The Oil Daily articles from May 2006

The Oil Daily archives from May 2006

Anadarko lowers 2006 production forecast.
May 1, 2006... Anadarko has lowered its oil and gas production guidance for 2006 because of uncertainty surrounding its upstream contract in Venezuela and mechanical delays at its K2 field in the Gulf of Mexico. The Houston-based independent said...

Motiva moves ahead with refinery expansion.(Motiva Enterprises)
May 1, 2006... Motiva Enterprises said Friday it has completed the initial process design for the expansion of its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, a project that would increase the plant's throughput by 325,000 barrels per day and make it the largest in the US...

Chevron's Q1 earnings jump with addition of unocal assets.(Financial report)
May 1, 2006... On Friday, Chevron capped what was a busy week for oil companies, both on Wall Street and on Capitol Hill. The California-based oil major reported first-quarter net income of $4 billion ($1.80/share), 2[cent]/share above analyst...

Allis-Chalmers buys rig company.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Drilling and oil services provider Allis-Chalmers Energy struck a deal Friday to buy DLS Drilling Logistics and Services, a Latin American drilling company, for $102.4 million in cash and 2.5 million shares of Allis-Chalmers stock. DLS...

After prolonged fall, Nymex crude futures end week with rebound.(New York Mercantile Exchange)
May 1, 2006... After falling in each of the previous four sessions, crude futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) rebounded by almost $1 on Friday due to short-covering and more news about Iran's nuclear program. Neverthless, after reaching...

Daily oil & gas price review: prices for Friday, April 28, 2006.(Natural gas, Gasoline and crude oil prices and rates)(Statistical table)
May 1, 2006... Crude Oil [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Light Sweet Futures--Prompt Month ($/barrel) 1st 5-Day 2nd Change Month Avg. Month 3rd Month Nymex Light Sweet +0.91 71.88...

Spot crude market: sweet-sour spread widens as demand picks up for scarce sweet grades.
May 1, 2006... The sweet-sour crude spread widened last week in the Atlantic crude market, reflecting rising demand for sweet grades. Buying interest in sour grades has waned since Royal Dutch Shell announced an early restart for Mars crude production in the...

US rig count rises by 17.(Baker Hughes Drilling Report)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... The number of rigs searching for oil and gas in the US rose by 17 to 1,608 last week, oil services firm Baker Hughes said Thursday. During the same week last year, there were 1,325 rigs at work. The number of rigs searching for oil in the...

Summer fundamentals, storage plays likely to lift June gas price.
May 1, 2006... Thanks to a sharp technical reversal of overheated crude oil futures, the Nymex June gas futures contract reversed engines as well, falling well below $7 psychological support last week. The sell-off in June gas futures was also led by cooler...

Exxon starts up Nigerian offshore field; latest in series of West Africa projects.(Exxon Mobil Corp.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Exxon Mobil continues to bring on line massive, multibillion-dollar projects offshore West Africa, announcing Friday that the Erha deepwater develop has come on stream. Erha--located 60 miles offshore Nigeria--and Erha North, which will come on...

Ecuador and Oxy seek end to their dispute.
May 1, 2006... The Government of Ecuador and Occidental Petroleum may be about to negotiate an end to a two-year dispute that would allow the US company to stay in Ecuador. Ecuador's Attorney General Jose Maria Borja said last week an agreement between...

TransCanada earnings rise.(Earnings)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... TransCanada and Enbridge Energy Partners (EEP) reported strong results for the quarter ended March 31, but TransCanada, better known as a gas pipeline operator, saw its earnings growth come from its expanding power-generation business. ...

China's CNPC targets Nigeria.(International)(Chinese foreign relations and nigeria foreign relation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) has bagged preferential rights to some potentially lucrative oil fields in Nigeria, following Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Abuja last week. Although no deals were signed at the company level,...

Canadian gas storage.(NEWS ALERT)(Natural gas storage prices and rates )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Enerdata reported that the amount of natural gas in Canadian storage facilities rose 11.1 Bcf to 237.9 Bcf for the week ended Apr. 21. Storage caverns are 44.6% full, up from 42.6% the previous week and up from 35% a year ago. (Bcf) Canadian...

Russia taxes Lukoil venture.(ConocoPhillips, Rosneft)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Russia's government has excluded the oil-rich Timan-Pechora region from areas that can get tax exemptions, dashing the hopes of an oil venture between Russia's Lukoil and ConocoPhillips. The government chose instead to give tax holidays to...

Petrobras closes Colombia deal.(Latin America)(Petrobras closes acquisition of Royal Dutch Shell)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Petrobras announced Friday it has closed the acquisition of Royal Dutch Shell's fuel and distribution assets in Colombia. Petrobras has acquired 39 service stations around the capital city of Bogota. In addition, Petrobras bought a...

Pemex starts up Lobina field.(Latin America)(Pemex production management)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Mexico's Pemex has started production at the Lobina field in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The field is currently producing 4,680 b/d of oil and 1.57 MMcf/d of natural gas. The field forms part of the Poza Rica-Altamira complex, which now...

Stock market scorecard.(NEWS ALERT)(Petroleum industry securities)(Statistical table)
May 1, 2006... Stock Market Scorecard Integrated Close 1-Day Majors 4/28 Chg. % Chg. Chevron 61.02 +1.04 +1.73% Amerada Hess 143.27 +2.44 +1.73 ConocoPhillips 66.90 +0.71 ...

Venezuela details Cuba exports.(Latin America)(Venezuela exports to cuba)(Petroleum industry international trade)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Venezuela's exports of crude and oil products to Cuba amounted to $1.65 billion last year, as the Opec member country stepped up energy relations with the Caribbean island, according to an official with state-owned company Petroleos de...

California to probe margins.(Bill Lockyer on investigation to Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips)(Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said late last week that he plans to subpoena records from oil companies operating in the state "to determine whether the firms are profiteering and gouging consumers." The move is one of many last...

TransMontaigne, bank to talk.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(TransMontaigne Inc. Mergers & Acquisitions with Morgan Stanley and Energy industries)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Oil products marketer TransMontaigne, which has agreed to be acquired by Sem-Group, said Friday it would hold negotiations on a potential buyout by Morgan Stanley. Although the $570 million SemGroup agreement remains in place,...

Atwood rig to drill off Turkey.(Offshore)(Atwood Oceanics Inc. contract with TPAO )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Atwood Oceanics announced Friday that the Atwood Southern Cross drilling rig has been awarded a contract by Turkish state TPAO to drill up to six wells off the coast of Turkey. The first three wells will be drilled at a rate of...

Hurricane preparedness urged.(Offshore)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Bush administration officials last week urged oil companies to take measures such as securing standby power supplies to ensure there are no fuel supply disruptions during the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season. In letters to oil company...

Chevron exec to run ADM.(Personnel)(Archer Daniels Midland Co.)(Patricia Woertz appointed)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Patricia Woertz, a long-time refining executive at Chevron, has been picked to run Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). ADM is the top ethanol producer in the US, growing corn for the production of ethanol. With US refiners using more ethanol as a...

Bolivia's Morales nationalizes gas fields.
May 2, 2006... Bolivian President Evo Morales sent troops out to occupy the nation's gas fields Monday after signing a decree that placed the country's hydrocarbons industry under government control. Foreign oil and gas companies operating in Bolivia will...

Mexico candidates mum on energy reforms.
May 2, 2006... The three leading candidates running in Mexico's upcoming presidential elections are steering clear of any serious discussion on opening the country's closed oil sector to foreign investment, fearful that talking about this politically divisive...

Saudi Oil Minister 'bullish' on technology, industry future.
May 2, 2006... Advanced technology offers the world the prospect of improved oil recovery and cheaper costs, despite current market pressures, according to Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali Naimi. The tight market conditions that led to the rapid rise in...

Nymex crude futures jump nearly $2 on Iran, Nigeria.(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Crude futures rose nearly $2 per barrel on Monday on geopolitical tensions in Iran and continued troubles in Nigeria. On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the June crude contract jumped $1.82 to $73.70/bbl, while on London's ICE...

Daily oil & gas price review: prices for Monday, May 1, 2006.(Statistical table)
May 2, 2006... Crude Oil [GRAPHIC OMITTED] US Domestic Crudes ($/barrel) Cash/Spot Change Spot Price 5-Day Avg. Month-Ago WTS (Midland) +1.50 69.78 67.40 61.75 LLS (St. James) +2.20 75.83 ...

Corruption, insurgency plague Iraq's oil sector: US report.
May 2, 2006... Continuing insurgency attacks and corruption are keeping Iraqi oil and gas production below prewar levels and exports "relatively stagnant," according to a new US government report. With the twin problems persisting, a team of experts,...

Heating degree days: for the week of Apr. 29, 2006.(Statistical table)
May 2, 2006... Heating Degree Days For the week of Apr. 29, 2006 - Week Dev - From Week From Year Cum State/City (PADD) Total Norm...

Aramco eyes refining deals.(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Saudi Aramco said Monday it hopes to sign deals with Total and ConocoPhillips for two new refineries in the kingdom by the end of May. "The company board of directors last week approved the recommendation to engage in MOUs [memorandums of...

Geopolitics sends oil prices--and equities--higher in April.
May 2, 2006... Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's hardline stance on his country's nuclear ambitions sent oil prices soaring in April. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude hit a record $75.35 per barrel on Apr. 21, sending share values soaring, with...

Virginia state senator says US needs more offshore drilling.
May 2, 2006... Speaking at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston on Monday, a Virginia state senator said his own state and the US as a whole must take steps to allow oil and gas exploration in waters on the East and West coasts that are currently off...

Senate leader Frist drops controversial oil tax proposal.
May 2, 2006... Facing increasing criticism from the business community, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Monday stripped out a controversial provision--viewed as a new tax on oil companies--from a broad energy bill introduced last week to tackle high...

Gas pushes up power prices.(Survey)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... High natural gas prices continue to push up the average price of US electricity, according to a report published Monday by NUS Consulting Group. The New Jersey-based consulting firm said that electricity prices rose an average of 10.9%...

Wood sees bright future for wind power.(Pat Wood)
May 2, 2006... High oil and gas prices look like they are here to stay and that augurs well for the growth of the wind energy industry, according to Pat Wood, former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Wood--who has worked on...

BG clinches deal in Oman.(BG signs its first production sharing agreement with Petroleum Development Oman)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... UK gas giant BG on Sunday signed its first production sharing agreement in Oman, covering development of a gas field relinquished by main operator Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). BG said the agreement gave it a 100% interest in and...

MMS updates pipeline damage.(Top Briefs)(Minerals Management Service)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... The number of Gulf of Mexico pipelines damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita was much greater than previously thought, according to the Minerals Management Service (MMS). "Based on additional industry assessments, investigations and...

Afghanistan set for bid round.(International)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Afghanistan is drawing up oil and gas exploration blocks and will soon be seeking production sharing agreements with foreign companies to develop reserves. The US Geological Survey (USGS) says there could be up to 36.5 Tcf of natural gas...

Toho Gas renews LNG contract.(Woodside Petroleum)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Japan's Toho Gas has renewed an agreement with Woodside Petroleum to receive LNG from the North West Shelf venture in Australia. The agreement is a 10-year contract for 760,000 tons/yr of LNG starting in 2009. Toho is the North West...

Petroecuador short of cash.(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Ecuador's state-owned oil company Petroecuador has asked the government of President Alfredo Palacio to provide it with $279 million that it needs to pay for supplies and fuel imports. Petroecuador said the emergency request was prompted by...

Brazil, Bolivia discuss issues.(Latin America)(Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva plans to talk to Bolivian President Evo Morales about the recent problems faced by Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro S.A)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva plans to talk to Bolivian President Evo Morales about the recent problems faced in Bolivia by Brazil's Petrobras. Over the past few weeks, relations between Petrobras and the Morales government...

Stock market scorecard.(NEWS ALERT)(Statistical table)
May 2, 2006... Stock Market Scorecard Integrated Close 1-Day. Majors 5/1 Chg. % Chg. Amerada Hess 146.70 +5.87 +4.17% Marathon 81.13 +25.55 +3.25 ConocoPhillips 67.80 +1.61...

Cano buys Texas properties.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Cano Petroleum pays $24 million to acquire producing oil and gas properties in the Texas Panhandle Field)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Cano Petroleum said it has paid $24 million to acquire producing oil and gas properties in the Texas Panhandle Field. The acquisition adds approximately 400 net boe to Cano's daily production and approximately 7 million boe to Cano's proved...

US onshore gas output rises.(Natural Gas)(Survey)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... New gas production data for February from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that continued onshore growth has helped keep US domestic production afloat as efforts continue to restore offshore production in the Gulf of Mexico....

Resistance to Weaver's Cove.(Natural Gas)(Hess LNG)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... A new hindrance has cropped up for Hess LNG's Weaver's Cove project in Fall River, Massachusetts. Former city council candidate David Frederick is attempting to use "squatter's rights" to derail construction of the terminal, local media...

Refiner Alon makes acquisitions.(Refining)(Alon USA Energy plans to buy Paramount Petroleum and the assets of Edgington Oil)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... Oil refiner and asphalt producer Alon USA Energy said it will make two acquisitions that will more than double its refining capacity and expand its asphalt production as well. Alon will buy Paramount Petroleum for $307 million cash, and...

Grand jury probes BP blast.(Texas refinery)(Brief article)
May 2, 2006... A grand jury is probing the deadly 2005 blast that claimed 15 lives at BP's giant Texas refinery, according to reports in two Texas newspapers, the Galveston County Daily News and The Houston Chronicle. The newspapers said federal...

Devon extends dominance over Barnett Shale.(Devon Energy Corp., Chief Holdings)
May 3, 2006... Already by far the biggest producer in Texas' largest natural gas field, Devon Energy became a Barnett Shale powerhouse on Tuesday by snapping up privately owned Chief Holdings for $2.2 billion in cash. Oklahoma City-based Devon estimates...

Naimi: stable market key to energy security.
May 3, 2006... The current high price of oil is not in the best interests of producers or consumers because it poses a threat to long-term energy security, according to the oil minister of the world's leading producer. Speaking at the annual US-Saudi Arabia...

States sue Bush administration over fuel economy standards.
May 3, 2006... With the American public increasingly frustrated by high gasoline prices, ten states on Tuesday sued the Bush administration to make it tighten up fuel economy standards for gasoline-guzzling sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and light trucks. ...

Nymex crude jumps on Iran nuclear standoff, Bolivia nationalism.(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... Crude futures rose again Tuesday on concern that Iran's nuclear program could lead to a confrontation with the West and on Bolivia's move to nationalize the country's oil and natural gas assets. On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex),...

Daily oil & gas price review: prices for Tuesday, May 2, 2006.(Natural gas , Gasoline and Petroleum industry prices and rates )(Statistical table)
May 3, 2006... Crude Oil [GRAPHIC OMITTED] US Domestic Crudes ($/barrel) Cash/Spot Change Spot Price 5-Day Avg. Month-Ago WTS (Midland) +0.68 70.48 68.86 61.57 LLS (St. James) +0.83 76.68 ...

Halliburton's PropStop product tackles problem of clogged fractures.
May 3, 2006... Producers want to maximize recovery rates and minimize costs no matter what prices are. But in a period of robust prices, such as now, the motivation to keep wells operating at full capacity is stronger than ever. Halliburton's Production...

Experts still seeking hurricane lessons.(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... Experts are still trying to develop a deeper understanding of how Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected offshore facilities in the Gulf of Mexico last year. But one thing that has already become apparent, according to Dave Wisch of Chevron,...

Exxon bids to avert Nigeria strike; militants threaten China.(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... Exxon Mobil and Nigeria's white-collar oil union Pengassan are due to meet today in a bid to avert a strike over unpaid staff housing allowances. Pengassan is considering calling on members who work for Exxon to shut down the US major's...

New gasoline prices.(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... Oil Daily has made an important change to the listings in the Daily Oil & Gas Price Review table on page 3. The New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) gasoline futures price has been changed to the reformulated gasoline blend-stock for...

Private firms weigh future in Bolivia after nationalization.
May 3, 2006... A day after Bolivia's President Evo Morales sent soldiers into the fields and nationalized his country's 49 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, private companies were trying to figure out their prospects in what was previously one of Latin...

Despite Hibernia setback, Nova Scotia still welcomes investors.
May 3, 2006... Steering clear of any reference to the recent suspension of the Hebron offshore oil project in neighboring Newfoundland, Nova Scotia's energy minister told attendees at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston Tuesday that Atlantic Canada...

Imperial's profit climbs.(Earnings)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... Imperial Oil said Tuesday it earned C$591 million (US$532 million), or C$1.78/share, in the first quarter versus C$393 million (C$1.12/share) in the same period a year earlier. Imperial, which is 70% owned by Exxon Mobil, said higher oil...

Oil majors eye Singapore growth.(International)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... The ruling party of Singapore is dangling two large foreign petrochemical investments as bait in upcoming elections. Speaking at a May Day rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil are separately...

Chevron wins Vietnam block.(International)(Chevron Corp. and Petroliam Nasional Bhd. jointely awarded)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... Chevron and Malaysian state Petronas have been jointly awarded a deepwater exploration block offshore Vietnam, it was announced Tuesday. Block 122 covers an area of nearly 7,000 sq km in Vietnam's Phu Khanh Basin, off the central coast, and...

Snohvit may start early.(International)(Snohvit Production management)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... The Snohvit LNG project in Norway could start up ahead of schedule, project head Odd Mosbergvik told Reuters. "Commercial production is set for December 2007. I hope we can beat that," he said, adding that the timeline would only be...

EPA appeals court decision.(Litigation)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... The Bush administration on Monday appealed a federal court's decision rejecting its controversial air pollution rule for refineries and other industrial facilities. The Justice Department filed a petition on behalf of the Environmental...

Stock market scorecard.(NEWS ALERT)(Petroleum industry securities)(Statistical table)
May 3, 2006... Stock Market Scorecard Close 1-Day Integrated Majors 2-May Chg. % Chg. BG 70.55% +2.35 +3.45% Norsk Hydro 159.59 +4.49 +2.89 Chevron 62.80 +1.63...

Iberdrola buys US wind firm.(Iberdrola Mergers and acquisition with Community Energy Inc.)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... Spanish Iberdrola--the world's 10th biggest power company and largest wind power operator--announced the $38 million purchase of a US wind energy firm, Community Energy of Pennsylvania. "This transaction [gives] Iberdrola a platform to...

Bahamas embraces LNG.(Natural Gas)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... After a year of remaining cautious about LNG, Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie now says his government doesn't oppose the super-cooled gas. "I think that we have had an exhaustive review of [LNG projects], and the government has made...

MMS sees gulf FPSO filing soon.(Offshore)(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... A senior official with the US Minerals Management Service (MMS) said on Tuesday that the first formal request could be made this year for permission to use a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in the US Gulf of Mexico....

Nymex names new chairman.(Personnel)(Richard Schaeffer appointed as chairman of New York Mercantile Exchange )(Brief article)
May 3, 2006... The New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) announced Tuesday that Richard Schaeffer has been elected chairman of the exchange's board of directors, replacing Mitchell Steinhause, who decided not to seek reelection after occupying the position for...

House rejects bill to boost refinery capacity.(Legislation)
May 4, 2006... A bill to crack down on price gouging sailed through the House of Representatives Wednesday, but another one to help expand US refining capacity sank after Democrats refused to give their support. With Republicans and Democrats rearing to...

Brazil in tough spot after Bolivia nationalization.
May 4, 2006... Brazil's President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva finds himself in a difficult situation as he tries to reconcile the interests of state-owned Petrobras, Bolivia's largest foreign investor, with the common left-leaning ideologies he shares with...

Expert says fear preventing more LNG terminals in US.
May 4, 2006... Developing liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals in the US is far more of a political process than either an economic or safety decision, unlike in Europe or even neighboring Canada, says an executive with one of the world's leading...

Nymex crude, gasoline plunge on improving supply picture.
May 4, 2006... Unexpected builds in gasoline and crude oil inventories spurred a large sell-off on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) on Wednesday. Nymex crude traded as high as $74.99 per barrel before the EIA report, but light, sweet crude for June...

Daily oil & gas price review: prices for Wednesday, May 3, 2006.(Statistical table)
May 4, 2006... Crude Oil [GRAPHIC OMITTED] US Domestic Crudes ($/barrel) Cash/Spot Change Spot 5-Day Month- Price Avg. Ago WTS (Midland) -2.36 68.12 68.84 61.57 LLS (St. James)...

O'Malley takes helm of struggling European refiner Petroplus.(Thomas O'Malley joins Petroplus)
May 4, 2006... Privately held European refiner Petroplus has named Thomas O'Malley, the high-profile former boss of US Tosco and Premcor, as its new chief executive, Petroplus' parent company RIVR Acquisition announced Wednesday. Petroplus was taken...

EIA weekly statistics: for week ended April 28, 2006.(Energy Information Administration)(Statistical table)
May 4, 2006... US Crude Oil: Stocks (1) (millions of bbl) Current Previous Week Week Chg. PADD 1 15.3 15.7 -2.5% PADD 2 71.6 70.8 1.1% Cushing,...

Bush, top republicans oppose tougher fuel economy standards.(corporate average fuel economy)
May 4, 2006... President Bush raised quite a few eyebrows last week when he asked Congress to give him the authority to set new mileage standards for cars. Since then, Democrats have been questioning the president's sincerity, wondering aloud whether his call...

Devon to press on with overseas exploration despite setbacks.(Devon Energy Corp.)
May 4, 2006... Devon Energy plans to persevere with international exploration despite some spotty results that have led to hefty charges against earnings in the last two quarters. Chief Executive Larry Nichols told analysts on Wednesday that Devon will...

Global oil demand rises in April, reverses months-long trend.(Statistical data)
May 4, 2006... Preliminary data indicate that global oil demand increased by 910,000 barrels per day in April compared with April 2005, adding to the tightness that is driving oil prices higher. The growth pushed oil consumption to 83.63 million b/d and was...

Shell has no timetable for production restart at Nigerian oil fields.(Nigeria oil production)
May 4, 2006... Royal Dutch Shell still has no official time frame for the resumption of oil and gas production at its western Niger Delta operations in Nigeria, shut since February following rebel attacks, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. "Whilst the...

Kerr-McGee, Pioneer give up on upstream blocks in Western Sahara.(Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic)
May 4, 2006... US independents Kerr-McGee and Pioneer Natural Resources have allowed their rights to lapse at the controversial Bojador Block in the Western Sahara--territory disputed by the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and Morocco. ...

Blanco nears decision on main pass LNG.(Liquefied natural gases)
May 4, 2006... The deadline for Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco to either accept or veto McMoRan Exploration's proposed Main Pass LNG terminal is May 7, but staff members say a decision will likely be announced before the weekend. Federal rules also allow...

Iran resolution submitted.(uranium enrichment program)(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... The US, UK and France submitted a resolution in the UN Security Council Wednesday afternoon urging Iran to stop its uranium enrichment program. It fell short of calling for immediate sanctions if Iran fails to not comply. Russia and China...