Energy

Companies seek capital as confidence buoys market; BG wins first big Chinese gas deal; WA adjusts its numbers; Chinalco deal under cloud; Changes sap super - analysts

Much of the business community supports the retention of daylight saving.

PREMIER Colin Barnett has described the loss of the giant Ichthys gas project to Darwin as an embarrassment for Western Australia, yet under recent contracts at least some work is flowing to engineers and other businesses in the west.

THERE is no doubt that nuclear power generation is resurgent around the world.

RESPONSIBLE for more than half of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, the energy sector will be one of the biggest industries affected by the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS).

CARBON sequestration companies have mixed views on the changes to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which is now set to be rolled out in 2011.

The business sector remains concerned about some aspects of the proposed emissions trading scheme, despite having been given a year’s grace.

A lot of talk but little action seems to be the order of the day.

DESPITE the official start of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme being two years away, trading on the unofficial carbon market is already under way.

THE renewable energy sector has welcomed the government's commitment to an expanded national renewable energy target, saying the emissions trading scheme alone won't encourage renewable energy investment.

BUSINESSES have been warned not to become complacent and halt their readiness programs despite some relief from the revised start date of Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

Perth-based Strike Oil has been granted a new exploration licence to explore for coal seam gas in the Cooper Basin in South Australia.

Shares in carbon offset specialists in Western Australia and Aviva Corporation have jumped after the budget unveiled a $4.5 billion Clean Energy Initiative, a move welcomed by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA.

Babcock & Brown Power, the owner of Alinta's retail assets, have placed its shares in a trading halt, pending the release of details likely to have an impact on the business.

Around 240 employees and contractors at BHP Billiton's Leinster nickel operations will be affected by the company's decision to halt activities at the Rocky's Reward open pit mine.

Get ready for $58bn deficit and million jobless; Regional fund gets a haircut; Stockpile hinders Magellan's reopening; Conroy plan to split up Telstra; Woodside faces suit from pearl farmers

The state government will invest more than $260 million in the Kwinana power station as Verve Energy continues talks with a potential joint venture partner over the restart of the Muja AB station near Collie.

Carnegie Corporation is set to acquire all of the intellectual property and global development rights for the CETO wave energy technology under a deal with its UK-based joint venture partner.

Oil and gas producer Santos has launched a $3 billion capital raising to fund its growth projects, including the PNG liquefied natural gas project, which is estimated to have a capital cost of $US12.5 billion ($A16.3 billion).

The state government has reconstituted its Varanus Island gas explosion investigation following legal action by Apache Energy.

The implementation of an exploration incentive scheme for the resources sector could create over 4,000 new jobs and add $114 million to gross domestic product, a report has found.

Nickel miner Western Areas is seeking new offtake deals for 2010 onwards after allowing BHP Billiton to take Norilsk Nickel's share of concentrate until the end of the year.

MORE than two-thirds of Perth's CBD office stock will be below the federal government's new increased energy efficiency requirements, expected to be introduced in two years.

INVESTORS in listed equities are now asking how far the current rally on global equity markets can go and whether it is safe to entrust savings into those markets.

A debt-free Belmont-based Paladio Group has outshone its rivals in the listed mining contractor sector by avoiding the use of leverage.

Perth company Plantation Energy Australia (PEA) has struck a $70 million, three-year deal with a Belgium-based power company to supply densified biomass fuel pellets.

Former Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive Tim Shanahan has been appointed as the new chairman of the Pilbara Development Commission with Port Hedland Port Authority chief executive Andre Bush to be his deputy.

Otto Energy says it will wait until market conditions improve to re-initiate talks with potential partners for its Philippines prospects, after a last chance to salvage a BHP Billiton deal was called off.

Rio eyes a compromise; Credit cloud set to delay expansion of airport; House prices fall at fastest rate for 25 years; US order gets Austal back on course; Fortescue says no harm done over Chinese deal

Banks ordered to pay $1.6bn in compensation; Macquarie set to raise $1.2bn; Alumina to tap investors for $1bn to ease debt risk; Turnbull sees red on Rudd China policy; Swan reveals $50bn budget revenue hit

Energy Minister Peter Collier has today officially opened the newly-commissioned Wesfarmers Energy liquid natural gas (LNG) plant in Kwinana.

Japanese company INPEX has awarded AMEC Engineering the contract for the offshore front end engineering and design (FEED) for the Ichthys liquefied natural gas project in the Browse Basin.