.8%. Indonesia’s second biggest coal miner said it produced 33.9 million tonnes during the period compared to 35.3 million tonnes (more…)
SINGAPORE: Prospects for nuclear energy dim, reliance on natural gas to grow
(EnergyAsia, November 7 2012, Wednesday) — The Singapore government has concluded the country isn’t yet ready to accept nuclear energy, setting the stage for further reliance on natural gas as its main energy source. After an extensive two-year pre-feasibility, the government has concluded the current state of nuclear technology may not be sufficiently safe or...
VIETNAM: Japan’s MHI receives order to supply equipment for coal-fired power plant
(EnergyAsia, November 6 2012, Tuesday) — Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) said it has received an order to supply equipment including a steam turbine and boiler to be installed in the 330MW Unit 2 of the O Mon 1 coal-fired thermal power plant now under construction in Vietnam. The equipment is being purchased by (more…)
RUSSIA: Mechel secured 24-billion rubles in credit lines
(EnergyAsia, November 6 2012, Tuesday) — Mechel OAO, one of Russia’s leading mining and metals companies, said it has secured long-term agreements with Russia’s Sberbank to open four credit lines for a total of 24 billion rubles for one of its key subsidiaries. (US$1=32 ruble). The credit lines for Southern Kuzbass Coal Company OAO are (more…)
ASIA: Ministers agree on US$23 billion plan to boost Central Asia links
(EnergyAsia, November 6 2012, Tuesday) — Ministers of the 10 Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) programme nations have agreed on a plan to implement more than US$23 billion in new regional transport infrastructure projects along with energy and trade initiatives. Meeting in the Chinese city of Wuhan last week, the group will work on (more…)
INDIA: Power companies hobbled by coal delivery delays, but government remains paralysed to act
(EnergyAsia, November 6 2012, Tuesday) — India’s Power Ministry is continuing to press the coal industry to speed up the allocation and delivery of feedstock, warning there could be a repeat of the July 31 world record blackout that affected 650 million people across large parts of the country. Coal accounts for 65% of the...
AUSTRALIA: Gas growth to slow as coal continues to dominate, predicts RepuTex
(EnergyAsia, November 5 2012, Monday) — The continued operation of Australia’s most polluting coal-fired power plants will slow the take-up of natural gas across the country, predicts carbon analytics firm RepuTex. Coal’s affordability and dominance will result in lower profitability for operators of natural gas-fired power plants, discouraging their transition to the use of the (more…)
INDIA: Electricity authority warns of power crisis again as coal stockpiles plunge to critically low levels
(EnergyAsia, November 5 2012, Monday) — Having suffered the world’s largest power blackout affecting some 650 million people just over three months ago, India could yet be hit with further power supply disruptions as it is running low on coal feedstock. India relies on coal to generate around 60% of its electricity, and now 35...
SINGAPORE: Solar, renewable energy companies make major announcements at recent SIEW event
(EnergyAsia, November 5 2012, Monday) — At least seven companies involved in the solar and renewable energy sector made major announcements at the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) which took place on October 22 to 25. Trina Solar, MEMC, Juwi, ReneSola, Saint-Gobain, GL Hassan and Yingli Solar issued statements related to their plans and operations (more…)
CHINA: Consultant ESAI predicts substantial rise in surplus refining capacity by 2014
(EnergyAsia, November 5 2012, Monday)— China’s surplus refining capacity will increase substantially by 2014 as it would have built up 1.4 million b/d of new CDU capacity while oil products demand may only grow by 300,000 b/d, said US consultant ESAI. Restrictions on exports will force refineries to cut utilisation rates, leaving China to become...
CAMBODIA: Group promoting oil industry transparency holds annual conference in Phnom Penh today
(EnergyAsia, November 2 2012, Friday) — Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency (CRRT) will host a one-day conference entitled, “Best Practices of Governance in Extractive Industries and Revenue Management,” at the Cambodiana Hotel in Phnom Penh today. The conference, attended by representatives from the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN), will also include representatives of (more…)
VIETNAM: Puma Energy completes acquisition of Chevron Kuo and bitumen businesses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
(EnergyAsia, November 2 2012, Friday) — Puma Energy, a fast-growing global mid and downstream energy company, said it has completed the acquisition of Chevron Kuo Pte Ltd, a Singapore entity which owns 70% of Chevron Bitumen Vietnam Limited (CBVL). The new company will be called Puma Energy Bitumen Vietnam Ltd and its assets will be (more…)
INDIA: Conergy provides off-grid systems to power up ranger offices in forests
(EnergyAsia, November 2 2012, Friday) — Conergy, a market leader in providing off-grid installations and solar energy solutions, said it has completed a 900 kilowatt peak stand-alone project for the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department (MPFD) in India. The German firm said it had been engaged by the MPFD to supply their ranger offices with clean (more…)
AUSTRALIA: Coal miner Cougar Energy restructures with aim to become global energy company
(EnergyAsia, November 2 2012, Friday) — Australia-listed coal miner Cougar Energy Limited has set its sights on becoming a diversified global energy company following a detailed strategic review of its business model. Describing it as a significant shift, the company’s recently appointed CEO and managing director, Rob Neill, said the new direction underpins its expansion...
AUSTRALIA: BG Group agrees to sell QCLNG stake and new LNG supply to CNOOC
(EnergyAsia, November 1 2012, Wednesday) — UK’s BG Group said it has agreed to sell to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) some of its interests in the Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) project in Australia for US$1.93 billion and additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply from its global portfolio. The agreements are expected to be (more…)
MONGOLIA: Australia’s Cougar Energy, Hulaan Coal sign MOU for underground gasification
(EnergyAsia, November 1 2012, Wednesday) — Australia-listed Cougar Energy said it recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hulaan Coal Corp with the view to studying the potential of the Mongolia-focused miner’s coal assets for gasification development. Canadian-owned Hulaan owns a broad portfolio of thermal and potential coking coal assets in the landlocked Asian (more…)
SINGAPORE: DNV unveils its SUNdy floating solar field concept at SIEW event
(EnergyAsia, November 1 2012, Wednesday) — Many countries are turning to solar technology and renewable energy because of a need for alternative energy sources and environmental concerns. To help meet these needs, Norway’s DNV has developed SUNdy, a large-scale offshore solar field concept which was launched at last week’s SIEW event in Singapore. DNV said (more…)
COMPANY: Vopak positioned to ride Southeast Asia’s takeoff as oil and gas storage hub
(EnergyAsia, November 1 2012, Wednesday) — After decades of rumours, speculation and planning, Southeast Asia is finally taking off as a regional oil storage hub that could mirror the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub in Europe. Once confined to land-constrained Singapore, the action has begun spilling over to nearby islands and coastal towns in neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia...
THAILAND: PTT raised US$1.1 billion from successful bond issue
(EnergyAsia, October 31 2012, Wednesday) — Thai state oil and gas company PTT said it has raised US$1.1 billion from an international bond issue that was oversubscribed by more than 10 times. The company said the sale of its bond, with a “BBB+” rating from Standard and Poor’s and “Baa1” from Moody’s, established a record-low (more…)
SINGAPORE: Indonesian coal miner Geo Energy, offshore fabricating company Triyards make strong debut on public listing
(EnergyAsia, October 31 2012, Wednesday) — Shares of fabricating and engineering firm Triyards Holdings and Indonesian coal miner Geo Energy Resources Ltd have performed well since their trading debut on the Singapore Exchange less than two weeks ago. Triyards began trading on October 18 after it was spun off as a form of dividend by (more…)
CHINA: PetroChina unit and TransCanada to jointly build C$3-billion oilsands pipeline
(EnergyAsia, October 31 2012, Wednesday) — Amid the intensifying debate over the role of Chinese state-owned companies in Canada’s oil and gas sector, a PetroChina subsidary has concluded an equal joint venture deal with TransCanada Corp to build a C$3 billion oil pipeline in Alberta province. Phoenix Energy Holdings Ltd, the Canadian subsidiary of PetroChina (more…)
RUSSIA: Gazprom to boost LNG production with eye on Asian markets
(EnergyAsia, October 31 2012, Wednesday) — Russian gas giant Gazprom is looking to boost the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for export to the lucrative Asian markets while reducing dependence on piped gas sales to Europe. The company will aim to boost LNG production and sales from the Russian Far East and Shtokman field...
MARKETS: IEA, Goldman Sachs expect oil prices to be capped through 2016
(EnergyAsia, October 30 2012, Tuesday) — Weak demand and rising output will dampen the outlook on oil prices over the next five years, but geopolitical tensions and the risk of military conflict in the Middle East will keep the market from crashing, according to forecasts from two authoritative organisations. Both the International Energy Agency (IEA)...