Salmond steps up oil fund pressure
FIRST Minister Alex Salmond yesterday stepped up the pressure on Westminster to set up a Scottish oil fund.
Oil & Gas
Pay for nuclear power plea
Oil-rich states should use the trillions of dollars they are making from soaring prices to finance new nuclear power plants in Britain, Gordon Brown said yesterday.
Concern that rig oil pollution may be spreading up north-east river
Fears were raised last night that oil particles washed ashore at a north-east beach were spreading up a prominent river.
Ambassador gets to know north-east
THE new Kazakh ambassador to the UK, Kairat Abusseitov, was in Aberdeen yesterday to meet local business people and politicians on his first official visit to the north-east and first trip to the UK since taking up his post in London last month.
US firm makes offer for Ithaca
Endeavour International, the US oil and gas operator which focuses on the North Sea, has offered to buy Canadian company Ithaca Energy, also with a UK continental shelf focus, in a cash and share deal worth close to £180million.
Row after report claims oil would put Scotland in black
A political row erupted yesterday after official figures showed Scotland would have a budget surplus of more than £800million if it had a "geographical share" of North Sea oil revenues.
Fuel protesters put pressure on EU leaders
HUNDREDS of farmers and lorry and taxi drivers blocked roads in Brussels yesterday to push for help in coping with soaring fuel prices.
Trinity looking to break into markets abroad
An award-winning Aberdeen firm specialising in offshore catering and remote-site facility management is poised for further expansion in its global activities, its boss said yesterday.
BP chief helps staff mark move into new headquarters
BP chief executive Tony Hayward was in Aberdeen last night to help celebrate the official opening of the oil company's new North Sea headquarters at Dyce.
New offer to tanker drivers worth 14%
THE deal aimed at ending the bitter fuel tanker drivers' dispute is worth around 14% over two years, it emerged yesterday.
Salmond attacked over oil tax fund
First Minister Alex Salmond will be accused of "gloating" over soaring Scottish energy prices tonight.
Firm recruiting as business stream expands
COMPUTING service provider Virtual Stream has secured a clutch of contracts worth more than £200,000 in the past few months.
Tanker drivers’ union agrees pay deal with employers
A deal to resolve the bitter fuel drivers' pay dispute was agreed last night, averting the threat of further strikes.
Over 500 pupils set to explore the oil industry
Organisers of a career fair aimed at addressing the skills shortage in the oil industry say they have received an overwhelming response from schools and businesses.
Aberdeen group keeping on top of corrosion
ABERDEEN firm iicorr said yesterday it was continuing to strengthen its position as a leading provider of corrosion solutions to the marine and oil and gas sectors.
Plexus signs first Middle East deal
PLEXUS Holdings, the Aberdeen-based oil and gas engineering service business, has signed its first Middle East contract with Dubai Petroleum Establishment, to supply its proprietary POS-GRIP wellhead and mudline suspension systems for use in the Gulf.
Progress of energy projects hailed
ABERDEEN'S ITI Energy has announced that two of its major research and developement programmes - Orangutan and Helipipe - are making good progress.
Energy service company founders sell their stakes
The two founders of Aberdeen company, Gas and Oil Technology (GOT), have sold their stakes in a deal worth millions of pounds.
Pumps run dry across Scotland as strike bites
Pumps across many parts of Scotland ran dry yesterday as Shell tanker drivers prepared for their fourth day on strike.
Union warns of shortages as strikers picket depots
Petrol supplies to Shell garages were hit yesterday as hundreds of drivers launched a four-day strike in a long-running row over pay which union leaders warned will lead to shortages over the weekend.
Valiant set for first oil next year
Independent oil and gas company Valiant Petroleum said yesterday it had made excellent progress in becoming a key North Sea player.
Bookings flood in for Energy Ball
More than 1,000 places are already booked for Aberdeen's first Energy Ball.
Scomi adds mud-storage capability
ABERDEEN-BASED Scomi Oiltools (Europe) is launching a drilling-fluid division in the UK with a new quayside plant in the Granite City.
Expro suitor raises stakes again with £1.8bn offer
Funds managed by private-equity firms Candover Investments, Alpinvest and Goldman Sachs have again raised their offer for oilfield technology specialist Expro International through buyout company Umbrellastream.
Forecourt-shortage fear as strike goes ahead
Last-ditch talks aimed at averting a four-day strike by hundreds of fuel tanker drivers in a row over pay broke down last night.