Energy Resources

HOUSTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Houston-based Mariner Energy Inc. will acquire StatoilHydro ASA's U.S. Gulf of Mexico shelf operations.

JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Indonesia is working to meet oil production targets in the New Year.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Malaysia's Petronas said it will enter a production-sharing contract for the exploration and production of natural gas in offshore Sabah in east Malaysia.

NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Many people across the United States are pledging to use less energy this New Year's Eve.

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy has filed a plan to reduce mercury emissions at its coal-fired power plant in Becker, Minn.

NEW DELHI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- India's Coal Ministry says it is in the process of allocating 23 blocks to state-run and private companies for captive use.

NEW DELHI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- State-run Indian Oil Corp. and private major Reliance Industries Ltd. have agreed to jointly undertake oil and gas exploration abroad.

World events cause oil prices to spike; Angola will see new oil exploration following Sonangol's acquisitions; Oil prices are not expected to drop in the New Year

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The year 2007 will be seen as a major turning point in the development of Caspian energy, perhaps the most significant 12 months since the 1991 collapse of communism opened up the possibilities of development of one of the world's last great oil frontiers.

JUNEAU, Alaska, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A judge in Alaska ruled against the Point Thomson development plan.

HOUSTON, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- JR Oil & Gas Inc. has found a natural gas well at one of its Texas drilling sites.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke Energy placed an order with Vestas for 91 megawatts of wind-turbine power.

MOSCOW, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Russia's Lukoil and Gazprom Neft have created a joint venture, the two energy giants said in a statement Friday.

WICHITA, Kan., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The Kansas Corporation Commission approved Westar Energy's wind proposal.

MOSCOW, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- After the EU gave its approval for the Russian-Bulgarian agreement on building a nuclear power plant in the small Bulgarian town of Belene on the bank of the Danube, the two countries are in the starting blocks waiting for the main treaty to be signed in late January 2008.