Posts in March 2007

  • BP’s “Terrifying” Safety Culture

    The top honchos at BP will be sweating as they await today’s publication of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s report into the Texas fire. By all accounts it will not make for comfortable reading. The ante has been upped by the head of the Board who was she was “absolutely terrified” that…
    Continue reading ‘BP’s “Terrifying” Safety Culture’.

  • More Trouble for Iraq Oil Law

    Four years ago this week, American tanks headed into Baghdad. At the time critics of the war said it was about oil. But those voices were dismissed. Then came Iraq’s Oil Law which essentially hands control of much of its oil wealth to foreign multinationals. Opposition to the controversial law continues to grow. Former Iraqi…
    Continue reading ‘More Trouble for Iraq Oil Law’.

  • Crops Hit by Climate Change

    Climate change over the past 25 years has led to a fall in the yield of some of the most important food crops in the world, according to a scientific study. Rising temperatures between 1981 and 2002 caused a loss in production of wheat, corn and barley that amounted in effect to some 40 million…
    Continue reading ‘Crops Hit by Climate Change’.

  • BP Knew of Texas Risk

    Tomorrow investigators for the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) will publish their long awaited report in the cause of fatal explosion at BP’s Texas refinery in March 2005. However it has now emerged that BP board directors were aware of the link between spending cuts and poor maintenance at its Texas City…
    Continue reading ‘BP Knew of Texas Risk’.

  • U.S. Increases Military Assistance In Niger Delta

    The United States is stepping up its involvement in the Nigeria to counter growing violence in the Niger Delta. Theresa Whelan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, told a conference sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the US had a number of joint training and equipment programs aimed at helping Nigeria’s military…
    Continue reading ‘U.S. Increases Military Assistance In Niger Delta’.

  • Winter “Warmest on Record” As Arctic Reaches “Tipping Point”

    This winter in the northern hemisphere was the warmest on record, the US government has admitted. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the combined land and ocean temperatures from December to February were 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit above average for the period since record keeping began in 1880. During the past century, global temperatures had…
    Continue reading ‘Winter “Warmest on Record” As Arctic Reaches “Tipping Point”’.

  • Giuliani Oil Lobby “Scandal”

    US Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani is embroiled in controversy over the antics of his law firm which lobbies for Citgo Petroleum, which is controlled by the Venezuelan state oil company and President Hugo Chavez. Records filed at the Texas Ethics Commission showed the law firm, Houston-based Bracewell & Giuliani, may have received up to…
    Continue reading ‘Giuliani Oil Lobby “Scandal”’.

  • Germans Unite Against Oil Aid!

    A group of 40 German NGOs called on G8 Environment Ministers today to phase out fossil fuel subsidies at home and use their influence to steer the World Bank away from fossil fuels and towards a new energy revolution. A long list of German organizations, including the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development, Oxfam…
    Continue reading ‘Germans Unite Against Oil Aid!’.

  • Pardon My Skepticism

    On March 5, the New York Times published a front-page story called “Oil Innovations Pump New Life Into Old Wells.”  Getting new oil from “played out” wells was the thrust of the piece; as the price of oil rises, it becomes worthwhile investing new money into old wells.  The article also indirectly took on the…
    Continue reading ‘Pardon My Skepticism’.

  • Development Banks’ Inconvenient Truth

    Multilateral development banks concluded a two day conference in London yesterday on “Financing Clean Energy”. Non-governmental organizations were generally shut out of the meeting, restricted to a handful of participants, but a long list of oil and energy companies were in attendance and they were ready to discuss just about anything other than phasing out…
    Continue reading ‘Development Banks’ Inconvenient Truth’.

  • Archive by Month

  • Archive by Category

  • Archive by Tags