Big-screen plasma process can make high-grade biofuels
The same process that lights up big-screen plasma TV displays can be used to produce ultra-clean fuels, according to a new report.
Hadron Collider to be used in hunt for ‘monopole’
FORGET the idea that magnets must always have north and south poles. An experiment led by a University of Alberta researcher at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, in Switzerland, could dramatically change our concepts of basic physics, revolutionise our understanding of the universe and may even lead to technologies in future generations that, right now, exist only in science fiction.
Alchemy dream coming true?
ALCHEMISTS long dreamed of turning base metal into gold.
Notts prof proposes ‘energy bags’
Zero-carbon, renewable energy which is cost-competitive with fossil-fuel-generated sources is surely the holy grail of the engineering world.
Contracts galore in Brazilian and Norwegian waters
DIAMOND Offshore Drilling has secured three term drilling contracts from Petrobras that are expected to generate combined maximum total revenue of about $1.4billion, excluding potential performance bonus payments and any potential contract extensions. This represents at least 11 years of contract drilling backlog, according to Diamond. The dynamically-positioned ultra-deepwater semi-submersible, Ocean Valor, has a three-year deal worth about $493million and preparations were under way early-March to mobilise the rig from Singapore to Brazil in time for drilling to being this summer. There is a two-year option to extend the contract.
Slow start – but far better than 2009
As Q1 2010 drew to a close, eight exploration and appraisal wells were active on the UKCS. So far, 12 wells have spudded this year, including one restart, seven exploration wells and four appraisals.
Shell starts production at Perdido in US Gulf
SHELL has achieved first commercial production from its Perdido development, the world's deepest offshore drilling and production facility.
Petrobras cuts massive investment budget by $10billion
PETROBRAS has revised its project portfolio for 2011-14, with the result that projected investment has been cut by $10billion, from $148.08billion to $138.8billion.
WorleyParsons wins Jasmine contract
CONOCOPHILLIPS has selected Australian group WorleyParsons to provide front end engineering design (FEED) definition and advanced procurement services for its Jasmine Area Development project.
Obama to allow Atlantic drilling
PRESIDENT Barack Obama intends to allow oil&gas prospecting off the US Atlantic coast, so threatening to end a 20-year drilling moratorium.
Shell and Nexen make promising US Gulf oil strike
SHELL, with Nexen, has made a major new oil strike in the deepwater sector of the eastern US Gulf of Mexico.
All-Energy looks set to break records
THE scene is set for a record-breaking All-Energy 2010, spurred on by UK offshore wind Round Three awards, plus the first marine renewables round and Scottish offshore wind awards.
Right business environment crucial, warns Welsh
COLIN Welsh, CEO of energy investment bank Simmons & Company International, is optimistic about the oil-price environment and that this will help the North Sea.
Gould buoyant about hydrocarbons outlook
SCHLUMBERGER'S group CEO, Andrew Gould, has warned of a "paramount" need to maximise oil&gas recovery. Speaking at the Howard Weil Energy Conference in New Orleans, Gould talked of three main challenges.
Fugro-Rovtech invests in new inspection vessel
JUST recently, Fugro-Rovtech took delivery of the new-build multipurpose ROV (remotely operated vehicle) support vessel, Skandi Olympia.
ACG flagship set for further development
A large new platform for the giant Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oilfields complex offshore Azerbaijan promises excellent pickings for the local and international supply chains.
New rigs production line trundles on
PPL Shipyard of Singapore has completed construction of two further tender rigs for Seadrill - the semi-submersible drilling tender (SSDT), West Vencedor, and the T12 tender rig.
Home-grown Scottish imaging technology heads to Middle East
SCOTTISH company Adrok has signed a deal with International Business Development Company LLC (IBD Group) - expanding its imaging technology services into the Middle East.
Wind and shipbuilding industries make joint call for EU investment
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) and the Community of European Shipyards' Association (CESA) are calling on the European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to support the building of new ships to serve the expanding offshore wind energy market over the coming years.
Contract awards under way
MARCH saw the first of a number of large contract awards made by Total with Laggan-Tormore partner DONG. Corus secured an order worth almost £200million to supply more than 520km (150,000 tonnes) of pipeline sections at its site in Hartlepool.
Familiarity breeds ignorance
Our economy is one of the most open on the planet. Not only do we not worry about who owns what company, but we are now so well adapted to the open-market way of life that we actually believe that many of the foreign-owned companies operating here are, in fact, British.
Time has come to get honest over wave and tidal energy
For more than 30 years, I have been an enthusiast for developing the potential of wave and tidal power. That takes me all the way back to Salter's Ducks, which were bobbing around at that time.
Dundee to lead £2.5million global study
The challenges presented by global competition for access to oil, gas and mineral resources will be the focus of a Europe-wide study being led by the University of Dundee.
Seeking solution for long-term balance
A few weeks ago, Aker Solutions suffered the disappointment of not securing the contract to build the floating production unit for Eni's Goliat field in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea.
Global deals jumped 40% in 2009
Following two years of decline, global upstream merger and acquisition (M&A) transaction value increased 40% in 2009, to just less than $150billion, according to the HIS Herold annual Global Upstream M&A Review.