China: oil majors refueling cars and motorists

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Gazprom: casting the net further

The EU wants to restructure the import process for non-community gas, in a way that will cut exporters' margins. Unsurprisingly, this has driven Russia's Gazprom to find other outlets for its gas production, with deals underway in Turkey and China. However, it is also still keeping a strong presence in Europe, taking control of its distribution network.

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BP: targeting 1000 service stations in China

BP is catching up with rival, Shell, in penetrating the Chinese fuel retailing market. With fast growth forecast, the oil majors are all trying to get in on the action. BP hopes to have 1000 sites, putting it ahead of the other international players. Currently BP owns 30 stations and manages a further 100; gaining more than 500 over the next three years seems a real challenge.

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New drinks review: El Paso launches quick fix cocktail mix

A range of novel drinks packagings have been noted by Productscan Online this month, which are designed to improve the taste of the product and its ability to stand out from the crowd. These include Coors' new beer can and Hain's Smoothies with a 4-way turbo straw. Some unusual dairy products have also recently been launched, from milk made from Kamut wheat, to a cucumber-flavored cow's milk.

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Chinese power imports plan will boost Russian energy dominance

As the world's largest gas producer and the source of a third of Europe's gas imports, the dominance of Russia on the global energy stage is undisputed. Plans to construct a number of coal-fired power stations along the Russian/Chinese border will serve to increase this dominance, further boosting the continued rise of the energy superpower.

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China's green drive to be nuclear-powered

The United Nations and China are seeking to establish a carbon trading exchange in Beijing to tap into the lucrative Chinese market for emissions credits. While the new bourse offers further downside to already weak European carbon prices, it is ultimately a sub-plot to China's longer-term drive towards atomic power generation.

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EDF's nuclear internationalization plans likely to succeed

EDF's plans to invest and partner in new build nuclear capacity projects around the world are a judicious move given its status as one of the world's leading nuclear power players. However, the attractions and prospects in its four target markets vary considerably.

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Energy demand in 'BRIC' continues to grow - no end in sight

It has long been acknowledged that the commercial opportunities in the so called 'BRIC' markets - Brazil, Russia, India and China - remain significant for energy players. However, new research highlights the fact that, while these opportunities are substantial, major challenges need to be overcome if these opportunities are to be successfully commercialized.

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Climate change: breakthrough at G8 summit

A collective new announcement by G8 leaders has subtly communicated a significant change in the world's ability to negotiate a post-Kyoto climate change agreement. Not only has the US agreed to participate, but the UN has been chosen as the future setting for discussions. However, this progress may be negated if China refuses to take part.

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Gazprom: sends Ukraine new warning signals over gas price

In a world with growing international competition for supplies, Gazprom is reported to have agreed to gradually increase the price that it pays for Central Asian gas, in order to secure supplies from the region that may otherwise be exported to China and to Europe directly via the Nabucco pipeline. As a result, Ukraine may be forced to increase its import prices or risk supply disruption.

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