Content about Energy

Barrick Gold holds some of the world’s most exciting gold projects in its South American portfolio, and is determined to lead the mining industry in responsible mining. Julia Smith reports on its contribution to sustainable development and environmental best practice.

Upcycling is the practice of taking waste and transforming it into something of similar or greater use and value. The Upcycle the Gyres Society is making waves arguing that now is the time to clean up the oceans from floating plastic pollution and transform it into billions of dollars worth of fuel.

Recently launched, with a crowd-funding component, its path forward is to help localize high concentrations of marine plastic debris, collect underwater micro plastics, and surface macro plastics, and turn them into diesel, gasoline, and kerosene.

The green light has been given for an onshore wind farm in Wales, to be developed by Sweden’s Vattenfall.

The 76-turbine Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy Project was granted development consent yesterday, by Charles Hendry, energy minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The wind farm is located on publicly-owned land managed by Forestry Commission Wales in the south of the country.

Once operational, it is hoped that Pen y Cymoedd will increase Welsh renewable electricity by 37 per cent.

Jack Liebenberg,managing director of Tranter Rock Drills, talks to Jayne Alverca about leading the company through the latest phase of its evolution.

Tranter Rock Drills may be a relatively new commercial entity, but it has an industrial legacy that stretches back more than half a century. The Rock Drills division of Boart Longyear, known throughout the South African mining industry by the acronym SECO, was originally founded in 1934 and has honed its expertise in rock drills and airlegs since the 1950s.

Vancouver-based Methanex, the world’s largest supplier of methanol to major international markets, is to relocate one of its plants from Chile to Louisiana in the United States.

Methanex has four plants at its Cabo Negro complex in southern Chile, but they are operating significantly below capacity, mainly due to curtailments of natural gas supply from Argentina.

Schneider Electric is in the business of improving energy efficiency; but rather than just telling others what to do, Jeff Daniels has discovered that Schneider has also shown the world what to do.

Royal Dutch Shell reported results for Q1 2012 today, with profits up through a combination of improvements in performance and volumes, as well as strong oil prices.

Shell’s first quarter 2012 earnings were $7.7 billion compared with $6.9 billion in the same quarter a year ago – an increase of 11 percent.

“We are making good progress against our targets to deliver a more competitive performance,” said chief executive officer Peter Voser.

At times, South Africa’s electricity suppliers can no longer meet demand; so until supply once again catches up, the emphasis is on reducing demand, as Jeff Daniels learns.

Shell has agreed to buy East Africa-focused Cove Energy in a deal worth £1.12 billion, it has been announced.

London-listed Cove will be acquired by the energy giant’s Shell Bidco subsidiary.

The acquisition marks Shell's entry into Kenya and Mozambique, with potential for new LNG from recent gas discoveries offshore Mozambique. Shell already has interests in Tanzania.

Norwegian EPC specialist Kvaerner has been awarded an engineering, procurement, construction and management contract for the Shell-operated Ormen Lange/Nyhamna onshore facilities on the west coast of Norway.

The contract, worth NOK 6 billion (excluding options), is a framework agreement for a duration of six years, with options for an additional two-plus-two years.

Ireland’s Providence Resources has confirmed it has received the final payment of US$6 million for the sale of its Nigerian interest, OML 113.

The payment marks the end of Providence’s asset portfolio restructuring, allowing it to focus on its core areas of offshore Ireland and onshore United Kingdom.

Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based green crude oil production, has secured the final tranche of $144 million investment funding.

Readers of our 1 April story about profal oil need not be sceptical. It’s not the first of April today.