Energy Roundup: Royal Dutch Shell Talks French, Odebrecht to Spend $100M Offshore Angola, and More

Shell calls “force majeure” on Nigeria exports due to OPEC cuts — Royal Dutch Shell has called force majeure on some of its crude exports from Nigeria. Shell called the force majeure based on Nigeria’s compliance with OPEC — of which Nigeria is a member — to reduce output by 1.5 million barrels a day. Shell didn’t detail who exactly would be getting screwed.

Literally translating to “greater force” a force majeure, says the Yale University Library website, is a clause in a contract that a party may invoke to excuse it from liability if some event beyond its control prevents it from performing its obligations. Force majeure clauses cover natural disasters, “acts of God,” wars, and the failure of third parties — such as suppliers and subcontractors — to meet obligations. There: At BNET Energy you learn something new every day. [Source: Dow Jones via Cattle Network]

Brazil’s Odebrecht to spend $100 million in exploratory wells off Angola — The Brazilian construction firm, Odebrecht, says it plans to spend $100 million drilling test wells offshore Angola in 2009. Odebrecht, which owns a 15 percent stake in Angola’s Block 16, says it will drill four wells. Block 16 is promising, surrounded by blocks sporting new discoveries, some already producing. Other stakeholders in the block include: Maersk (50 percent), Sonangol (20 percent) Devon Energy (15 percent). [Source: Rigzone]

Raser fires up low temp geothermal plant in Utah – Raser Technologies is to open its first low-temp geothermal plant in Utah. Raser has fast-tracked the plant, which took less than a year to build (most take about five years), and plans to fast track more. According to Earth2Tech, “the 10-megawatt plant pulls together 50 small units to tap into a small sliver of 120,000 megawatts of low- and medium-temperature geothermal resources cataloged by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and U.S. Geological Survey.” The company says that low- and medium-temp geothermal power could meet about a third of U.S. energy needs. Last year, Merrill Lynch committed $44 million to the Raser project. [Source: Earth2Tech]

Renewable Energy Laboratory and U.S. Geological Survey.” The company says that low- and medium-temp geothermal power could meet about a third of U.S. energy needs. Last year, Merrill Lynch committed $44 million to the Raser project. [Source: Earth2Tech]

Startup Suniva begins fabricating first solar cells — Less than a year after its founding, Atlanta-based Suneva has started fabricating its first line of solar cells at its Georgia facility. Suniva plans to triple its current capacity to 96 megawatts by mid-2009 with a total capacity goal of 175 megawatts by early 2010. [Source: Earth2Tech]