Environment News - Bulletin 105 (Sep 09)

Algae, sugar and ricin are on the menu for this months' environment news, while Volvo plugs in to hybrid technology and Shell and Exxon get sand in the works.

The drive for improved bio-fuels and lubricants continues with both ExxonMobil and BP announcing major investments.  CNN's Steve Mollman discusses Exxon's apparent change in perspective on biofuel development following their announcement in July of an investment into R & D of algae-based oil production. Collaborating with genome specialist Craig Venter, through his organisation Synthetic Genomics Inc., Exxon could invest as much as $600m in the project.

Chevron and Shell have already announced investment in this area, however Shell and BP are also seeking a sweeter alternative, viewing sugar as the route to greener fuels. BP's partnership with Martek Biosciences will investigate the conversion of sugars into biodiesel with a $10m investment by the oil producer for phase one of the project.

The grease industry is also set to benefit from the latest bio-technology with the news that Spain's University of Huelva has developed an industrial lubricating grease based on ricin oil and cellulose.  The grease is claimed to be 100% biodegradable.

Exxon and Shell have announced a breakthrough in oil sands refining which they claim will reduce pollution levels to that of conventional oil wells.  The process, called high-temperature froth treatment, heats the sand under pressure and creates a petroleum-rich froth in a single process.  The process could significantly reduce pollution while increasing production output primarily from the oil sand fields of Western Canada worth an estimated $10tr.

Meanwhile in Wichita, a new refinery was opened by Universal Lubricants which is claimed to be one of the 'greenest' in the US.  The refinery will 're-refine' used motor oil back into useable motor oil and gear lubricants.