Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Cairn Energy makes 40% reduction to headcount Cairn Energy has made reductions to its staff cutting 40% of its headcount in both full-time employees and contractors. The company made the announcement in a pre-close update in which it said its 2015 focus would be on an appraisal and exploration programme in Senegal

	Just Energy strike deal to sell solar electricity Just Energy Group has struck a deal with Clean Power Finance (CPF) to sell residential solar electricity. The agreement will provide CPF’s networks with a large solar sales pipeline as well as access to Just Energy’s

	Sound Oil withdraws offer for Antrim Energy Sound Oil has withdrawn its offer to acquire Antrim Energy amidst the global drop in oil prices. The company, which revealed its intentions to make an offer in November last year, said they were no longer proceeding any further with the deal

	Petrol prices slashed again The big four supermarkets are cutting the price of their fuel again. Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are all knocking a further 2p off their petrol and diesel

	Costs to drop for Ithaca as well set for start North Sea oil and gas company Ithaca Energy expects to spend nearly 60% less than last year as it moves towards production start-up from its Greater Stella Area (GSA) development during 2015

	Labour calls for Ofgem to pass wholesale oil price fall on to consumers Labour wants to give regulator Ofgem the ability to force companies to pass on falls in the price of wholesale oil and gas to consumers, which industry estimates claim could knock #136 off the average bill

	North Sea 'mismanagement' criticised Energy minister Fergus Ewing will today accuse his UK counterpart of “mismanagement” of North Sea oil and demand urgent reform. Fergus Ewing is expected to meet UK energy minister Matt Hancock at a meeting of Pilot, an oil and gas taskforce which brings together government and industry representatives, in London

	Rouble continues to fall as oil prices drop The Russian rouble has fallen further under continuing pressure from low oil prices. The currency was down nearly 3% in morning trading in Moscow, floating around 65 roubles per dollar

	China imports record crude as price collapse spurs buying spree China’s crude imports surged to a record in December after a buying spree in Singapore by a state-owned trader and as the government in Beijing accelerated stockpiling amid the collapse in global oil prices

	UK and Scottish ministers to hold crisis talks UK and Scottish ministers will hold crisis talks with oil and gas chiefs today amid alarm at falling prices. The spotlight will fall on the crunch meeting of the Pilot taskforce as Treasury chiefs face growing demands for government action to resuscitate the sector

	Opinion: Protecting Scotland's oil wealth Alex Salmond was quoted in Energy Voice's sister publication, the Press and Journal yesterday, as saying that “oil was too important to leave to Westminster”

	UKCS spending could slump by nearly half over the next two years, WoodMac warns UK North Sea spending levels could slump to just over half their 2014 total over the next two years, with low oil prices alone costing the industry £2billion of lost investment, according to energy research company Wood Mackenzie

	Opinion: Scottish Government puts hands to the tiller to save North Sea Oil Secessionist supporters will long remember 2014 as the year when Scotland came close to grabbing the mantle of freedom. Non-nationalists voters will see things differently as they salute the continuance of what they perceive to be the security blanket of being a member of the United Kingdom, despite having witnessed the unedifying spectacle of Clegg, Cameron and Milliband linking arms as they promised the earth for a ‘no’ vote

	Energy pair lose £1.5billion in value British Gas owner Centrica and rival SSE saw nearly £1.5 billion wiped off their combined market values today after Labour called for new powers to force energy companies to cut household tariffs

	Incredible image shows huge waves offshore This image taken by an offshore worker shows the high waves caused by storms across Scotland. The photograph was captured from a rig off the coast of Shetland