Energy Risk
Focus on India: Power market regulation
Despite a growing will to liberalise power markets in India, progress has been slow so far. However, regulatory changes are finally moving the market towards better transparency and competition, finds Katie Holliday
Aligning the interests of trading desks and refineries
The interests of trading desks may not always be aligned with the best interests of a vertically integrated company’s assets. Charles Ford discusses some approaches that address this issue
Economic uncertainty adds to challenge of hedging in US power markets
Uncertainty has plagued the US power sector since the financial crisis. Although many believe an economic recovery is in sight, forecasting load growth continues to be a headache for those looking to manage risk in this market. Pauline McCallion reports
Low US gas price spurs shale oil industry
The development of shale gas production in the US is expected to change the face of the natural gas sector but could it make similar waves in the US oil production industry? Pauline McCallion examines the outlook for US shale oil
Bullish data in China oil shop
With China’s seemingly unstoppable growth in oil demand fuelling speculation that it can only rise further this year, Lianna Brinded investigates how this will impact global supply and change trading relationships
Trading positions – April 2010
Energy Risk catches up with the latest appointments, promotions and departures in global commodity markets
Iran’s nuclear standoff forecast to push up oil
As more companies pull out of trading deals with Iran, analysts predict oil prices will rise on the back of production contraints and geopolitical uncertainty, writes Lianna Brinded
Mixed views on return to backwardated oil market
A tightening of the long-running contango in WTI crude oil prices has sparked debate about whether the futures price curve could soon swing into backwardation. Pauline McCallion reports
UK CRC brings opportunities and new risks for utilities
The April launch of the UK’s CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme brings with it more work and the need for more risk assessment for UK utilities, finds Katie Holliday
Energy Risk: What's coming next?
Energy Risk brings you a snapshot of what's moving and shaking the markets with a special look at the Indian energy derivatives sector.
Gazprom hones in on LNG, carbon and Asia
Russian energy giant Gazprom has secured its foothold in Asia by opening a new office in Singapore, to focus on global liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping and trading, as well as portfolio development and carbon credit origination projects for Asian…
China secures big Angola oil deal
Chinese oil refining, producing and trading company China Petroleum and Chemical (Sinopec) has acquired deep-water oil assets in Angola by buying a 55% stake in Sonangol Sinopec, in a bid to further secure its diverse portfolio of oil import security.
All Europe’s electricity could be from renewables by 2050, says PwC report
Europe and North Africa could be powered solely by renewable electricity by 2050 through the implementation of a SuperSmart Grid, according to a report issued this week by global advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
IEA: Power prices 2010 will depend on government finance spend & carbon prices
The cost of electricity for 2010 onwards will depend heavily on how governments plan to raise financial capital for electricity generation as well as the price of carbon, say the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)…
Carbon market will bounce back from recycled CER scandal, say brokers
The sale of two million recycled Certified Emission Reduction (CER) units, the latest in a series of setbacks for European carbon trading, has been absorbed by the market as another teething problem, according to carbon market participants.
Iraq’s oil output targets 'impossible'
The Iraqi government’s stated intention to increase oil capacity from 2.5 to 10-12 million barrels per day (b/d) over the next decade is impossible and actual production will fall far short of official stated targets, a panel of market experts has…
UNFCCC official: public and private sectors must work together on CDMs
The relationship between the public and private sector needs to be strengthened at a quicker pace to ensure the future of project-based mechanisms such as clean development mechanism (CDM) and joint implementation (JI) projects, says a United Nations…
ETF Securities launches commodity index tracker fund
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and currency specialist ETF Securities has launched the first ETF to track the Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Three-Month Forward Index (DJ-UBSCI F3(SM)), following growing investor demand for diversified commodity related products.
Changes to UK interruptible gas contracts could cause supply outages in 2011
UK National Grid’s decision in January to tell large users on interruptible contracts to stop using gas is likely to be taken a stage further next time there is a cold snap, and could lead to the closure of thermal plants, warns a top official at the…
S&P to launch commodity sub-indexes amid US regulation fears
Ratings agency and financial research firm Standard & Poor’s (S&P) is to roll out two commodity-related sub-indexes that focus only on European and Asian contracts in response to fears the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will make further…
Recycled CER scandal could push carbon trading over the counter
The latest scandal to hit the carbon markets, involving the trading of recycled Certified Emission Reduction units (CERs), could damage the credibility of carbon credits and push volumes off exchanges and onto the over-the-counter markets, say experts.
Power market must act on clearing to avoid mandatory limits, says EEX CEO
Individual participants in the European power markets need to be proactive on clearing if they are to avoid enforced mandatory limits, according to chief executive officer of the European Energy Exchange (EEX) Hans-Bernd Menzel.
Market cautious on Brazil’s 2010 oil bloc auction
News that Brazil is looking to auction more oil and gas blocs this year has met with a lukewarm reception from the oil markets as they await more clarity on the timing, production estimates and pending oil regulations, say analysts.