A Barrel Full

It seems the only news worth talking about these days is gaseous, and top of the heap is always the unconventional gas. So news of a couple of potentially important deals in coal seam gas is about par for the course.
First we have Shell’s interest in the Australian company Arrow.
Shell Energy Holdings Australia Ltd. (Shell), […]

We don’t know yet whether it will turn out to be Russia’s worse nightmare, or just a useful diversification of Poland’s energy needs. Polish Shale Gas is certainly not short of interested parties these days though.
Canada’s Talisman is the latest.
San Leon Energy PLC is pleased to announce that its decision to enter into the Baltic […]

Exxon has two seperate news items today, both about is Qatari Gas Business.
They have a new LNG train up and running.
Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (3) (Ras Laffan 3) today announced the completion and start-up of Train 7 at Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar.
They also have news of new production.
Qatar Petroleum and Exxon […]

News of a big marriage in the oil services sector.
Schlumberger Ltd and Smith International, Inc. jointly announced today that their Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement in which the companies would combine in a stock-for-stock transaction.
As the knowledge side of the industry grows in importance, so the major players are growing […]

Whilst the world worries about peak oil, it is obvious that some companies have more to worry about than others.
Exxon, as usual is sitting pretty.
Exxon Mobil Corporation announced today that additions to its proved reserves in 2009 totaled 2.0 billion oil-equivalent barrels, replacing 133 percent of production.
And its not just the big boys, the smaller integrated companies can […]

The current Natural Gas surplus is impacting on everyone, and even the mighty Gazprom is not excluded.
Russia’s gas export monopoly Gazprom said on Friday it had agreed with Total and Statoil to delay the giant Shtokman gas field by 3 years due to major changes in the global gas markets.
The reason is that the USA, […]

The final quarter results form BP have been announced and they are being reported slightly differently.
From BP:
BP Delivers on Promises in “Very Good” 2009 as 4Q Profits Jump 70 per cent
BP today reported a sharp year-on-year increase in fourth quarter profits as it announced that its oil and gas production increased by more than four […]

This news is from about a week ago, but I found it interesting on a number of levels.
KBR announced today that it has signed a Collaboration Agreement with BP to promote, market, and execute licensing and engineering services for the slurry bed residue and coal upgrading Veba Combi Cracker (VCC) Technology.
The first reason why I […]

My last post was on the potential of Venezuela’s heavy oil reserves. As if by magic, almost immediately we have news of a major new development. ENI and PDVSA are to form a Joint Venture to exploit a major heavy oil field.
Under the terms of the agreement, which will be finalized in the next 60 […]

Today’s theme is Brazil, simply because a number of unrelated stories nicely illustrate the rise of that country as an energy giant. Brazil is the most fashionable thing in the industry.
First up we have an update on drilling in the sub salt, by one of the fortunate first movers.
BG Group (25%) and partners Petrobras (65% […]