Global: Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says whistleblower
The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit, according to a whistleblower at the International Energy Agency who claims it has been deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for fear of triggering panic buying.
The senior official claims the US has played an influential role in encouraging the watchdog to underplay the rate of decline from existing oil fields while overplaying the chances of finding new reserves.
Brazil: Brazil's Big Blackout Raises More Questions for the Olympics
Brazil's huge power blackout highlights the need for major investments to ensure its infrastructure keeps pace with its robust economic growth, but does not signal systemic risks likely to hurt the economy.
The outage sparked problems ranging from public transport stoppages to hospital emergencies, demonstrating challenges facing a nation whose expanding industries and quick rebound from the global crisis have made it a Wall Street darling.
Pakistan: CNG stations in six Punjab districts remain closed
CNG stations in six districts, including Rawalpindi and Islamabad, remained closed on Tuesday in protest against the government's proposed gas load management programme for winter. The strike is being observed on the appeal of Punjab and NWFP chapter of CNG stations association for one day in Jehlum, Attock, Chakwal, Rawalpindi and Islamabad against stopping gas supply to CNG stations for two days in a week.
People faced a lot of problems due to the closure of CNG stations. Long queues of vehicles were witnessed at petrol pumps due to the strike. Most of the vehicles owners prefer to use CNG because it is cheaper, but on Tuesday they were forced to operate on the more expensive petrol. The price differential between CNG and petrol is about Rs 12.13 to Rs 13.63 with major differential between mileage of each fuel: CNG mileage is considerably more than that of petrol.
Philippines: " Fuel shortage " alarm transport group
The local transport sector has expressed alarm over the recent pronouncement of the Department of Energy and oil companies that the country may run out of fuel with the continued prize freeze of petroleum products in certain areas in Luzon.
“That is very alarming. Kung mahurot na ang atong fuel, wala nay mga sakyanan nga managan,” says Benjamin Ryan Yu, chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative.
CITRASCO is the biggest transport company in Cebu with 800 jeepneys and 200 taxis operating. CITRASCO alone consumes about 16,000 liters of fuel daily.
Philippines: Power outages worsen in Cebu, Panay, Negros
Cebu, which requires an average of 750 MW, has been hit by rotating hour-long outages since September when several baseload plants had to be shut down for maintenance and other plants derated their capacities.
The power supply problem is projected to persist until new coal plants come onstream.
The first of three 82-MW units of Cebu Energy Development Corp. are scheduled to be synchronized to the grid in February. The rest will be completed a few months later while a 200-MW coal plant project of KEPCO-SPC will be completed in 2011.
