Roundup: Ethanol, FDI, E&P oversight

Suriname's state oil company Staatsolie announced it expects results of sugar levels of potential feedstock sources for ethanol production to be ready in seven months. The plan is to cultivate an area of 12,600ha to produce the biofuel, according to a company report. The project is part of Staatsolie's 2020 vision that includes diversifying the downstream product portfolio and producing high quality products. *** In the first half of 2009, FDI in Bolivia's hydrocarbons E&P sector fell 8.08% to US$159mn compared to 1H08, according to the country's statistics bureau INE. In the first six months of last year, the E&P sector represented 49.2% of total FDI, which slid 40.2% to US$324mn. *** Peru's energy and mining investment regulator Osinergmin in 2009 fined sector companies some 80mn soles (US$27.8mn), according to agency head Alfredo Dammert. The amount is similar to that of 2008, state news agency Andina quoted Dammert as saying. Also from Peru, the energy and mines ministry's energy environmental affairs department last year approved 301 environmental studies and instruments, of which 276 were in the hydrocarbons sector. Another 141 environmental impact declarations and 57 environmental management plans were approved in the hydrocarbons sector. *** And Paraguay's lower house reported the energy and mines committee will request an update of E&P operations from companies and the mines department.