Oct 2003

In its three years in existence, the energy dialogue between the European Union (EU) and Russia has designed an ambitious programme of co-operation – but has not yet produced any major agreement. However, both sides claim slow, but regular, progress is being made, writes Helen Avati

The world coal industry is witnessing the steady development of an open over-the counter (OTC) market, centred in Europe. Traditionally, international coal trade consists of long-term bilateral deals. The OTC market is still at a fledgling stage, but already has an active financial swaps market to complement the physical market. Liz Bossley and Sam Murray, of Ceag, report

Domestic currency appreciation, high freight rates and a record export year for China appear to have dented the profits of the major coal producers. However, Japan’s nuclear woes, a burning summer and the continued rise of China as an importer provided a silver lining, Andrew Roberts reports

These are anxious times for Nova Scotia’s deep water. The emerging region has failed to generate the reserves needed for a commercial development and there are signs of wavering among key players on their lease commitments. WJ Simpson reports

The five producing fields in the Gulf of Guinea’s deep-water areas – two off Angola, two off Equatorial Guinea and one off Nigeria – will become eight by the end of next year and 13 a year or so later. Deep-water fields under development will add nearly 1.8m b/d to the region’s production capacity – with more to come from the projects being planned, Martin Quinlan writes

Although exploration in the US GoM has extended well beyond the mile-deep mark, technical problems posed by these water depths and the distance from existing infrastructure make development of ultra-deep discoveries complex and costly. Energy companies are pushing technology to the limit and combining capital and human resources to improve the economics of marginal ultra-deep fields. Anne Feltus reports

Petrobras’ long-standing investment in training and technology as well as its extensive experience and operations in Brazil gives it a competitive edge in its home market, says Guilherme Estrella, director of exploration and production at Petrobras. It is not just talk – last year, with a drilling success rate of 25%, the company found resources that it believes will add at least 3bn barrels of oil equivalent to its domestic reserves. Tom Nicholls reports

If installing oil and gas hardware at water-depths of 2,000 metres or more is slow and costly, why not raise the seabed? In April, a small Norwegian company carried out trials of a facility that, in effect, does just that, Martin Quinlan writes

Spar production platforms for deep-water fields have a fairly short history – the first facility was installed in 1996. But, in just seven years, they have evolved through three generations. The first example of the latest variant, the cell spar, is due to start flowing gas in the second quarter of next year, Martin Quinlan writes

Offshore exploration and production (E&P) began in the early 1900s. Since then, the definition of deep water has extended as technology has advanced. Until 1998, it was considered to be anything off the continental shelf, at depths greater than 200 metres. Then it moved to 300 metres, but was quickly extended to 500 metres, Nigel Ash writes

Turkey’s privatisation campaign has met unexpected reverses in both the courts and parliament since it began 23 years ago. But it looks as if the downstream oil sector is finally on the verge of radical change, with the majority sale of the market’s dominant refiner, state-owned Tupras. Nigel Ash reports

The lifting of UN sanctions is a first step towards bringing in the new investment the country needs to re-invigorate its oil and gas sector. But obstacles still remain, not least the unilateral US sanctions that prevent the country’s oil companies investing in Libya, writes James Gavin

Rampant natural gas demand growth in southern Europe is underpinning a raft of developments feeding the Mediterranean basin. LNG is shaping up as a major competitor to traditional pipeline gas supplies, as North African producers plan a surge in exports, writes James Gavin