January 20 2009

Honduras: Denuncian escasez de diésel en Honduras

Besides increasing the price of fuel at the national level, the Hondurans are also facing a shortage of diesel.

Until last week, the disruption had affected consumers of higher gasoline and yesterday it was learned that the problem extended to consumers in this petroleum product.

India: Coal shortage may trigger power crisis in W Bengal

West Bengal may face long hours of load shedding from March onwards if the state does not receive a tapering (read temporary) linkage
from the union coal ministry soon, as coal production from its captive block allotted some times in 2002 can start production only by 2011 due to a delay in receiving environment clearance.

Talking to reporters at the summit on Energy -- East & North East organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, state power minister Mr Mrinal Banerjee said: "The state is slated to see massive load shedding from March 2008 if we do not receive a tapering linkage from Coal India soon. The existing block at Tara was alloted sometimes in the 90s and its reserves are set to get exhausted any day. The Panchwara North coal block was allotted in the year 2002 but we managed to receive environment clearance only in July 2008. The block can now start operation only during 2011. In the interim we will require additional supplies to run the new capacities that have come on stream or we will have to face massive loadshedding."

Mexico: Pemex Oil Output Declines at Fastest Rate Since World War II

Petroleos Mexicanos, Mexico’s state oil company, will probably report its fastest drop in production since 1942, eroding revenue as plunging crude prices limit the amount of cash available to drill for new reserves.

Pemex last year likely extracted 2.8 million barrels a day, down about 9 percent from the 3.08 million a day pumped in 2007, representing a total of $20 billion in lost sales, according to data compiled by the government and Bloomberg. The Mexico City- based company, which had revenue of $104 billion in 2007, plans to report annual production figures tomorrow.

Nepal: Load - shedding affects storage of medicines

Continued load-shedding has threatened safe storage of medicines, especially the vaccines that need special temperature to maintain quality.

Prakash Medical Store near the maternity hospital at Thapathali is one among several medical stores in the Kathmandu Valley that are having hard time maintaining the quality of the medicines and medical equipment.

Pakistan: Energy shortage , high rates hindering growth : Wattoo

Federal Industries and Production Minister Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo has said that a summary proposing a cut in interest rates would be presented in the federal cabinet for final approval in the shortest possible time.

Current high rates were not only increasing the cost of doing business but had also affected competitiveness of industrial producers in a big way, he said.

Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday, the minister said the government understood that three big issues including electricity load-shedding, gas shortage and high interest rates were hampering industrial growth, adding it was working on these issues with commitment and political will and hoped that by December-end power outages would be controlled.

Phillipines: House to probe LPG shortage

The committee on energy of the House of Representatives will summon officials of big and small oil companies to clarify reports of a shortage in the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the market, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo disclosed yesterday.

Arroyo, son of President Arroyo who heads the House energy panel, said the committee will start the investigation next month.