Egyptian businessman admits personal motivation for gas deal with Spain / Eni

Businessman Hussein Salem – on the run from corruption charges in Egypt –  admitted his personal & political motivations in signing Egypt’s controversial gas export deals with Israel (via pipeline) and Spain (via Damietta LNG), in discussion with Egyptian journalist Mohamed Heikal: “Yes I made gas deals with Israel. We have a lot of gas...

Royal Dutch Shell profiting from Sultan’s absolute rule in Oman

Unrest has reached Oman, the usually “sedate” and “tranquil” Sultanate on the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. Inspired by uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Bahrain, Omani youth took to the streets to challenge government corruption, cronyism, unemployment and a lack of democracy. Protests spread across the desert country, with police firing bullets and teargas from...

Resistance to LNG across the Pacific Rim

The Oregon (US) based community campaign against the LNG Palomar gas pipeline has been building solidarity connections and investigating impacts of LNG projects elsewhere in the world. In their own words, “In the Pacific Northwest, NW Natural Gas claims that the Palomar pipeline and Bradwood Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal will bring “clean” fuel to the United...

14 Welsh harbour pilots could disrupt 25% of petrol & diesel imports

According to the FT, industrial action by 14 harbour pilots at Milford Haven later this week could seriously disrupt supplies of oil and gas to the UK. The port includes Exxon’s RBS-financed South Hook LNG Terminal which imports gas from Qatar. The story highlights yet again the importance of projects like Workers Climate Action. Port strike risks...

Australia’s worst oil spill in same week as government approves mega-Gorgon gas project

Thai oil company PTT and the Australian government are struggling to deal with an enormous oil spill of the north coast in the Timor Sea. The leak, which started on August 21st, has created a spill stretching over 70 miles by 25 miles. Yet during the same week, Canberra granted environmental approval to Chevron &...