Energy & Oil

• Saturday, February 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazilian think tank forecasts second quarter upturn

  

  Brazil has survived the worst of the global financial crisis and could see an upturn as early as the second quarter, the state-funded Institute for Applied Economic Research, or IPEA, said this week.

• Saturday, February 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Petrobras establishes new oil production record in January

  

  Petrobras average oil and gas production in Brazil during January climbed to 2,219,165 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe), 4.8% more than a year ago and up 0.7% over December 2008. Oil from domestic fields was 1,922,946 barrels/day, setting a monthly record, 5.3% above the mark set a year earlier and 2.5% more than the December volume.

• Friday, February 20th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  G-20 summit: Top UK Treasury delegation visits Argentina

  

  A delegation from the British treasury visited this week Argentina to exchange ideas about the coming G-20 summit to be held in London next April when world leaders will attempt to address the global recession and drying up of credit.

• Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  BP suspends all operations with Super Puma choppers

  

  British Petroleum has suspended using Super Puma Bond helicopters for North Sea flights after one of the aircraft carrying 18 people ditched off the Scottish coast. The company said it had decided to temporarily stop using that type of helicopter on flights from Aberdeen “as a precaution” in light of Wednesday's incident.

• Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers begin four day supply strike

  

  Argentine farmers will halt sales of grains and livestock in a renewed protest against a tax on commodities exports and other government agricultural policies, farm leaders confirmed on Thursday.

• Monday, February 16th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Evo Morales in Moscow to sign gas development deal

  

  Evo Morales has become the first Bolivian President to visit Russia, after touching down in Moscow on Sunday. Morales is expected to sign crucial natural gas cooperation agreements and seek aid to combat drugs.
  
  The visit is also viewed as another sign of Russia's increased interest in Latin America.
  
  Morales told reporters on Friday that he would discuss the immediate purchase of helicopters and loans of other aircraft to fight coca production when he visits Russia.

• Monday, February 16th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Royal Navy confirms nuclear armed subs mid Atlantic collision

  

  The Royal Navy has confirmed that a British nuclear submarine collided with a French one in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The crash between HMS Vanguard and France's Le Triomphant - both carrying atomic weapons - is believed to have occurred on February 3 or 4.

• Monday, February 16th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile with World Bank support turns to wind energy

  

  The World Bank Group is sponsoring with 61.5 million US dollars the construction of the first wind farm in Chile, advancing the development of renewable energy in Chile.

• Thursday, February 12th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  UK oil industry warns of low prices effect on production

  

  Industry group Oil & Gas UK said the combination of low oil prices and the freezing of capital markets will have a marked effect on exploration and development activity in the UK over the next 12-18 months.

• Tuesday, February 10th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil's Petrobras may explore Uruguay oil

  

  Brazil's PETROBRAS oil company was the first company to acquire the bid sheet for hydrocarbon exploration contracts in areas of the Uruguayan continental platform.