Cooling Pacific has dampened global warming, research shows

Cooling waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean appear to be a major factor in dampening global warming in recent years, scientists said on Wednesday.

Crude Falls From Two-Year High as Syria Concern Eases

West Texas Intermediate fell from a two-year high as the prospect of imminent attacks on Syria receded and as better-than-expected U.S. economic data raised speculation that the Federal Reserve will taper its stimulus.

Will Financial Regulation Trash Global Economic Security?

Alexander Mirtchev, Contributor

 

Under the auspices of the Financial Stability Board, more than 30 recommendations have been set out as part of a massive and far-reaching G-20 financial regulatory reform package to ostensibly minimize risk in the financial system and maximize consumer protection.

German energy crisis favours the fleet

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's half-a-trillion-euro energy overhaul is forcing sector players to turn around their business models fast, giving smaller groups a head start on the country's ponderous utilities.

Oil jumps as Syria conflict heats up

Oil prices rose roughly 3% Tuesday, as the U.S. government and its allies consider a military strike on Syria following the country's suspected use of chemical weapons.

David Cameron must heed the experts, not the sceptics, on climate change

The prime minister will face a daunting dilemma next month when the world's most authoritative report on climate change is published, providing a clear warning from scientists about the scale of the risks posed by rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Energy group pushing for used nuclear fuel storage facility

JACKSON — A nonprofit group tied to energy businesses says Mississippi should consider becoming a storage place for used nuclear fuel.

Iran boosts iron exports to China, India as oil sales slump

NEW DELHI/LONDON: Iran is raising its exports of iron ore and iron products to China and India in an attempt to replace at least a small part of the massive revenue that has been lost due to sanctions on its oil sales.

U.S. Fuel Demand Grew With Economy in July, API Says

U.S. fuel consumption in July reached the highest level for the month in three years, the American Petroleum Institute said.

Tony Hayward's interim chairman role at Glencore could become permanent

Tony Hayward, the former boss of BP best remembered for being forced to resign from the oil group over his handling of the Gulf of Mexico disaster, has been revealed as a surprise candidate for the next permanent chairman of mining-cum-trading group GlencoreXstrata.

'Worrying' decline in oil and gas production

The sharp decline in production of oil and gas from under British waters is "worrying" industry leaders. Trade body Oil and Gas UK says there is record investment this year of £13.5bn.

Go back to the drawing board on climate policy, business tells politicians

Big business wants the main parties to go back to the drawing board on climate policy after the election to try to come up with an agreed plan for an economically efficient way to reduce Australia's emissions and offer investment certainty.

WTI Oil Trades Near Two-Week High Amid Unrest in Egypt

West Texas Intermediate crude traded near the highest price in two weeks as an escalating conflict in Egypt fanned concern that oil shipments through the country may be disrupted.

Australia Carbon to Survive Rudd-Abbott Standoff: Energy

Electricity markets are showing Australia’s biggest polluters will have to pay for their carbon emissions regardless of who wins the Sept. 7 election.

Fracking splits public opinion down the middle, poll finds

The site in west Sussex that has become the intense focus of the UK's fracking protests may never become a site of fossil fuel production, the company involved admitted on Tuesday night.

Brazil Congress backs oil royalties bill

Brazil's Congress has approved a bill that designates all royalties from newly discovered oil fields to education and healthcare.

BP sues to get new contracts after oil spill

HOUSTON: BP has sued the US government over a decision to bar the oil giant from getting new federal contracts to supply fuel and other services after the company pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other criminal charges related to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

David Cameron: UK must accept the potential of fracking

David Cameron has insisted the UK should accept fracking, claiming the controversial method of extracting gas will attract "real public support" when the benefits are explained.

Oil above $106 after China shows recovery signs

BANGKOK (AP) -- The price of oil rose slightly Monday after improved Chinese economic data last week suggested demand for crude might increase.

Pollution economics: China introduces carbon cap-and-trade programs to reduce emissions

With more than 1 million people in China dying prematurely each year from breathing its dirty air, and with warming temperatures portending rising sea levels and disruptions to food production, the centrally planned Communist country is experimenting with a capitalist approach to address the problem: It is creating incentives so that the market - and not the government - will force reductions in emissions.

How The Sun got it wrong on green energy costs

"Here we show how power is likely to be burning up your pounds by 2020," The Sun wrote in July, under their graphic of RWE npower's consumer energy forecast.

How the Alternative Energy Megatrend will impact global geopolitical relations

The Greening of Geopolitics

By Dr Alexander Mirtchev

The advent of renewable energies is generally regarded from a fairly narrow perspective: whether – and to what extent – they are able to replace fossil fuels and what this would mean for the energy system and the economy. Such a perspective profoundly underestimates the potential consequences of what is in fact a revolutionary global development: a socio-political and techno-economic megatrend that has the ability to become a global societal game-changer, writes Alexander Mirtchev, Vice-President of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI). According to Mirtchev, the ‘Alternative Energy Megatrend’ will have far-reaching effects on global geopolitical relations and security concerns – effects that have yet to be fully grasped by most observers. This article is adapted from his upcoming book: “The Alternative Energy Megatrend: A Global Security Discourse in the Universally-Securitized World”.

Alternative Energy And Global Energy Security In Aftermath Of Rio+20

“Life always gets harder toward the summit–the cold increases, the responsibility increases.” These words by Friedrich Nietzsche aptly characterize the atmosphere among global leaders at June’s international summits.

BP denies US allegations of fixing natural gas market

US regulators have told BP to respond to allegations of natural gas market manipulation and threatened the firm with fines of close to $29m (£19m). BP has 30 days to respond, but said the allegations were "without merit".

Fracking will meet resistance from southern nimbys, minister warns

The energy minister Michael Fallon has warned privately that fracking might soon face fierce resistance from the middle classes in Conservative heartlands as he heralded further exploration across swaths of southern England.

Oil rises above $107 on Fed stimulus hopes

it more likely the Federal Reserve will continue its stimulus program beyond September. Benchmark crude for September delivery was up 18 cents to $107.12 at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Norway’s $740 Billion Oil Fund May Be Restructured, Solberg Says

Norway needs to review its $740 billion sovereign wealth fund to find a more competitive model that will boost returns, according to the head of the opposition bloc leading in polls ahead of elections next month.

Energy companies are paying a heavy price for shunning renewables

No wonder the big energy companies are spooked by the green dream. Have you seen their share prices lately?

Mexico: methane gas build-up, spark caused blast

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Gas could have built up for decades before an explosion caused three floors of the headquarters of the national oil company to collapse, killing 37 people, Mexican federal prosecutors said Friday.

Chevron profit drops on cheaper oil, refining woes

(Reuters) - Chevron Corp posted on Friday a steeper-than-expected 26 percent drop in quarterly profit as lower oil prices knocked oil and gas production earnings and its U.S. refining unit slowly recovered from a refinery fire a year ago.

Energy companies are paying a heavy price for shunning renewables

No wonder the big energy companies are spooked by the green dream. Have you seen their share prices lately? Witness npower last week, which warned that green policies will drive a 20% rise in energy bills by 2020.