May 27 2008
Global: Crude Oil Rises Above $133 on Nigeria Attacks, Asian Subsidies
Crude oil rose above $133 a barrel in New York as a militant attack in Nigeria disrupted supplies and on speculation fuel subsidies in Asian countries will continue to spur demand.
Australia: Production tumbles in Australia
Australian petroleum production dropped 5.1% in the first quarter to 106 million barrels of oil equivalent compared with the same time last year, while coalbed methane (CBM) production jumped 38.4% over the same period.
Bolivia: Venden diesel con vales para el contrabando
The Superintendency of Hydrocarbons reported yesterday that some service stations located between El Alto and the town of Copacabana sold diesel vouchers, and then divert this fuel via smuggling, especially to Peru.
Bolivia: Aruquipa acusa a la Aduana por escasez de combustibles
The smuggling of fuel is causing shortages of diesel, LPG and other fuels in La Paz, according to the superintendent of hydrocarbons, Guillermo Aruquipa.
India: Petroleum Ministry for immediate hike in retail fuel prices
The Petroleum Ministry has proposed a Rs 10 a litre hike in petrol, Rs 5 per litre increase in diesel and Rs 50 per cylinder rise in LPG prices, as the Finance Ministry was unwilling to cut duties to cushion the impact of crude prices on oil companies.
India: Mahrashtra petrol pumps lack enough supply
The global fuel crisis has begun to filter down to major metros in Maharashtra, where oil companies are even rationing fuel. Moreover, the sealing of a major oil depot in Nashik and some parts of the state could have a real cisis on their hands.
Due to oil companies' alleged rationing of supplies to petrol pumps, a handful of them have already run dry.
New Zealand: Southern lakes too low to generate power
The South Island's hydro lakes are so low they are not being used to generate power, leaving the North Island's thermal sites to supply the national grid.
Though the situation is extremely unusual, national electricity grid operator Transpower says it is too early to panic about power blackouts.
New Zealand: Power boss: pray it rains
Waikato residents should be prudent with power use, and pray for rain. That's the message from Wel Networks chief executive Julian Elder after it was revealed southern hydro-lake levels were at their worst since the 1992 electricity crisis.
Nigeria: Nigeria militants step up oil attacks
Militants in Africa's top oil producer are marking President Umaru Yar'Adua's first full year in power with fresh pipeline bombings, underscoring the difficulties that civilian rulers have had calming strife linked to Nigeria's notoriously weak and corrupt democratic system.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta's (MEND) latest attack – a nighttime bombing on a Royal Dutch Shell PLC operated pipeline – helped push global oil prices to $133 per barrel.
Nigeria: Nigeria: A nation in darkness
ONE year down the road, management of power generation under the administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua has dropped to an all-time low, registering an average 1,630 Megawatts (Mw) output from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the state run power utility.
By May 29, 2007, when the President was sworn in, average power generation was in the region of 2,800 Mw.
Pakistan: Public facing prolonged power cuts, water shortage
The metropolis on Monday faced massive load shedding comprising on four different spells, each 2-hour long adding to people's problems multiplied with water shortage.
Pakistan: Tripping units give city an overdose of the heat
There was more than usual load shedding Monday after Bin Qasim Thermal Power Station’s (BQTPS) three units Nos. 1, 3 and 4 went out of commission. Unit No. 3 has been shut for a week for maintenance but No. 1 and No. 4 tripped due to technical problems.
The utility was short of 685 MW on Monday from tripping alone, depriving the city of 540 MW and 70 MW was cut due to tripping from the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant and the 75 MW from the DHA desalination power plant were also disconnected.
South Africa: SAfrica Q1 GDP slower at 2.1 pct q/q annualised
South Africa's economic growth eased to a 6-1/2 year low in the first quarter of 2008, stung by a crippling power crisis and slowing demand.
UK: National Grid warns of power demand controls
The closure of several power plants on Tuesday has cut supply so severely that distribution companies should reduce voltage to customers to compensate, a spokesman for network operator National Grid said.
