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Killer virus demands open accounting

FOR MANY months in 2012 and 2013, Saudi Arabia reassured the world that it was paying close attention to the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in the kingdom, known as Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS. But events this year have begun to pull back the curtain on a disease outbreak that was — and remains — dangerous and not fully explained or explored. This is more than just an accident, and the Saudi authorities are finally waking up to the full extent of the lapses, just in time for the pilgrimages that are expected to bring millions to Mecca and Medina in the months ahead. There is no known antiviral or vaccine for the MERS virus. So far it does not appear to transmit rapidly among humans in a way that could create a pandemic, although some transmission has occurred among those in close contact. It has infected […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Libya's Benghazi rocked by fierce fighting

At least four people have been killed in clashes in Benghazi between forces loyal to the former general Khalifa Haftar and fighters he has declared as "terrorists". At least 14 people were also wounded in Sunday’s fighting, Reuters news agency reported, as fighting prompted dozens of families to flee the port in the latest bout of violence to hit the country. "There are now heavy clashes in Sidi Faraj and al-Hawari [in western Benghazi]. Our forces are attacking with tanks and rocket launchers," Haftar’s spokesman Mohamed el-Hejazi said. The sound of heavy weapons fire could be heard on the streets of  Sidi Faraj, and families were fleeing affected areas, witnesses said.  Electricity was cut to a large part of the city, with state news agency LANA saying a rocket fire had hit a power station, and that technicians were trying to restore power. Haftar has declared war against groups including Ansar al-Sharia […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Libya’s Benghazi rocked by fierce fighting

At least four people have been killed in clashes in Benghazi between forces loyal to the former general Khalifa Haftar and fighters he has declared as "terrorists". At least 14 people were also wounded in Sunday’s fighting, Reuters news agency reported, as fighting prompted dozens of families to flee the port in the latest bout of violence to hit the country. "There are now heavy clashes in Sidi Faraj and al-Hawari [in western Benghazi]. Our forces are attacking with tanks and rocket launchers," Haftar’s spokesman Mohamed el-Hejazi said. The sound of heavy weapons fire could be heard on the streets of  Sidi Faraj, and families were fleeing affected areas, witnesses said.  Electricity was cut to a large part of the city, with state news agency LANA saying a rocket fire had hit a power station, and that technicians were trying to restore power. Haftar has declared war against groups including Ansar al-Sharia […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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California’s Illusive Gas Shale Deposits of “Black Gold”

“After years of talking about it, we are finally poised to control our own energy future.” Obama in 2013 State of The Union address. The myth of American energy independence from fracking has been dealt a huge blow by the downgrade of recoverable oil from the Monterey shale formation. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has slashed its estimate of oil reserves from the Monterey shale formation by a massive 96%. In 2011 the EIA released a report that reviewed US shale oil and gas reserves. It stated that the largest shale oil formation in America was the Monterey play in Southern California. The report estimated that the Monterey shale formation held 15.5 billion barrels of oil or 64% of total U.S. shale oil reserves. California’s vast shale deposits were labelled ”black gold” due to this forecast. On the basis of this rosy review the University of California produced […]

Posted On : Published By : ASPO-USA
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Economics of natural gas don’t always add up for fleets

Though natural gas is abundant in the U.S., whether it can serve as a financially viable transportation fuel is a difficult question to answer. Commercial fleet operators from across the country this week are in Houston discussing the economics of natural gas, which often is touted as a less expensive, cleaner-burning alternative to gasoline. But industry officials at the Natural Gas Vehicles USA conference say despite their hopes for natural gas, converting fleets to run on the fuel isn’t always easy. Though the fuel has its advantages, the finances of making it work for fleets don’t always add up. “There needs to be some changes in […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Williams Strikes Nearly $6 Billion Deal to Expand Shale Oil, Gas Holdings

Williams Cos. agreed to pay nearly $6 billion to expand its ownership of Access Midstream Partners LP, a move aimed at increasing the natural-gas pipeline company’s presence in areas with growing energy output from shale formations. Under the deal, Williams would acquire from Global Infrastructure Partners II the remaining 50% of the privately held general-partner interests in Access Midstream that the Tulsa, Okla., company didn’t already own. Williams also would acquire 55.1 million of Access’s limited-partner units, bringing William’s stake in the limited partnership to 50%. At the close of trading Friday, the limited-partner units had a market value of $3.6 billion. Access gathers natural gas and natural-gas liquids pumped from wells in Texas, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, processes them and delivers them to larger pipelines, a business that Williams said it expected would grow rapidly. Access, which is based in Oklahoma City, was formed in 2009 as Chesapeake Midstream […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Enbridge Set to Win Canada Approval on Northern Gateway

Enbridge Inc. (ENB) is poised to win government approval as soon as today for its proposed Northern Gateway pipeline to the Pacific coast, a major step for the project that still faces opposition from aboriginal and environmental groups. Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet must decide by midnight tomorrow whether to approve the C$6.5 billion ($6 billion) pipeline, which would carry diluted bitumen from Alberta’s oil sands across British Columbia. Canada’s petroleum industry is seeking measures to move landlocked crude to offshore markets with another proposed pipeline, TransCanada Corp’s, Keystone XL, in regulatory limbo in the U.S. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said signs point toward the federal government permitting Northern Gateway. “We’re hopeful approval’s coming,” Wall said in a June 12 phone interview. “I’m reading the tea leaves and picking up on signals like everyone else.” Alberta Energy Minister Diana McQueen said in an interview last week that she was […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Ukraine crisis: Russia halts gas supplies to Kiev

Ukraine says Russia has cut off all gas supplies to Kiev, in a major escalation of a dispute between the two nations. "Gas supplies to Ukraine have been reduced to zero," Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said. Russia’s state-owned gas giant Gazprom said Ukraine had to pay upfront for its gas supplies, after Kiev failed to settle its huge debt. Gazprom had sought from Kiev $1.95bn (£1.15bn) – out of $4.5bn it says it is owed – by 06:00 GMT. The Russian firm said it would continue to supply gas to Europe. Russia-Ukraine ties remain tense since Moscow annexed Crimea in February. Kiev says Moscow backs separatists in the east of the country. Russia denies the charge. ‘Blackmail’ "Today, from 10:00 Moscow time, Gazprom, according to the existing contract, moved Naftogaz to prepayment for gas […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Russia's Gazprom reduces gas to Ukraine after deadline passes

Russian natural gas exporter Gazprom reduced supplies to Ukraine on Monday after Kiev failed to meet a deadline to pay off its gas debts in a dispute that could disrupt supplies to the rest of Europe. Announcing that Ukraine will now only get gas it pays for in advance, Moscow put the onus on its neighbour to guarantee the European Union receives supplies that transit through Ukraine. Kiev and Moscow failed to agree overnight on the price of future gas deliveries, with both sides refusing to abandon well-established positions: Russia offering a discount and Ukraine rejecting it as a tool for political manipulation. Talks were already difficult but were also clouded by the worst political crisis between Russia and Ukraine since the Soviet Union collapsed, including the shooting down of a Ukrainian military plane by pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country on Saturday and […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Russia’s Gazprom reduces gas to Ukraine after deadline passes

Russian natural gas exporter Gazprom reduced supplies to Ukraine on Monday after Kiev failed to meet a deadline to pay off its gas debts in a dispute that could disrupt supplies to the rest of Europe. Announcing that Ukraine will now only get gas it pays for in advance, Moscow put the onus on its neighbour to guarantee the European Union receives supplies that transit through Ukraine. Kiev and Moscow failed to agree overnight on the price of future gas deliveries, with both sides refusing to abandon well-established positions: Russia offering a discount and Ukraine rejecting it as a tool for political manipulation. Talks were already difficult but were also clouded by the worst political crisis between Russia and Ukraine since the Soviet Union collapsed, including the shooting down of a Ukrainian military plane by pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country on Saturday and […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple