2012-02-10 13:30:02 // Esther Goh
The government has identified 25 blocks of land to target for oil exploration in the Waikato, Taranaki, Tasman, West Coast and Southland.
2012-01-19 10:28:42 // Esther Goh
A contract to increase methanol production in Taranaki is being touted as bringing billions of extra revenue into the country over the next decade.
2011-10-11 12:37:40 // Deirdre Robert
// The Idealog Blog
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As individuals and groups scramble to contain the oil spill from stranded vessel Rena, which last week struck the Astrolabe Reef off the coast of Tauranga, others are questioning methods being used to help clean up the oil. According to Maritime New Zealand’s latest update on the situation, there is a significant amount of oil leaking from the vessel and dispersants are being tested on the fresh oil leaking from the ship. One dispersant tested, called Corexit 9500, came under criticism for its toxicity when it was used in the BP Deepwater Horizon spill. Now scientists here dishing out some sombre dispersant advice.
2011-09-16 12:00:00 // Sustain Team
// The Idealog Blog
The World Green Tourism conference, taking place in Abu Dhabi in December this year, is said to be the first commercial conference and exhibition specifically for the sustainable tourism sector. The fact that it’s been held in an oil export-reliant country provides an interesting twist. But according to one Kiwi professor speaking at the conference, the high profile nature and location of the event makes it the perfect platform to drum home the message that a strong sustainability focus is key to major tourism expansion in the Middle East, which also faces challenges from climate change.
2011-08-30 11:04:51 // Esther Goh
Proposed changes to the oil and gas industry's exploration permit scheme are part of the government's Energy Strategy announced this morning, which emphasises fossil fuels on the back of a report that states New Zealand could earn up to $12.7 billion in royalties if current oil exploration rates were to double.
2011-08-16 13:34:18 // Sustain Team
// The Idealog Blog
Fracking. It’s big business. Australian-based BHP Billiton paid $5 billion (NZ$6 billion) for fracking (aka 'fraccing') rights for a site in Arkansas earlier this year. But the technique, which is used to stimulate the production of oil and natural gas, has copped much criticism in the US, Europe and Australia for its detrimental impacts on the environment, and now there are concerns around its use in New Zealand.
2011-01-13 11:12:26 // Design Daily Team
// The Idealog Blog
Ever think no good could come out of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? Well, some could, perhaps. Rather than spending hundreds of years in a landfill slowly breaking down, General Motors has found a creative way to utilise 160 kms of boom used to contain oil from the spill, recycling them into its car designs. Watch how it works below.
