Jul 2012

The Nabucco West Pipeline and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline are two possible routes to carry gas to Europe

German utility drops arbitration claim against Russian exporter

Origin Energy and its partners are set to build a second liquefied natural gas (LNG) train at the Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) project in Queensland after giving the nod for a final investment decision (FID)

China-focused coal-bed methane (CBM) explorer Sino Gas and Energy has agreed a strategic partnership deal with Chinese upstream firm MIE as it seeks to develop its Ordos basin acreage

Canada’s Enbridge has been handed the largest fine ever levied by the US government’s pipeline regulator following a 2010 oil spill in Michigan

Mexico’s Pemex is hoping to launch a shale-gas exploration tender in late 2013 in a bid to attract foreign investors to help it tap the country’s potentially large unconventional oil and gas resources

Unusually wet weather in western Canada has hampered access to the country’s oil fields and delayed drilling programmes

Australia’s coal bed methane to liquefied natural gas projects face start-up delays, cost over-runs, and a doubling of domestic gas prices

The worldwide chemicals business is seeing strong growth in demand – but faltering economies remain a risk

The chemicals business continues in a strong up-cycle driven by favourable market fundamentals

The kingdom’s efforts to balance the market are working. It may herald a new era of oil abundance

In a bid to force Sudan's hand in talks over oil infrastructure access, in February South Sudan halted all its production. The shut-in is still in place and both countries are suffering as revenues dry up

Petrobras’ new chief executive, Maria das Graças Foster, has already made her mark at the Brazilian company. The former chemical engineer has said Brazil can become a leading oil producer, but must temper its expectations, saying targets need to be ‘realistic and practical’

As dry gas prices weaken, US natural gas producers are increasingly looking to liquid gas solutions

Papua New Guinea is now firmly on the industry’s radar – the island nation is emerging as a liquefied natural gas producer, it has both substantial reserves and upside potential. But, as Damon Evans finds out, political wrangling over InterOil’s Gulf LNG plans could dampen investors’ enthusiasm

Everyone now knows what happened in the US’ natural-gas sector. Strong Henry Hub prices brought a costly, tricky method of gas extraction into the mainstream. Just a few years after US politicians and forecasters were fretting about dwindling reserves and firms rushed to build liquefied natural gas import terminals to capitalise on the inevitable rise in prices, hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling unleashed vast new supplies. Production costs tumbled as the drillers honed the technology. The US is now in an age of gas abundance.

Venezuela will not be able to meet its ambitious oil production targets until the Orinoco belt has sufficient heavy oil upgrading and transport infrastructure, enabling the region’s oil reserves to be brought to market

Two recent books tell the story of the uprising that toppled Muammar Qadhafi. But the new country’s future is still up for grabs

Prices fell heavily in June, but then rose again as Petroleum Economist went to press

Global oil production rose to 91.1 million barrels a day

Chief executive of Shell, Peter Voser, tells Shaun Polczer about the supermajors plans for global LNG

A panel of experts discuss Asia’s quest to secure gas supplies and the significant obstacles ahead

Khaled Abubakr speaks to Ian Lewis about the growing importance of Africa’s gas

GDF Suez’s Jean-Marie Dauger explained to Kwok W Wan why diversity is key to gas’s golden age

China’s oil imports continue to surge, but is it sustainable, and what are the long-term impacts?

Junior player Beach Energy has again highlighted the unconventional potential of Australia’s central Cooper basin after its Encounter-1 shale-gas well flowed more than 2 million cubic feet per day (cf/d)

Canada’s oil and gas industry is going back to where it all began: the Duvernay shales

Shell’s Quest carbon capture and and storage (CCS) project has been given the nod by Alberta’s energy regulators

The Polish government supports new legislation that would see state-run companies take a stake in every shale-gas licence in the country, stepping up the state’s role in the country’s unconventional gas hunt

Production at the Permian basin is in danger of overtaking processing and transport capacity from the region

Japan ramped up reactor three, at the Ohi nuclear power plant, to full power this week, despite huge protests and a damning government-commissioned report into the Fukushima disaster

Soaring Saudi output has given the West an advantage in its battle with Tehran

Afghanistan's steps to encourage investment from ExxonMobil look promising

Venezuela to exit World Bank’s international court in latest blow to investors

Production has risen for a sixth consecutive year, as demand also increases

US regulators have reported concerns over the safety of the pipelines

Skyrocketing guar prices dent bottom line for US pressure pumpers

Shale-gas resources could be largest in Latin America but production will likely be slow

US unconventional oil production may surpass the second and third-largest Opec members by 2020

Firms seize opportunities to continue their global investment drive during the global downturn

Chinese pair stake claim on almost 10% of UK production

China National Offshore Oil Corporation aims to expand its global influence with the $15.1 billion takeover

Firms seize opportunities to continue their global investment drive during the global downturn, writes Damon Evans

China National Offshore Oil Corporation seeks to expand influence with Nexen takeover

Libya’s first post-Qadhafi elections had many positives. But clarity for investors is not yet among them

Cove takeover will see Thai firm gain foothold in prolific gas play

Potential bidders are sizing up Australian junior Beach Energy and its potentially lucrative position in Australia’s most promising shale basin

Oilfield services company to expand Chinese operations after buying stake in Anton Oilfield Services

Higher fracking costs and thinner North American margins weighed on Halliburton's results

It is unusual for one of Canada’s provincial governments to demand money from another in exchange for approval of a pipeline