an oil company that's not making mega bucks - now that's hard to believe

 get your test tubes out guys -

 The Canadian gold mining outfit Barrick Gold is offering $10m to scientists, engineers and other inventors who can unlock the silver from the ore at its Veladero gold mine in Argentina.

 well it looks like there could be gold in them thar hills - yahooo.......

 all system are - go, go, go

ROYAL Dutch Shell , the world's biggest non-state producer of liquefied natural gas, said the jump in construction costs that had been delaying new supply projects was set to ease as engineering companies expanded.

 when you're hot - you're hot - and all metals are running hot

GOLD 'S traditional status as a safe haven asset was reaffirmed with a vengeance yesterday, with the metal hitting the equivalent of $869 an ounce - a price at which every gold miner in the world should be well into profit.

I think that I have seen this headline before - just remember - it doesn't matter how high it goes - it can always go higher

 WORLD oil prices topped $US81 a barrel for the first time today, setting another record high amid fears of critically tight supplies for the US winter.

 an interesting move to get away from imported oil

BEIJING, Sept. 17 -- China's first direct coal-to-oil plant will start operation next year, with the industry's production capacity rising to 50 million tons in 12 years, the country's largest coal company has said

I'm sure that there are are lots of good one liners in this article - but I will leave them for someone else !!!

WESTERN Australia's environmental watchdog has reversed its decision to block a $12 billion iron ore development to protect a tiny spider-like creature.

a lot of politics - Russia has been a key energy supplier - I'll bet there are a lot of nervous Europeans when the Russians flex there energy muscle

Energy minister Malcolm Wicks is in the Caspian region this week to lobby for a gas pipeline that would supply Europe directly with gas – and bypass Russia.

 French utility Gaz de France wants to join the European Union's flagship Nabucco gas pipeline , the French gas giant's chief operating officer Jean-Marie Dauger said here Friday.

 better get the bicycle dusted off -

The price of crude oil may have fallen back yesterday after breaking the $80 (£39.36) mark, but now that this psychological barrier has been breached, traders are speculating about when it will hit $90.

 South Korea's Samsung Engineering says it has received a $1.1bn (£0.54bn) order from Thailand's PTT Public Company to build two gas plants.

So which way does the world go ??  Clean Coal Technology looks pretty attractive as part of a "balanced" supply approach

 Sometimes things just don't go well,  even if you are one of the biggest oil companies in the world

Royal Dutch Shell 's long-running battles with the government of Argentina intensified after the company was ordered to close a refinery for allegedly breaching environmental laws.