Archived News for Energy Sector Professionals - December, 2013
An Australian uranium exploration and mining firm has been fined for lodging virtually no financial documents, and not even holding an AGM.
Million dollar hosing after Newcastle spill
An oil spill in the Newcastle Harbour has cost one company over a million dollars.
Light way to split H20 could yield super-fuel
Researchers are working on a way to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using some special nanoparticles and light.
Oxford says changing tide in mining could leave Australia stuck
Global shifts are underway which could lead foreign investors to pull up stumps from Australia, stranding a number of projects and leading to the possibility of “mothballed or abandoned” local coal mines.
Push to teach builders to drill as boom-times change
Workers who have been building new mines should now be taught to operate them, an oil and gas industry report says.
US pledge to triple government's greens, Australia considers more coal
The federal government of the United States will triple its use of renewable energy by 2020 on a presidential mandate.
Worker falls in waste as Ranger probe begins
A worker has reportedly fallen into contaminated waste while cleaning up a large spill of uranium slurry at the Ranger mine in NT.
Tassie town to plan post-peak oil
One council has become the first in Tasmania to implement the Local Government Peak Oil Action Plan, which seeks to help fight the ever-increasing cost of fuel.
Big dig confirmed; there will be mud
Dredging has been approved that many believe will condemn the Great Barrier Reef to silty strangulation.
A flexible future for children of the sun
The Sun is still seen by some as an inconsistent resource, but developments in the US will help grab a hold of its unending power supplies in a cheaper, more efficient and more flexible way.
More control for locals, miners less impressed
A bill is being considered which will hand more control to Queensland governments for approval of mining leases, but some say it does not go far enough.
Big stores vow to wind back unhelpful offers
The representative body for Australia’s smaller and independent service stations says the end of shopper dockets would be good, but they are not the only thing making the fuel market uneven.
Efforts coalesce to combat Coalition carbon plan
Broad opposition is forming to combat attempts by the Federal Government to introduce a ‘Direct Action’ policy to deal with climate change.
First tick for new SA wind farm
Approval has been given to a new 100MW wind farm in South Australia, with Pacific Hydro set to embark on the 42-turbine $240 million build.
Million-litre uranium spill contained, calls for closure still
The recent spill of about a million litres of uranium ore and acid has been used as a platform to call for the end of uranium mining at the Ranger site.
Solar sites to connect people, boost business on PNG
A new initiative will help Papua New Guinea residents stay a little bit more connected, with a telecom company rolling out solar-powered phone charging stations around the island community
State to swap green plants for concrete funds
The New South Wales Government is looking to drum up cash by letting go of some goods, starting with all the state’s renewable energy assets.
Doors to deal with flowback closing in NSW
A major coal seam gas company is shopping around for someone to deal with its chemical-laden ‘flowback water’, but the response from nearby treatment plants has not been favourable.
Tests to enflame thermo-power revolution
Engineers have been working for decades on the best way to harness the power of thermionic conversion, hoping to develop an efficient way to draw electricity from any source of heat.
Algae plant churns output back to input
An environmental engineer has developed and enacted plans for a single site which could process human waste and harvest oil and gas without harmful emissions.
Bill to bring greenhouse burial under control
An energy legislation amendment bill is up for debate in Western Australia, the bill seeks to lay down rules for transport and storage of greenhouse gas in pipelines and the ground.