Royal Dutch Shell has decided to go ahead with its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project in Australia, which will see it build the world's first FLNG facility.

The platform will be moored around 200 kilometres off the Australian coast and will liquefy gas from offshore fields onboard by cooling.

Shell will now commence detailed design and construction of what will be the world's largest floating offshore facility, in a ship yard in South Korea.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and subsidiaries of Soitec Solar Development LLC have announced the signing of two additional 25-year contracts for a total of 125 MW of solar energy to be generated in SDG&E’s service territory.

The additional energy will be produced using Soitec's concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology, with solar modules manufactured in a new Soitec factory to be built in the San Diego area.

Both of the projects will be located in San Diego County and will be situated near SDG&E electric substations.

Amec, the UK-based engineering and project management company, has agreed to buy the US engineering and environmental services company Mactec for $280 million.

Mactec provides a similar range of services to Amec's Earth & Environmental (E&E) unit, including environmental planning, assessment and remediation, infrastructure engineering, water resources and construction support services. Its clients are those operating in the energy, commercial/industrial, transportation/infrastructure and federal sectors.

Lydian International is focusing all its energies on Armenia this year, where its prospects are looking better with each month that passes.

Having established a solid market position in the downstream and retail oil market in East Africa, MOGAS is expanding aggressively and preparing to diversify. CEO Geoffrey Rugazoora outlined his vision to John O’Hanlon.

African Rainbow Minerals has recently embarked on another phase of expansion – this time mining a new commodity in a new country. Jayne Alverca takes to the copper trail.

Allan Morrison, Central Asia operations manager of BCM Group, West Africa’s longest established surface mining and civil earthworks contractor, talks to Jayne Alverca about what it takes to become the partner of choice to some of the mining industry’s biggest players.

As development at the South Deep mine in South Africa continues to advance, Gold Fields plans to ramp up production and reach full capacity by 2014. If things go according to plan, South Deep looks set to become one of the world’s most productive gold mines.

Junior exploration company Intex Resources is poised to begin developing what promises to become one of the world’s largest nickel mines, located on one of the poorest islands in the Philippines. CEO Jon Steen Petersen explains how the company has developed a unique mine plan to deliver a minimal environmental footprint and maximum benefit to the local community.

Force Fuels, Inc. has completed the refurbishment of 10 existing oil wells that have been shut down for several years on a property in Montgomery County, Kansas.

The company said that with oil production numbers as anticipated, it expects to open a further 10 wells within the next 15 days.