Special reports

With the rapid rise in demand for LNG from Asia, the Australian coalbed methane (CBM) industry is booming. But could competition from US and Chinese shale gas frustrate Australian ambition?

Federal prosecutors have filed charges of conspiracy to defraud the US federal Government against the former managers of Massey Energy, who were in charge of the company at the time of the Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine disaster that killed 29 coal miners in April 2010.

February 2011: Time is usually regarded as a negative in any business endeavor – the quicker, the better. After all, time is money (right?). Balancing the ‘time required for sustainable change’ with a ‘schedule for change’ is almost always an exercise in conflict.

Gerrit Lok, Hatch Africa’s director for coal gives an analysis of global coking coal demand and supply trends.

India is set to become the largest importer of coal in the world. But doubts remain over many aspects of current power sector legislation and electricity tariffs. Mike King examines the uncertainty this is creating for the power generating companies and the miners that serve them.

January 2011: Kay Sever examines the ‘intangible’ factors which act as an obstacle to success.

McLanahan Corp. acquire Universal Engineering and J.H. Fletcher & Co. enter into a distribution agreement with Joy Mining Machinery.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its Medium-Term Coal Market Report 2011, which predicts that the global demand for coal will grow over the next five years as a result of surging energy demand in emerging economies.

In an unexpected end to the COP17 summit in Durban South Africa, the US, China and India have agreed to be included in a new legal framework for emissions reduction that will come into force in 2020, although the details of the deal are yet to be agreed. COP17 also agreed to an extension of the Kyoto Protocol to 2017.

Mark Major, Hodges Resources Ltd, Australia, explains how the company’s thermal coal assets are boosting Botswana’s development as a manufacturing and economic hub.

The progress of Botswana’s coal industry has been slow, with decisions being put back and projects stalled. Barry Baxter looks at the reasons for the delays.

November 2011: Kay Sever examines methods for getting the most out of company meetings.

China’s economy faces a strong headwind from power shortages and rising coal costs. Ng Weng Hoong assesses the threats.

The energy security strategies of states across the region, if not working in cooperation with each other, could have severe geopolitical and economic repercussions in a region where high food and oil prices threaten economic recovery and human security.

Wood Mackenzie’s Near-Term Market Outlook cautions of falling metallurgical coal prices from now to Q4 2012, dropping from the current quarterly price of US$ 285/t for premium metallurgical coal to under US$ 240/t.