This week brings a jump in the cost of oil, with record breaking prices beyond the $100/barrel threshold. We hear conflicting views with regard to the future of fuel security at CERA’s annual conference in Houston see Hess chief: Action needed to avoid oil crisis & Critic: Facts bury theory on Peak Oil. A similar battle rages on with Peter Odell’s response (Reports of the oil industry’s imminent death are greatly exaggerated) to Jeremy Legget’s article, which appeared last week (The great fuel folly). We bring you guest commentary on this from Dr. Roger Bentley who will also provide a point by point refutation to Odell in next week’s submission.
In the UK this week British Gas announced huge profits raising questions about recent price increases, while the government nationalized Northern Rock and also pointed a spotlight on the business of carbon offsetting with the publication of a voluntary code of conduct. Perhaps a more surprising call for regulation came from major institutional investors in the US see Big oil’s enemy within.
Oil
Reports of the oil industry’s imminent death are greatly exaggerated 15 Feb 2008
Guest Commentary: Dr. Roger Bentley
Hess chief: Action needed to avoid oil crisis 18 Feb 2008
Critic: Facts bury theory on Peak Oil 13 Feb 2008
Guest Commentary: Peter Weggeman
Oil price breaks through $100 a barrel 20 Feb 2008
Big oil’s enemy within 20 Feb 2008
IEA sees boost in peak OPEC flow 18 Feb 2008
Gas
Calls for inquiry into alleged ‘profiteering’ of energy giants 21 Feb 2008
Price dip hits Gazprom’s profits 15 Feb 2008
Energy Geopolitics
Russian energy ties with Iran send U.S. a message 22 Feb 2008
Coal
Smoke and Mirrors 18 Feb 2008
Eskom to buy back power to stem shortage 15 Feb 2008
Electricity
Boost for micro power studied 20 Feb 2008
Viewpoint: Darkness Looms 18 Feb 2008
Renewables
Clean Power from the Deserts 19 Feb 2008
Russo-German Wingas to develop biogas facility in Bavaria 18 Feb 2008
Reasons to see red over green energy 18 Feb 2008
Climate
Watching over the offsetters 19 Feb 2008
Climate conversion 19 Feb 2008
Economy
Wheat prices surge to new high 17 Feb 2008
US annual trade deficit narrows 14 Feb 2008
China inflation hits new high 21 Feb 2008
UK
Northern Rock’s rescue is part of a geopolitical sea change 18 Feb 2008
Green housing plans will fail without more regulation, developers warn 20 Feb 2008
