Apr 2008

Will Dmitry Medvedev's ascendancy to the Russian presidency mark a shift in the country's energy policy? Derek Brower reports

With Qatargas nearing completion of its first 7.8m t/y LNG mega-train and another five under construction, Alex Forbes visited Ras Laffan Industrial City to see how construction is progressing

Construction is ramping up on the Qatar Petroleum and Shell-sponsored Pearl GTL venture in Qatar, one of the largest energy projects by value in the Middle East. Many will be surprised at how much money the project will make –if the technology works as planned. The project's managing director, Andy Brown, gives insights into the project's economics, contracting and execution strategy, and technology risk. Interview by Alex Forbes

ConocoPhillips, like all the majors, is feeling the pinch of petro-nationalism. It's prepared to wait it out, writes Derek Brower

As Asian manufacturers increase production of solar-power cells, Germany's market dominance will be challenged, writes Ian Lewis

With the introduction of new legislation, prospects are improving for the troubled ethanol industry, writes Anne Feltus

Successful development of the GOM's deep-water Atlantis field has required continual innovation, writes Anne Feltus

An innovative invention is making light work of raising sunken steel structures in the US Gulf of Mexico, writes Anne Feltus

Although oil and gas production in the four North Sea countries continued to decline last year, a surge in UK drilling lifted the North Sea well total to its highest since 1997. Development activity is still buoyant, but cost inflation could put a brake on new projects, Martin Quinlan writes

DEMAND erosion and weakening stocks amid persistently poor economic data from the US could continue to weaken crude prices over the next week, with analysts asking if the market could be readying for a correction. All eyes will be on the weekly update from the US' department of energy, to be released tomorrow, indicating the health of crude inventories in the country.

The growing prospect of shortages in LNG supply after 2010 could start to destroy demand, as potential buyers consider alternative fuels. Alex Forbes reports from the Gastech conference in Bangkok

Oil futures set new record highs on Tuesday and further gains look probable. On Tuesday, New York light crude set an all-time high of $118.05 a barrel, while Brent futures for June delivery reached a record of $115.03/b.

ExxonMobil's 0.8m barrels a day of Nigerian production remains shut in, a local company source has confirmed. That means that, despite a modest easing in oil prices yesterday, the market remains well supported.

To realise the potential of solar energy will require technological and scientific advances to enable the full energy cycle of capture, conversion and storage to be integrated into an interdependent, synergistic and globally scalable system. By Nathan Lewis, professor of chemistry, Beckman Institute and Kavli Nanoscience Institute, California Institute of Technology

OIL PRICES look set to remain strong this week after bullish comments from Opec, a new forecast from the US' Department of Energy (DOE) and a fire at a refinery in Europe combined to inject strength into the markets.

While the world has been fretting about oil prices near $100 a barrel, what it should really be worried about is gas. Europe today and the US in the future are moving towards a staggering dependence on imported natural gas. By Nadejda Victor, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, Stanford University

Oil futures have resumed their seemingly unstoppable rise, setting a new trading record above $112 a barrel on Tuesday. New York light crude futures for May delivery reached a peak of $112.48/b – slightly above the previous record, set last week, of $112.21.