Operational risk
Market cautious on Brazil’s 2010 oil bloc auction
News that Brazil is looking to auction more oil and gas blocs this year has met with a lukewarm reception from the oil markets as they await more clarity on the timing, production estimates and pending oil regulations, say analysts.
Energy Risk: What's coming next?
Energy Risk brings you a snapshot of what's moving and shaking the markets with a special look at the continuing impact of the financial crisis on utilities.
BP and Devon team up to develop oil sands play
BP and Devon Energy have entered into a joint venture that will use the latter’s in-situ production expertise to develop BP’s Kirby oil sands leases in Alberta, Canada.
IEA revises China oil outlook for 2010
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has revised its global oil demand forecast for the second time this year, following a double digit upwards surge in China’s year-on-year apparent oil demand in January.
Forestry project launched under new offset protocol
Project developer Finite Carbon has announced details of a new Improved Forest Management (IFM) project in Tennessee that could generate several hundred thousand of carbon offsets over the next 100 years.
CME launches crude palm oil contract
A dollar-denominated, cash-settled crude palm oil futures contract will begin trading on CME Globex on May 23, 2010 under a partnership between CME Group and Bursa Malaysia.
Russia plans pipeline to speed oil feed to China
Russia will start construction on a $1.34 billion oil pipeline link this week, in order to speed up its delivery of crude supplies to China.
EC’s Nabucco pipeline payout a small step in right direction
The European Commission’s announcement of a €200 million payout to the Nabucco pipeline has been welcomed by European utilities, but some experts point out it is only a tiny fraction of the estimated total cost of €7.9 billion.
Energy Risk's Software Survey and Rankings 2010
Over two-thirds of the respondents to Energy Risk’s 2010 Software Survey say they will be investing in new systems this year, despite the economic downturn. The survey also reveals which systems are preferred by industry participants. Lianna Brinded…
Trading positions – March 2010
Energy Risk catches up with the latest appointments, promotions and departures in global commodity markets
Iraq: the new hope for oil supply security?
As international oil companies wade into Iraq, forecasts for Iraqi production now stand as high as 10 million b/d within the decade. However political uncertainty and poor infrastructure leads analysts to caution against relying on Iraq as the next hope…
Gazprom sates China demand at US expense?
As Gazprom forms closer ties with China for the sale of its gas, Lianna Brinded asks whether the US could soon be forced to pay higher prices for its gas imports
Tradition Re's Dutch auction hedges 2010 hurricane risk
Tradition Re, the US reinsurance division of interdealer broker Tradition, has completed a Dutch auction on behalf of a reinsurer aiming to hedge risk during the 2010 hurricane season in Florida.
What next for hedge funds in energy?
Hedge funds, which fled the energy markets post-financial crisis, began returning steadily in the second half of 2009. However the influx stopped abruptly at the start of this year. Rachel Morison looks at what’s next for energy hedge funds in the short…
Piecing things together post-Copenhagen
Abyd Karmali, global head of carbon markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, gives Pauline McCallion a first-hand account of the December 2009 UN climate change talks, discussing the likely future impact on global carbon markets
Where to now for the carbon markets?
The Copenhagen climate talks, widely dismissed as a failure, did achieve certain things. Olga Gassan-zade and Kristian Tangen of Point Carbon analyse what the conference means for emissions trading from here
China’s CDM market: Will Shanghai say goodbye to CERs?
With China widely blamed for the failure of Copenhagen, some experts believe CDM investors could now shun the country in favour of India and Brazil, or that the EU may even take action again Chinese CDM certificates, creating a two-tier market. Lianna…
Indian CDM: does it have a future?
The CDM market in India has boomed since its 2007 inception, but its development has been dogged by both domestic and international regulatory uncertainty. Katie Holliday looks at the challenges faced by the Indian CDM market and asks whether it has a…
European power: Achieving transparency in Germany
Energy Risk’s series on European power markets focuses this month on Germany, Europe’s biggest power market and one of the best examples of market transparency. Rachel Morison looks at what can be learnt from it
Q&A: Gunvor's Paymon Aliabadi
Privately owned energy trading company Gunvor is the third largest crude oil trader in the world after Glencore and Vitol. It has recently expanded into other energy markets. Paymon Aliabadi, managing director of Gunvor’s global energy group, talks to…
Pass the microphone: Chris Strickland to Ben Preston
This month Chris Strickland of Lacima Group puts his questions to Ben Preston, head of power trading at Macquarie Energy, to gauge his opinions on everything from the impact of financial players on energy markets, to Arsenal football club manager Arsène…