Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and Evonik Industries AG have inked a Letter of Intent (LOI) to jointly develop production facilities of specialty chemicals within the Petronas refinery and petrochemical integrated development (Rapid) project in Pengerang, Johor.
Under the LOI, the two parties will endeavour to form a partnership to jointly own, develop, construct and operate facilities for the production of hydrogen peroxide, C4 co-monomer and oxo-products within Rapid.
In a joint statement today, they said the plants are expected to have the capacity to produce 250,000 tonnes of hydrogen peroxide, 220,000 tonnes of isononanol and 110,000 tonnes of 1-butene annually.
"These projects are expected to come on stream in 2016," it said.
The LOI was signed in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 16.
Evonik is a creative industrial group from Germany, one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals.
The two parties also said that the hydrogen peroxide will be used on site to produce propylene oxide by the licensed, eco-friendly HPPO process, Evonik had jointly developed with ThyssenKrupp Uhde.
Evonik executive board member Dr Dahai Yu said the entire project is set to mark another milestone in the company's growth strategy in the Asian market.
"This is why we're seeking for a strong long-term strategic partner like Petronas," he added.
Petronas COO and executive vice-president of downstream business, Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin said Evonik's excellent track record and more than 100 years of experience in the industry, made it another strategic partner in the development of Rapid.
– Bernama
Monday, 28 January 2013
Friday, 25 January 2013
Kelantan Lantik Syarikat Kaji Sumber Minyak Di Kawasan Daratan
Kerajaan Kelantan bersetuju pada dasarnya melantik sebuah syarikat bagi mengkaji kemungkinan wujudnya minyak di kawasan daratan negeri itu, yang boleh menjadi sumber pendapatan baharu kepada negeri ini.
Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Perancangan Ekonomi, Kewangan dan Kebajikan Negeri, Datuk Husam Musa berkata bersetujuan itu dicapai pada mesyuarat mingguan Exco negeri yang dipengerusikan oleh Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat pada Rabu.
"Kita meluluskan pada dasarnya untuk melantik sebuah syarikat bagi memberi maklumat kepada kerajaan negeri kemungkinan terdapat kawasan pengeluaran minyak dari perut bumi Kelantan, bagi menambah pendapatan ekonomi negeri ini melalui sumber darat," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mesyuarat itu di Kota Darulnaim di sini.
Tanpa menyebut nama syarikat tersebut, Husam berkata selain menentukan lokasinya, syarikat itu akan mengkaji jumlah rizab minyak yang ada.
-- BERNAMA
Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Perancangan Ekonomi, Kewangan dan Kebajikan Negeri, Datuk Husam Musa berkata bersetujuan itu dicapai pada mesyuarat mingguan Exco negeri yang dipengerusikan oleh Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat pada Rabu.
"Kita meluluskan pada dasarnya untuk melantik sebuah syarikat bagi memberi maklumat kepada kerajaan negeri kemungkinan terdapat kawasan pengeluaran minyak dari perut bumi Kelantan, bagi menambah pendapatan ekonomi negeri ini melalui sumber darat," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mesyuarat itu di Kota Darulnaim di sini.
Tanpa menyebut nama syarikat tersebut, Husam berkata selain menentukan lokasinya, syarikat itu akan mengkaji jumlah rizab minyak yang ada.
-- BERNAMA
Iraq ‘oil-for-food’ corruption trial opens in Paris
The chief of oil giant Total, Christophe de Margerie, and former French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua (pictured) appeared in a French court on Tuesday over allegations of corruption and bribery in the United Nations oil-for-food programme in Iraq. By News Wires (text) The head of French oil giant Total and a former cabinet minister appeared in court on Tuesday on charges related to corruption in the United Nations oil-for-food programme in Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
Total, Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie, Swiss oil trading firm Vitol and ex-interior minister Charles Pasqua, as well as 16 other individuals, face various charges ranging from corruption to influence peddling or complicity.
The oil-for-food programme operated in Iraq between 1996 and 2003 and was meant to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people by allowing the country to sell some of its oil, despite the embargo imposed after the first Gulf War.
According to a U.N. report, the programme gave rise to graft on an international scale, amounting to billions of dollars.
A French investigating magistrate decided to send Total, Margerie, Pasqua and the other defendants to court against the advice of the French public prosecutor's office, which answers to the justice ministry.
The opening day of the trial was dominated by procedural issues with defence lawyers submitting questions about the constitutionality of the charges. For example, Vitol's lawyer Olivier Metzner said his client had already been convicted over oil-for-food offences in a New York court.
The court will rule on Tuesday as to whether these questions will be referred to the French court of cassation - which could delay the trial - or whether cross-examination will begin.
Total faces charges of bribery, complicity and benefiting from influence peddling, all of which it has denied.
Margerie is accused of complicity in the misuse of corporate assets and risks up to five years in jail and a fine of 375,000 euros ($499,300). He has said he will not comment and Total said on Monday he would not speak to the media during the trial.
Pasqua has denied the charges.
(REUTERS)
Total, Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie, Swiss oil trading firm Vitol and ex-interior minister Charles Pasqua, as well as 16 other individuals, face various charges ranging from corruption to influence peddling or complicity.
The oil-for-food programme operated in Iraq between 1996 and 2003 and was meant to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people by allowing the country to sell some of its oil, despite the embargo imposed after the first Gulf War.
According to a U.N. report, the programme gave rise to graft on an international scale, amounting to billions of dollars.
A French investigating magistrate decided to send Total, Margerie, Pasqua and the other defendants to court against the advice of the French public prosecutor's office, which answers to the justice ministry.
The opening day of the trial was dominated by procedural issues with defence lawyers submitting questions about the constitutionality of the charges. For example, Vitol's lawyer Olivier Metzner said his client had already been convicted over oil-for-food offences in a New York court.
The court will rule on Tuesday as to whether these questions will be referred to the French court of cassation - which could delay the trial - or whether cross-examination will begin.
Total faces charges of bribery, complicity and benefiting from influence peddling, all of which it has denied.
Margerie is accused of complicity in the misuse of corporate assets and risks up to five years in jail and a fine of 375,000 euros ($499,300). He has said he will not comment and Total said on Monday he would not speak to the media during the trial.
Pasqua has denied the charges.
(REUTERS)
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Tebusan kes culik Algeria selamat tiba di tanah air
Seorang daripada lima rakyat Malaysia yang terselamat dalam insiden tebusan di Kompleks Pengeluaran Gas dan Minyak (OGPC) Amenas, Algeria, Rabu minggu lalu, gembira kerana dapat pulang ke tanah air dengan selamat.
Jurutera binaan, Ravi Kappusamy, 48, berkata dia turut rasa gembira kerana dapat pulang ke pangkuan keluarganya.
"Kerajaan Malaysia melakukan yang terbaik ...saya tidak mahu beri komen apa-apa ...kamu semua (media) hanya perlu tunggu Wisma Putra," katanya sejurus tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Pulau Pinang (LTAPP), di sini, hari ini.
Sejurus Ravi tiba, isterinya Doreen Michael Tajie, 45 dan dua anaknya, Vijayabalan, 19, dan Sharmilaah Deve, 18 memeluknya sebelum cuba menyembunyikan diri di sebalik jaket yang dipegangnya.
Usaha media untuk menemubual Ravi gagal apabila dia yang dikelilingi ahli keluarganya termasuk dua lelaki yang dipercayai pengawalnya meluru ke arah kereta Nissan Sentra yang sedia menanti di luar perkarangan LTAPP.
Dalam kejadian Rabu lalu, 60 anggota pemberontak bersenjata menawan OGPC Amenas di Gurun Sahara selama empat hari bagi membalas dendam terhadap tindakan Algeria membenarkan ruang udaranya digunakan Tentera Perancis untuk menyerang pemberontak Mali, sebelum menyerah diri, Ahad lalu.
Warga Malaysia yang dilaporkan masih hilang dalam serangan itu dikenal pasti sebagai Chong Ngen Chung dan Tan Ping Wee, kedua-duanya juruteknik JGC Corporation Pte Ltd, syarikat petroleum terkemuka Jepun berpangkalan di Singapura.
Tiga lagi rakan mereka, termasuk dua jurutera, Lau Seek Chiang, 38, dan Ravi Kuppusamy, 48, serta juruteknik, Patrick Purait Awang dibebaskan kumpulan pemberontak, Jumaat lalu.
Mereka masih berada di Algiers sementara menunggu dibawa pulang ke tanah air sebelum hujung minggu ini.
Monday, 21 January 2013
TNB signs agreements to build RM2.5b power plant
Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Malaysia’s largest electricity utility, said it signed agreements with Samsung Engineering & Construction Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Siemens AG for building and operating a RM2.47 billion power plant in the northern state of Penang.
In a filing today with Malaysia’s stock exchange, Tenaga said it signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 1,071 megawatt power plant with Samsung Engineering, plus a long-term service and 20-year operation and maintenance agreement with Siemens.
The filing did not give a breakdown of the value of the different agreements for the combined cycle gas turbine plant.
The power plant is scheduled to complete by the end of 2015, Tenaga said.
In another filing today, Tenaga said it expects to sign a seven-year contract soon for a joint venture with Kharafi National of Kuwait to operate and maintain a power plant in Kuwait. It said the contract will valued at RM1 billion.
Today, shares of Tenaga fell 1.3 per cent to close at RM6.90. The benchmark stock index fell 2.4 per cent.
– Reuters
Petronas saman Perwaja Steel
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) memfailkan saman terhadap Perwaja Steel Sdn Bhd kerana kegagalan syarikat pengeluar keluli itu menjelaskan bayaran bagi gas yang dibekalkan ke lojinya di Kemaman, Terengganu.
Writ saman dan pernyataan tuntutan itu difailkan di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur (Bahagian Dagang) pada 14 Januari, oleh Tetuan Kadir, Andri & Partners.
Dalam pernyataan tuntutannya, Petronas menuntut RM146.139 juta sehingga 31 Disember 2012, faedah berjumlah RM10.313 juta sehingga 10 Januari tahun ini selain faedah, kos dan relif lain yang difikirkan sesuai oleh mahkamah.
- Bernama
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Tebusan: Tiga rakyat M'sia akan balik dalam masa terdekat
Kedutaan Malaysia di Algeria sedang berusaha untuk membawa pulang tiga rakyat Malaysia dalam masa terdekat selepas mereka terselamat dalam insiden tebusan kumpulan militan pada Rabu lepas di Kompleks Pengeluaran Gas dan Minyak (OGPC) Amenas, di Timur Algeria.
Kementerian Luar dalam satu kenyataan hari ini berkata pihaknya telah berhubung dengan tiga rakyat Malaysia itu, K.Ravi, Lau Seek Siang, dan Chong Ngen Chung dan mereka akan kembali ke Malaysia dalam waktu terdekat.
"Bagaimanapun kami belum dapat memastikan nasib dua lagi rakyat Malaysia dan kami sentiasa menghubungi keluarga mangsa untuk menyampaikan perkembangan terkini," kata kenyataan itu.
Dalam kejadian itu, 60 pemberontak lengkap bersenjata menyerang dan menawan OGPC Amenas, kira-kira 70 kilometer dari sempadan Algeria-Libya dan menjadikan 150 pekerja, termasuk 41 warga asing sebagai tebusan.
Kejadian itu dipercayai bermotifkan balas dendam terhadap tindakan kerajaan Algeria membenarkan ruang udaranya digunakan pesawat tempur Perancis untuk menyerang pemberontak di Mali.
- Bernama
Petronas jumpa minyak, gas di daratan selepas 24 tahun
Petronas hari ini mengumumkan penemuan minyak dan gas di telaga Adong Kecil West-1 di Blok SK333, di daratan Sarawak, iaitu penemuan minyak dan gas pertama di daratan Malaysia selepas 24 tahun.
Syarikat minyak negara itu berkata penemuan kali terakhir di daratan ialah di Medan Asam Paya pada 1989, juga di Sarawak.
Petronas berkata telaga Adong Kecil West-1, terletak kira-kira 20km di timur laut pekan Miri, digerudi oleh JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration (Onshore Sarawak) Ltd, operator bagi Blok SK333, bersama-sama rakan usaha samanya, Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd.
Ia berkata telaga itu digerudi pada kedalaman 3,170 meter dan menemui kira-kira 349 meter ketebalan bersih hidrokarbon.
Dua ujian gerudi merealisasikan kadar aliran kira-kira 440 tong minyak
sehari dan 11.5 juta meter padu standard gas sehari, katanya menerusi satu kenyataan hari ini.
Petronas berkata penilaian teknikal sedang dijalankan oleh operator bagi menentukan jumlah sumber di medan terbabit.
"Berdasarkan keputusan penggerudian, terdapat tanda-tanda bahagian lebih dalam di kawasan laut, yang mungkin berpotensi tinggi mengandungi hidrokarbon.
"Bagaimana pun, menerusi tekanan lubang bor yang tinggi, operasi
penggerudian lebih mencabar untuk kolam yang lebih dalam dan dermaga dengan spesifikasi tinggi diperlukan untuk menguji jarak terbabit," kata Petronas.
Setakat ini, tiga penemuan dibuat di daratan Sarawak, iaitu Miri, Asam Paya dan medan Adong Kecil West.
Menerusi penemuan ini, Petronas berkata ia sudah membuktikan daratan Sarawak mempunyai potensi untuk penemuan lebih banyak minyak dan gas dengan medan Miri, medan minyak pertama Malaysia, ditemui pada 1910.
Aktiviti lanjut di laut itu akan dilakukan oleh syarikat usaha sama terbabit dalam menyokong Petronas mencergaskan semula eksplorasi minyak dan gas di daratan Malaysia.
- Bernama
Monday, 14 January 2013
Bullish Year For Oil & Gas Sector - MIDF Research
MIDF Research believes that 2013 will be a bullish year for the oil and gas (O&G) industry globally as well as locally.
The research house reiterated its positive stance and recommended investors to ride on this upbeat prospects by raising portfolio exposures in O&G fabricating companies for growth potential and gas supply companies for consistent recurring income.
"We recommend investors to go long on SapuraKencana, Wah Seong, Gas Malaysia and Dialog Group," it said in a research note.
MIDF Research said it believed this year will be packed with the awards of contracts, new O&G discoveries, and possibly more mergers and acquisitions to expand and strengthen income streams.
"We can expect a good mix of local, regional and international jobs to be awarded to Malaysian oil and gas players.
-- BERNAMA