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Chinese Premier Hu Jintao and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez agreed to move forward the start of increased Venezuelan oil exports to China from 2013 to 2010. Venezuela plans to send 1 million barrels/day to China and entered into discussions regarding a joint venture for oil transport and the construction of a refinery in China.

Saudi Aramco and ConocoPhillips agreed to halt the bidding process for the construction of a 400,000 barrels/day export refinery in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. The two companies, who cited uncertainties in the financial and contracting markets, plan to re-bid in the second quarter of 2009.

BP PLC is planning to reduce production at its Azerbaijan facility. The facility will reduce oil production to 850,000 barrels per day. The company has spent 41.149 billion in capital investments on the facility during the first nine months of 2010.

BHP Billiton decided to pull out of exploration programs conducted with Falklands Oil & Gas Ltd. in areas north of the Falkland Islands. Rockhopper Exploration reported results from its flow test on the Sea Lion 1 well in the North Falklands basin. Argentina plans to drill for oil in areas between the Falklands and Tierra del Fuego.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC is planning to invest in Indonesia. The company has offered to provide Pertamina with its technology. It also planning to expand its retail network in Indonesia.

The Tengizchevroil consortium is planning to increase oil production to 22.5 million tons. The issue of supplementary gas flaring has also yet to be resolved. Meanwhile, KazMunaiGaz and State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic have agreed to ensure that their rising oil volume will reach the world market.

Trinidad and Tobago's National Gas Co. is planning to extend its natural gas pipeline to Barbados. The firm is still awaiting approval from the Trinidad government. Meanwhile, Barbados is planning to open as many as 26 blocks for gas exploration.

China is planning to build a number of domestic petrochemical plants. Forecasts of increased competition from Middle Eastern countries is the reason for the planned facilities. Meanwhile, PetroChina is planning to double the annual capacity of its ethylene plant in Daqing.

Tullow Oil PLC announced the discovery of oil in the Ugandan side of the Lake Albert rift basin. The company is negotiating with Congo to reacquire exploration rights to two blocks in the Congo side of the basin. Chinese oil companies are looking to acquire stakes in the blocks in the Ugandan side of Lake Albert.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin declared on 7 April 2009 that OAO Transneft will complete the first phase of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline within weeks. China and Russia also agreed to construct a 67-km pipeline spur from Skovorodino to the Chinese border.

State-owned energy company KazMunaiGaz of Kazakhstan remains confident about its plans to transport oil through the Caucasus region despite the conflict between Russia and G eorgia. The company also plans to construct oil refineries in Turkey and Iran.

Japan and Iraq agreed to cooperate on different projects aimed at rebuilding the Iraqi oil and gas industry. Japan loaned 2.1 billion yen to help build refinery and export facilities in and around Basra, Iraq. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation signed loan agreements totaling 57.7 billion and 182.7 billion yen to help restore war-damaged facilities, including oil and gas facilities.

Russian state-owned OAO Transneft will begin construction of the export terminal of the East Siberia Pacific Ocean oil pipeline in March 2008. Surgutneftegas is preparing to start developing the Talakan oil field, which will partly supply the ESPO line with crude oil.

The plans of Chinese Petroleum Corp. for oil exploration in Libya are discussed.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC plans to mitigate the effects of oil and gas exploration in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas off Alaska . Maersk Oil is cautious about its drilling operations off Greenland and would not drill until fully addressing potential impacts on the environment.

The Japanese government and Inpex Corp. are planning to withdraw from the Azadegan oil field project in Iran. The plan is aimed at avoiding violation of the United States sanctions against the country. Inpex's access to the US market would be restricted if it is subjected to sanctions. Japan has imposed new sanctions against Iran.

Gestion des Stocks Petrolilers de la Cote d'Ivoire is planning to invest $400 million to double its capacity. The plan was prompted by the increase in demand. Total oil production in Ivory Coast has increased by 12.3 percent in 2009.

Archaeologists Claude Sintes and Paul Bennett agreed about the disastrous effects of oil spills on historic shipwrecks and underwater heritage sites off the Libyan coast. Sintes, however, wants a risk assessment before BP PLC starts drilling operations, while Bennett believes that these operations present an opportunity to map the seabed and find more shipwrecks.

Uganda's negotiations with Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi Co. over the purchase of six Su-30MK2 fighters could complicate oil field development projects in the country. The possible entry of Lukoil could delay the development plans of Tullow Oil PLC, China National Offshore Oil Co., and Total SA .

Argentina's government protested with the British government over plans by British firms to conduct oil exploration off the north coast of the Falkland Islands. Desire Petroleum PLC has contracted a rig from Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. to begin drilling in the area by February 2010.

State-owned PT Pertamina of Indonesia will open a bidding round for ocean-going vessels to be converted into floating liquefied natural gas terminals. The company also plans to buy 12 small-capacity gas tankers.

Petroleos de Venezuela SA is planning to build Brazil's first plant to produce energy-saving bulbs. The plan will produce 15 million bulbs a year. Meanwhile, the number of operational oil rigs in the country has decreased to 140 from 222 in 2007.

Petroleum Mexicanos is set to issue a tender for a contract for ethanol production. The bidding round is aimed at promoting ethanol as a transportation fuel. The plan is seen to help reduce the amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin declared that oil and condensate production at the Krasnoyarsk Territory could reach more than 115 million tons/year. He also announced a plan to develop energy resources in the territory and in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.

OAO Transneft declared that the construction of the two phases of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline are on schedule. Operations were launched at the Vankor field, expected to produce a maximum of 510,000 barrels/day of oil for OAO Rosneft by 2014.

The Corrib gas pipeline project of Royal Dutch Shell PLC was delay ed as Irish planning officials deferred their decision on Shell 's application to change the pipeline's onshore section route. The spillage of chemical additives and oil at the pipeline's works site in Glengad, Ireland, was deemed to have no ecological impact. Two anti-pipeline protesters were sentenced to four months in jail.

Saudi Aramco is planning to invest in new oil, gas, and petrochemical projects despite the economic downturn in line with new regulations. The Saudi government is set to focus on research and development in the oil sector. Comments from executives are also presented.

Studies for the construction of a major oil refinery in Panama is almost finished. The Panamanian government has agreed to cooperate with Qatar Petroleum Corp. and Occidental Petroleum Corp. in the project. Tesoro Corp. has agreed to ship crude produced from the project.

Indonesia-based PT Pertamina may delay seeking partners for its development of the Natuna D-Alpha gas block in the Riau Islands. The company has cited the status of ExxonMobil Corp.'s contract to operate the block as the main reason for the delay. This is in light of the fact that the government has withdrawn its contract with ExxonMobil.

Cairn Energy PLC is planning to defer its oil and gas exploration activity in the Mediterranean to focus on Greenland. The company will use its cash flow from India to fund its Greenland drilling projects. Meanwhile, Greenland voters are asking for more independence from Denmark to get their share of revenue from natural resources.

The controversy over Royal Dutch Shell PLC's Corrib natural gas development off the Irish coast is likely to drag on for years due to the persistent opposition to the project. A new forum has been established to being together the project's proponents and opponents.

Malaysia claimed that the Bukat Block, operated by Eni SPA, is outside the Ambalat territory, which Malaysia disputes with Indonesia. Both countries claim the block and have sent military forces into the area, prompting Eni to seek Indonesian government protection in building a floating liquefied natural gas plant in the block.

BP PLC plans to transport oil from Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. The oil exports would be transported by barge from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan and then loaded into the pipeline starting in Novemb er 2008.

Kazakhstan-based KazTransOil has expressed interest in using Russia's East Siberia-Pacific Ocean Pipeline. The pipeline will transport as much as 4,000 tons of crude oil a day. Meanwhile, TNK-BP is planning to supply oil to the line from its field in the Irkutsk region.

Japanese companies are investing in Vietnam's oil industry. Petrovietnam and Nippon Oil Corp. have begun producing crude oil at the Phuong Dong oil field. Meanwhile, Idemitsu Kosan and Mitsui Chemicals are set to participate in the construction of an oil refinery and petrochemical complex project in Vietnam.

Russia and China are becoming more aggressive in energy diplomacy, with their behavior reminiscent of attitudes during the Cold War. China warned ExxonMobil against proceeding with oil exploration in the South China Sea off Vietnam, while Russia and Venezuela appear to have formed a military alliance.

There is a notable lack of progress in the proposed 2,400-kilometer East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline project. Transneft and China are in negotiations over the project, which is in a standstill despite the high profitability of the pipeline.

Colombia hopes to increase oil production to 1 million barrels a day by 2020 and has resumed operations on its trans-Andean oil pipeline. Neighboring countries such as Ecuador, Venezuela, and Nicaragua do not want this to happen and aim to sabotage Colombian efforts to improve oil production.

Galp Energia plans to buy 2 billion cu m of LNG from Venezuela and the company might also help build a liquefaction plant there. Galp Enegia owns 10 percent of the Tupi field in Brazil and Hugo Chavez's visit to P ortugal is seen as an effort to upstage Brazil.

Exxon Mobil Corp. is planning to standup for human rights in communities where the company operates. ExxonMobile's global managers will take initiatives according to company's instructions.

The details on Libya's oil and natural gas exploration activities, in Greece and Mediterranean islands, are presented.

The continuing controversy over the proposed pipeline from Royal Dutch Shell PLC's to Corrib offshore gas fields in Ireland is discussed.