(EnergyAsia, March 20, Wednesday) --- ‘Seafarers 2008’, an event by IBC Maritime, will be held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront, Singapore from May 7 to 8.

The conference will focus on manning issues with an emphasis on the emerging sources of seafarers. It aims to present insights and strategies that will support operations, capital cost and management policies.

 Andrew J Airey (Thoresen Thai Agencies Public Company Limited), Charles Jay D ela Cruz (Del Rosario & Del Rosario), KN D eboo (Anglo Eastern Maritime Training Centre), Rajaish Bajpaee (Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement), Robert Drummond and Wendy Ng (Charles Taylor Mutual Management), Amit Pal (A.P Moller Singapore Pte Ltd), Vijay Rangroo (MTM Shipmanagement Pte Ltd) and Jesse W. Lewis (Admiralty Associates International).

A pre- conference workshop on ‘The Public Image of Shipping’ will be held on May 6. It will discuss approaches to help reshape the negative and dated image of the maritime industry.

With the current shortage of qualified crew, the ocean transportation industry requires more trained and experienced seafarers.

Jesse Lewis, course director and communications expert, will demonstrate ways to raise awareness and appeal of shipping as a career.

Topics that will be covered include public’s view of shipping, ways to improve the shipping image, perception of  shipping in comparison to other forms of transportation, making shipping a more attractive choice and engaging the media and public to enhance the maritime’s sector profile.

Jesse Lewis was a Visiting Professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy for 10 years, where he lectured on the public image of the shipping industry and using public relations as an effective crisis management tool following major marine casualties.

For more information on ‘Seafarers 2008’, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(EnergyAsia, March 20, Thursday) --- Singapore’s Keppel FELS Limited, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited, said it will build a third KFELS B Class jackup drilling rig worth about US$205 million for PetroVietnam Drilling & Well Services Corp’s subsidiary PetroVietnam Drilling Investment Corp.

This latest unit and PVD Invest’s second rig PV Drilling II, which is already under construction at Keppel FELS, are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2009 respectively.

“It is estimated that there will be some 900 exploration wells in Vietnam over the next 15 years. We want to position ourselves to capture this market for specialised oil and gas services with the support of a strong and reliable shipyard that can deliver projects punctually, on budget and without incidents,” said Do Van Khanh, CEO of PV Drilling and chairman of PVD Invest.

“We have found all these qualities in Keppel FELS. Having worked with them on several important projects, I am confident that they are the best people to help us build our highly specialised rig fleet.”

To meet the tight exploration schedule, PV Drilling intends to make capital investments of around VND 27.4 trillion (US$ 1.7 billion) from now till 2025 to build and operate an 11-strong fleet of offshore and onshore rigs.

“We have built an enduring partnership with the PV Drilling Group on mutual understanding, teamwork and trust. We are honoured that PVD Invest has chosen Keppel FELS time and again for their milestone projects,” said Tong Chong Heong, managing director and chief operating officer of Keppel Offshore & Marine.

The latest KFELS B Class rig will be able to operate in water depths of 360 ft with a drilling depth of 30,000 ft. Versatility of this rig has been further enhanced to broaden its area of operability, by including features like engines that meet more stringent emission standards and lower spud can bearing pressure for operation in areas with soft soil conditions. Its living quarters is designed to accommodate up to 110 men, in 1-men and 2-men cabins.

The Keppel Group has been involved in the Vietnamese offshore market for more than 20 years since Keppel FELS first completed the Hoang Sa 1,200-tonne floating crane in 1984. It also built Vietnam’s first jackup rig, the Tam Dao I in 1988.

(EnergyAsia, March 18, Tuesday) --- China is the single largest provider of small arms to Sudan, having sold over $55 million worth from 2003-2006 (the latest year for which data is available), as the worst violence took hold in Darfur, said a new human rights report.

While other countries were decreasing their arms sales to Khartoum, China stepped in to fill the void by providing Sudan with some 90% of its small arms during 2003-2006.

The close relationship between the two countries has been cemented in large part by Beijing’s dependence on Sudanese oil to fuel China’s fast growing economy.

China currently owns the majority rights to drill in eight of the nine Sudanese oil blocks believed to hold significant oil reserves. Sudan ships nine of every 10 of its barrels of oil pumped through pipelines built by Chinese companies to terminals constructed with Chinese help, said the report.

Between 1999 and 2005, a period that includes the start and escalation of the Darfur crisis, Sudan’s overall imports of small arms multiplied 680-fold. Observers on the ground in Darfur have reported seeing a range of Chinese weaponry, including assault rifles, heavy machine guns, antiaircraft guns, antitank weapons, and mortar, according to the report.

Ms Apple has put forth a series of recommendations for concrete actions China can take to reverse its deadly course in Sudan and improve its international standing, as the Beijing Summer Olympics rapidly approach.

(EnergyAsia, March 17, Monday) --- US major Chevron Corp said it and its partners will invest about US$3.1 billion to construct the shallow water Platong Gas II natural gas project in the Gulf of Thailand.

Due to start up in the first quarter 2011, Platong Gas II, located 200 km offshore, is designed to add 420 million cubic feet of natural gas per day processing capacity. The project will meet Thailand’s growing demand for gas.

“The Asia-Pacific region is poised to become the world’s most significant oil and gas consumer, with demand forecasted to grow by about 90% by 2030,” said Jim Blackwell, president of Chevron Asia Pacific Exploration and Production Co. “Chevron is well positioned with a robust queue of major projects across the region to help satisfy future demand.

“The Platong Gas II project alone has the potential to satisfy 14% of the natural gas used for power generation in Thailand. Platong Gas II is a milestone that builds on the 45-year relationship between Chevron and Thailand.”

Tara Tiradnakorn, president of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, said:
“Platong Gas II is a world-class natural gas project that will generate new jobs and revenue for the Kingdom, as well as provide a future source of energy for the Thai people and industry for decades to come.”

Chevron recently signed an agreement with the Thai Energy Ministry to increase its daily contract quantity of natural gas by 500 million cubic feet to 1.2 billion by 2012 from company-operated offshore blocks 10, 11, 12 and 13. Platong Gas II is expected to be the major source of this increase in production.

Last October, the company received 10-year lease extensions until 2022 for blocks 10 through 13. Chevron has ownership interests in these blocks ranging from 60% to 80%.

Chevron operates more than 195 platforms in the Gulf of Thailand with 2007 total average daily production of 138,000 barrels of oil and condensate (71,000 net) and 1.7 billion gross cubic feet of gas (916 million net).

(EnergyAsia, March 17, Monday) --- ‘Fundamentals of Energy Futures’, a workshop offered by the Oxford Princeton Programme, will be held in London on April 7 and Singapore on April 14.

This introductory course on energy futures, contracts and markets is a highly interactive workshop which includes a trading simulation and a comprehensive review of the course at the end of the day.

As part of Oxford Princeton’s blended learning package, PrincetonLive.com’s ‘A Guided Tour of Commodity Derivatives’ is recommended as a pre-classroom study. Delegates are advised to take the appropriate online study as close to the classroom date as possible to optimise the classroom experience.

This class is recommended for trade support staff, senior management, professionals who require the basics on futures terminology and trading and, as a refresher course for those who would like to sharpen their skills. This programme will cover the different energy commodities which include oil, gas and electricity.

For more information on this course and other courses offered, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(EnergyAsia, March 17, Monday) --- Petroleum Economists, one of the world’s most recognised energy publishing brands, has released three books: Fundamentals of Carbon Capture & Storage Technology, Fundamentals of the Global LNG Industry 2007 and Fundamentals of the Global Oil and Gas Industry 2007.

This book is an up-to-date assessment of the state of the industry and a valuable resource for government policy makers, lawyers, industry, executives, non-governmental organisations, analysts and bankers.

Fundamentals of the Global LNG Industry 2007
Over the past decade, developments in the LNG business have been impressive. New players have entered the industry and by 2007 there were 13 exporting and 17 importing countries. Liquefaction capacity more than doubled in 2006, from 86 million tonnes a year (t/y) to about 183m t/y. Regasification capacity was also up sharply, from 242m t/y to 373m t/y in 2006.
  
In 2006, the US reopened all of its mothballed LNG import terminals and deliveries to the UK began for the first time since 1990. The LNG tanker fleet is developing quickly, with around 220 ships servicing the industry today, compared with 90 in 1995. The types of company involved have also diversified, with power utilities joining the ranks as markets reshape. With so many changes, it is essential to have the latest information easily to hand.

‘Fundamentals of the Global LNG Industry’ is the pre-eminent guide to LNG. This book contains 35 articles in which leading industry executives examine the industry’s key issues.

Fundamentals of the Global Oil and Gas Industry 2007
Population growth and globalisation have led to a phenomenal rise in the use of energy. Demand for oil and gas continues to grow and must be met through traditional as well as unconventional sources. Experience shows that price volatility and alternating boom and bust cycles are harmful to both the industry and the consumers.

The challenge for the industry in a world in transition is to ensure continuous, affordable and reliable supply, meeting society's expectations in a sustainable, transparent, ethical and environmentally sound manner.

In ‘Fundamentals of the Global Oil and Gas Industry 2007’, journalists from the Petroleum Economist and experienced industry commentators examine the issues that are challenging the industry. The 130-page book covers a range of topics which include environmental responsibility and its challenges, mergers and acquisitions, the role of new graduates in the oil industry and dispute resolution.
 
For more information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .