Prices Soar

Shell Announces Strong Results

Oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell Group announced record fourth quarter profits, after a more than twofold jump in oil prices and as the benefits of its restructuring program continued to show through. Adjusted current cost net income soared by 173 percent to $2.235 billion in fourth quarter 1999, which was at the top end of analysts' forecasts, while net income of $2.582 billion compared with a loss of 3.739 billion the year before. Current cost net income for the full year rose 38 percent to $7.09 billion, after adjusting for special credits and charges. Exploration and production provided the main profit boost, hitting $1,507 million in the fourth quarter compared with a loss of $1,906 million in 1998 as crude prices soared. North Sea Brent crude prices averaged $17.95 per barrel in the fourth quarter, up from $11.15 in the same period of 1998.

Maritime Shares Make A Comeback

Share prices in Oslo continued to rise during June and in the first six months of 1999 the Shipping Index rocketed 30.6 percent. The All Share Index is not far behind with an increase of 23.7 percent during the same period. Trading at the Oslo Stock Exchange has never been more active than in 1999 so far with the daily average turnover for the first half of the year at NOK 1,640 million. This is 27.1 percent higher than the average for the whole of 1998

Indonesia, CNOOC Talks End in Deadlock

Early renegotiation of gas selling price with China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) has ended in deadlock as the ceiling price proposed by CNOOC was seen as too low, according to Asian Pulse. Indonesia has signed a long term contract to supply China's Fujian province with 2.6 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually from Tangguh, Papua. Under the agreement in 1992 the LNG price was tide with crude oil price or around $2

China Oil Producer Sees Profits Soar

China's top offshore oil and gas producer, CNOOC, has posted a 38 percent jump in earnings for the first half of the year. The better-than-expected results were driven by soaring energy prices and higher output, according to a report on www.voanews.com. Oil and gas production at the state-owned company increased by more than seven percent in the first six months of 2006 compared to a year earlier. CNOOC's chairman Fu Chengyu says the company achieved breakthroughs in its overseas business

OPEC Strives For $22-$28 Barrel

Venezuelan Energy and Mines Minister Ali Rodriguez said that OPEC had agreed to defend a price band of $22 to $28 per barrel for its basket of crudes in a bid to stabilize prices. Rodriguez reportedly said the oil cartel would automatically raise or cut production by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) if prices move outside of the band for more than 20 days. Nine members of OPEC agreed this week in Vienna to increase output by 1.45 million bpd from April 1, to curb soaring prices

CMA CGM Reports Encouraging Outlook for 2012

CMA CGM, the world’s third largest container shipping group, reported revenue of U.S. $14.87 billion for the year ending December 31, 2011, a 4% increase on 2010. Volumes carried increased by 11%, outperforming the market’s 6.5% increase and reaching a record high of 10,016,000 teus. The market environment was challenging, shaped by overcapacity and the steep run-up in oil prices, with per-tonne bunker prices soaring 34% over the year

Rising Bunker Prices To Push Worldscale Rates Up

Increasing bunker prices will push Worldscale tanker rates up by around 1.5 percent next year but prices on some routes will fall due to lower port dues and exchange rate fluctuations, the Worldscale Association said. The average bunker fuel price used for rate calculations would rise to $86.50 in 2000, from $82.75 in 1999, but varying port charges and currency exchange rates would mean some Worldscale route assessments fell.

As Gas Prices Fly Ever Higher, Why Do Energy Stocks Stay Grounded?

Energy shares drew little comfort Feb. 4 from rising oil prices lifted first by red hot heating oil, then gasoline soaring to nine-year highs. U.S. light crude for March delivery settled 79 cents higher at $28.82 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, about $1 away from post Gulf War highs reached in late January. Prompt heat oil barges delivered to the New York Harbor soared to a $1.00 premium to the futures, which closed up 0.88 cent at 78.78 cents gallon

Smit Profit Soars 60%

Smit International announced that its mid-year results saw profits soar 60% from EUR 29.7 million to EUR 47.5 million, driven by an extremely busy six months and good results in its salvage division, and strong pricing and utilization in its Transport & Heavy Lift Division. "The exceptionally high results in the second half of 2006 were continued in the first half of 2007, with our net profit rising 60% relative to the first half of 2006,” said CEO Ben Vree

SPP Shipbuilding Considers $300M IPO

South Korea's SPP Shipbuilding is seeking to raise about $300m in an initial public offering in South Korea next year, a person familiar with the situation recently indicated. A company spokesperson confirmed that SPP is mulling a share float, but declined to give a time frame or value on the deal. The company had considered making a share offering at home and abroad, but now has no plan to list its shares outside the country, the spokesperson reportedly said.