Apr 2009

The oil-price collapse has weakened Opec. The cartel is scrambling for a response, write Derek Brower and Tom Nicholls from Vienna

The former German leader now includes Russia's TNK-BP and Gazprom among his employers. It is not a post-political career that everyone respects. Derek Brower writes

Falling oil prices and evaporating credit are forcing the smaller firms, which have led exploration in UK waters in recent years, to rein in spending. In Norway, where large explorers dominate, there are calls for more territory, Martin Quinlan writes

France's Total says it wants to build another gas-export facility in Nigeria. But piping natural gas across the Sahara desert to supply Europe faces big problems, writes Derek Brower

Shale-gas exploration success in North America is creating a new gas-export industry, writes Thom Dawson, vice-president, Kitimat LNG

The threat to Canadian producers of a US ban on imports of "dirty fuel" from the oil-sands has receded, for now. But the threat of a US carbon tax remains, writes WJ Simpson

Canadian heavy oil and US shale gas are important elements in StatoilHydro's growing overseas portfolio, writes Tom Nicholls

Adopting the airlines' approach to the development of maintenance strategies could significantly increase operating uptime and profitability in the oil industry, writes Tony Geraghty, vice-president, Schlumberger Business Consulting

Low crude prices could have allowed the Indian government to reform its domestic price-fixing regime, but political factors are likely to prevent such a change, reports James Gavin

With subsea work becoming more difficult and dangerous, the oil industry is developing a new generation of aquabots, writes Anne Feltus

The solar industry may have an assured future as part of the world's energy mix, but suppliers must weather the effects of the economic downturn if they are to share in it, writes Ian Lewis

The oilfield services sector is suffering the effects of reduced upstream spending, but Schlumberger is determined to be ready for the inevitable upturn, writes NJ Watson

US LIQUEFIED natural gas (LNG) import capacity continues to increase. But with domestic gas production on the rise and prices falling, the appeal of more-expensive LNG imports is waning, write Damien Gaul and Kobi Platt, office of oil and gas, Energy Information Administration

The solar industry may have an assured future as part of the world's energy mix, but suppliers must weather the effects of the economic downturn if they are to share in it, writes Ian Lewis

THE COMING months are likely to be tough for the global wind-power industry, as companies scale back expansion plans during the economic downturn. But the slow-down in growth should prove to be just a hiccup in the development of one of the most economically viable forms of green energy, according to an international industry association.

Oil prices are holding firm above the $50 a barrel threshold, as hopes that the global recession could be easing spread through the market following last week's G20 meeting in London. In the early afternoon on Tuesday, front-month Brent was trading at around $52/b in London, while the front-month contract for light sweet crude oil closed at $51.05/b in New York on Monday.

France's Total says it wants to build another gas-export facility in Nigeria. But piping natural gas across the Sahara desert to supply Europe faces big problems, writes Derek Brower

The bill to reform state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), making way for a radical change to the country's operating relationships with the major oil companies, has been submitted to the National Assembly – but progress is likely to be slow and success is far from certain.

Oil prices were under renewed pressure on Tuesday after the International Energy Agency (IEA) again revised down its forecast for 2009 oil demand.

Falling oil prices and evaporating credit are forcing the smaller firms, which have led exploration in UK waters in recent years, to rein in spending. In Norway, where large explorers dominate, there are calls for more territory, Martin Quinlan writes

The oil and gas potential of the Black Sea is growing increasingly important for its littoral states.

Oil futures were well below $50 a barrel on Tuesday, continuing Monday's decline – and there are still more reasons to expect further price weakness than a sustained rally.

StatoilHydro and partners are planning an additional investment under their Statfjord Late-Life project that aims to keep the Norwegian field in production beyond 2020, recovering over 68% of in-place oil and 75% of in-place gas.

Crude oil prices fell beneath $50 a barrel again on Tuesday, as pessimism about a recovery in the global economy pushed bulls out of commodity and equity markets across the world.