Unioil pushes further network expansion

Despite stiff competition, independent player Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. says there are “opportunities for expansion through new stations and products,” in the domestic retail market.

China extends car stimulus till 2010

The Chinese government said it will partially extend small car incentives for another year, until the end of 2010, to help ensure continued growth in the domestic car market.

Caltex to close lube refinery at Kurnell

Caltex Australia will shut down Australia’s only remaining lube refinery at Kurnell, New South Wales, by 2011, after a disastrous second half under new Chief Executive Julian Segal.

Energy Ministry cracks down on adulterated oil

Thailand’s Energy Business Department Director-General Ongart Promjanyakul said the Energy Ministry has imposed more stringent measures against the sale of adulterated fuel.

Malaysia unveils carbon intensity, renewables plan

Malaysia hopes to cut its carbon intensity by 40-45% by 2020 from 2005 levels, a top government official revealed.

BAIC to build electric car base in China

Beijing Automotive Industry Holding (BAIC) is building an electric car manufacturing base in China to strengthen its presence in the fast-emerging alternative-fuel vehicle segment in the country, reports China Daily.

HydroGreenergy urges re-refining used lube oil

HydroGreenergy, Thailand's first green lubricant maker, plans to collect used oil from service stations with the help of the Wongpanit group, the country's leading recycling business and one of the 18-month-old company's shareholders.

ExxonMobil transfers lubricants business in Vietnam

ExxonMobil Corp. announced that it has completed transferring its stake in ExxonMobil Vietnam Holding Co. Ltd. to Total Raffinage Marketing, under the French group Total SA. With effect from December 12, Total assumed full management control of the affiliate, which is now known as Lubricants Vietnam Holding Ltd.

Japan won’t introduce environment tax in 2010

Japan has decided to abandon its plan to introduce an environment tax in the next fiscal year starting in April, taking into account strong opposition from the business community and ruling party lawmakers who are preparing for an upper house election next summer, government sources said.

Renewables to supply one-third of China's energy by 2050

China's renewable energy strategy through 2050 envisions renewable energy making up one-third of its energy consumption by then, the China Daily said, as the Copenhagen conference on climate change highlights the world's dependence on fossil fuels.

S. Korea's oil product exports fall slightly in 2009

South Korean oil product exports declined marginally in the first 10 months of this year due to decreased demand and a supply glut in the industry, an industry association said.

Australia opposes Caltex deal with ExxonMobil

Australia's competition regulator rejected Caltex Australia Ltd.'s proposed A$300 million (US$277.5 million) takeover of ExxonMobil Corp.'s Australian filling stations, highlighting an intense level of public and regulatory sensitivity to any deals in the oil retail sector.

Singapore on fast train to cutting carbon emissions

Singapore has announced that it is ready to voluntarily slash its carbon emissions growth by 16% below “business as usual” levels by 2020.

India’s PSUs face 40% shortfall in ethanol for blending

India’s Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jitin Prasada said state-owned oil retailers are facing 40% shortfall in their ethanol requirement for the current financial year to March for the 5% mandatory blending with petrol.

IMF asks Indian government to deregulate oil prices

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised India to deregulate fuel prices, which it said is the best way to deal with the volatility in crude oil prices in the international commodity markets.

Shell opens new lube blending plant in China

Shell Lubricants has announced the start-up of its newest lubricants complex in China.

Caltex (Thailand) seeks investors for pump stations

Thailand's fourth-largest oil retailer, Caltex (Thailand) Co., expects to phase out its company-owned service stations next year and seek small investors to take them over in line with cost-cutting.

IOC to invest US$1 billion in new pipeline project

Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. (IOC), the country's largest state-owned refiner, plans to invest Rs46.5 billion rupees (US$999.36 million) in building new crude and petroleum product pipelines.

SAIC to build new alternative-powertrain base in China

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) has signed an agreement with the municipal government of Tangshan in Hebei province to build a new alternative-powertrain base there, reports Xinhua's China Economic Information Service.

NDRC approves Fiat-Guangzhou JV

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved a vehicle manufacturing joint venture (JV) between Fiat and local automaker Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group (GAIG), reports Dow Jones International News.

D1 Oils reviews strategic options

British biofuels technology company D1 Oils PLC said its board was reviewing strategic options that could include a possible sale or a reverse merger and it may not need new funds until late 2011 under a new business plan.

Thailand to make B3 biodiesel mandatory

Thailand's Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul said he expects the mandatory use of B3 biodiesel, a mixture of 3% biodiesel and 97% petroleum diesel, to take effect in January next year for all diesel-powered vehicles.

China emerges as world's top car market

China's car market is set to become the world's largest, with sales expected to reach 13 million units by the end of December 2009.

World biodiesel capacity to grow 9% in 2010

World biodiesel annual capacity will grow to 39.8 million metric tons in 2010, a 9% growth rate from 2009, even as many plants around the world are running at extremely low rates linked partly to the global economic downturn.

China to roll out fuels meeting Euro III in January

China plans to implement the National III emission standard, which is equivalent to Euro III, for gasoline and diesel fuel across the whole country from January 1, 2010, according to the National Standardization Administration's web site.

Greens fuel debate on emissions standards

The Australian government is delaying the introduction of mandatory carbon-dioxide emission targets for new vehicles to protect its tax revenue from petrol sales, Greens Deputy Leader Senator Christine Milne said.

Taiwan tropical isle going green with vehicle ban

Travelers to a tiny tropical island off Taiwan can soon expect its air quality to match the pristine marine attractions, under an initiative to replace gasoline-powered vehicles with electric ones.

India key growth driver for Shell Lubricants

Shell Lubricants, the global market share leader in finished lubricants, has announced that India would be a key driver of its growth strategy in 2010.

Oleon to double palm processing capacity

Belgian oleochemicals maker Oleon Holding NV will double its plant capacity in Malaysia to 34,000 tons in the next two years to meet growing demand for palm oil-based products in the food and auto sectors.

Chery to establish global EV R&D center in Taiwan

Chinese automaker Chery Automobile is aiming to establish a global electric vehicle (EV) research and development (R&D) center in Taiwan, reports China Economic News Service.

COFCO ties up with Sinopec to develop corn-based chemicals

COFCO, China's leading food items producer, has tied up with Sinopec Group, the country's largest oil refiner, to produce polylactic acid from corn in China's northeastern Jilin province.

Vietnam considers environment tax on oil products

Vietnam's Finance Ministry has proposed an environment tax on oil products for the first time to reduce consumption as part of efforts to reduce pollution.

Sinopec to add more than 100 gas stations in Chongqing

Sinopec, the largest refiner in Asia by capacity, plans to build more than 100 gasoline stations in Chongqing by 2015, sources reported.

Korea to introduce renewable fuel standard

Introduction of a renewable fuel standard (RFS) system is currently under consideration to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, South Korea's Ministry of Knowledge Economy said.

Asia-Pacific energy demand to grow by 1.8%, ExxonMobil CEO says

Asia-Pacific demand for energy products will grow 1.8% annually in the next 20 years as China, the world's second-biggest energy user, increases fuel consumption, said Rex Tillerson, ExxonMobil Corp.'s chief executive officer.