Perak cancels rare earth MoU

File photo of a skip loader at work at the site of a rare earth metal mine in Nancheng county, China

Bowing to public pressure, the Perak government has rescinded its Memorandum of Understanding with Hong Kong’s CVM Minerals Limited with immediate effect.
The Perak State Development Corporation (PSDC), the state’s investment arm, made the announcement in a short email statement to the media tonight.

“On the MoU between PSDC and CVM Minerals Ltd for the proposed rare earth project, it is to be informed that both parties have cancelled and ended the MoU with immediate effect as the state government has decided not to issue any permit, licence or land approval for any rare earth project in Perak,” PSDC chief executive officer Datuk Samsudin Hashim said in the statement.

The decision comes amid cries of outrage from opposition lawmakers over the state’s plan for such a project, even as controversy continues to rage over a similar effort in Gebeng, Kuantan.

Perak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers threatened this morning to hold a street protest against the proposed project if the state refused to rescind the agreement.

The leaders said they would mobilise the town folk of Bukit Merah and Perak citizens in a massive protest to demand a stop to the project.

It was reported on Wednesday that the Perak government had entered into an agreement with CVM Minerals allowing it to explore and mine for rare earth in Bukit Merah.

In a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on April 18, CVM Minerals announced it had entered into the MoU with the PSDC to carry out the project in Bukit Merah.

According to state PR representatives, the announcement had triggered shock among Bukit Merah folk, many of whom are still sore over the deaths that followed the country’s first rare earth plant.

Bukit Merah was the site of Malaysia’s last rare earth plant 20 years ago, which is still undergoing a massive RM300 million clean-up. The Japanese-owned Mitsubishi Chemical’s Asian Rare Earth (ARE) plant has been linked to eight cases of leukaemia, seven resulting in death.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider shortly after the news hit the headlines, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir denied any knowledge of such an MoU and expressed disapproval that his consent had not been sought.

He also said that any rare earth project in the state would be subject to the same standards required by the federal government that recently put Gebeng’s Lynas Corp plant on ice after public outcry over potential radiation pollution.

The PSDC immediately clarified yesterday that its MoU with CVM Minerals was merely to allow the firm to conduct feasibility studies on the viability of mining for rare earths in the area.

Samsudin said in a statement that the MoU had a six-month deadline and would be automatically cancelled should the company’s intention fail to receive approval from any local authority or if the project is not viable.

He also admitted that the matter was still being studied and the state government had not issued any approval for the project.

“As such, the issue of environmental pollution does not arise at this point. Both parties are aware of this and will prevent any involvement of such pollution arising from activities that could cause these effects,” he said.

Samsudin had also pledged that the PSDC would seek input from all quarters over development plans for the state’s minerals industry, particularly covering the aspect of environmental concerns, the potential of the minerals mined and changes in technology.

“At this stage, PSDC is not bound by any financial or environmental risks seeing as we are only at the stage where the project is being studied,” he said.

China to Restrict Rare Earths, Metals Projects

China has listed all new rare earths, minor metal and some base metal smelting projects as restricted, reiterating its plan to curb capacity and protect the environment.

Expansion of existing smelting and exploration operations has also been restricted, and include molybdenum, antimony and tin, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement today, without elaborating. Aluminum smelting was listed as restricted as well as processors of less than 100,000 metric tons per year of crude copper and zinc.

China has been curbing domestic output growth and exports of rare earths and minor metals to conserve resources and protect the environment, tightening global supplies. The government said this month it will immediately suspend approval of new aluminum projects as the world’s biggest producer and consumer of the metal faces overcapacity.

The government last month extended a ban on exploring for rare earths, tungsten and antimony and opening new mines, while raising production limits for existing projects. Rare earths -- 17 chemically similar metals -- are used in hybrid cars and wind turbines, and tungsten is used to toughen steel for machine tools and antimony is used in batteries.

There are 23 aluminum projects with a total capacity of 7.74 million tons being planned now, and if they are all built and put into use, capacity will be more than 30 million tons by the end of 2015, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said April 20. This would be a “huge waste” of resources and capital, it said

Lynas: Penduduk mahu suara dalam panel bebas

Penduduk sekitar Kuantan yang membantah pembinaan loji pemprosesan nadir bumi mahu wakil mereka dalam panel bebas yang dibentuk kerajaan bagi mengkaji projek kontroversial bernilai RM700 juta itu.

Minggu lalu, Putrajaya mengumumkan satu panel bebas akan ditubuhkan bagi menjalankan kajian terhadap aspek kesihatan dan keselamatan loji itu ekoran kebimbangan ia akan mencetuskan ancaman radioaktif.

Bagaimanapun kumpulan yang dinamakan “Selamatkan Malaysia, Hentikan Lynas” memberitahu The Malaysian Insider bahawa orang ramai tidak dapat diyakinkan jika panel bertindak sebagai seolah-olah urusan tertutup tanpa membabitkan suara penduduk.

Pengerusinya Vincent Jiam juga menggesa Lynas Corporation agar menghentikan kerja-kerja di loji tersebut memandangkan publik berpandangan bahawa operasinya akan diteruskan memandangkan apa yang hendak dilakukan oleh kerajaan tidak lebih daripada kerja perhubungan awam.

“Ia seolah-olah mereka sudah tahu keputusannya. Apa yang masyarakat katakan selama ini tidak diambil kira dan akhirnya masih berpegang kepada keputusan yang sama.

“Publik hanya akan mempercayai proses kajian ini sekiranya mereka menjadi sebahagian daripada panel,” katanya.

Ahli Parlimen Kuantan Fuziah Salleh juga berkata beliau telah meminta agar diadakan perbincangan dengan Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri mengenai pembenukan panel bebas itu.

“Saya telah hantar surat kepada menteri pada hari Isnin (kelmarin). Saya masih menunggu pengesahan lantikan dan saya bersedia bila-bila masa minggu ini,” kata Naib Presiden PKR itu.

Minggu lalu Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed berkata, panel itu akan dilantik “dalam beberapa hari” untuk mengkaji loji pemprosesan nadir bumi yang dilakukan oleh syarikat Australia itu di Gebeng dekat Kuantan.

Beliau menegaskan tiada lesen praoperasi akan dikeluarkan kepada Lynas dan tiada bahan mentah akan diimport ke Malaysia dari Australia sehingga Putrajaya dan kerajaan negeri Pahang memutuskan hasil kajian itu.

Bagaimanapun Lynas, memutuskan untuk meneruskan pembinaan loji pemprosesan itu sambil menyambut baik penubuhan panel bebas itu.

Lynas menjangkakan akan menerima lesen praoperasi daripada Lembaga Pelesenan Tenaga Atom (AELB) September ini, yang mana ia akan diperbaharui dalam tempoh tiga tahun.

“Selamatkan Malaysia, Hentikan Lynas” juga mahu wakil mereka dilantik dalam panel bebas itu sebagai pemerhati kajian tersebut.

“Kami mahu pakar kami bagi memastikan keseluruhan kajian itu dilakukan dengan telus,” kata Jiam.

AELB berkata panel itu terdiri daripada lima hingga tujuh orang pakar.

“Mereka diiktiraf Agensi Tenaga Atom Antarabangsa (IAEA),” kata Ketua Pengarah Raja Datuk Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan, merujuk badan antarabangsa itu dengan Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu dalam hal-hal radioaktif.

Pencinta alam sekitar dan penduduk Kuantan mempersoalkan kesan sisa radioaktif yang dihasilkan dan pembinaan loji itu, bimbang akan mengulangi kejadian sama di Bukit Merah, Ipoh yang telah mencatatkan lapan kes leukaemia dengan tujuh kematian.

Selepas mendapat tentangan yang hebat ekoran kadar radiasi pada 1992, loji pemprosesan dibersihkan dengan kos melebihi RM300 juta.

Tekanan itu juga menyebabkan pemimpin MCA Pahang mahu satu kajian dilakukan sebelum loji itu mula beroperasi pada September.

Lynas menjangkakan ia akan mendapat keuntungan sehingga RM8 bilion bermula 2013 dari hasli nadir bumi yang boleh digunakan untuk mengeluarkan produk berteknologi tinggi seperti telefon pintar, kereta hibrid dan bahan letupan.

Kencana wins RM208m Kebabangan contract

Kencana Petroleum Bhd has secured a RM208 million contract for the fabrication of a substructure for the Kebabangan northern hub development project off the coast of Sabah.

In an announcement to Bursa Malaysia yesterday, the country’s most profitable offshore fabricator said its unit Kencana HL Sdn Bhd had been awarded the project by Kebabangan Petroleum Operating Company (KPOC).

Petronas Carigali has a 40% stake in KPOC, while Shell Energy Asia Ltd has 30% and ConocoPhillips Sabah Gas Ltd has 30%.

“Under the contract, KHL is to undertake the construction engineering, procurement, fabrication, inspection, testing and commissioning, loadout and seafastening (EPC),” it said.

Year-to-date, Kencana has secured contracts of about RM539 million. Earlier this year, it had secured two contracts from UK-based Petrofac (M) Ltd, valued at RM115 million and RM216 million.

It had also secured a Petroliam Nasional Bhd contract worth an estimated US$800 million (RM2.39 billion) with SapuraCrest Petroleum Bhd and Petrofac in January this year. Kencana Energy has a 25% stake in the joint-operating agreement.

With regard to this latest contract win, Kencana said it was a one-off contract and was expected to be delivered to KPOC within 3Q12.

It added that the contract would start contributing positively to its bottom line from this fiscal year.

Kencana’s shares gained one sen to RM2.68 yesterday with 2.74 million shares traded.

On Monday, Sime Darby Bhd announced that its unit Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd was awarded a RM1.15 billion contract to fabricate KBB topsides for the Kebabangan northern hub development project by KPOC. - Edge

World Remembers Chernobyl Blast

Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko lays flowers at a memorial monument of Chernobyl victims, as the world marks 20 years since the worst civil nuclear disaster in the history of mankind.

Ukraine commemorated Wednesday the twentieth anniversary since Chernobyl's explosion, the world's worst nuclear disaster.

The blast was marked by tolling bells and a minute's silence at 0123 local time when the alarm was set off. The April 26, 1986, explosion at Chernobyl's reactor No 4 spewed radiation across much of northern Europe over a 10-day period.

President Viktor Yushchenko visited the site and met some of the people who worked at the plant and those who risked their lives in the accident.

The accident happened at one of four reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 110km north of the capital, Kiev.

It is still unclear how Bulgaria was affected by the fallout as right after the Chernobyl explosion Bulgarian authorities followed Soviet orders and refused to admit anything out of the ordinary had occurred.

Official UN figures predicted up to 9,000 Chernobyl-related cancer deaths. But a Greenpeace report released last week estimated a figure of 93,000. Greenpeace said other illnesses could bring the toll up to 200,000.

Petronas says Malacca refinery shutdown due to power outage

State oil firm Petronas said that its refinery complex in the central state of Malacca had to shut down due to a power outage from the main power grid.

“On 26 April, Petronas Malacca Refinery Complex at Sungai Udang, Malacca experienced a shutdown causing interruption to its operation,” Petronas said in a statement.

Petronas said the refinery complex was now in the process of resuming its operations.

The Malacca complex houses two refining trains. The first train has a processing capacity of 100,000 barrels per day of sweet crude and condensates.

The second train, a joint venture between Petronas and Conoco-Phillips has a rated capacity of 100,000 barrels per day of sweet and sour crudes. — Reuters

Lynas: Peguam Pahang gesa Putrajaya lanjut tempoh kajian 12 bulan

Badan mewakili peguam-peguam Pahang menggesa kerajaan melanjutkan tempoh sebulan untuk kajian ke atas loji pemprosesan nadir bumi Lynas Corporation sehingga setahun bagi mengadakan pemeriksaan terperinci berhubung keselamatan dan kesihatan awam akibat kesan radioaktif.

Pengerusi Peguam Pahang, Hon Kai Ping mengakui gesaan badan itu kemungkinan menjejaskan imej Malaysia sebagai destinasi pelaburan tetapi menekankan, Putrajaya tidak seharusnya tergesa-gesa dalam membuat keputusan mengenai isu keselamatan dan kesihatan rakyat.

“Peguam Pahang berpandangan penelitian yang berhati-hati dan mendalam berhubung operasi nadir bumi sangat diperlukan dan keputusan tidak seharusnya diambil secara tergesa-gesa jika kerajaan serius berhubung kesihatan dan kebajikan rakyat Malaysia,” kata Hon.

Kelmarin, Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed berkata, satu panel bebas akan ditubuhkan secepat yang mungkin bagi menjalankan kajian terhadap aspek kesihatan dan keselamatan loji itu bagi menolak kebimbangan bahawa ia menimbulkan ancaman radioaktif.

Kajian itu dijangka siap dalam tempoh sebulan.

Lima hingga tujuh pakar antarabangsa (IP) yang diperakui dalam bidang radiasi akan dilantik menganggotai panel itu, yang ditubuhkan susulan maklum balas daripada orang ramai, katanya.

Mustapa berkata sehingga kajian itu selesai, dan sementara menunggu keputusan kerajaan, tiada lesen praoperasi akan dikeluarkan kepada Lynas oleh Lembaga Pelesenan Tenaga Atom (AELB).

Syarikat itu juga tidak dibenarkan untuk mengimport bahan mentah dari Australia sementara kerajaan membuat keputusan terhadap hasil kajian itu.

Kerajaan Persekutuan dan kerajaan negeri akan membuat keputusan mengenai projek itu, katanya dan menambah, semakan semula akan dilakukan bagi memastikan pembinaan kemudahan itu mematuhi sepenuhnya standard keselamatan antarabangsa.

Mustapa berkata kesihatan dan keselamatan oramg ramai dan alam sekitar terus diutamakan oleh kerajaan.

Hon berkata, Peguam Pahang tiada terma rujukan mengenai panel yang dimaksudkan tetapi laporan media menunjukkan ia akan memfokus ke atas loji pemprosesan kendalian Lynas Corporation di Gebeng.

“Jika itulah kesnya, maka menteri sudah pasti tidak diberi taklimat mengenai program jelajah yang dianjurkan oleh SEDC Negeri di mana palar-pakar tempatan mengatakan kadar radioaktif torium pada bijih yang akan diimport adalah 0.16 peratus berbanding enam hingga lapan peratus yang ditunjukkan oleh beberapa laporan bebas kerajaan asing dan ini menjadi salah satu perkara utama penduduk Kuantan timbulkan ketika dialog awam (baru-baru ini).

“Jika terma rujukan IP hanya dihadkan kepada soal penelitian loji pemprosesan, adalah jelas aspek utama yang menjadi kebimbangan penduduk Kuantan tidak akan ditangani dan penemuan IP tidak akan mencapai tujuan,” katanya lagi.

Sehubungan itu kata beliau, Peguam Pahang mahukan terma rujuan IP diperluaskan merangkumi aspek kadar torium bijih yang akan diimport, impak ke atas persekitaran dan industri pelancongan, jumlah kajian asas yang dikendalikan dan rumusan masing-masing, syarat-syarat ditetapkan oleh AELB, bukti proses seiringan bagi memastikan simpanan di Gebeng hanya bersifat sementara.

Badan itu juga meminta kesemua dokumen, kerajaan dan yang dikemukakan oleh Lynas ditunjukkan kepada orang awam dan pakar-pakar bebas yang dilantik oleh wakil penduduk Kuantan dan kumpulan lain panel berkenaan.

Oleh itu kata beliau, bagi membolehkan aspek-aspek berkenaan dikaji tempoh yang diperlukan ialah satu tahun.

Tambah beliau, cadangan Peguam Pahang itu kemungkinan akan menjejaskan pelancaran operasi loji Lynas dan kemungkinan menjejaskan imej negara tetapi apa yang penting ialah keselamatan rakyat adalah “sangat penting.”

Dalam kenyataannya semalam, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak memberi jaminan kerajaan tidak akan berkompromi dengan projek-projek yang boleh menjejaskan keselamatan rakyat.

Najib berkata satu panel bebas yang akan dianggotai pakar akan membuat kajian berhubung soal keselamatan dan kesan kilang berkenaan.

“Kita telah putuskan, pertamanya kita tak akan kompromi dari segi keselamatan dan kesejahteraan rakyat, keselamatan dan kesihatan rakyat kita letak sebagai keutamaan yang tertinggi, bukan faktor kita hendakkan projek itu, tidak...,” katanya. - TMI

Petronas says gets rights to Malaysia-Thailand gas fields

Petronas said it has signed a deal that gives the state oil firm rights to a gas field under the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Authority that will help boost Malaysian supplies.

Petronas said it signed a unitisation agreement with the authority for the Bumi field in Block PM 301 and the Bumi South field in Block A-18 that firms up an earlier agreement inked in 2008.

“The unitisation agreement gives Petronas rights to the reserves in the unitised area, which has an estimated ultimate recovery of 1.252 trillion standard cubic feet of gas,” Petronas said in a statement.

“The agreement augurs well with Petronas efforts towards ensuring...the security of national gas production and supply,” the firm added.

The Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area covers 7,250 square kilometres in Gulf of Thailand. It was created to help both countries exploit and share the oil and gas resources in the area that they have expressed a claim over.

Petronas has said it could spend up to RM275 billion over the next five years as it seeks to boost its stable of high-yielding oil assets and secure profit growth.

SAM gesa kerajaan batalkan kilang Lynas

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) gusar bahawa kajian akan datang mengenai loji Lynas adalah dalih untuk cuba mengalih perhatian orang ramai.

“Kenapa tidak batalkan sahaja projek ini sekarang? Kenapa kita memerlukan operasi yang tidak selamat kepada alam sekitar dan kesihatan manusia?” soal presidennya, SM Mohamed Idris.

Beliau turut mempersoalkan apakah pelaburan asing wajar diutamakan berbanding kesihatan dan penerimaan awam. Seharusnya, kata beliau keselamatan dan kesihatan orang ramai dan alam sekitar yang diutamakan mengatasi keuntungan komersial.

Beliau merujuk kepada kenyataan oleh Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed bahawa satu panel bebas akan ditubuhkan segera untuk menjalankan kajian ke atas aspek keselamatan dan kesihatan loji lantanida (nadir bumi) yang dicadangkan Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd di Gebeng berhampiran Kuantan, Pahang.

Berikutan itu, Lynas telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa syarikat itu yakin bahawa penelitian selama satu bulan terhadap cadangan lojinya di Gebeng akan mengesahkan bahawa ia selamat dan tidak akan membahayakan komuniti atau pekerja Lynas.

Mohamed Idris menambah, orang ramai dan komuniti di Kuantan dan Gebeng mempunyai hak untuk mengetahui siapakah pakar yang akan menjalankan kajian tersebut.

“Kita perlu memastikan objektiviti dan kecekapan pakar berhubung radiasi paras rendah dan kesannya,” ujarnya.

Menurutnya, penemuan kajian itu juga seharusnya diumumkan kepada orang ramai supaya ia boleh disahkan dan terbuka kepada ulasan awam.

Tambahnya, pengalaman SAM dalam mengendalikan isu kilang nadir bumi di Bukit Merah, Perak yang berkontroversi menunjukkan pakar yang dilantik oleh kerajaan dan syarikat menyatakan bahawa semua langkah keselamatan telah diambil.

Bagaimanapun, katanya pakar yang dilantik oleh komuniti mendapati ia tidak selamat dan merekodkan bacaan radiasi yang tinggi.

Di Malaysia, jelasnya Akta Pelesenan Tenaga Atom 1984 Perlindungan Radiasi (Peraturan Standard Keselamatan Asas) 1988 menetapkan had dos tahunan bagi pendedahan kepada radiasi adalah 1 milliSievert (mSv) untuk orang ramai dan 50 mSv bagi pekerja.

Beliau menjelaskan, ia mestilah ditekankan bahawa had yang dibenarkan ini seharusnya tidak digunakan untuk maksud “had selamat”.

Menurutnya, orang ramai sudahpun terdedah kepada radiasi ion dan radiasi semulajadi dan tidak memerlukan dos radiasi tambahan.

Tegasnya, perlu diingatkan bahawa tidak terdapat paras “selamat” untuk radiasi memandangkan kesannya kepada kesihatan, di mana sahaja terdapat dos radiasi maka terdapat risiko biologi.

“Kerajaan cuai dalam menangani isu radiasi di Bukit Merah. Lebih malang lagi komuniti masih menderita kematian dan kesakitan akibat sikap kerajaan yang tidak peduli dan korporat yang bersikap tidak acuh.

“Kami tidak mahu apa yang terjadi di Bukit Merah berulang kembali,” ujarnya.

Sehubungan itu, tegasnya SAM menggesa kerajaan supaya membatalkan kilang Lynas di Gebeng.

Sime Darby bags RM1.15 Billion Kebabangan fabrication job

* says unit Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd has won a 1.15 billion ringgit ($384.3 million)contract to contruct topside facilities for the Kebabangan Northern Hub Development project off the coast of Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah.

* The project is managed by Kebabangan Petroleum Operating Company, a joint venture between Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas , ConocoPhillips's local unit and a subsidiary of Shell (RDSa.L).

* The project is a platform from which natural gas from the surrounding fields will be channeled via pipelines to the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal.

* The gas fields in the Kebabangan Cluster, include Kebabangan, Kamunsu East, Kamunsu East Upthrown and Kamunsu East Upthrown Canyon, which are about 130 kilometres off Sabah's coast.

* Sime's contract with the Petronas joint venture firm will run for 29 months effective from April 22 this year - Reuters

Weststar, MHS Aviation Raih kontrak RM7.2 bilion sedia khidmat 14 helikopterluar pesisir kepada firma minyak dan gas

DARI kiri Ma'som, Keith Collins, Syed Azman, Noor

Ashikin, Johari dan Rahim pada majlis
menandatangani kontrak perkhidmatan helikopter
luar pesisir kepada lima firma minyak dan gas.

Weststar, MHS Aviation sedia khidmat 14 helikopter

DUA syarikat pengangkutan udara tempatan, Weststar Aviation Services Sdn Bhd serta MHS Aviation Bhd meraih kontrak berjumlah RM7.2 bilion bagi menyediakan perkhidmatan 14 helikopter luar pesisir kepada lima firma minyak dan gas.

Di bawah kontrak perkongsian pengeluaran itu, Weststar Aviation iaitu anak syarikat Kumpulan Weststar akan menyediakan sembilan helikopter dalam satu urus niaga bernilai RM4.2 bilion kepada Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB), ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc, Newfield (Malaysia) Inc, Petrofac (Malaysia-PM304) Ltd dan Talisman (Malaysia) Ltd.

MHS Aviation, iaitu sebuah anak syarikat Boustead Holdings Bhd pula meraih kontrak bernilai RM3 bilion bagi menyediakan lima helikopter kepada Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc dan Newfield Peninsular Malaysia Inc.

Kontrak yang diperoleh kedua-dua syarikat bagi tempoh 10 tahun itu adalah untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan pengangkutan bagi kerja pemasangan serta penggerudian luar pesisir lima firma minyak dan gas berkenaan di Kerteh, Terengganu.

Kontrak yang diperoleh menerusi proses tender terbuka itu mengukuhkan kedudukan kedua-dua syarikat berkenaan sebagai penyedia perkhidmatan pengangkutan udara di Malaysia.

Majlis memeterai perjanjian kontrak itu diadakan di Kuala Lumpur, semalam. Pada majlis itu, Weststar Aviation diwakili Pengarah Urusan Kumpulannya, Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim manakala MHS Aviation diwakili Ketua Eksekutifnya, Ir Ma’som Mahadi.

Naib Presiden Pengeluaran Malaysia PCSB, Johari Dasri; Pengurus Pemerolehan Kawasan ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia, Noor Ashikin Mohd Jidan; Pengurus Besar Petrofac, Keith Collins dan Penasihat Kanan Pengurusan Rantaian Bekalan Talisman, Rahim Ismail mewakili syarikat masing-masing.

Pemeteraian perjanjian dengan Newfield pula akan dibuat berasingan.

Mengulas mengenai kontrak itu, Syed Azman berkata ia merintis jalan kepada syarikatnya untuk mengukuhkan perniagaan dalam sektor minyak dan gas, terutama pada peringkat rantau Asia Tenggara.

“Kami juga sudah menerima jemputan untuk membida kontrak bagi perkhidmatan serupa di Thailand dan Myanmar. Keputusannya dijangka diketahui sebelum akhir tahun ini,” katanya pada sidang media selepas majlis itu.

Beliau berkata, bagi tujuan itu, syarikatnya merancang menambah empat helikopter AgustaWestland AW139 lagi tahun ini bagi menyokong 19 helikopter sedia ada.

Sementara itu, Ir Ma’som berkata, MHS Aviation akan menggunakan pengalaman selama 28 tahun dalam industri pengangkutan udara untuk memberikan mutu perkhidmatan terbaik.

Vedanta snaps up 11 pct of Cairn India from Petronas

(Reuters) - India-focused miner Vedanta Plc (VED.L) bought an 11 percent stake worth about $1.5 billion in Cairn India (CAIL.NS), a source said, easing the pressure on its open offer for the energy firm and bringing it closer to a majority stake in the unit.

Vedanta's $9.6 billion deal to buy a majority stake from Cairn Energy (CNE.L) in India's No. 4 oil and gas firm is yet to receive the Indian government's approval, eight months after its announcement, due to a dispute in royalty payments.

The acquisition was part of London-based mining magnate Anil Agarwal's plans to grab a slice of India's oil reserves and get exposure to surging demand. Vedanta will join BHP Billiton (BLT.L) as the only miner with large oil interests.

Vedanta bought the 11 percent stake in Cairn India from Malaysia's national oil corporation Petronas PETR.UL, which also sold its remaining nearly 4 percent stake to some foreign portfolio investors, the source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Analysts said Vedanta's share purchase in Cairn India, done through block deals, will help it gain a majority stake in the company even if an open offer to buy additional shares in Cairn India from minority shareholders does not see a big response.

"This is a strategic move by Vedanta and it makes the open offer inconsequential," said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, head of research at brokerage SMC Global Securities.

"Vedanta will now be able to get a comfortable controlling stake in Cairn India even if the open offer response is very poor," he said. "But all this is subjective to the government clearing the deal and that is an unknown factor."

Cairn India shares rose as much as 3 percent after the block deal on Tuesday to touch 346.15 rupees, slightly below the 355 rupees that Vedanta's India unit Sesa Goa (SESA.NS) is offering to Cairn India minority shareholders.

Cairn Energy shares gained 1.4 percent in early trade, while the FTSE index .FTSE up 0.6 percent.

Spokesmen for Cairn India and Vedanta in India did not respond to calls by Reuters seeking comment on the block deal.

Vedanta had said Cairn India had the potential to almost double current production to about 240,000 barrels of oil per day -- around a quarter of India's output -- allowing it to benefit from rising demand amid industrialization, economic growth, and an expanding population.

The offer by Sesa Goa to buy up to a 20 percent stake in Cairn India was launched on April 11 and closes on April 30.

Thunuguntla said many investors would not tender their shares because the gap between the open offer price and the market price had narrowed significantly.

Vedanta bought the 11 percent stake at 331 rupees ($7.40) a share, the source said, reflecting a discount of 1.6 percent to Cairn India's closing price on Monday.

Cairn India saw 283 million shares, or 14.9 percent of the share capital, changing hands in block share market deals on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

MHB unit eyes Sime Darby oil and gas assets

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Bhd (MHB) is believed to be looking at taking over some or all of the oil and gas assets of conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd.

The report said MHB, the heavy engineering unit of Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas , has been evaluating the assets for the past several months but that the plan was still in the preliminary stage.

Among the oil and gas (O&G) assets owned by Sime Darby are two fabrication yards located in Pasir Gudang and Teluk Ramunia in the country's southern Johor state bordering Singapore.

"MHB has been asked by its parent, Petronas, to increase its asset base, as more O&G jobs are being rolled out," the report quoted an unnamed source as saying.

At least two other oil and gas firms are also eyeing the assets, the source added.

The report said MMHE's management denied having entered into any discussions with Sime Darby for the purchase of its oil and gas assets. - Reuters

BP sues Transocean over Deepwater disaster

British energy group BP said Thursday it was suing Deepwater Horizon oil rig owner Transocean and parts manufacturer Cameron International over last year's Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The maligned oil giant confirmed it was to sue the firms for $40 billion (27.4 billion euros) in damages at federal court in New Orleans over their alleged role in the fatal explosion.

BP claimed in a statement that Swiss-based company Transocean "missed critical signs that hydrocarbons were flowing up the riser and failed to take appropriate actions".
"As the owner and operator of the Deepwater Horizon rig, Transocean is a 'responsible party' under the Oil Pollution Act and should therefore contribute to addressing economic and environmental damage sustained in the Gulf Coast," it added.

The British group said in a separate statement they were also suing US firm Cameron International, the makers of a blowout preventer (BOP) which BP believes failed in the lead up to last year's spill.


According to a BP statement, one of the BOP's "blind shear rams", which was meant to cut the faulty drill pipe and seal the well, failed to close fully due to a piece of trapped drill pipe, precipitating the April 20 disaster.

"The Presidential Commission and BP's internal investigation found that the Deepwater Horizon accident was the result of multiple causes involving multiple parties including the BOP's failure," the statement said.

Cameron has filed counter-claims and maintains its equipment was not to blame.
The blast killed 11 people and sent some 4.9 million barrels of oil gushing into the Gulf over a three-month period, wreaking havoc on the region's environment and economy.

BP vowed to make the people affected by the Gulf oil spill "whole" and created a 20-billion-dollar trust fund, its quasi-independent claims facility has paid 3.9 billion dollars to 177,000 claimants.

Lynas : Kerajaan lambat, kilang sudah hampir siap dibina, barulah kajian hendak dijalankan

Sepatutnya kajian dijalankan lebih awal di kilang Lynas di China dan mengapa penduduk Australia sendiri menolak kilang pemprosesan tersebut dibina di negara asal Nadir-Bumi itu.

Kita juga bimbang, jikalau kajian itu mendapati Lynas tidak selamat, maka berapa juta wang rakyat akan dibazirkan untuk membayar ganti rugi kepada Lynas

Tiada lesen hingga panel antarabangsa kaji Lynas

Sebuah panel antarabangsa yang terdiri daripada “pakar luar negara” akan ditubuhkan bagi menjalankan kajian menyeluruh berhubung keselamatan pusat pemprosesan nadir bumi Lynas Advanced Material Plant di Gebeng, Pahang.

Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (dua dari kiri) berkata panel itu akan dibentuk “sesecepat mungkin” dan dijangka membentangkan laporannya kira-kira sebulan dari tarikh penubuhannya.

Sehingga panel berkenaan membentangkan laporannya, Mustapa berkata kerajaan tidak akan mengeluarkan apa-apa lesen pra-operasi kepada Lynas.

Lynas juga, katanya tidak akan dibenarkan mengimport sebarang bahan mentah nadir bumi sepanjang tempoh berkenaan. Selain itu, Mustapa berkata kerajaan juga akan mengkaji semula operasi pusat itu, termasuk pembinaan pusat tersebut yang sedang dibina.

Mustapa, bagaimanapun tidak dapat memberi petunjuk siapa yang akan diundang menganggotai panel berkenaan mahupun menjelaskan pihak yang akan menanggung kos perbelanjaan pembentukan panel tersebut meskipun diasak oleh wartawan.

“Apa yang penting, mereka ini pakar dan berkecuali dan dari luar negara. Ini tiga elemen utama,” katanya pada sidang media di sebuah hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Bulan lalu, Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili memberi jaminan bahawa pembinaan loji pemprosesan logam radioaktif nadir bumi di Gebeng, yang bernilai hampir RM700 juta, adalah selamat dan tidak membahayakan kesihatan awam.

Dakwanya sisa-sia yang akan dikeluarkan atau terhasil daripada pengilangan bahan mentah itu mengandungi tahap bahan radioaktif yang rendah.

Namun projek kontroversial itu terus mendapat bantahan daripda pelbagai pihak termasuk penduduk sekitar Kuantan, aktivitis, NGO, Save Malaysia dan juga parti-parti politik Pakatan Rakyat.

PNG LNG Project, Papua New Guinea

Key Data:

Plant location

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Products

LNG, LPG and condensate

Plant start-up

2013-14

Production

Two trains with a combined capacity of 6.6 million tonnes per year

Estimated project cost

$15bn

Key Players:

Operator

Esso Highland

Partners

ExxonMobil 41.6%, Oil Search (Australian oil and gas producer) (34.1%), Santos (17.7%), AGL (3.6%) Nippon Oil (1.8%) and Mineral Resource Development Corporation / State (1.2%)

Financial

Merrill Lynch Global Commodities (Europe), Pacific LNG

Contractor

InterOil, ACIL Tasman, Bechtel, ConocoPhilips

The Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (PNG LNG) project is a new gas project being championed by ExxonMobil to maximise the advantage from three large gas discoveries in the southern and western highlands of PNG.

The new gas discoveries are the Hides, Angore and Juha gas fields, which are likely to have reserves approaching three to four trillion cubic feet. The three fields will supply gas for the Asian market via a pipeline to a two-train LNG facility to be constructed at Napa Napa near Port Moresby.

The project will be underpinned by Interoil's Elk / Antelope field infrastructure (not yet fully proven). The facility will be supplied using a 36in (910mm) natural gas pipeline.

It is believed that there could be a further two trillion cubic feet of gas or 400 million barrels of oil equivalent waiting to be discovered in PNG and this could require a phase II development of a third LNG train in the future.

LNG cargoes are due to start in 2013-14. The PNG LNG project will have a lifespan of about 30 years (until 2043).

In October 2009, the environmental impact assessment report on the LNG project submitted by ExxonMobil was approved by the PNG government. The approval has paved way for the clearance of final environmental management plan required to go ahead with the construction.

Esso Highlands, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, has already awarded a contract to build a liquefaction plant to engineering and construction company Clough Curtain JV in June 2009.

PNG LNG project

The project will be based around a two-train LNG liquefaction facility based near Port Moresby and capable of handling 6.6 million tonnes of LNG a year.

ACIL Tasman has been contracted to prepare reports on the environmental impact and also the economic impact of the project for PNG.

InterOil completed the pre-front-end engineering and design (FEED) preliminary engineering and evaluation design work for the project in April 2007. The dual-train facility will be constructed adjacent to the InterOil refinery at Port Moresby in the Gulf of Papua to share infrastructure. The FEED work for the project was awarded to Bechtel in March 2008 with an option to continue the project into the EPC phase.

The plant will use ConocoPhillips technology (used by over 50% of LNG plants worldwide). Their proprietary natural gas liquefaction technology, which is based on the optimised cascade (SM) process, will be central to the two trains. FEED was started in early 2009 (establishing environmental considerations to meet the equator principles, equipment required, cost estimates and preliminary long-lead time equipment enquiries).

The LNG facility will have a 2.3km trestle for loading tankers, two 125,000m³ LNG storage tank, LPG recovery systems and two 50,000-barrel condensate storage tanks.

It will be supplied by a 716km gas pipeline, 417km of which will be subsea and 36in (Kopi on the coast is 450km from Port Moresby), while the onshore 265km section will be 32in.

The pipeline will link to the Hides gas conditioning plant (906 million cubic feet a day) and the Juha production facility (250 million cubic feet a day).

Between the Juha and Hides facility there will be a 14in gas pipeline and an 8in liquids pipeline for condensate.

The condensate will be handled at the existing Kutubu and Agogo processing plant and exported from the existing Kumul platform on the coast (the gas produced as a byproduct from these facilities will be returned to the LNG pipeline).

The LNG project will be led by Liquid Niugini Gas who are a group of experts assembled by project partners InterOil, Merrill Lynch Global Commodities (Europe) and Pacific LNG.

The project partners signed an agreement, in November 2009, for the supply of 2 million tonnes of LNG annually to Unipec Asia Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Sinopec Corp.

Finance and shareholdings

The project was initially estimated to require around $9.5bn in investment over the 30-year lifetime of the project. The project cost will be reassessed and declared in late 2009. The development of the Hides, Juha and Angore gas fields, together with a pipeline to the coast, may cost US$5bn, while the LNG plant could cost $4.5bn.

The financial closure for the project is expected in 2010 and the sovereign funds have not been affected by the US subprime financial crisis. The initial phase of the project was expected to involve an investment of $100m.

In October 2009, the project cost for phase one of construction of facilities was announced to be around $15bn. The cost escalation occurred due to increased provision for contingency and $600m as pre-start-up capitalised operating cost and due to other revised expenses. The final investment decision along with FEED is expected to be announced by end of 2009.

The project's main shareholder is ExxonMobil (Esso Highlands will be the operator) at 41.6% and other shareholders include: Oil Search (Australian oil and gas producer) (34.1%), Santos (17.7%), AGL (3.6%), Nippon Oil (1.8%) and Mineral Resource Development Corporation / State (MRDC) (1.2%) – the land owners.

The PNG government has retained the right to take a 22.5% stake in the Hides, Angore and Juha gas fields, which could result in state participation in the LNG venture of around 19% (other shareholdings will be reduced to accommodate this).

A joint operating agreement was signed between Government of PNG and project consortium in March 2008 prior to the FEED work of the project starting. The PNG Parliament was for investigating the due diligence of the project since opposition MPs have expressed doubts that PNG will benefit significantly from the project if it ties into protected price contracts.

Liquid Niugini Gas has been working closely with the government on the project since March 2006. The deal closed in late 2008 andconstruction work began in 2009.

Exxon Mobil Corporation subsidiary Esso Highlands Ltd is seeking to raise funds and was working towards a final investment decision in 4Q 2009 with a corresponding first LNG cargo in late 2013-14.

"We are delighted to host this initial fact-finding visit to PNG for potential lenders," said PNG LNG project venture manager Peter Graham. "The project co-ventures are highly motivated to move forwards and the PNG Government has been very supportive.

"We believe the lenders will recognise the project has several key attributes including high-quality resources, a world-class operator and strategically aligned sponsors, PNG's stable investment climate and the Project's commitment to sound environmental and social outcomes."

By the fiscal stability agreement the State of Papua Guinea guaranteed the fiscal stability of the project. Executed in April 2009, the fiscal stability agreement is between the State of PNG and Project Co-Venturers. It includes applicability and rates of taxes, duties, fees and other fiscal imposts payable by the project. - hydrocarbons-technology.com

Petronas gets US$2b for stake in India crude producer

Petronas will receive US$2 billion (RM6 billion) cash from the divestment of its 14.9% stake in Cairn India Ltd, which is involved in crude oil production in India.

It is understood that Petronas would realise a gain of US$1 billion from the divestment as the national oil company invested about US$1 billion in the company’s IPO at 160 rupees per share in 2006.

A source familiar with the divestment said Petronas’ stake was sold at 331 rupees (RM22.50) a share, a 1.53% discount to its Monday closing price of 336.15 rupees. Bank of America-Merrill Lynch was the sole adviser and book runner for the deal.

“It makes sense for Petronas to divest its stake in Cairn India after seeing its investment double from US$1 billion. There has been a lot of talk as well of Cairn India being privatised and that is perhaps why Petronas was looking to exit the company,” the source told The Edge Financial Daily.

The share sale is seen as being in line with Petronas’ strategy to hive off non-strategic or non-performing assets abroad.

As at Dec 31, 2010, Petronas’ cash balance was RM103 billion.

Cairn is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The company operates India’s largest onshore oil field in Mangala in the desert state of Rajasthan in northwest India.

It holds 10 production-sharing contracts with the Indian government and other exploration companies. It also owns oil blocks in Sri Lanka.

In August last year, UK-listed Vedanta Resources Ltd, controlled by billionaire Anil Agarwal, made a general offer of 355 rupees (RM24.29) per share for all Cairn India shares subsequent to its proposed purchase of a 40% to 51% stake in the oil driller from Cairn Energy plc.

Earlier this month, the deal came to a standstill when the Indian cabinet referred the deal to a ministerial panel for a decision.

The issue is considered sensitive in India as Cairn India is not required to make royalty payments like its partner Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd (ONGC), which pays 20% of the sale price of its oil to the government.

The hiccup by the Indian cabinet prompted some investment analysts to downgrade Cairn India’s stock.

Ahli politik Australia kutuk pembuangan sisa radioaktif di Kuantan

Ahli politik Australia, Robin Chapple, meluahkan rasa tidak senangnya terhadap pembuangan sisa radioaktif di Gebeng, Pahang yang sudah pun diluluskan kerajaan Barisan Nasional.

Loji memproses sisa radioaktif di Gebeng Pahang itu yang dikenali sebagai Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) akan beroperasi sepenuhnya bulan September ini di bawah seliaan Lynas Corporation.

Lynas Corporation adalah syarikat Australia yang mempunyai lombong di Kwinana, Mount Weld, Australia Barat. Apabila beroperasi sepenuhnya nanti, loji di Gebeng, Pahang akan memproses mineral thorium dari lombong di Mount Weld.

Chapple yang merupakan ahli Majlis Perundangan Australia Barat, berharap kerajaan negaranya tidak bersubahat dalam membuang sisa radioaktif di Malaysia.

“Saya berharap kerajaan pimpinan Barnett (Ketua Menteri Australia Barat) tidak akan bersubahat dalam membuang sisa radioaktif di negara lain.

“Barnett perlu mengambil tindakan untuk memaksa Lynas memastikan tiada thorium meninggalkan tapak lombong Mount Weld,” kata Chapple.

Chapple menyuarakan kebimbangannya ekoran sebelum ini, syarikat Magellan Metal, sebuah syarikat perlombongan bahan radioaktif terpaksa menghentikan eksport hasil lombongnya kerana mineral yang dieksport tidak dikendalikan dengan betul sehingga berlaku kebocoran plumbum yang merbahaya kepada penduduk yang berada di sepanjang laluan mengangkut mineral itu.

Justeru, beliau mengutuk sekeras-kerasnya rancangan Lynas untuk menggali dan mengeksport bahan radioaktif dari Australia untuk ‘dibuang’ di Pahang.

“Saya mengutuk sekeras-kerasnya cadangan Lynas untuk membuang bahan radioaktif itu ke kawasan komuniti perikanan di Pahang. Saya sudah berhubung dengan komuniti di Malaysia dan mereka tidak mahu melihat sisa toksik dibuang di kampung mereka. Malah Ahli Parlimen Kuantan juga meminta sebarang sisa dari bahan radioaktif itu dipulangkan semula ke Australia,” kata Chapple.

Ahli Parlimen Kuantan, Fuziah Salleh sekarang ini sedang dalam usaha untuk menghentikan operasi loji tersebut di Pahang. Beliau yang juga Naib Presiden KEADILAN, menggesa Menteri Besar Pahang, Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakub untuk menubuhkan badan bebas mengkaji impak radioaktif kepada persekitaran Gebeng. Ini kerana Gebeng terletak bersebelahan laut yang bersambung terus dengan Sungai Balok yang datangnya dari kawasan perindustrian menempatkan loji itu.

Beliau juga mengingatkan Adnan bahawa Gebeng terletak berhampiran dengan Cherating, sebuah kawasan perikanan.

Malah Adnan selaku Menteri Besar, kata Fauziah, mempunyai amanah untuk menjaga kepentingan rakyat. - Keadilandaily.com

LPG Petronas dan Shell 'Kalahkan' Pertamina di Kaltim

LPG produksi Shell dan Petronas 'merajai' sejumlah Kabupaten dan Kota di wilayah utara Provinsi Kalimantan Timur. Sebaliknya, LPG produksi dalam negeri milik Pertamina nyaris tidak terlihat di pasaran.

Di sejumlah toko di Kota Nunukan misalnya, penjualan LPG Shell dan Petronas terlihat lebih marak. Keamanan dan kemudahan mendapatkan barang menjadi alasan masyarakat setempat untuk memilih elpiji asal negeri jiran itu.

"Saya malah nggak lihat ada LPG Pertamina dijual," kata Sabaruddin, warga Nunukan, ketika berbincang dengan detikFinance, Senin (18/4/2011).

Harga LPG milik Shell dan Petronas, dijual Rp 145 ribu per 14 Kilogram, atau lebih mahal ketimbang milik Pertamina yang dijual sekitar Rp 80 ribu untuk tabung 12 kg di wilayah distribusi Jawa-Bali. Namun kemasan tabung elpiji yang lebih tebal dan valve tabung yang sangat aman, menjadi alasan kuat dibeli oleh warga Nunukan.

"Elpiji 14 kilogram juga terasa padat. Pernah ada tetangga yang bawa Elpiji Pertamina dari Tarakan ukuran 12 kilogram, tapi terasa tidak padat," ujar Sabaruddin.

Menurutnya, toko-toko yang menjual LPG Shell dan Petronas Nunukan, juga beralasan lebih mudah mendapatkan LPG dari 2 produsen asing itu dari Malaysia, ketimbang dari Kota Tarakan, yang harus ditempuh 3 jam perjalanan dengan menggunakan speedboat.

"Dari Tawau (Malaysia), dekat ke sini sekitar 1,5 jam naik speed boat. Kalau dari Tarakan jauh," sebut Sabaruddin.

"Seharusnya Pertamina jual LPG di sini. Ini 'kan di Kaltim yang katanya kaya minyak dan gas. Belum lagi liat LPG Pertamina ada yang meledak di daerah-daerah lain. Kita juga jadi takut pakai Pertamina," jelasnya.

Pemandangan serupa, juga terlihat di Kabupaten Malinau, yang juga berada di wilayah utara Kaltim. Berdasarkan pantauan detikFinance, di sejumlah toko di Jl Panembahan Malinau, juga terlihat LPG milik Shell yang diproduksi di Malaysia. Detik Finance

MB Pahang 'ugut' tutup semua kilang jika tidak benar Lynas beroperasi

Kenyataan Menteri Besar Pahang Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakub untuk menutup semua kilang di Gebeng jika Lynas Corporation yang memproses ‘rare earth’ tidak dibenarkan beroperasi disifatkan sebagai ugutan.

Pengerusi Majlis Bertindak Rakyat Negeri Pahang, Syed Ali Badaruddin Syed Othman, menganggap kenyataab bersifat ugutan tersebut dibuat setelah Kerajaan Negeri Pahang terdesak dengan bantahan rakyat dan tidak dapat menyelesaikan masalah tersebut.

Syed Ali memberi reaksi demikian kepada Harakahdaily, bagi mengulas kenyataan Adnan semalam ketika Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri Pahang ke 12, yang berkata kilang-kilang lain juga perlu ditutup sekali kerana mereka turut mengeluarkan bahan radioaktif.

“Jika kerajaan mengambil tindakan menghentikan projek Lynas, maka kilang-kilang lain juga perlu ditutup sekali karana mereka turut mengeluarkan bahan radioaktif.

“Kita lihat nanti reaksi keluarga serta 20,000 pekerja Gebeng sekiranya kerajaan negeri terpaksa mengambil tindakan menutup seluruh kawasan perindustrian tersebut,” kata Adnan semasa mencelah perbahasan berkaitan kilang Lynas.

Lynas Corporation Ltd (Lynas) merupakan syarikat milik penuh Australia yang memproses ‘rare earth’ bagi tujuan industri. Bahan tersebut dipunggah dari Australia manakala sisa pemprosesan iaitu bahan buangan thorium yang dikatakan mengandungi bahan radioaktif yang berbahaya kepada manusia dan alam itu, dilupuskan di Kuantan.

Mengikut kelulusan yang diberikan oleh Kerajaan Negeri Pahang, syarikat berkenaan mula beroperasi September ini.

Syed Ali berkata, walaupun kilang Lynas merupakan pelaburan kepada negeri ini tetapi sangat berisiko yang akan ditanggung rakyat dan mempunyai kesan dalam jangka panjang yang tidak terfikir pada masa akan datang.

“Jadi pelaburan ini secara tidak langsung boleh ‘menghalau’ pelabur yang lain kerana kesan jangka panjangnya iatu dari segi fizikal atau mekanikal, apabila berlaku bencana alam seperti banjir, gempa bumi dan sebagainya tidak menjamin keselamatan pelupusan radioaktif.

“Kalau kita tengok, di Jepun semuanya pakar-pakar hebat tetapi bila berlaku Tsunami semunya hancur. Ini pula negeri ini yang tidak ada kepakaran seperti negara-negara maju, satu masa kalau berlaku bencana siapa akan bertanggungjawab,” soalnya.

Syed Ali berkata, kenapa kerajaan negeri perlu memilih pelaburan berisiko sedangkan negeri ini pilihannya banyak kerana kaya dengan hasil hutan tropika, pelbagai sumber galian, hasil tanah dan produk pelancongan yang kaya.

“Jadi pada saya MB hanya mengugut apabila berkata seluruh kilang di kawasan Gebeng patut ditutup jika kilang Lynas tidak dibenarkan beroperasi kerana bantahan rakyat,” katanya. - Harakahdaily

Dunia NDT & Inspection Jikalau MB Pahang ingin melihat Unemployment rate meningkat, penurunan hasil negeri dari cukai industri & peralihan undi kepada pihak lain, MB Pahang dipersilakan untuk melakukan sedemikan.

Miti yet to get proposal on Taiwan petrochemical plant

The International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) has yet to receive any proposal from Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co of Taiwan, which is said to want to set up a petrochemical plant in Malaysia.

The minister, Mustapa Mohamed, confirmed that the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) has not received any formal application from the company.

"No application has been submitted to Mida on this project," he replied to a query by text-message.

"When there is an application, Mida will consider the merits of the project very carefully. Environmental considerations are very important and every project needs the approval of the Department of Environment."

The Taiwanese have been objecting strongly over the past few months to the company's plan to build an oil refinery and naphtha cracking plant in the Dacheng Wetlands in Changhua County.

Taiwanese state-run oil refiner CPC Corp holds a 43 percent stake in Kuokuang Petrochemical.

Critics said the costs would outweigh the benefits, in addition to damaging the oyster and eel farming industries and a zone inhabited by the Chinese white dolphin that is fast becoming extinct. The plant would also pose a serious threat to human health.

Taiwan Economics Minister Shih Yen-shiang had recently raised the possibility of Kuokuang moving the project to either Malaysia or Indonesia.

A previous news report had quoted Miti deputy minister Mukhriz Mahathir as saying that the ministry would welcome the investment.

Mukhriz also said the ministry would assess the project and would provide incentives if it could be beneficial to Malaysia.

NGO opposes 'dirty factories'

Penang-based NGO Sahabat Alam Malaysia said it will track the company's background should the government allow the project to be implemented in Malaysia.

Secretary Meena Raman also said it would be unacceptable to allow Kuokuang to relocate the plant to Malaysia when it faces objections at home.

"We don't want a dangerous industry to come into Malaysia," she said when contacted.

Giving an example of the problems caused by the Mitsubishi rare earth plant in Bukit Merah, Perak, in the 1980s, Meena said Mitsubishi was willing invest at Malaysia because of lax enforcement of environmental issues.

The plant closed in 1994 after years of protests from residents, as well as evidence provided on the health hazards caused by toxic radioactive toxic wastes dumped by the plant.

"We reject dirty factories. Every life is equal... it doesn't mean that the lives of the Japanese and the Taiwanese are more important that the safety of Malaysians," Meena said.

Tan Ka Kheng, a professor in a private college, said he would not object to Kuokuang Petrochemical operating in Malaysia as long as the government ensures that the plant operates under stringent environmental safety conditions.

However, he also pledged support for the rights of residents if there is any concern over health problems due to the project. - MalaysiaKini

Pakar: Lynas jauh lebih teruk dari Bukit Merah

Projek memproses nadir bumi yang sedang dibina di Gebeng oleh firma Australia, Lynas akan menghasilkan 20,000 tan sisa radioaktif setahun apabila beroperasi kelak.

Ini adalah 10 kali lebih kontroversial daripada kilang nadir bumi Asia di Bukit Merah yang ditutup 20 tahun lalu, kata pakar kesihatan awam Dr T Jayabalan.

Katanya, sisa radioaktif yang terhasil itu akan membawa nahas alam sekitar dan kesihatan kerana tahap radioaktif yang terhasil akan memberi kesan buruk.

Jelasnya, pendedahan langsung terhadap jumlah thorium yang besar, meskipun dibuktikan oleh Lynas dan Badan Perlesenanan Tenaga Atom (AELB) mempunyai tahap radiasi yang rendah, adalah bahaya apabila jumlah yang banyak mula terkumpul.

Kedua-dua Lynas dan AELB berkata pusat berkenaan akan menghasilkan thorium - elemen radioaktif yang bakal terhasil dan mendakwa bahan itu mempunyai tahap radiasi yang rendah serta tidak mendatangkan bahaya kepada manusia dan persekitarannya.

Jayabalan sebaliknya berkata sebarang pendedahan berterusan tidak kira sekecil mana sekalipun adalah bahaya kepada kesihatan.

"Mungkin AELB dan Lynas adalah betul, bahawa nadir bumi bukan radioaktif kerana ia telah disingkirkan. Apa yang mereka akan berikan kepada kita di Gebeng adalah sisa radioaktif yang dinamakan thorium," katanya kepada kira-kira 500 orang di ceramahnya di Kuantan pada malam Ahad lalu.

"Dan mungkin juga pihak berkuasa adalah betul kerana thorium adalah sisa tahap rendah (radioactive) dan mereka dakwa ini adalah selamat.

"Ini adalah istilah yang digunakan oleh industri untuk menggelirukan anda... ingat tidak ada tahap selamat bagi radioaktif,” katanya.

713 Mexico oil workers evacuate collapsing platform

A total of 713 oil platform workers were evacuated on Tuesday when a semi-submersible residence began to collapse into the Gulf of Mexico, said state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex).

No oil was leaked in the incident and no injuries reported at the Flotel Jupiter platform which housed workers about 80 kilometers off the coast of Campeche state in the Gulf of Mexico.

Initially 638 workers were evacuated earlier on Tuesday after water entered part of the facility and it began to lean to one side, but Pemex said by the afternoon all 713 workers on board the platform had been evacuated.

After several attempts to rescue the facility, the platform late Ton uesday "turned over and partially sank," said Pemex.

Lynas cannot store waste onsite, says AELB

Raja Aziz said Lynas will not be allowed to accumulate waste. — File pics

Malaysian regulators has denied approving Lynas Corp’s plans to store radioactive waste in its Kuantan rare earth plant indefinitely, insisting the Australian miner will not be allowed to keep the thousands of tonnes it still deems as safe.

Lynas has invested RM700 million in a refinery to process the radioactive ore by end of this year, making it the only new plant built outside China which has its own reserves of rare earths.

“Storage onsite will never be a final solution,” regulator Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) director-general Raja Datuk Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan told The Malaysian Insider.

He said in an interview that the approved storage area in the plant was only meant to facilitate the refining process as a “temporary area to hold the waste.”

Lynas had said earlier this week that it had “perfectly good permission (from the government) to store it onsite, safely, forever” if plans to recycle its thorium — the radioactive element found in nearly all rare earth deposits — waste for further industrial use did not find a commercial application.

Its executive chairman Nicholas Curtis said that special storage dams that can hold six years of waste have been built that will cause “zero exposure” to the public.

“Two-thirds or more are gypsum. There is no issue with respect to it being used as plasterboard and other markets. Malaysia is a net importer of gypsum so we will use it in commercial quantities for sure. This increases our storage (for the radioactive waste) to 24 years,” he told The Malaysian Insider in an interview on Monday.

Curtis said the public will have ‘zero exposure’ to the waste.

Curtis also said that the ratio of thorium to rare earth metals to be processed in its plant being constructed in the Gebeng industrial zone was 55 to 10,000.

It plans to ramp up production to 22,000 tonnes per year of the material that is crucial to high-technology applications such as smartphones, hybrid cars and even bombs, thereby producing about 120 tonnes of thorium per year or nearly 3,000 tonnes after 24 years.

“We will not let them accumulate that much. We will stop them. They cannot be accumulating that much. There must be a parallel process,” said Raja Aziz.

Local residents and environmentalists have countered Lynas’ claims that its raw material has only two per cent of the thorium as Malaysia’s last rare earth project in Bukit Merah, stating that the waste would build up over time, especially as it was reported that Lynas would process 10 times as much ore as the Asian Rare Earth (ARE) plant.

“The waste is a sitting time bomb,” Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia (EPSM) president Nithi Nesadurai had said.

The ARE plant has been linked to at least eight leukaemia cases with seven deaths after being shut down in 1992, and is still undergoing a cleanup process that is costing over RM300 million.

Raja Aziz said Lynas would have to prove that it could move the thorium out of its site in a safe way during the pre-operating period which lasts for three years, failing which it would eventually not be given a full operating licence.

“From the ARE experience, the public will not allow the buildup of thorium. That is why when Lynas says it has submitted the application we say it is incomplete. If you are unable to move the waste, what are you going to do? This is very important,” he said.

“We will ask them, what if you can’t sell it? If the waste continues to grow, we will stop importation and accumulation,” he added.

Environmentalists and residents living near the factory site in the Gebeng industrial zone have raised questions over the potential environmental hazards arising from radioactive waste being produced and stored at the plant.

But Lynas expects to receive a preliminary operating licence from the AELB before September which will be renewed as a full licence within three years should the plant comply with agreed standards.

The company hopes to earn RM8 billion in annual revenues from 2013 based on the refined metals’ current prices, when it will produce one-third of the world’s demand outside of China. - Malaysian Insider

Muhd Afzali Ab Manab Kita bakor je~

Monday at 18:26 ·

Dunia NDT & Inspection masalah dia, orang melihat isu ini sebagai isu politik, org Umno menyokong projek ini & orang PR membantah projek ini. Sedangkan isu ini adalah isu masyarakat sejagat. Kesan dia akan memudaratkan penduduk di kuantan & kemaman tidak kira orang itu suka berpolitik atau tidak.