Energy

Malcolm Turnbull is staring down coalition backbenchers concerned that a proposed clean energy target could push up power prices and undermine coal-fired power.

Contract Power Group has won a contract to build, own and operate a power station at Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora lithium project for at least seven years, while former Fortescue Metals Group delivery manager Dale Henderson has taken over as Pilbara’s project director.

Gas explorer Triangle Energy Global has announced plans to spin-out one of its subsidiaries into a new entity and float it on the ASX.

Mines Minister Bill Johnston has been criticised for holding a scientific inquiry to decide the future of fracking in the state, with the industry saying it's unnecessary and creates damaging uncertainty.

The state government has strengthened its ban on fracking in Perth and the South West, while moving to appoint Environmental Protection Authority chairman Tom Hatton to run a scientific inquiry into the drilling technique.

Perth Basin energy player Empire Oil & Gas has placed its ASX-listed securities into suspension after it was unable to restart production at its Red Gully-1 well.

An ambitious multi-billion dollar project to export solar power from the Pilbara into Indonesia would be technically viable, according to a pre-feasibility study released by the Pilbara Development Commission today.

MMA Offshore has posted a $378 million loss for the 2017 financial year on the back of a huge impairment and the halving of revenue from its oil and gas-focused vessel operations.

Grattan Institute energy program director Tony Wood has said the state government should proceed, but move cautiously, toward full retail contestability in the local electricity market, speaking at the Energy in WA conference today.

Oil and gas producer Santos has reduced its half-year loss to $US506 million ($A640 million) even though it had an impairment charge of $US689 million on account of lower oil price forecasts.

Energy Minister Ben Wyatt hopes to introduce laws to ease network access rules for new electricity generators by mid 2018, while acknowledging concerns about Synergy's market power in an address today at the Energy in Western Australia Conference.

Sydney-based gas producer AWE plans to upgrade its resource estimate for the Waitsia gas field in the Perth Basin in coming months after a recent drilling campaign showed the field extends further eastward than initially thought.

Applecross-based Advanced Energy Resources will soon begin work to install 1.5 megawatts of wind farm capacity across agribusiness Westpork’s biggest farms as part of a $4 million move to renewables.

SPECIAL REPORT: More than $1.6 billion of renewable energy projects are proposed for the South West Interconnected System, but their success may hinge on how the government handles two regulatory issues.

SPECIAL REPORT: As WA households benefit from increased competition in gas retailing, the electricity sector wants to be able to compete with Synergy in providing to small customers, with some industry members calling for a reduction in the contestability threshold to 20 megawatt hours.

Woodside Petroleum chief executive Peter Coleman said today that changes to the ownership of the North West Shelf Venture would be a natural progression as it became an infrastructure asset servicing offshore gas fields.

Some of the North West Shelf Venture partners might either sell their stake in the operation or take an equity interest in potential projects such as Browse as one potential solution to find backfill liquids for Karratha gas plant in the next decade, according to a report by Wood Mackenzie.

Melinda Cilento has been chosen to succeed Stephen Martin as chief executive of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.

Chevron’s Gorgon project has shaken off last year’s teething issues to ship at an above-capacity run rate in July, exporting 1.4 million tonnes of LNG in the month, according to the latest data from consultancy Energy Quest.

Oil and gas producer Santos will book an impairment charge of $US690 million ($A877 million) in its half-year results due next week after lowering its oil price forecasts.

Oil and gas producer Santos has signed an agreement to supply gas to Engie's Pelican Point power station in South Australia.

The legacy of one of Western Australia’s environmental pioneers has been recognised with the launch of the Harry Butler Institute – an initiative set up through a partnership between Murdoch University and energy giant Chevron.

RCR Tomlinson has won two contracts worth a combined $315 million for the construction and maintenance of two solar farms in Queensland for Edify Energy.

Origin Energy has flagged a second-half $1.2 billion hit to its full-year results, largely relating to an impairment in its Australia Pacific LNG interest.

The state government plans to prepare reforms to allow third-party access in the North West Interconnected System, the Pilbara’s electricity network, ready for a cabinet decision in March 2018, in a move that would end years of impasse.

Woodside Petroleum is hoping to win state government backing for a new 700-bed fly-in, fly-out camp at Karratha, after selecting a consortium led by Multiplex and Compass Group to build, own and operate the facility.

Perth-based SRG has won a $26.5 million contract for work on an LNG project in Kuwait for Hyundai Engineering and Construction.

Two of Western Australia’s biggest power stations have earned after-tax profits of around $37 million in the 12 months to March, despite one of the generators being out of action, according to the annual report of their part owner.

The major contractor at Chevron's massive Wheatstone gas project says it has taken action after more than 250 workers signed a petition alleging serious workplace bullying.

ASX-listed Carnegie Clean Energy is evaluating three sites for the initial deployment of its CETO 6 wave power technology, including Albany and Cornwall, after it was confirmed today its Garden Island microgrid project will initially not include wave power.

Fortescue Metals Group claimed today that a new power station built by Canadian company TransAlta Corporation at South Hedland had failed to achieve commercial production, while the miner also announced it would buy back a second power station it sold to TransAlta in 2012.

Onshore oil company Buru Energy has tapped investors for $10.2 million to fund ongoing development of its Ungani operation in the Canning Basin.