Russian, Ukrainian and EU leadership meet tomorrow with the goal of finalizing a natural gas supply agreement as cold winter weather looms. Russia suspended gas shipments to Ukraine in June due to disagreements over price going forward and over $5 billion of unpaid bills for gas already delivered. Ukraine’s state gas company faces financial challenges… Keep reading →
On the West Coast of the United States and in Japan, it could be offshore wind power’s best hope. On the U.S. Atlantic Seaboard, some see it as the likely second generation of an industry that’s just getting going. And in Europe, where offshore wind is a significant but expensive source of energy, there’s optimism… Keep reading →
Analysts at investment bank Credit Suisse cut their 2015 benchmark global oil price expectations in the face of bearish fundamentals, forecasting Brent to average $97 per barrel and WTI to average $89/bbl. All eyes are on Saudi Arabian exports, which are currently at the lower end of the historical spectrum and could decrease further when… Keep reading →
Calls for stricter economic sanctions against strategic Russian energy players are not universal among European Union countries, particularly those where Russian oil and gas dependence is most deeply entrenched. The degree to which various EU members support or oppose the South Stream Pipeline project illuminates those countries reluctant to distance themselves too far from vital… Keep reading →
The global LNG supply options are broadening with new LNG export projects – both under construction and proposed – mushrooming especially in Australia, the US, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Mozambique, Tanzania et cetera. Conceivably, a severe competition in the global LNG market is in the not so distant future. What impact this “golden age of… Keep reading →
Morgan Stanley analysts floated the idea that Russia’s President Putin could order state-controlled natural gas export monopoly Gazprom to cut supplies to European firms in retaliation for western-imposed economic sanctions. It appears the incremental damage such a move would cause to Russia’s economy makes using the “gas weapon” unlikely, but the Putin regime is not… Keep reading →
Western sanctions against strategic portions of Russia’s economy are ratcheting up in the aftermath of a passenger jet crash in a section of Eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-supported rebels. The Malaysian jet was brought down by a surface-to-air missile that appears to have been supplied by Russia to rebels operating in the region who are… Keep reading →
Crude oil transportation in the US ballooned to 1 million barrels per day in recent years as production swelled beyond existing pipeline infrastructure capacity. A series of explosive accidents involving crude oil train cars has sparked regulators to strengthen rules and safety measures governing these pipelines on wheels. “Tens of thousands of these older tank… Keep reading →
US oil producers are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to export light, sweet crude that has swelled to a glut overwhelming the country’s refineries. One option could be to swap US crude for grades produced overseas that are better suited to the US refining complex, but a host of regulatory and market-based obstacles… Keep reading →
With the proliferation of smart phones, smart TVs, smart meters, smart grids and the “internet of things,” comes enormously energy-intensive data transfer, storage and management requirements. Data centers are rapidly expanding – in number of facilities and square footage – and these centers all have fairly significant power and cooling demand requirements. Green IT Amsterdam… Keep reading →
