When the world’s leading governments committed last fall in Paris to cut greenhouse gas emissions enough to reduce global climate change impacts, one immediate question was where natural gas would fit. That concern has only grown as the administration of US President Barack Obama has tried to move aggressively to curb methane emissions from oil […]

Jack F. Harper, currently executive vice-president of Concho Resources Inc., Midland, Tex., has effective immediately assumed the additional roles of chief financial officer and treasurer with the company. Source: News

Cambodian Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (CPC) has let a contract to China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) subsidiary Northeast Refining & Chemical Engineering Co. to build the first phase of a proposed 5 million-tonne/year refinery in Cambodia’s southwestern province of Preah Sihanouk, along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand.  Source: News

Cairn Energy PLC’s SNE-4 well, drilled 85 km offshore Senegal on the Sangomar Offshore block in 942 m of water, confirms the extension of reservoirs in the eastern extent of SNE field, more than 5 km to the east and down-dip of SNE-3. Source: News

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Faroe Petroleum Norge AS a permit for well 31/7-1 on its jointly owned Brasse prospect in PL740. The area in this licence is part of Blocks 31/7 and 30/9. PL740 was awarded in APA 2013. This is the first well to be drilled in the licence. Source: News

The US Environmental Protection Agency proposed higher renewable fuel quotas for 2017 across the board under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and American Petroleum Institute officials separately said the May 18 announcement demonstrates the need for Congress to repeal or substantially reform the RFS. Source: News

Technip SA and FMC Technologies Inc. have agreed to merge in an all-stock deal, creating a $13-billion combined company to be named TechnipFMC. The deal is expected to close early in 2017. Source: News

US shale operators have accumulated an estimated 3,900 drilled but uncompleted (DUC) horizontal oil wells with more than 90% in major liquids plays, said Rystad Energy’s latest analysis. Source: News

Oil prices fell slightly on the New York market May 18, erasing gains from earlier in the week but managing to stay above $48/bbl. Analysts attributed the oil price drop to a strengthening US dollar. Source: News

Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology offers more hope than generally is believed as a way to allow use of fossil energy while meeting aggressive targets for mitigation of climate change, says a new report. Source: News