RSS Feed
Archive for March 29th, 2013
Oil Giant Sets Sights on Getting Tar Sands Crude to Gulf Coast
Posted by Globe and Mail: Shawn Mccarthy on March 29th, 2013
Globe and Mail: France's Total SA says current market conditions favour processing oil sands crude on the U.S. Gulf Coast rather than building an $11.6-billion upgrader in Alberta, as the company took a $1.65-billion (U.S.) loss on its 49-per-cent stake in the cancelled Voyageur project.
Total announced the writedown a day after its partner, Suncor Energy Inc., announced the cancellation of the Voyageur project. Suncor - Canada's largest oil-sands producers - said market conditions have changed dramatically in...
Posted in 
China to spend $16 billion to tackle Beijing pollution crisis
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 29th, 2013
Reuters: China will spend 100 billion yuan ($16 billion) over three years to deal with Beijing's pollution, an official newspaper reported on Friday, as the government tries to defuse mounting public anger over environmental degradation.
Beijing's government has pledged to improve sewage disposal, garbage treatment and air quality, as well as crack down on illegal construction, the China Daily newspaper said, citing a three-year plan released on Thursday.
Air quality in Beijing, a city of around 20...
United Kingdom: Met Office advice was ‘not helpful’
Posted by BBC: Roger Harrabin on March 29th, 2013
BBC: The Met Office has admitted issuing advice to government that was "not helpful" during last year's remarkable switch in weather patterns.
Between March and April 2012, the UK experienced an extraordinary shift from high pressure and drought to low pressure and downpours.
But the Met Office said the forecast for average rainfall "slightly" favoured drier than average conditions.
The three-month forecast is said to be experimental.
It is sent to contingency planners but has been withheld...