Today's Energy News Summaries

Water supply deemed safe near Kingston coal plant fly ash spill

Washington (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- The public water supply in eastern Tennessee towns near the site of the December 22 fly ash dike failure at Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston coal-fired power plant is safe to drink, according to the...
Read more [Platts - Coal News]

US oil/gas sector set record high for drilling costs in 2007: API

Washington (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- The US oil and natural gas industry spent an all-time high of $226.4 billion in drilling expenditures in 2007, more than double the previous record of $109.8 billion set in 2006, the American Petroleum...
Read more [Platts Oil Industry News]

Citgo suspends US heating oil program on price slide: partner

New York (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA has "suspended" its winter heating oil assistance program to underprivileged communities in the US because of falling oil prices, the company's US partner, Citizens Energy...
Read more [Platts Oil Industry News]

Israeli oil demand unaffected by Gaza conflict

London (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- The ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are being closely monitored by the oil industry, sources said Monday. Jet fuel is of particular interest as the conflict...
Read more [Platts Oil Industry News]

Moody's downgrades E&P independents to 'negative' on price falls

New York (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- Moody's has downgraded the independent exploration and production industry to "negative" because of the "precipitous" decline in oil and natural gas prices expected to lead to low cash margins and "fundamental...
Read more [Platts Oil Industry News]

Banks pull plug on Oilexco's UK operations

The UK arm of Oilexco is likely to go into administration within days, taking all the London and Toronto-listed exploration and production company's oil and gas reserves with it
Read more [Financial Times Energy News]

Slo-mo splat

Remember the wall that environmentalists (like the 1972 "Limits to Growth" authors) have long been saying that industrial society would eventually hit? Permit me to make the formal introduction: Industrial society, meet wall; wall, meet industrial society.

read more

EDF calls on UK to declare nuclear need

The French energy group gave a policy deadline if the first of a new generation of reactors is to be ready for 2017
Read more [Financial Times Energy News]

Conditions ripe for reshuffle in energy sector

Many small players could become potential targets of leading companies as the drop in oil prices and asset valuations creates opportunities for deals
Read more [Financial Times Energy News]

Gas Supplies Drop, EU Plays Down Dispute

EU officials say there is no reason to panic, despite several countries having to dip into reserves to meet the shortfall.

Nigerian communities demand $1.3bn gas flare compensation

Lagos (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- Communities in Niger Delta region have demanded that the Nigerian government pay them Naira 165 billion ($1.3 billion) as compensation for years of gas flaring that caused environmental pollution, the...
Read more [Platts Oil Industry News]

Crude futures higher on geopolitical tensions, gas dispute

London (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- Global crude futures firmed in European morning trading Monday, holding on to recent gains as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine underpinned sentiment,...
Read more [Platts Oil Industry News]

European ethanol poised to rise on gasoline strength

London (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- European ethanol prices may be set to strengthen on the back of a sharp surge in gasoline prices, trading sources said Monday. "Ethanol will be interesting today as gasoline has come up sharply,...
Read more [Platts Petrochemical news]

European ethanol poised to rise on gasoline strength

London (Platts) -- 5Jan2009 -- European ethanol prices may be set to strengthen on the back of a sharp surge in gasoline prices, trading sources said Monday. "Ethanol will be interesting today as gasoline has come up sharply,...
Read more [Platts Oil Industry News]

The Top 10 Peak-Oil-Related Stories of 2008

1. The Global Recession
2. Price Volatility: Who Knew?
3. Falling Investment = Building the Big Boomerang
4. The IEA Changes its Stance (will U.S. EIA, CERA and Exxon-Mobil follow?)
5. The Campaign and the Elections
6. OPEC Cuts Production
7. The Large Exporters: from Boom to Busted
8. Shale Gas: Game Changer or Rope-a-Dope? [or “a mixed blessing”]
9. Food vs. Fuel Hit Pocketbooks Worldwide
10. Global Production Peaks, on the Production Plateau

read more

Peak Oil Review - Jan 5

A weekly review including:
- Last Week
- Briefs

read more

Kass: 20 Surprises for 2009 Redux

Since so many were on vacation last week, I wanted to republish my surprise list for 2009.

Oil Prices Supported Above $46 a Barrel

The price of a barrel of oil traded above $46 Monday on evidence that OPEC production cutbacks were taking hold and news of more unrest in oil-rich Nigeria.

The Transition Town Movement: Embracing Reality and Resilience

For several months I have been meaning to write a review of Rob Hopkins' The Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience, but other things got in the way-like a planetary economic meltdown and out of control climate change that exceeds some of the most dire predictions by climate scientists. I should have spoken out earlier in support of this movement, but I didn't. Now, as we commence this new year, I am.

I will begin this book "review" by telling you that I find nothing-absolutely nothing wrong with The Transition Handbook. If that then makes this article into a commercial for the book instead of a review, so be it.

read more

Transportation - Jan 5

A Surge in Bicyclists Appears to Be Waiting
Getting To Paradise On A Low-Carbon Budget
Got resolutions?

read more