ENTER:...THE ADVANCED BIOFUEL GLADIATORS!!!!

By David Beattie

The biofuels industry is booming but as the food versus fuel debate heats up, second generation biofuels can calm fears over food supply and biodiversity.

Advanced biofuels mark the next step in a rapidly developing global industry which aims to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and in part free countries from oil pricing shocks that can rock their economies.

First generation biofuels have friends and foes throughout the world. For some they represent a logical step in the development of essential alternatives to fossil fuels, while others view them as the product of an expensive, over-subsidised and uncompetitive industry which is at best only capable of producing limited greenhouse gas emission savings on the business as usual case.

TOP NEWS PICK : MARCH 23, 2011

CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR FULL STORIES

BP Sells Colorado Gas Plant to Anadarko for $575.5 Million

Bloomberg

TEPCO hopeful about restarting nuclear reactor pumps

Argus Media

Cost of low-sulphur crude soars

Financial Times

Japan earthquake: Crisis may force up cost of UK nuclear

The Telegraph

Crude Oil Hits 2-Week High on Libya, Gold Struggles to

WHITHER JAPAN & ITS KYOTO TARGETS?

By Abimbola Shode

For three decades from the 60s to the 80s, Japan maintained a spectacular real economic growth with an average of 6.3% over the period. As at 2008, Japan ranked third among the largest economies in the world based on its GDP (Purchasing power parity)[1]. Although Japan is a resource poor country[2], its economic growth ‘miracle’ was facilitated by rapid technological advancement in virtually all sectors of its economy coupled with liberalisation of world markets that allowed it leverage on its industrial sector to produce goods for exports[3].Every year, millions of cars, Electronic gadgets, steel and non ferrous metals, processed food, chemicals to list a few are produced in Japanese industries and exported to markets around the world.

Happy Holi 2011 Photo

By Joanna Rae


Happy Holi everyone, love from New Delhi

ARIN's CORNER: How safe is the Global Village from New and Existing Technologies?

By Arinola Akinyemi

The world as we all know it is now connected in several ways, therefore any occurrence - be it natural or anthropogenic- impacts us all either as individuals or as a community. Recent developments show that the sale of certain food items has now been banned in Japan. What has this got to do with you, you may ask?

TOP NEWS PICK : MARCH 21, 2011

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Brent up after Libya strike

Upstream Online

Jonathan wants oil, telecoms firms listed on NSE

Daily Independent

 

Shell to invest $5bn in Chinese shale

Upstream Online

 

Nigeria expects oil price to

THE EUROPEAN UNION EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME (EU ETS)

By Mobolaji Obisakin

The European Union has been a major player in the climate change regime, although the region does not have the highest emitter of GHGs at this present moment, they lead in the percentage reduction commitments agreed to. The EU ETS is one of the major systems which the region is to use to meet their targets. The scheme is based on Directive 2003/87/EC which was entered into force in October, 2003, but the system did not start operation until January, 2005.[1] The EU has a commitment to reduce GHGs emissions by 8 per cent using 1990 levels by the end of the Kyoto commitment period (2008- 2012).

 Although the first phase of the trading system as been concluded and the second phase is presently in session, it can be said that the operations during the first phase and the achievements of the phase can not be the criteria to base other phases due to the allowances given in the first phase to test run. To do this, we have to understand the way the EU ETS works and the how it links to the mechanisms provided by the Kyoto Protocol.

WEEKEND DIGEST-->>> 19-20 MARCH

The Weekly Digest brings you the highlights of 'The Mix: Oil and Water!' for the past week.

Catch up. Read your favourite Articles and Posts- again and again...and some more!!!

Top 5 Posts- This Week:

BRITISH PETROLEUM (BP): Corporate Giant in a Giant Mess?

BP's COMPETITIVE STRATEGY: Leadership at what cost?

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: I am 'NOT' your favourite pet

A NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE: Japan, wake me up!

EUROPEAN GAS MARKET: PIPELINE GAS VS LNG

Top 5 Posts- All Time:

1- British Petroleum (BP): Corporate Giant in a Giant Mess?

2- Oil and Gas Masters of Tesco Teller Points

3- BP's Competitive Strategy: Leadership at what cost?

TOP NEWS PICK : MARCH 18, 2011

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Cameroun: Bowleven spuds Sapele-2

Upstream Online

Statoil signs PTTEP deal

Upstream Online

Ethanol Gains Most in Five Months as Crude Oil, Gasoline Rise

Bloomberg

Chile's Parliament Asks President to Stop All Nuclear Energy Initiatives

CRIENGLISH.COM

Teams in battle for Dana UK prize

Upstream Online

US Crude Oil crosses $100 mark

News One

Oil climbs on UN Libya

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: I am 'NOT' your Favourite Pet.......!!!

By Joanna Rae

Reflections:

.

.

.

I am not your favourite pet..

Do you want to know why?..

Energy Economics of Japan Earthquake

By Dian L. Chu

A 9.0-magnitude earthquake rocked Japan on Friday March 11, prompting a 30-foot tsunami slamming the country's northeast coast. Media reported that one major oil refinery was caught fire while nearly a dozen nuclear plants were shut down leaving Millions of buildings around Tokyo without power.

A NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE: Japan, wake me up!

By Stoneleigh

How black is the Japanese Nuclear Swan?

The Japanese earthquake is a tragedy of epic proportions in so many ways. The situation continues to evolve, and the full scope of the disaster will not be understood for a long time. 

One critical aspect is the effect on Japan's nuclear industry, which provides over 30% of the country's electricity from 54 reactors. Some of the largest nuclear plants in the world (Fukushima Dai-ichi and Fukushima Dai-ni, 4696 MW and 4400 MW, respectively) are located close to the epicentre, and on the coast, directly in the path of the resulting tsunami:

BOLAJI’s KYOTO PROTOCOL: …. IN 3D!!!

By Mobolaji Obisakin

Climate change is a phrase now well known to the world, even if the specifics of the phenomenon are not known, every person who watches television knows to put of the lights when leaving a room or to take a bus instead of a car if one can. The reason for this is known, to reduce CO2 (Carbon di oxide) emissions. But only a few people realize that a certain percentage is to be reduced by a certain time. The lack of awareness of this growing harm to the environment, has given way to a proactive stand by the international community and states to combat the depletion of the ozone layer by the reduction of man-made GHG (Green House Gas) emissions. 

JAPANESE LOLLIPOP? It's a Nuclear Reactor Meltdown!!!

A Look at the Mechanics of a Partial Meltdown

By Henry Fountain

The difference between a partial meltdown and a full meltdown at a nuclear plant is enormous, both in the degree of damage and in the potential release of radiation, experts in nuclear power said.

A partial meltdown, like those suspected at two reactors in northeastern Japan over the weekend, may not necessarily mean that any of the uranium fuel in the core has melted, experts said. The fuel rods may be only damaged, a portion of them having been left uncovered by cooling water long enough to crack, allowing the release of some radioactive elements in the fuel.

TOP NEWS PICK : MARCH 14, 2011

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Stricken Japan nuclear plant rocked by 2^nd blast

Atlanta Business News

Iraq's largest oil pipeline repaired

Associated Press

Russia may redirect LNG to Japan

Upstream Online

Verve accuses energy giants of gas gouging

The Australian

Gas, coal exports tipped to rise after Japanese disaster

The Australian

Ukrain Minister: Domestic oil refineries can provide own petroleum products
KyivPost

Shell Strikes Oil Offshore

WEEKEND DIGEST-->>> 12-13 MARCH

The Weekly Digest brings you the highlights of 'The Mix: Oil and Water!' for the past week.

Catch up. Read your favourite Articles and Posts- again and again...and some more!!!

Top 5 Posts- This Week:

BP's COMPETITIVE STRATEGY: Leadership at what cost?

EUROPEAN GAS MARKET: PIPELINE GAS VS LNG

BRITISH PETROLEUM (BP): Corporate Giant in a Giant Mess?

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Lean on Me...!!

CHINA: Year of the Rabbit...and lots of Oil!!!

Top 5 Posts- All Time:

1- Oil and Gas Masters of Tesco Teller Points

2- Dundee Alumni: Humphrey Onyeukwu speaks on Nigerian Petroleum Industry Bill

3- British Petroleum (BP): Corporate Giant in a Giant Mess?

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Lean on me.......!!!

By Joanna Rae

Reflections:

.

.

.

I am your primary energy source..

Lean on me..

$350 per barrel of Oil.... Any Takers?

By Tyler Durden

Morgan Stanley has compiled a convenient table looking at the impact of all prior oil crises, and how that reflected in peak oil production loss as well as the price of oil on a monthly, 3 month and 6 months basis. And while the biggest crises of modern days has so far been the Yom Kippur War with a total loss of 5 million mmb/d resulting in a 350% increase in the price of oil 6 months following, should the Libyan crisis escalate and impact even half of Saudi production (keep an eye on the March 11 organized protests), the current MENA crisis will promptly win the first prize for biggest oil surge. Should the past 6 month record be passed, Brent will likely be trading around $350 around July.

CHINA: Year of the Rabbit.....and lots of Oil !!!

China's Crude Oil Imports by Country

The following top 15 countries provided 90% of China’s imported crude petroleum supplies in 2010. Among those top suppliers, 6 nations are Mideast nations. They generated 46.3% of total Chinese crude oil imports.

In contrast, the value of crude oil that the United States imported from its top 3 Mideast suppliers (Saudi, Iraq and Kuwait) amounted to only 18.2% of its total $194.4 billion in U.S. imported crude petroleum.