Producing palm oil substitute from corn waste

Is a sustainable, local alternative to palm oil possible? The research consortium NextVegOil from Aachen, Bochum, Düsseldorf and Münster is aiming to develop a commercial-scale process for producing a microbial oil similar ...

Nanoparticles helping to recover more oil

When petroleum companies abandon an oil well, more than half the reservoir's oil is usually left behind as too difficult to recover. Now, however, much of the residual oil can be recovered with the help of nanoparticles and ...

France reconsiders plans to boost biofuel use

France said Wednesday it would reconsider its plans to further develop the use of biofuel, once seen as a potential source of cheap alternative energy but now blamed for soaring food prices.

Brazil prosecutors want Chevron work shut down

Prosecutors in Brazil on Wednesday called for a shutdown of Chevron's activities nationwide and said the US oil giant should be fined $11 billion for damage caused by an oil spill last month.

Shell divers shut off North Sea oil leak

Divers working for oil giant Shell have turned off the valve which has been leaking oil into the North Sea causing the worst spill in the area for a decade, the company said Friday.