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Syria Activists Heap Criticism On Arab Monitors

Δευ, 2 Ιανουαρίου 2012 - 18:35

Activists piled pressure Monday on Arab monitors to do more to prevent Syrian forces pursuing their brutal crackdown against pro-democracy protesters, amid fresh criticism of the observer mission. The Arab League insisted however it wouldn't back down from the operation, which Damascus accepted after weeks of stalling, and said that a new batch of monitors would head to Syria Thursday to join 66 already there

Iran Missile Tests 'Very Bad Signal' To International Community

Δευ, 2 Ιανουαρίου 2012 - 18:33

France said Monday that Iran's testing of missiles near the strategic Strait of Hormuz was regrettable and reminded Tehran of the need to keep the vital oil transit waterway open. "We regret the very bad signal sent to the international community by the latest missile tests announced by Iran," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said, reminding Tehran of the "freedom of navigation in straits and the need to maintain a favorable climate in respect to this freedom."

Libya's Es-Sider Oil Port Resumes Exports

Δευ, 2 Ιανουαρίου 2012 - 18:32

Libya's largest oil port, Es-Sider, has restarted loadings, the head of the national oil company said Monday, lifting the most important hurdle standing in the way of a return to normal exports following the end of civil war. Nuri Berruien, chairman of Libya's National Oil Co., told Dow Jones Newswires a tanker had been loaded and said "there will be another one in a few days.

Russia: May Start South Stream Work In 2012, Amid Ukraine Talks

Παρ, 30 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:13

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Friday Russia needs to start work on the South Stream natural gas pipeline at the end of 2012, even as it continues talks with Ukraine about expanding the country's gas transport system as an alternate route to Europe. Any moves toward building South Stream increase pressure on Ukraine, analysts said. Kiev is pushing for cheaper gas in order to balance its budget, but in exchange for lower priced gas, Moscow is aiming to gain control of Ukraine's pipeline system

DNO International: Kurdistan Oil Output To Rise In December

Παρ, 30 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:12

Norwegian oil company DNO International ASA said Friday it expects oil production to increase to 60,000 barrels per day in December from its Tawke oil field in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, Iraq. In November, the field produced 42,798 barrels of oil per day. Production from the Tawke field fell significantly this autumn, but the company says it will increase again in December

A2A, EDF Reply To Consob Clarification Request Over Edison Deal

Παρ, 30 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:11

The EUR0.84-per-share ($1.09) price agreed to in a deal that will raise Electricite de France SA's stake in Edison SpA to 80.7% has been agreed between EDF and the Italian investors and is in line with the average stock market price over the past 12 months, the companies involved in the deal said late Thursday. In a joint filing to the Italian stock exchange, the companies said that EDF will pay some EUR700 million to increase its holding in Edison to nearly 81% from its current 50%

Turkey Approves Gas Pipeline Plan

Πεμ, 29 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:44

Russia secured approval from Turkey on Wednesday to build the South Stream gas pipeline across the Black Sea, removing the last major obstacle to proceed with a project that could increase Europe's dependence on Russian natural-gas supplies. The move heats up the battle between Russia and the European Union over competing pipelines, especially the European Union-backed Nabucco project, and increases pressure on Ukraine to give Moscow control of its pipeline system

US Warns Iran Against Closing Strait Of Hormuz

Πεμ, 29 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:42

Tensions between Iran and the U.S. rose Wednesday as the U.S. Navy warned it would prevent any attempt to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian officials threatened to do in response to imposing sanctions on its oil exports. A significant supply of the world's energy -- about 15 million barrels of oil per day -- passes through the strait, a narrow passage that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. A disruption of that flow would send the price of oil higher in an already fragile global economy

Us Oil Inventories: Stockpiles Rise, Defying Expectations

Πεμ, 29 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:41

U.S. crude inventories rose last week while analysts expected them to fall, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Energy. Crude oil stockpiles rose 3.9 million barrels to 327.5 million barrels, compared with an average survey estimate of a drop of 2.2 million barrels. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, reported a 9.6 million barrel build in its weekly report released late Wednesday

Libya Says To Review Contracts With Italian Oil Major ENI

Πεμ, 29 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:40

Libya will review all its contracts with Italian oil major ENI, the top producer of crude in the North African country, a statement from the prime minister's office said Thursday. The decision to review the contracts was communicated to the Italian firm's chief executive officer Paolo Scaroni Wednesday by Prime Minister Abdel Rahim al-Kib during a meeting, the statement from Kib's office said

Criminal Charges Are Prepared in BP Spill

Πεμ, 29 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 19:39

U.S. prosecutors are preparing what would be the first criminal charges against BP PLC (BP) employees stemming from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident, which killed 11 workers and caused the worst offshore spill in U.S. history, said people familiar with the matter. Prosecutors are focused on several Houston-based engineers and at least one of their supervisors at the British oil company, though the breadth of the investigation isn't known

China Calls On Big Energy Users To Save 250 Mln Tons Of Coal By End-2015

Τετ, 28 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 15:38

China is calling on the nation's major energy-consuming companies to save a combined 250 million metric tons of standard coal through the end of 2015 through technology upgrades, the National Development and Reform Commission said Wednesday.

Afghanistan Signs First Major Oil Deal With China

Τετ, 28 Δεκεμβρίου 2011 - 15:37

Afghanistan on Wednesday signed an oil deal with China which could earn the war-torn country $7 billion over 25 years.