Save: a savior in sight

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BP: a first in Algeria

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BG: unlocking Italy with Tony's help

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BHP Billiton: mad dogs and aluminum

It's been a good week for BHP, which also managed to resolve a long-running pollution dispute and gain approval for another oil joint venture. Last year's merger has left the Anglo-Australian company in a strong position to invest in new markets and distance itself from old mistakes. If it carries on as it has, BHP is set for a strong future.

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Opec: rubbing its hands

The price of Brent crude futures has risen by $7 per barrel on the IPE in London since January, bringing calls for Opec to increase its output and prevent further rises. Those calls have been dismissed as premature, but the oil exporters' determination to control production may yet be tested in the coming months.

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Saudi Aramco: privatization welcome, but it'll be slow

Saudi Arabia has been a hard market for western oil majors to penetrate, making this latest opportunity for greater involvement highly attractive. The pace of change is certain to be slow, and delays inevitable. Even so, this is not likely to deter the oil companies. Many are likely to try and take advantage of this opportunity to build their Saudi presence.

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Global energy: EU gets nothing at summit

Developments at this month's World Summit in South Africa have left the US as the victor. No global targets or timetables were set for renewable energy; the EU and developing countries have been left to set their own. The only concrete targets the US has agreed are for sanitation. Unsurprisingly, environmentalists have been left smarting.

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GECF unlikely to emerge as OPEC equivalent

The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) is a loosely defined group of gas producers seeking to represent and push their mutual interests. While parallels are increasingly being drawn between GECF and OPEC, Datamonitor's Andrew Hill explains that there are several factors mitigating agianst GECF's developement as a cartel akin to its oil producing counterpart...

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Tamoil: selling the family silver

Following confirmation by the Libyan government that 60% of state owned Tamoil is up for sale, the bidding process for the stake has begun in earnest. With refining capacity and significant distribution networks in the Italian and Swiss markets up for grabs, the offer will be attractive to buyers hoping to benefit from the favorable market conditions in the oil sector.

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Liquefied natural gas: cargoes do not necessarily follow price

European utilities and governments are placing more and more emphasis on the movement of liquefied natural gas by tanker to bolster supply security. Sole reliance on regional price dynamics to attract deliveries of this important and flexible source of gas supply is not sufficient and additional strategies may be required.

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