Aussies fear clean power plant “bottleneck”

An Australian trade body is warning there could be a “bottleneck” in power plants down under. In an echo of Britain’s current woes, the Energy Supply Association of Australia (esaa) suggests policy uncertainty is causing an investment gridlock. Australia has around 200 new projects in the pipeline as part of a multi-billion dollar transformation of […]

Ireland and UK boost energy ties

The power ties between Ireland and the United Kingdom will be strengthened after ministers from both countries met to discuss renewable energy trading and gas agreements this week. UK Energy Minister Charles Hendry and his Irish counterpart Pat Rabbitte agreed a process to develop a formal Memorandum of Understanding on renewable energy trading by the […]

Coal use in UK reaches six year high

Coal use in the UK reached a six year high at the beginning of the year, according to reports. Government statistics released by DECC yesterday show coal accounted for 46% of power production in the first quarter of 2012. The UK’s trade body said the figures suggest the out of favour fossil fuel is still […]

North Sea flare goes out

The flare on Total’s gas platform in the North Sea has gone out naturally, the French energy firm has confirmed. The Elgin Franklin platform was evacuated last week because of a gas leak in the field. The news should relieve safety fears, as some had worried gas from the leak could have been blown toward […]

Minister feels heat for confusion over Elgin gas flare

The Energy Minister is feeling the heat this week after inadvertently causing confusion over the flare at the North Sea oil platform which Total evacuated because of a gas leak on Sunday. The flare is effectively a flame which constantly burns on offshore gas rigs. When it emerged that the Elgin Franklin well platform’s flare […]

North Sea gas leak could go on for ‘six months’

Environmental groups reacted with alarm to the speculation that a gas leak off the coast of Aberdeen in the North Sea could go on for at least six months. Oil company Total, which evacuated workers from its platform in the field because of the leak on Sunday, reportedly said it could take that long to […]

Shell follows Total in North Sea evacuation

Shell is following the example of French energy firm Total by evacuating one of its rigs in the North Sea. Early yesterday morning Total removed all workers from its Elgin Franklin platform in the Elgin field after a gas leak at the well, the “precise cause” of which it says is still “unclear”. Today Shell […]

‘Fracking’ could bring UK 50,000 jobs, says former BP chief

Shale gas “fracking” could create 50,000 jobs and possibly reduce gas prices in the UK, the former CEO of BP has claimed in a newspaper interview. Lord Browne, now a director of shale gas company Cuadrilla Resources, said Lancashire could potentially become the centre for shale gas in Europe. Fracking involves a process of extracting […]

Mature North Sea fields aren’t reaching potential

Oil industry workers aren’t convinced mature North Sea oil and gas fields are being squeezed for their full potential, according to a new report. The figures come as last week Chancellor George Osborne announced North Sea fields will get incentives to decommission mature fields. Out of more than 50 mature fields professionals surveyed by Oil […]

Total rig evacuated after gas leak

More than 200 workers were evacuated from Total’s North Sea rig after a gas leak, the French energy firm confirmed early this morning. A “sheen” was reported near to the Elgin field late yesterday. Most of the crew were either taken ashore to Aberdeen or moved to other platforms in the area, according to the […]