Energy Resources

MIAMI, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Brazilian state energy firm Petrobras is planning to open gas stations in Japan with the intent of distributing its sugar-based ethanol to the energy-hungry nation.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic signed a deal Tuesday with the government of Georgia for the purchase of 22 regional gas distribution companies.

NEW DELHI, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Energy production from the Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corp. is lagging woefully behind the rise in domestic consumption in a growing economy, analysts say.

MADRID, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Spanish pension bank La Caixa withdrew its interest in selling its 12.5-percent share in Spanish oil group Repsol to Russia's LUKoil, corporate filings show.

MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Ukrainian energy minister led a delegation to Moscow to make a final attempt to resolve a row over gas debts with Gazprom before supplies are disrupted.

MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Russian energy giant Gazprom said Tuesday its net sales of oil and gas condensate rose around 80 percent during peak market conditions in the summer.

BERLIN, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Record high oil prices and the lowest in four years, separated by just six months -- volatile oil and gas prices shocked Europe in 2008.

India's ONGC may cut Venezuelan output; Iraq on track to open round two; U.S. updates its oil and gas reporting

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Caspian energy production has been severely affected by slumping prices and the global recession. On July 11 oil reached its historic record high of $147.27 per barrel. In the worst of times a severe global recession has ensued since those heady summer days, and oil prices have slumped 73 percent. The former Soviet Caspian producing states of Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have seen the slowdown deplete their export earnings and foreign reserves, forcing their governments to intervene to attempt to stabilize their economies and lessen the recession's impact.

MOSCOW, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Emerging liquefied natural gas technology and the formation of an international gas cartel may place Moscow at the top of the world energy sector, analysts say.

MOSCOW, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The board of directors at Russian energy giant Gazprom Monday said they would meet European gas demands despite a row with transit country Ukraine.

NEW DELHI, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A deal for the acquisition of British oil exploration firm Imperial Energy by Videsh Ltd. is 90 percent approved by shareholders as a deadline nears.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Crude oil exports from Azerbaijan topped 9 million barrels in November, bringing some $627 million in profits, state reporting agencies said Monday.

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- South Korea is planning to build 31 new nuclear reactors and conventional thermal power plants.

NEW DELHI, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Indian companies KEC International Ltd. and RPG Transmission Ltd. will build power lines in Tajikistan.