BlogNetBiz.com » Energy

The Oil Drum: Why oil costs over $130 per barrel: the decline of North Sea Oil

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:00:26 -0400

Rising North Sea oil production was a significant factor in keeping oil prices under control in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Production peaked at 6.4 million barrels per day in 2000 and since then, declining North Sea Oil production is one significant reason that oil [...]

The Oil Drum: Weekend Energy Listening: Wind Power with Paul Gipe

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0400

The World Wind Energy Conference is just around the corner and happens to be in my home town. I was flipping through the conference program and noticed a familiar name pop up quite a lot: Paul Gipe. He's written a number of books on wind power and most [...]

The Oil Drum: Countdown to $200 oil meets Anglo Disease

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:30:46 -0400

One of the more interesting things about this Friday's economic news was the very obvious connection between the unemployment number and oil prices. What links the two is debt, the defining feature of what I have called the Anglo Disease, ie the highly unequal economy whereby the rich and [...]

The Oil Drum: DrumBeat: June 8, 2008

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:09:05 -0400

Iran sees oil price at $150 per barrel by end-summer

TEHRAN (Reuters) - World crude prices are expected to reach $150 per barrel by the end of summer, Iran's representative to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was quoted as saying on Sunday.
"I forecast that by the [...]

The Oil Drum: Have you had problems accessing TOD since June 1? [UPDATE 6/8 10a EDT]

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:00:00 -0400

Some readers have been reporting that they have not been able to access The Oil Drum since June 1. This may be related to our recent move to upgraded servers. For some reason, some ISPs are blocking access to the new IP address, 67.217.100.71. So far, we have determined that [...]

The Oil Drum: Peak Oil and Reflexivity and Peak Oil

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:59:33 -0400

A good many years ago, I read George Soros' "The Alchemy of Finance", which introduced me to the concept of reflexivity, which in a nutshell is when observers of a phenomenon can't help but impact the phenomenon itself via their 'observing', thus changing the original underlying fundamentals and [...]

The Oil Drum: Renewable Energy Tax Credits - Extension or Expiration? Update on breaking the political stalemate in Congress

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:22:17 -0400

The outcome of a political stalemate in Congress will determine if renewable energy and energy efficiency tax credits will be extended or will expire at the end of this year. The vote on this bill will be as soon as tomorrow and as we are hearing, it actually is in [...]

Peak Energy: An Interview with Hermann Scheer

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:22:00 -0400

New Scientist has an interview with the architect of Germany's renewable energy programs, Hermann Scheer (via Grist).

What did you do about it?

Ten years ago, I called for a programme to install solar panels on 100,000 roofs in Germany, so that we could have mass production as [...]

Peak Energy: Oil Offshore Sydney ?

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:18:00 -0400

The SMH has an article on a "Plan to drill for oil off NSW coast", with the would be explorers hoping to have a drilling rig exploring the area in May next year and touting estimates of 1 billion barrel find.

An Australian joint venture is planning to drill [...]

Peak Energy: Newsweek: The Coming Energy Wars

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:02:00 -0400

Newsweek is going doomer, with a cover article on The Coming Energy Wars.

A year ago no one was talking about $200 oil, and now everyone in the markets is, for scary reasons. Oil prices climbed from $10 in 1999 to $95 last year without slowing [...]

Peak Energy: Green Crude

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:57:00 -0400

The LA Times has an article on yet another company trying to produce fuel from algae - this one a San Diego company called Sapphire Energy - Sapphire Energy turns algae into 'green crude' for fuel. No details about how the process works, where the production facilities or be [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Klare: How Scarce Energy Resources Can Quickly Lead to Deadly Wars

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:28:00 -0400

Shows of force by nations competing to control dwindling energy supplies could trigger conflict in hot spots across the globe.

When powerful states wish to signal their determination to pursue particular vital interests against the wishes of weaker powers or deter a rival from overstepping certain boundaries, they often make a [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Scratch Oil For Now – Gold, Alternative Energies Will Outperform Near-Term

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:33 -0400

James West submits:

Our over-saturated information world has immunized us to the most pressing problems we face as a species. The price of oil, for instance, is no longer interesting, even though it sets records weekly, simply because it has been doing so for the [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: A Speculative Way to Play the Oil Bubble

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:33 -0400

Michael Filloon submits:

They say the smart money is shorting oil. There is a lot of truth to that, but there is reasoning behind it. Much of the smart money people are talking about is long term investors, not many of the traders that are moving the commodity with [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Investment Tail Wagging the Oil Dog?

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:32 -0400

IndexUniverse submits:

By Jim Wiandt

There are some incredibly interesting and important issues around oil futures, as Matt Hougan points out. And with oil at around $130, conspiracy chatter has grown to a roar.

There are intriguing issues around contango and backwardation of oil futures and the crude [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Crude Oil Dances the Contango

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:32 -0400

IndexUniverse submits:

By Matthew Hougan

All you commodity investors out there take note: crude oil is toying with contango again.

Complete Story » [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Exposure to Utica Shale Should Benefit Junex, Gastem and Questerre Energy

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:32 -0400

FP Trading Desk submits:

Wellington West analyst Kim Page initiated coverage on three junior explorers with exposure to the Utica Shale natural gas play this week, giving Gastem Inc. (GTMIF.PK) Questerre Energy Corp. (QTEYF.PK) and Junex Inc. (JNEXF.PK) the thumbs up to reflect [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Enbridge Deal Removes Equity Overhang

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:32 -0400

FP Trading Desk submits:

Enbridge Inc.’s (ENB) decision to sell its 25% stake in Compania Logistica de Hidrocarburos SA for C$1.36-billion in cash is expected to close in mid-June and the price tag is in line with analyst estimates.

The Canadian pipeline company said [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Walter Nasdeo Discusses Solar Energy

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:31 -0400

Hard Assets Investor submits:

Walter Nasdeo is managing director and director of research at Ardour Capital, developer of the Ardour Capital Global Solar Energy ETF. He spoke recently with the editors of HardAssetsInvestor.com about the future for solar energy.

HardAssetsInvestor.com [HAI]: Let's start with the big question first: Is solar energy cost-competitive today [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: More Off-Base Oil Predictions

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:31 -0400

Hard Assets Investor submits:

By Brad Zigler

This week, insiders foresaw U.S. crude oil inventories declining 300,000 barrels from last week's ending level of 320.4 million barrels.

Complete Story » [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Is the Peak Oil Theory Valid?

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:31 -0400

Hard Assets Investor submits:

First, a definition. If you're Paris Hilton, go here for your explanation, otherwise ...

The peak oil theory does not necessarily say that the world is running out of oil. That's actually an unstated fact. After all, nobody is actually making more.

Complete [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Solars Should Bounce Today

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:30 -0400

Notable Calls submits:

Piper Jaffray is out with a Solar call saying that according to German news agency DPA, and supported by their contacts close to the Social Democrat Party [SPD], the German Government reached final agreement on feed-in tariff reduction for Solar and Wind at 02.00 AM this [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Exxon Mobil Defeats the Rockefellers

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:30 -0400

Michael Steinberg submits:

Exxon Mobil’s (XOM) Chairman and CEO Rex W. Tillerson convinced shareholders to vote down a series of nonbinding proposals initiated by the descendents of Standard Oil’s founder. Exxon and Mobil were two of the seven children emanating from the antitrust breakup of Rockefeller’s Standard [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: 3% Down Days in Oil

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:29 -0400

Hickey and Walters (Bespoke) submit:

While yesterday's 3% decline in the price of oil has many oil bears celebrating that the top is in, we would note that yesterday's decline was the 29th one day decline of 3% or more in the last two years. Looking [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: In Light of Peak Oil, Financial Diversification Is a Bad Idea

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:29 -0400

Michael Fitzsimmons submits:

The realities of peak oil and the disastrous US monetary policy of the last 8 years have completely changed the rules of investing. Pick up any financial publication - be it Money magazine, investment publications from Vanguard, or articles by the lead economists at firms like Schwab and [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: U.S. Market Setting Up for a 2nd Half Rally

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:29 -0400

Jason Schwarz submits:

The turmoil caused by the credit crisis of Q1 caused many investors to leave the game and sit on the sidelines. The volatility was too much to handle. The question now is, when to re-enter the market? The S&P 500 is down 5% for the year but recent statements by influential market [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: CFTC Investigating Potential Crude Oil Price Manipulation

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:28 -0400

David Enke submits:

As mentioned in recent WSJ and Bloomberg articles, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is conducting an investigation into potential crude oil price manipulation. What is interesting about the story is not only how the CFTC is initiating an investigation, but that they are making [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Is Oil a Bubble? Part Two

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:28 -0400

Jordan Kahn submits:

In Part One of “The Oil Bubble,” we looked at the current price appreciation in crude prices and tried to determine if it whether or not it was sustainable. We compared the recent run-up to other various commodities, all of which have corrected sharply, and [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Peak Oil, Crude Price and Equity Correlation

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:27 -0400

Michael B. Krause submits:

My eyes have been on crude and I'm genuinely confounded on where it goes. I've been burned too many times trying to short crude lately, thinking for a while that this was a speculation driven ascent - but the last two EIA reports show support [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Commodities: Inflation Leaves Investors Little Choice

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:27 -0400

Kurt Kasun submits:

The peaceful co-existence between commodity-related investments and most sectors which comprise the broader US Stock indices, is drawing to a close. As inflation tightens its grip over the world economy, US treasuries and stocks (consumer-related, tech, and financials) will suffer while investments in tangible assets will see [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Oil Market Fundamentals - Impact of Weak Dollar

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:26 -0400

Mark J. Perry submits:

The chart above (data available here from Net Oil Exports blog) shows Net Oil Exports of the top 20 oil exporters, representing 93% of total world exports, versus the world price of oil, from January 2001 to April 2008 (for oil [...]

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Oil Bubble Spin

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:19:24 -0400

Mike Steinhardt submits:

Friday's oil price decline was impressive given the inventory report. However, this one-day oddity was made out to be some evidence of the bursting of the “oil bubble.” The stock market bulls and their spin of the oil bubble is quite a farce.

What do we mean [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Gates Warns China Not to Bully Region on Energy

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:55:00 -0400

SINGAPORE Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates issued a set of thinly veiled warnings to China on Saturday, cautioning that it could risk its share of further gains in Asias economic prosperity if it bullied its neighbors over natural resources in contested areas like the South China Sea.

Three years ago [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Economic cost drives Senate climate debate

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:16:00 -0400

WASHINGTON - The possible economic cost of confronting global warming from higher electricity bills to more expensive gasoline is driving the debate as climate change takes center stage in Congress.

The Senate will begin considering legislation Monday that would mandate a reduction in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: No more cheap shots for gun users

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:09:00 -0400

Wars, metals shortage driving up price of ammunition

EDMONTON - The price of ammo is shooting up faster than a speeding bullet.

Metal supplies are diminishing due to industrialization in China. On top of that, ammunition supplies have been depleted by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and by consumers who hoard what [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: What happens when oil runs out?

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:31:00 -0400

GRAND RAPIDS -- The collapse of cities, a return to rail transportation, famine and a worldwide depression are but a few outcomes predicted by energy industry insiders and believers in the peak oil theory who gathered this weekend at Calvin College.

"We will have a different civilization, to be sure," said [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Ex-official: Enron probably a focus of oil inquiry

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:59:00 -0400

(CNN) -- Federal regulators investigating possible price manipulation of crude oil are probably looking at what role collapsed energy giant Enron may have played, a former government official said Friday.

On "American Morning," Michael Greenberger, who once led the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Division of Trading & Markets, said, "almost certainly, [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: The decline of oils empire

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:08:00 -0400

The Western world can no longer take for granted the abundant supply of affordable energy that has sustained its economy.

If the soaring crude price has shown anything, it is that a paradigm shift is under way in the global oil industry: the Western world can no longer take for granted [...]

The Oil Drum: Dmitry Orlov's Book--Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:00:46 -0400

Dmitry Orlov's new book, Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects, was published very recently. I pre-ordered a copy because Dmitry has had first hand experience with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and he believes, as I do, that economic collapse is likely to come first, if [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Power struggle: demand for oil is rising far quicker than production

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:49:00 -0400

Rising prices at the petrol pumps are a direct result of a lack of oil supply. When there's not enough to go around, the sellers can name their price. The result is that oil prices have almost doubled, rising from less than $70 a barrel this time last year to [...]

The Oil Drum: Chris Nelder's Profit from the Peak

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:45:26 -0400

We have been terribly remiss here at The Oil Drum in letting you know about Chris Nelder's book Profit from the Peak: The End of Oil and the Greatest Investment Event of the Century. It features wonderful analysis and a well-written guide on how to muddle through the investing [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Separating the myths from the facts about North Sea oil

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:45:00 -0400

As our domestic habits begin to change and talk turns towards inflation taking a hold in the wake of a sustained increase in the price of oil, I embarked on an investigation into Scotland’s relationship with the “black gold”.

The one thing that surprised me during the course of my investigation [...]

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: French threat to North Sea oil reserves

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:41:00 -0400

A consortium of foreign oil companies led by French giant Total is threatening to block government plans to fully develop the North Sea's last frontier, which contains over a fifth of Britain's flagging oil and gas reserves.

In a surprise visit to the Oil & Gas UK conference in Aberdeen [...]

The Oil Drum: DrumBeat: June 1, 2008

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:00:49 -0400

Ending dollar peg won't solve Gulf inflation - Paulson

ABU DHABI, June 1 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Sunday leaders of Gulf oil producing states had told him that abandoning their currency pegs to the dollar will not solve their inflation problems.
Paulson, two-thirds of the [...]

Land of Black Gold: To Fadel Gheit, with love.

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 08:58:00 -0400

Something to think about, though I'd cite Tim Evans as a bigger skeptic, and so far, totally wrong.

MSN Money: The end of the oil stock rally.

When everyone agrees that oil stocks are the thing to own, where is the supply of new buyers going [...]

Green Car Congress: Ford to Retool F-Series Plant to Produce Fiesta Small Car for NA; $3B Investment in Mexico

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:55:00 -0400

Ford Motor Company will produce the new Ford Fiesta small car (earlier post) for North America at the company’s transformed Cuautitlán Assembly Plant—currently producing F-Series (F-150 to F-550) pickups for the Mexican market—beginning in early 2010.

Ford also said that it will add a sporty European hatchback model to the [...]

Green Car Congress: Alberta and Saskatchewan to Partner on Carbon Capture and Storage

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:46:00 -0400

At the recent meeting of the Premiers of Canada’s Western provinces, the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan—the two provinces with substantial oil sands resources—agreed to take the lead in making carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology a national priority.

The two provinces also agreed to lead a process with other [...]

R-Squared: A Mixed Bag of Oil Projections in the MSM

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:11:00 -0400

As I browsed through recent energy headlines on my Sunday morning - which lately has been the only time slot that allows me to catch up - I saw two contrasting stories in the mainstream media. One is from CNN Money, warning of $6 gasoline if we have a bad [...]

Green Car Congress: Unicell Shows Quicksider Electric Delivery Vehicle in Toronto

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 05:30:00 -0400

by Jack Rosebro

A Unicell representative prepares to demonstrate the Quicksider’s kneeling capabilities. The vehicle can kneel at both front and rear to assist driver productivity and comfort.

Commercial vehicle body manufacturer Unicell displayed its prototype Quicksider electric delivery van (earlier post) at Green Fleet Expo III in [...]

Green Car Congress: More Scientists Say 50% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 Is Not Enough

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:37:00 -0400

In a commentary piece in Nature Reports Climate Change, three of the scientists who led the impacts assessment for the IPCC (UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) argue that the 50% reduction in greenhouse gas being discussed as a global target is far from sufficient to avoid the dangerous global [...]

Atomic Insights Blog: Growing buzz about small reactors that can be built in series production schemes

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:49:00 -0400

I began my nuclear career as a submarine officer in the US Navy, so I have never really understood why a substantial body of people believe that all nuclear power plants have to be steady state behemoths producing at least several hundred megawatts of power. Ever since I got interested [...]

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY BLOG - Solar-Energy-Wind-Power.com: Why are Oil Prices So High?

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:14:00 -0400

Why are oil prices so high? This is the question being asked with increasing frequency in many countries around the world. Some would have you believe that the blame should be placed on "greedy oil companies", "Arabs", "speculators" or "OPEC".

While speculation is happening with [...]

The Oil Drum: Putting a New Face on Selling Peak Oil: Kris Can

Sat, 31 May 2008 22:00:49 -0400

I think it might be safe to say that the peak oil movement has long had a mostly older male and perhaps somewhat, erm, geeky set of spokespeople - from James Howard Kunstler to Richard Heinberg to Matthew Simmons--in that they've all tried to convince people through logic, facts & [...]

Peak Energy: Smells Like Guano To Me - Living With the Fertiliser Cartels

Sat, 31 May 2008 18:28:00 -0400

Tom Philpott at Grist notes that of the 3 major inputs for industrial agriculture, 2 are controlled by cartels and one is produced using natural gas. Get used to high prices - Industrial ag-onistes (subtitled "The WSJ on fertilizer markets so manipulated, they might make a Saudi prince blush").
[...]

TerraBlog from TerraPass: What's the opposite of green?

Sat, 31 May 2008 17:19:36 -0400

Dear P______ Hotels,

Thank you for your unsolicited email, which included an offer for a $50 gas card if I book a stay in one of your lovely coastal properties.

I realize times might be tough in the boutique hotel industry. A weak economy and record oil prices [...]

Peak Energy: Short Takes

Sat, 31 May 2008 17:15:00 -0400

Yahoo Finance's Tech Ticker reports that Reports of Oil Boom's Death Look Premature.

Rob at Entropy Production thinks the oil market is getting ahead of itself ( Things That Make You Go Hmmm...) - according to his MORON model the price should be closer to $95 [...]

Peak Energy: Are We Smart Enough To Break the Efficiency Gridlock ?

Sat, 31 May 2008 16:50:00 -0400

Mother Jones has a report on smart grids - Breaking the Efficiency Gridlock.

The Little Beaver is what's known in the utility biz as a "peaking unit." Peaking units are the benchwarmers of the electric industry, the last-resort generators that utilities turn to when electricity use surges, like a [...]

Peak Energy: Elon Musk: Most Of World's Power from Solar By 2040

Sat, 31 May 2008 16:31:00 -0400

EcoGeek has a post on PayPal and Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk and his (well founded) belief that solar will provide most of our power needs in a few decades time.

Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal and chairman of electric car company Tesla, recently said that he believed [...]

Peak Energy: A public policy race to the bottom

Sat, 31 May 2008 16:21:00 -0400

Crikey has a report on the sorry state of energy policy from both the opposition and the government - Rudd in a public policy race to the bottom.

During Budget week the federal Coalition started the race to the bottom on the public policy debate. The really frightening thing [...]

Peak Oil News: Peak Oil: An Idea Whose Time Is Up

Sat, 31 May 2008 14:45:00 -0400

IBDeditorials.com

Energy: Analysts have found that investors spooked by the peak oil theory — the belief that crude production has topped out and is in decline — are partly behind the soaring oil prices. Someone should set them straight.

Blame part of $135-a-barrel oil on the increased demand [...]

BioConversion Blog: May 2008 Digest

Sat, 31 May 2008 14:21:00 -0400

Sustainability: The New Frontier of Renewable Energy To shift the energy paradigm from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy will require changes that will impact every corner of society and every acre of the environment. It is clear that skeptics from a broad array of stakeholders will earnestly try to [...]

The Real Deal: Peter Schiff interviewed by US News

Sat, 31 May 2008 10:49:00 -0400

US News & World Report
30 May 2008

Say something positive about the U.S. economy.

There's nothing good to say about our situation. The policies both the Fed and government are pursuing are making the situation worse. We've been getting a free ride on the global gravy [...]

The Oil Drum: Weekend Energy Listening: The H2 Economy vs the Electron Economy

Sat, 31 May 2008 10:45:11 -0400

This week's installment of the podcast is a conversation that I had with Ulf Bossel, organizer of the Lucerne Fuel Cell Forum, one of the biggest scientific fuel cell conferences going. This conference used to flip every year between a focus on low temperature PEM fuel cells and a [...]

The Oil Drum: Peak Oil Media - 31 MAY 2008

Sat, 31 May 2008 10:30:13 -0400

The ELM (and the WSJ article yesterday) makes Yahoo Finance:

Henry Blodget and Aaron Task. Well worth watching!! Here's a link to the article (from which this video comes, that links to TOD in the last sentence).

Under the fold, more videos from TOD's own Rembrandt Koppelaar, Matt Simmons, Bob Hirsch, [...]

The Oil Drum: Eco-Driving promoted by the European Commission

Sat, 31 May 2008 10:00:46 -0400

High fuel prices are wreaking havoc in Europe, some call for tax exemptions others go on strike. The structural constraints affecting oil supply are becoming to much to bear for Europeans, especially those more reliant on the automobile.

But before going out for a demonstration against who ever you [...]

Peak Energy: Is Iraq Our Oil Saviour ?

Sat, 31 May 2008 08:51:00 -0400

If you've studied the history of Iraqi oil in some detail you'll realise just how dodgy and self-serving this latest piece from the Economist is - whitewashing our oil grab and blaming the current state of the Iraqi oil industry on misfortune and the Iraqis themselves - rather [...]

The Oil Drum: DrumBeat: May 31, 2008

Sat, 31 May 2008 08:35:01 -0400

The Coming Energy Wars

Oil prices could hit $200 a barrel in the next few months. How the spike changes everything.

This spring, America hit a historic point. With average gas prices per gallon edging toward $4, America's notoriously profligate ways started to change fast. Americans are driving [...]

Green Car Congress: Study: Even Low Levels of Air Pollution May Pose Stroke Risk, Current Standards May Be Insufficient

Sat, 31 May 2008 07:20:00 -0400

Short-term exposure to low levels of particulate air pollution may increase the risk of stroke or mini-stroke, according to findings by a University of Michigan team that suggest current exposure standards could be insufficient to protect the public. The study suggests future research on ambient air pollution and stroke [...]

Green Car Congress: South Africa to Introduce Electric Vehicles

Sat, 31 May 2008 06:46:00 -0400

People’s Daily. South African-designed battery-electric passenger vehicles will be unveiled by early next year. The development of the prototype involves a range of stakeholders, including South African universities and industry.

Boni Mehlomakulu, group executive of the department’s [Department of Science & Technology] research, development and innovation program, told SAPA [...]

Green Car Congress: Seattle Mayor Introduces Citys First PHEV

Sat, 31 May 2008 06:27:00 -0400

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels unveiled the first of four converted plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) the city of Seattle will test over the next year. (Earlier post.)

The first Seattle PHEV.

Last October, the city of Seattle joined with the Port of Seattle, King County and the Puget [...]

Green Car Congress: Mercedes-Benz Actros Takes Guinness Record For Most-Efficient Series-Production Truck

Sat, 31 May 2008 06:05:00 -0400

The Mercedes-Benz Actros trailer/tractor combination has entered the Guinness World Records as the most fuel-efficient 40-tonne truck, with fuel consumption of 19.44 liters of diesel per 100 km— the equivalent less than 0.8 liters per hundred tonne-kilometers (tkm)—during a test drive of more than 12,728 kilometers.

The consumption was determined during [...]

Green Car Congress: Poll: 64% of UK Motorists Put Fuel Economy as Top Consideration For New Car

Sat, 31 May 2008 05:25:00 -0400

Almost two-thirds of UK motorists say fuel economy is the number one priority when buying a new car, according to a new survey by Motorpoint, the UK’s leading car supermarket group. The poll found that 64% of people regarded fuel economy as the key consideration when changing their vehicle—a [...]

R-Squared: Thoughts on a Thought Experiment

Sat, 31 May 2008 02:17:00 -0400

As I indicated in the original post - Coping with Gas at $100 a Gallon - here are some of the comments on my thought experiment on $100 gasoline. Comments were varied, ranging from things like "thought-provoking", "great question", "a good exercise", and "interesting" - to "absurd", "silly", and [...]

The Ergosphere: Useful questions re: CAES

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:20:00 -0400

CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage) is being promoted as a way to smooth the delivery of intermittent supplies of power from e.g. wind. This would increase its ability to displace other supplies of electricity and reduce carbon emissions from the same. Of course, pumping lots of air around is going to [...]

Peak Energy: A Turning Point For John McCain

Fri, 30 May 2008 19:39:00 -0400

TomDispatch has a look at the history of "turning points" in Iraq and the sorry record of John McCain in both supporting the war and failing miserably to predict its course.

At first, we were impressed by the senator's statements in Republican primary debates about how he had actually [...]

R-Squared: National Wind Projects

Fri, 30 May 2008 19:01:00 -0400

I recently received a press release from National Wind, a developer of wind farms. I usually ignore press releases, but I thought this was topical enough to investigate. Further, I haven't written anything on wind in a long time. So, I replied and asked if they could give me [...]

Peak Energy: Smaller And Smarter

Fri, 30 May 2008 18:50:00 -0400

Scoop has an interesting viewpoint from New Zealand, arguing that smaller power generation plants make for a better, more competitive energy market - Smaller and Smarter Wind Energy.

A smarter way to achieve sustainable electricity in New Zealand was presented to the Energy Trusts of NZ conference in Wellington [...]

The Oil Drum: Oil and the future - the commuter shift to public transport

Fri, 30 May 2008 18:30:52 -0400

Crikey has a series of articles on "oil, the future and you", with the first installment featuring Adam Grubb of Energy Bulletin (which has the full text for non-Crikey subscribers).

The high price of petrol today is causing discomfort among motorists. So much so that our federal politicians have [...]

Peak Energy: GeoDynamics Update

Fri, 30 May 2008 17:57:00 -0400

The SMH has a enthusiastic report on the growing interest in geothermal energy - Renewable energy just got hotter.

The world is watching a hot rocks plant with massive potential in South Australia. It is clean, renewable and quiet, writes Phil Cornford. By the end of the year, [...]

Green Car Congress: Michigan Research Alliance Funds Thermoelectric Power Generation and Cellulosic Ethanol Projects

Fri, 30 May 2008 15:58:00 -0400

The University Research Corridor (URC), an alliance of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University—Michigan’s three research universities—has awarded its first seed fund grants to provide startup support for two “revolutionary but feasible” energy projects: thermoelectric power generation and nano-biocarriers for the production of low-cost [...]

Peak Energy: Oil and the future - the commuter shift to public transport

Fri, 30 May 2008 15:25:00 -0400

Crikey has the first in a series on "oil, the future and you", with the first installment featuring Adam Grubb of Energy Bulletin (which has the full text for non-Crikey subscribers).

The high price of petrol today is causing discomfort among motorists. So much so that our federal [...]

The Oil Drum: So - do we have answers?

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:00:06 -0400

“Alright!” says the Actress, “You’ve convinced me we have a problem with oil. So what’s the answer?” Well, actually I didn’t. Eloquent and persuasive though I might like to think that I am, what really convinced her was the price she had to pay to fill the gas tank in [...]

Green Car Congress: PTT, Toyota To Study Use Of Bio-Hydrogenated Renewable Diesel

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:45:00 -0400

Nikkei. Thai oil and gas company PTT PCL is partnering with the Thai unit of Toyota Motor Corp. to study the development of bio-hydrogenated renewable diesel. The study is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Bio-hydrogenated diesel is a renewable diesel produced by hydrogenating crude palm [...]

Green Car Congress: Renault Unveils New Fuel Cell Concept

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:33:00 -0400

Renault has introduced a new prototype fuel cell vehicle: the Scenic ZEV H2. The Scenic ZEV H2 is a joint Nissan-Renault Alliance project.

Based on a Renault Grand Scenic, the Scenic ZEV H2 features Nissan’s in-house developed fuel cell stack, high-pressure hydrogen storage tank and compact lithium-ion batteries. Renault engineers and [...]

Green Car Congress: Report: Oil Sands Certified Reclamation at 0.2%, Toxic Tailings Production of 1.8 Billion Liters a Day

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:13:00 -0400

After 41 years of oil sands mining operations in northern Alberta, only 0.2%—one square kilometer—of disturbed land is certified as reclaimed, according to a new report by environmental group the Pembina Institute.

Oil sands mining is transforming northeastern Alberta. By the end of 2007, oil sands companies had cleared or [...]

Green Car Congress: TMO Renewables and Integrated Genomics Extend Cellulosic Ethanol Research Collaboration

Fri, 30 May 2008 07:55:00 -0400

Integrated Genomics, Inc. (IG), a US microbial genomics company, and TMO Renewables Limited, a UK developer of a cellulosic ethanol production process, are extending their research collaboration on organisms for TMO’s system.

Scientists at IG will work with TMO to identify pathways that can be exploited in future upgrades to [...]

Energy Outlook: The Right Nudge

Fri, 30 May 2008 07:46:00 -0400

I've covered the idea of a government-set floor price for petroleum several times in the last couple of years, so I didn't immediately feel obliged to address the latest such proposal from Tom Friedman in yesterday's New York Times. Enough readers sent me links to his column to convince [...]

Green Car Congress: REVA Takes 2008 Frost & Sullivan European Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year Award

Fri, 30 May 2008 07:40:00 -0400

Frost & Sullivan presented its 2008 European Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year Award to Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) for demonstrating excellence in sales volumes, superior market penetration and high levels of customer satisfaction within the electric vehicle (EV) industry. In 2007, on average one REVA electric car [...]

Green Car Congress: Discussion Paper Calls for Modification of Alternative Motor Fuels Act to Better Support Energy and Environmental Goals

Fri, 30 May 2008 05:13:00 -0400

Collantes proposes a logic sequence to assess whether to keep, eliminate, or revise the AMFA provisions. Click to enlarge.

The two decade-old Alternative Motor Fuels Act—the statute that currently provides automakers with incentives under the CAFE program to manufacture Flex Fuel Vehicles—needs to be overhauled or scrapped to [...]

Green Car Congress: Ivanhoe Energy to Acquire Oil Sands Assets; First Commercial Application of HTL Upgrading Technology

Fri, 30 May 2008 04:55:00 -0400

HTL processing in High Quality mode. Vacuum tower bottoms (VTBs) are routed to the Reactor where thermal cracking takes place. Upgraded VTBs (product) are quenched at the exit of the Reactor Cyclone and routed to the Atmospheric Distillation Unit where distillate and lighter material is sent [...]

Atomic Insights Blog: DSC, Mitsubishi, PBMR, Toshiba, Shaw Group, Italy

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:58:00 -0400

Strange blog post title today. I have been having some difficulty juggling a number of activities recently, and I find that I have missed commenting on a several recent events and updates associated with the NuClear renaissance.

One of my activities has been a continuing conversation with Adam [...]

R-Squared: Renewable Energy Jobs at Google

Thu, 29 May 2008 18:32:00 -0400

A recruiter from Google recently contacted me and asked if I would put a note on here that they are looking for candidates for their Renewable Energy Group. You may recall that I previously wrote a post covering several companies - Green Job Opportunities. This one is specifically for [...]

Peak Energy: Monbiot To Saudis: Please Save Us

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:50:00 -0400

George Monbiot has a classic column on some of the bizarre contradictions evident in the energy policies of the UK in particular and the West in general in this open letter to the King of Saudi Arabia.

King Abdaullah of Saudi Arabia

Your Majesty,

In common with [...]

Peak Energy: Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Opens

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:45:00 -0400

Technology Review reports that Verenium have opened the first cellulosic ethanol plant in the US - "a 1.4 million gallon demonstration-scale plant will use waste biomass to make biofuel".

A biorefinery built to produce 1.4 million gallons of ethanol a year from cellulosic biomass will open tomorrow in Jennings, [...]

The Real Deal: Dow to raise prices 20%

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:43:00 -0400

USA Today (29 May 08)

Dow Chemical's announcement Wednesday that it would raise prices as much as 20% is just the most recent of a flurry of price hikes by major companies, affecting everything from tissues to coffee to paint.

The big concern: As energy and commodity [...]

Green Car Congress: Dynetek Announces US DOT Approval of 6,500 psi H2 Cylinder

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:39:00 -0400

Dynetek Industries Ltd. has received approval from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) of their 450 bar (6,527 psi) cylinder for use in Dynetek BT450 Tube Trailer Systems for bulk transport of compressed hydrogen.

In October 2007, Dynetek announced delivery of the first BT450 Tube trailer systems for the [...]

The Real Deal: Turn And Run

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:34:00 -0400

May 28 (Bloomberg) -- Federal Reserve Governor Frederic Mishkin, one of Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's chief supporters for the steepest interest-rate cuts in two decades, plans to resign and return to Columbia University.

Mishkin, 57, on a leave of absence from the New York school, plans to step down [...]

Green Car Congress: ABO to Host Second Annual Algae Biomass Summit

Thu, 29 May 2008 14:58:00 -0400

The recently-formed Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) will hold the second annual Algae Biomass Summit in Seattle, 23-24 October.

More than 400 experts in and proponents of algae biomass gathered for the first Algae Biomass Summit in November 2007. At that event, attendees agreed to form the Algal Biomass Organization to [...]

Green Car Congress: Approximately 19,000 GM Hourly Employees to Take Buyout

Thu, 29 May 2008 14:17:00 -0400

Approximately 19,000 of GM’s 74,000 US hourly employees have ">decided to take an early retirement or buyout package. Most of the employees participating in the company’s attrition program will leave the company no later than 1 July 2008.

GM will fill job openings with current employees whenever possible, as spelled out [...]

Green Car Congress: Sapphire Energy Introduces Algae-Derived Bio-Gasoline

Thu, 29 May 2008 12:54:00 -0400

Start-up algal biofuels company Sapphire Energy unveiled a renewable 91 octane gasoline that conforms to ASTM certification derived from algal a biocrude.

Sapphire has developed a platform that produces a “green crude” and biohydrocarbon fuels from modified algae. Sapphire’s founders and leadership team includes scientists in the fields of petroleum [...]

BlogNetBiz.com » Energy

The Oil Drum: Why oil costs over $130 per barrel: the decline of North Sea Oil

The Oil Drum: Weekend Energy Listening: Wind Power with Paul Gipe

The Oil Drum: Countdown to $200 oil meets Anglo Disease

The Oil Drum: DrumBeat: June 8, 2008

The Oil Drum: Have you had problems accessing TOD since June 1? [UPDATE 6/8 10a EDT]

The Oil Drum: Peak Oil and Reflexivity and Peak Oil

The Oil Drum: Renewable Energy Tax Credits - Extension or Expiration? Update on breaking the political stalemate in Congress

Peak Energy: An Interview with Hermann Scheer

Peak Energy: Oil Offshore Sydney ?

Peak Energy: Newsweek: The Coming Energy Wars

Peak Energy: Green Crude

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Klare: How Scarce Energy Resources Can Quickly Lead to Deadly Wars

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Scratch Oil For Now – Gold, Alternative Energies Will Outperform Near-Term

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: A Speculative Way to Play the Oil Bubble

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Investment Tail Wagging the Oil Dog?

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Crude Oil Dances the Contango

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Exposure to Utica Shale Should Benefit Junex, Gastem and Questerre Energy

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Enbridge Deal Removes Equity Overhang

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Walter Nasdeo Discusses Solar Energy

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: More Off-Base Oil Predictions

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Is the Peak Oil Theory Valid?

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Solars Should Bounce Today

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Exxon Mobil Defeats the Rockefellers

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: 3% Down Days in Oil

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: In Light of Peak Oil, Financial Diversification Is a Bad Idea

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: U.S. Market Setting Up for a 2nd Half Rally

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: CFTC Investigating Potential Crude Oil Price Manipulation

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Is Oil a Bubble? Part Two

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Peak Oil, Crude Price and Equity Correlation

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Commodities: Inflation Leaves Investors Little Choice

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Oil Market Fundamentals - Impact of Weak Dollar

SeekingAlpha Energy Stocks: Oil Bubble Spin

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Gates Warns China Not to Bully Region on Energy

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Economic cost drives Senate climate debate

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: No more cheap shots for gun users

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: What happens when oil runs out?

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Ex-official: Enron probably a focus of oil inquiry

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: The decline of oils empire

The Oil Drum: Dmitry Orlov's Book--Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Power struggle: demand for oil is rising far quicker than production

The Oil Drum: Chris Nelder's Profit from the Peak

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: Separating the myths from the facts about North Sea oil

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: French threat to North Sea oil reserves

The Oil Drum: DrumBeat: June 1, 2008

Land of Black Gold: To Fadel Gheit, with love.

Green Car Congress: Ford to Retool F-Series Plant to Produce Fiesta Small Car for NA; $3B Investment in Mexico

Green Car Congress: Alberta and Saskatchewan to Partner on Carbon Capture and Storage

R-Squared: A Mixed Bag of Oil Projections in the MSM

Green Car Congress: Unicell Shows Quicksider Electric Delivery Vehicle in Toronto

Green Car Congress: More Scientists Say 50% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 Is Not Enough

Atomic Insights Blog: Growing buzz about small reactors that can be built in series production schemes

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY BLOG - Solar-Energy-Wind-Power.com: Why are Oil Prices So High?

The Oil Drum: Putting a New Face on Selling Peak Oil: Kris Can

Peak Energy: Smells Like Guano To Me - Living With the Fertiliser Cartels

TerraBlog from TerraPass: What's the opposite of green?

Peak Energy: Short Takes

Peak Energy: Are We Smart Enough To Break the Efficiency Gridlock ?

Peak Energy: Elon Musk: Most Of World's Power from Solar By 2040

Peak Energy: A public policy race to the bottom

Peak Oil News: Peak Oil: An Idea Whose Time Is Up

BioConversion Blog: May 2008 Digest

The Real Deal: Peter Schiff interviewed by US News

The Oil Drum: Weekend Energy Listening: The H2 Economy vs the Electron Economy

The Oil Drum: Peak Oil Media - 31 MAY 2008

The Oil Drum: Eco-Driving promoted by the European Commission

Peak Energy: Is Iraq Our Oil Saviour ?

The Oil Drum: DrumBeat: May 31, 2008

Green Car Congress: Study: Even Low Levels of Air Pollution May Pose Stroke Risk, Current Standards May Be Insufficient

Green Car Congress: South Africa to Introduce Electric Vehicles

Green Car Congress: Seattle Mayor Introduces Citys First PHEV

Green Car Congress: Mercedes-Benz Actros Takes Guinness Record For Most-Efficient Series-Production Truck

Green Car Congress: Poll: 64% of UK Motorists Put Fuel Economy as Top Consideration For New Car

R-Squared: Thoughts on a Thought Experiment

The Ergosphere: Useful questions re: CAES

Peak Energy: A Turning Point For John McCain

R-Squared: National Wind Projects

Peak Energy: Smaller And Smarter

The Oil Drum: Oil and the future - the commuter shift to public transport

Peak Energy: GeoDynamics Update

Peak Oil News & Message Boards: The decline of oils empire