200 new projects in Iran oil and gas sectors TEHRAN – Two hundred new projects in the Iran oil and gas sectors would become operational by 2012, Hossein Kazempur-Ardebili, Iran’s governor in OPEC, said in an interview with the weekly magazine Shahrvand.

Kazempur-Aredebili denied that international pressures against the Iranian economy over its nuclear program were reducing the clout of the number two producer in OPEC.
“They (the West) are claiming that Iran is not important and that the sanctions tool against Iran is working and if they continue it for a few more years, Iran will quickly become paralyzed.
“Their actions are continuing but we do not have problems since we are aware of their intentions.
“What I can add that that Iran is doing its best to attract possibilities (of investment) from the world though it is faced with restrictions.”
He said the government was combating the problems through long-term development plans and 200 new projects in the oil and gas sectors would become operational by 2012.
---------------------- Shell could take nuclear option to mine oil from Canadian tar sands
Shell is considering using nuclear power to operate its controversial tar sands program in Canada, The Independent reported.
Tar sands extraction – mining oil from a mixture of sand or clay, water and very heavy crude oil – uses a huge amount of energy and water. Environmentalists say it results in more than three times as many emissions of carbon dioxide compared to conventional oil production.
Now Canadian firms AECL and Energy Alberta have proposed building a nuclear reactor near the site of Shell's vast Athabasca tar sands development. The boss of Energy Alberta has said the C$6b (£2.8b) reactor has the backing of a large unnamed company that would take 70 percent of the reactor's energy.
----------------- OPEC panel sees economy uncertain, lower oil stocks
The prospect of lower oil stocks and uncertainty over the global economy, demand growth and non-OPEC supply clouded the outlook for oil markets ahead of peak winter demand, OPEC officials said.
OPEC's Economic Commission Board held a two-day meeting at the group's Vienna headquarters on Friday and Saturday, ahead of the meeting on Tuesday when OPEC oil ministers will decide output policy, Reuters reported.
“After looking at the data, we see low inventories -- especially in the United States -- and uncertainty over GDP growth, oil demand and non-OPEC supplies,” one source who attended the ECB meeting said on Saturday.
Consuming countries have called repeatedly for OPEC to produce more oil to bring down near-record prices and prevent a sharp drop in stocks during winter. So far, OPEC officials have said crude supply is sufficient.
---------------------- Jordan, Egypt agree on gas pricing
Jordan and Egypt are expected to sign a new gas deal this week, a top official said, describing the new pricing scale as “competitive and satisfactory”, the Jordan Times reported.
The first phase of this deal includes supplying Jordan with additional 550 million cubic meters of gas a year for industries and the electricity sector, the source said.
The deal comes four months after local news reports claimed that Egyptian gas flow to Jordan was suspended after the supplier reneged on a pricing agreement