Energy

A costly problem that dramatically shortens the life of subsea equipment used offshore of Western Australia is the focus of a collaborative project backed by some of the state's biggest energy producers.

Batteries and solar panels will be rolled out at 60 locations on the edge of the state's electricity grid throughout the Wheatbelt and Goldfields as part of a plan to improve reliability and cut capital costs across the Western Power network.

Technology, maintenance and education will be the key areas of focus for a new state government taskforce targeting job opportunities in the LNG sector.

Woodside Petroleum has taken a small step on the potential Scarborough LNG project, signing an agreement with co-owner BHP Billiton to become the operator of any future development and granting the miner an option to increase its share of the project by 10 per cent.

A move that could dramatically reduce power bills for Perth residents is on the backburner, despite a similar process taking place in other parts of the state, so the government can appease unions, according to shadow energy minister Dean Nalder.

Two local contractors have secured more than $70 million of work, with NRW Holdings locking in a $37 million contract at Rio Tinto's Marandoo mine in the Pilbara.

Opportunities will grow in the environmental protection and energy efficiency space for Australian exporters as China looks to go greener, according to Chinese deputy consul general Anlin Sun.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy made a positive return to the ASX today following a tumultuous period during which it announced a recapitalisation deal that left shareholders with 2 per cent of the company's equity.

Sydney-based Origin Energy has signed up close to 5,000 Western Australian retail gas customers since launching in the Perth market in October.

Carnegie Clean Energy's joint venture with contractor Lendlease has won its second contract in a week, with the partnership to design, construct and operate a $7 million solar project in NSW.

An east coast energy retailer backed by a French multinational will become the fifth player selling to consumers in the local gas market, after receiving approval by the Economic Regulation Authority today.

Shares in remote power provider Zenith Energy were up 7 per cent today as the company announced an unaudited before tax profit of up to $11 million for the first half of the financial year.

Changes to the accounting treatment of leases to be introduced next year could pose problems for the state government's financial boffins, bringing numerous contracts onto agency balance sheets, including potentially $1.3 billion worth in the case of power generator Synergy.

Sydney-based energy supplier AGL Energy has secured 7,000 customers in Western Australia since its July 2017 local launch, according to the company's half-yearly report.

A joint venture between a subsidiary of Carnegie Clean Energy and contractor Lendlease has won $6.8 million of work to install and operate a renewable powered microgrid in the Mid West town of Kalbarri.

Takeover target AWE has decided that an offer from Japanese firm Mitsui & Co is the best option among three suitors vying for control of the company.

The state government has opened up the Pilbara electricity market to greater competition after privately-owned Alinta Energy applied last year to gain access to state-owned Horizon Power's network.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy has confirmed the approval of its recapitalisation deal, which will leave existing shareholders with a 2 per cent stake in the company, and appointed Daniel Harris and David Riekie to the board.

The increasing uptake of automation, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies in the resources sector has led Core Skills to launch a pilot program designed for mining and energy employees.

Local electricity retailer Perth Energy is planning a leadership change, with chief development officer Giles Redmile to take over as chief executive in mid-February as current boss Andrew Rowe moves back to the engineering industry.

Australian LNG export revenue grew 44 per cent in 2017 on the previous year to $25.8 billion, making the commodity the nation's third biggest export earner, according to consultancy Energy Quest.

Former Rio Tinto executive Denise Goldsworthy and former Water Corporation chair Eva Skira have been appointed directors of Western Power, replacing Sharon Warburton and George Cash.

Western Power has engaged digital marketing agency Bonfire to broaden the utility's engagement with customers beyond the traditional means.

The number of electricity users disconnected for failing to pay bills increased around 60 per cent in Western Australia in the 2017 financial year, while more than 10,000 electricity users were on a hardship program, according to a report released by the Economic Regulatory Authority today.

The number of new gas and power connections in Western Australia fell in the year to June, an outcome of the slowing property development market, according to the Economic Regulation Authority.

Perth-based TNG has commissioned Carnegie Clean Energy's subsidiary Energy Made Clean to evaluate renewable energy options to power its Mount Peake vanadium titanium project.

Phoenix Energy has announced major changes to its planned waste to energy project at Kwinana, with Macquarie Capital becoming lead sponsor and two European groups negotiating to take on construction and operations.

Western Australia's domestic gas market is likely to have sufficient supply for the next decade if Chevron's Gorgon domgas stage two proceeds on time and other replacement fields come online as anticipated, according to the latest Australian Energy Market Operator report.

Woodside Petroleum expects to cut costs and its environmental footprint after contracting ABB Group to replace one of the gas turbine generators at its Goodwyn A platform in the North-West Shelf with a battery storage micro-grid.

Most chemicals used in hydraulic fracking are not harmful, while precautions can be taken to prevent problems from those substances which are, according to a CSIRO report released today.

A Chinese state-owned energy company has stepped up its efforts to gain control of the Waitsia gas field north of Perth, launching a hostile bid today for oil and gas group AWE after withdrawing its proposal for a friendly takeover earlier this week.

Decmil Group is well placed to secure a $275 million engineering contract for Chinese group Maoneng's 250-megawatt Sunraysia solar project in NSW, after signing a memorandum of understanding to complete early designs for the project.