Oil and Gas News

December 17, 2012

NC State Study Offers Insight Into Converting Wood to Bio-Oil
Raleigh, NC (SPX) Dec 17, 2012
New research from North Carolina State University provides molecular-level insights into how cellulose - the most common organic compound on Earth and the main structural component of plant cell walls - breaks down in wood to create "bio-oils" which can be refined into any number of useful products, including liquid transportation fuels to power a car or an airplane. Using a supercomputer that can perform functions thousands of times faster than a standard desktop computer, NC State chemical and b ... read more

Previous Issues

Dec 15

Dec 14

Dec 13

Dec 12

Dec 11

Algeria pushes $80 billion energy drive Algeria's state energy company Sonatrach is pushing an $80 billion, five-year investment program to expand its oil and natural gas industry and is offering an incentives package to woo foreign companies to develop its shale energy resources. ... more		Chavez health raises succession worries The next few weeks to the scheduled Jan. 10 presidential inauguration in Venezuela will determine how politics will affect ordinary lives in the oil-rich nation and its future direction. ... more		Chevron to pay $155 million for Brazil oil spill US oil giant Chevron has agreed to pay 310 million reales ($155 million) to Brazil for an oil spill last year that fouled beaches in Rio de Janeiro, officials said Saturday. ... more
				Britain lifts gas 'fracking' ban despite tremors The British government came out in favour of a controversial shale gas extraction method known as fracking, saying on Thursday that work should be resumed even though it is suspected of having triggered earthquakes. ... more		Block on Keystone pipeline lifted in Texas A Texas court has lifted a temporary restraining order on construction of a small portion of the controversial Keystone pipeline, operator TransCanada said Thursday. ... more

CubeSats, SmallSats and MicroSats

Trio Merger Corp. and SAE agree to merge Trio Merger Corp. and SAExploration have agreed to merge as part of a strategy to expand SAE's seismic data acquisition business worldwide. ... more		Turkey, Iraq Kurds near explosive oil deal Turkey and Iraq's independence-minded Kurds are reported to be close to a potentially explosive deal on major investment by Ankara in the burgeoning energy industry of the semiautonomous Kurdish enclave on Turkey's southern border. ... more		The first animals on Earth may have been sea sponges, study suggests Wildfire-induced thunderstorms recreated in Earth system models for first time Fengyun satellite strengthens China global weather forecasting capacity		Encana sells stake in oil field to PetroChina subsidiary Encana on Thursday sold a stake in its Duvernay oil field in Canada's Alberta province to Phoenix Duvernay Gas, a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned PetroChina for Can$2.18 billion. ... more
				Can Algae-Derived Oils Support Large-Scale, Low-Cost Biofuels Production? ExxonMobil and many other energy companies are investing hundreds of millions of dollars to develop transportation biofuels from renewable resources such as the oil or hydrocarbons produced by micro ... more		Ultrasound can now monitor the health of your car engine A system that uses ultrasound technology to look inside car engines could lead to more efficient engines - and huge fuel savings for motorists. Ultrasound scans have long been a fundamental tool in ... more

Solar systems for home and business

CubeSats, SmallSats and MicroSats

Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison & Memory Foam Mattress Review

New system for aircraft forecasts potential storm hazards over oceans The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has developed a prototype system to help flights avoid major storms as they travel over remote ocean regions. The 8-hour forecasts of potentially ... more		Brazil fighter deal seen to favor Boeing Brazil's long-delayed FX-2 fighter competition isn't over yet but Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet is winning friends in the Brazilian air force, news reports said. ... more		Maintaining US space dominance requires rapid and reliable delivery of new systems Germany pledges EUR35 bn for space defence against Russia, China Blackbaud Reviews: Key Insights To Consider Before Choosing an LMS		Chinese firm to build electric cars in Bulgaria: report A Chinese automaker backed by billionaire US investor Warren Buffett has signed an agreement with energy giant Bulmineral to build an electric bus and car factory in Bulgaria, a report said Wednesday. ... more
				BHP Billiton sells stake in Australian LNG Mining giant BHP Billiton said it would sell its interest in the Browse natural gas project offshore Western Australia to Chinese state-run oil producer PetroChina for $1.63 billion. ... more		China's accelerating overseas buys raise fears China's biggest overseas takeover, the $15 billion purchase of Canada's Nexen, is a huge step in Beijing's push for foreign acquisitions - but its drive to secure resources and markets is causing unease. ... more

Bolivia's eco-friendly trans-oceanic ships

Renewables Provide 46 percent All New US Electrical Generating Capacity in 2012

OpenADR Continues to Move the Smart Grid Forward

Turkey, Iraq Kurds near explosive oil deal

Trio Merger Corp. and SAE agree to merge

Britain lifts gas 'fracking' ban despite tremors

NC State Study Offers Insight Into Converting Wood to Bio-Oil

Can Algae-Derived Oils Support Large-Scale, Low-Cost Biofuels Production?

Plastic packaging industry is moving towards completely bio-based products

AREVA announces a partnership for new nuclear with UK companies

Japan to host nuclear safety conference in Fukushima

EU funds frozen for Lithuanian nuclear decommissioning

	Israel, Iran vie for control of Red Sea The Red Sea, a key shipping route, is becoming an arena of confrontation between Israel and Iran, with Sudan and Eritrea key targets by both sides in a strategic contest that's likely to intensify in the months ahead. ... more		Texas landowner blocks Keystone pipeline building A Texas judge temporarily blocked construction on a small portion of the controversial Keystone pipeline after a landowner sought relief, but operator TransCanada said Tuesday it will have no impact. ... more		BHP offloads Australia LNG interest to PetroChina Global mining giant BHP Billiton said Wednesday it had agreed to sell its stake in the proposed Browse liquefied natural gas project in Australia to PetroChina for US$1.63 billion. ... more		Danish PM refuses to block Greenland mining law Denmark's prime minister rejected Tuesday calls to block a Greenland law that will allow foreign mining companies to employ workers under conditions prevalent in their own countries. ... more

Denmark closes airspace to civilian drones amid rise in sightings

Top diplomats of North Korea, China agree to oppose 'hegemonism'

What is the high seas treaty?

Philippines gives green-light to electric tricycles		CNOOC-Nexen deal the last for Canada?		Apple Maps glitch could be deadly: Australian police		Ukraine Crushed in $1.1bn Fake Gas Deal		Japanese car sales in China rocket 72% in November
Oil market gains on China data		Canada reconsidering F-35 fighter purchase: reports		Swiss to get Swedish jets cheaper than Swedes: report		US agency chief seeks to ease airplane electronics ban		Japan pedal power aims for human flight record

Romania gas, gold referendums scrapped after low turnout

China's CNOOC say Nexen staff will benefit from takeover

Arab states rush to join the shale boom

Four Chinese ships in disputed waters: Japan

Canada approves two energy takeovers worth $20 bn

Vietnam breaks up anti-China rally, arrests protesters

US extends exemptions for Asian powers to Iran oil sanctions

Chinese in talks to buy aircraft leaser ILFC

Work on automatic control of driverless vehicles through intersections receives recognition

Australia retires H-variant C-130 Hercules

F-35 Lightning II Program Surpasses 5,000 Flight Hours

Saudis seek oil in Red Sea 'safe zone'

GM says China car sales on track for record 2012

China demands Vietnam stop oil probe

Gases from Grasses

Plastic packaging industry is moving towards completely bio-based products

Synthetic fuels could eliminate entire U.S. need for crude oil, create 'new economy'

China grabs Mideast oil as U.S. power dips

Numerical study suggests subsea injection of chemicals didn't prevent oil from rising to sea surface

Gazprom's LNG tanker pioneers Arctic crossing

Free Newsletters - Space - Defense - Environment - Energy

Buy Advertising

Media Advertising Kit

Editorial & Other Enquiries

Privacy statement

The contents herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2013 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy statement