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A major natural gas discovery has been made offshore Mozambique in the deepwater Rovuma Basin.

The discovery was made by London, UK-based Cove Energy together with its partner, Houston, US-based Aanadarko Petroleum, nearly 20 miles north-west of the Prosperidade complex.

The Golfinho discovery well encountered more than 193 net feet of natural gas pay in two high-quality Oligocene fan systems. The well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 14,885 feet in water depths of approximately 3,370 feet.

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.

Electronic systems provider API Technologies has completed the acquisition of UK-based C-MAC Aerospace Ltd for £20.95 million (approximately $33 million).

With facilities in Great Yarmouth and Milton Keynes, UK, C-MAC is a leading provider of high-reliability electronic systems, modules, and components to the defense, aerospace, space, industrial, and energy sectors.

London, UK-based Bisichi Mining has announced that its principal South African coal mining subsidiary, Black Wattle Colliery, has been approved an allocation of 87,500 tonnes of export tonnage at Richards Bay Coal Terminal.

The allocation falls under the four million tonnes per annum Quattro Programme, which allows junior black economic empowerment (BEE) coal producers—typically with annual export volumes below 250,000 tonnes per annum—access to the coal export market.

The allocation is provided on an annual basis.

Ben Dhesi, head of energy management at Pulse Commercial Utilities, a leading commercial energy brokers for UK businesses, looks at recent developments in the energy sector and discusses what this could mean for UK energy prices in the future.

As the first government owned corporation in the Northern Territory and the only combined utilities company in Australia, Power and Water Corporation is a trendsetter in a challenging environment, as Jane Bordenave reports.

Premier Oil is to acquire EnCore Oil for approximately £221 million, the two companies have announced.

London, UK-based Premier said the acquisition is in line with its strategy of acquiring high quality assets. The deal will increase its interest in UK Licence PL1430, including the Catcher field, by 15 per cent, taking its overall interest to 50 per cent. It will also provide Premier with operatorship of the Catcher area.

Catcher is one of the largest discoveries in the UK North Sea in recent years.

SABMiller has agreed to acquire Australia’s Foster's Group for approximately A$9.9 billion (£6.5 billion).

London, UK-based SABMiller said the acquisition is consistent with its strategic priorities and will provide it with exposure to Australia's strong economic growth prospects, as well as cementing its position in the Australian beer industry.

Melbourne-based Foster’s is Australia’s biggest brewer; and acquiring it will give SABMiller access to roughly half of the Australian beer market.

UK oil company Northern Petroleum has announced the commencement of operations for an extended well test of the Markwells Wood oil discovery in West Sussex, England.

The test will enable Northern Petroleum and its joint venture partners—Magellan Petroleum and Egdon Resources—to evaluate the potential and plan future development of the Markwells Wood oil accumulation.

Northern holds a 50 per cent interest in the licence; Magellan holds 40 per cent; and Egdon Resources 10 per cent.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the brewer of Budweiser, Becks and Stella Artois, has reported rising profits in the second quarter of 2011.

The world’s largest brewer announced net profit of $1.6 billion in 2Q11, up 11.3 percent from $1.440 billion in 2Q10. Total revenue grew 3.7 percent in the quarter, driven by brand building strategies and the implementation of revenue management best practices, the company said in a statement.

Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has signed an agreement for 70 hectares of land at the Port of Sheerness in Kent, UK, on which it hopes to build a facility to manufacture its new purpose-built offshore wind turbine.

Vestas has secured exclusive rights to the land, with the option lasting for approximately one year with the possibility to extend for another 12 months.

Drinks maker Diageo has made a bid for the Ethiopian state-owned brewery Meta Abo, according to a report in Kenya’s Business Daily newspaper.

The move could jeopardize East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL)’s plans to enter the Ethiopian market, the paper said. London, UK-based Diageo holds a 50.03 per cent stake in EABL.

Diageo is planning to expand its footprint throughout East Africa, and has so far used EABL as its vehicle in the region.