Libya names 35 to contest gas round

Libya has qualified 35 firms, including Western super majors and Russian giants Gazprom and Lukoil, to compete for operator permits in its gas-focused exploration and production licensing round, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said.

The list, published by NOC on its website, included US-based ExxonMobil and Chevron, Anglo-Dutch group Shell, France’s Total , Norway’s Statoil, Gaz de France, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Gazprom and Lukoil. Algeria's state-owned energy giant Sonatrach also figures among the 35.

A further 21 companies in which Asian companies were heavily represented were qualified to compete as investors, it said. Libya is offering 41 onshore and offshore blocks. The North African country wants to become a major gas producer and aims to increase production to three billion cubic feet per day by 2010, with a potential for 3.8 Bcfd by 2015.

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Marine equipment makes waves at OTE

More than 70 businesses and other exhibitors took part in the three-day Ocean TechExpo, displaying their products and services.

The business-to-business trade show is, in effect, a marketplace at which technology companies and others show their products and services to scientists, engineers and technical directors. The expo is sponsored by Marine Technology Reporter, a magazine published by New Wave Media, a marine publishing company based in New York.

It is the first time the annual show has been held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. The expo was geared to businesses, not consumers, said O’Malley and Rob Howard, the show director. Up to 1,300 people from 25 countries attended the three-day event which concluded yesterday.

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Havila signs 10-year contract

Havila Shipping ASA and Phoenix International have signed a 10-year contract, with the option for additional years, for the newly built SubSea Construction Vessel, ‘Havyard 858.'

The dimensions are length 110-metres, width 23-metres and the vessel can accommodate 140 persons. The vessel is scheduled for delivery from Havyard Leirvik during the northern summer of 2008, and will support oil and gas industry initiatives in the US Gulf of Mexico.

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Shenzhen Chiwan to develop container terminal

Shenzhen Chiwan Wharf Holdings, the port operator of Chiwan Container Terminal in Shenzhen, said it would acquire 75 per cent share in Qingdao Shengtong Coast Real Estate Development Co. for US$70.52 million.

By purchasing a controlling stake in Shengtong, Shenzhen Chiwan acquired the right to develop a new container terminal in Qingdao's Sifang port area as Shengtong owns a large piece of port land with 2,190-metres of waterfront, reported a daily.

After the acquisition, Shenzhen Chiwan will develop six 100,000-tonne container berths with annual capacity of three million TEU. According to the general plan of Qingdao port, Sifang port area is one of the three new port areas in Qingdao and will mainly develop container and bulk cargo terminals.

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SC empowers govt on contaminated ships

The Supreme Court of India has empowered the government to send back any contaminated ship that comes to the country for breaking at Alang or any other ship-breaking yard here.

The Indian ship-breaking industry has an annual turnover of more than Rs 2,000 crore. Reacting sharply to the order, the ship-breaking association in Gujarat has reportedly threatened to approach the state government against the order which the UPA had pursued in the capital. The court has ordered that the government formulate a comprehensive code and immediately incorporate these recommendations until the laws are modified and aligned with the court orders.

The continuation and expansion of Alang and other ship-breaking yards across the country shall be permitted, subject to the compliance to these directions by the ship-breakers. Until further orders, the court has asked the state pollution control boards, customs department, the National Institute of Occupational Health and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board to oversee the entire arrangement at the shipyards.

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