August 22, 2010
Reliance Forms Another U.S. Shale Joint Venture | www.chemweek.com
According to Chemical Week Reliance (India) are extending their shale gas investment in the Marcellus Shale acreage and according to WSJ three shale gas firms are for sale.
Whiskey and Bourbon to Biofuels
August 21, 2010
Waste from Whiskey Production Can Fuel Cars | www.chemweek.com
Chemical Week just reported that Edinburgh Napier University scientists have discovered a new process to generate biofuels from whiskey production waste. The whiskey biofuel is 30% more powerful than U.S. corn derived ethanol and requires no engine modification of present motor vehicles.
PeopleNet Trucking Comm Devices Replacing Qualcomm’s At Heartland Express
August 15, 2010
Heartland Express chooses PeopleNet for onboard computing | www.ccjdigital.com
Heartland Express is switching their vehicle management / communication system from that from Qualcomm Incorporated to PeopleNet. PeopleNet is owned by Norwest Equity Partners whose limited partner is Wells Fargo & Co. It sends a message to the industry that less-expensive more “open communication” systems are not-only good for small and mid-sized fleets, but they can take business from an industry leader.
DOE moves from Coal Gasification to Coal Oxy-Combustion
August 9, 2010
DOE Funds New FutureGen Project | www.chemweek.com
DOE decided to cancel funding for coal gasification and instead stimulus fund with $1 billion a coal oxy-combustion process for retrofitting a 200 MW coal power plant in Meredosia, Illinois and construct a CO2 storage facility in Matton with pipeline connections to the power plant. L'Air Liquid is supplying the oxygen plant and Babcock and Wilcocx retrofits the coal combustion boiler.
97K Lbs. US Gross Vehicle Weight Is Smart & Good For Some Industry Suppliers
August 7, 2010
Senate bill would allow heavier trucks on interstates | www.ccjdigital.com
Senate Bill S. 3705 was just introduced raising allowable Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) on Interstate Highways from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds. It mirrors House Bill H.R. 1799, but the issue has failed in the past. If passed, States can opt in. Some Western US States already allow higher GVW’s, but it puts us on par with Europe at 97K and NAFTA partners Canada / Mexico at over 100K. While such legislation comes up almost every congress, it has many good outcomes and the best chance of passing yet.
2010 Emissions-Compliant Truck Orders & The SCR v. EGR Engine Debate
August 4, 2010
With the dust settling somewhat from the California Air Resources Board, EPA, Navistar Corporation, Daimler, Cummins Inc, Volvo et al meeting a couple weeks ago, we found some of the feedback comments - especially from potential buyers - interesting. In addition, numbers always tell the rest of story, so it’s also interesting to look at what the 2010 compliant engine orders look like.
Harry Blinked and T. Boone Smiles
August 3, 2010
The Death of Cap and Tax | online.wsj.com
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally understood the negative economics of cap and trade (cap and tax) and shelved the President Obama initiated energy bill with cap and trade provisions in lieu of a new energy bill with a $5.8 billion subsidy for natural gas vehicles.
American Trucking Association Freight Tonnage Index Signals A Slowdown?
July 27, 2010
ATA Truck Tonnage Index Fell 1.4 Percent in June | www.prnewswire.com
The American Trucking Association (ATA) seasonally adjusted truck freight tonnage index shows a negative trend for the last two consecutive months (May and June). It’s not viewed as a positive for freight planners - and the rest of us.
Better Trucking Productivity + Few New Trucks Added = Improved Profits, But…
July 26, 2010
The second quarter is coming in as some had expected => softening US economic activity. With inventories somewhat filled back up and the trucks running today still being able to pick up the marginally increasing demand, expect to see trucking profitability to stay relatively good and new truck sales to moderate. Used trucks continue to sell well for several reasons.
Better Trucking Productivity + Few New Trucks Added = Improved Profits, But…
July 26, 2010
The second quarter is coming in as some had expected => softening economic activity. With inventories somewhat filled back up and the trucks running today still being able to pick up the marginally increasing freight demand, expect to see trucking profitability to stay relatively good and new truck sales to moderate. Used trucks continue to sell well for several reasons.
Chesapeake Energy bites the natural gas bullet
January 25, 2012
Flurry of newbuild drilling rig deliveries in 2012 may dampen rig rates
January 20, 2012
Talisman joins the ranks of cautious E&P companies
January 12, 2012
Early signs of caution begin to cloud frontier exploration and production
January 4, 2012
It's too early in the game to write off Shtokman
December 8, 2011