: BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance has received an overwhelming number of applications for its Bowen Basin coal mine jobs. More than 8000 people have applied for just 250 recently advertised jobs. Recruits for the fly-in-fly-out jobs in far north Queensland will start work mid-year. A BMA spokeswoman said the company had received an overwhelming response from people in the Cairns region, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people with limited coal-mining experience. The Resource Channel read more

: The New York Stock Exchange cancelled more than two dozen trades of Anadarko Petroleum stock occurring milliseconds before market close on Friday that sent the US independent's shares down about 99%.

: A new study has cleared hydraulic fracturing as a cause of groundwater contamination in Arkansas, but researchers say the findings suggest that local geology plays a major role in potential pollution from the controversial practise.

: Shareholders voted out Transocean Chairman Michael Talbert at the annual meeting on Friday and backed a nominee of activist investor Carl Icahn to replace him on the board of the world's largest offshore drilling contractor.

: The aggregate number of oil and gas rigs drilling in the US remained unchanged this week, staying at 1769 for the second straight week, according to data from Houston-based services giant Banker Hughes.

: Mexican marine construction giant Operadora Cicsa is understood to be evaluating the fabrication of a second modern jack-up.

: Dutch trading house Argos Energies is reportedly also among the oil companies and price reporting agencies being investigated by the European Commission in its oil market inquiry, Reuters has reported.

: Nigeria LNG has declared force majeure on its liquefied natural gas exports from at Bonny Island a day after Shell halted its supplies to the Bonny Island facility over a reported leak.

: Indonesia has launched a new licensing round with 21 blocks on offer, two of which the country’s authorities have classed as unconventional.

: Indonesian state-run oil company Pertamina could seek a farm-in partner at the country’s first shale gas block which it has just been awarded, a report has claimed.

: Malaysian conglomerate UMW could be in the hunt for rig acquisitions as it lines up a listing of its oil & gas division.

: London-listed Petroceltic International is closing in on a second farm-in partner for its Isarene permit in Algeria.

: The battle lines have been drawn on Maersk Oil’s deep-water Chissonga project in Block 16 off Angola, where three groups of bidders are poised to vie for each of the two key surface facilities.

: Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. a unit of US transmission giant Kinder Morgan, has signed a binding 20-year transportation agreement with Mitsubishi Corp. to ship feed-gas to the US Cameron LNG export plant in Louisiana in which the Japanese company has a stake.

: Brent futures slipped towards $103 a barrel on Friday as disappointing US economic data revived worries over demand growth in the world's biggest oil consumer, while a stronger dollar also pressured prices.

: Royal Dutch Shell has again declared "force majeure" on feed-gas supply to the troubled Nigeria LNG plant at Bonny Island, disrupting plans to deliver more spot cargoes to Asia.

: Sempra Energy, the California-based LNG player, has come up with a full $10 billion US export plant joint venture deal for the Cameron facility at Hackberry in Louisiana with the previous provisional liquefaction tolling agreement signatories from Japan and France.

: Mexico state oil monopoly Pemex says it has found "clear indications" of light crude at its ultra-deepwater Maximino well.

: US independent Hess has begun a much-awaited tender process for the key production infrastructure of the first development phase of the North Malay basin gas project near the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area.

: Sempra Energy has signed 20-year tolling agreements with three foreign players that will account for the full capacity at the proposed 12 million-tonne-per-annum Cameron LNG-export facility in Louisiana.

: The team behind the Golden Pass LNG-export project have taken the next step with federal US regulators to gain approval to go ahead with the planned $10 billion liquefaction facility on the Texas Gulf Coast.

: The US Department of the Interior released an updated proposal on long-awaited rules governing hydraulic fracturing on federal and tribal lands that it says gives more "flexibility" to oil and gas producers while protecting public health and safety.

: Chevron's president of Latin American and African operations said Argentina and not China has the world's second largest deposits of unconventional oil after the US, according to a report.

: Independent Tethys Petroleum has signed a protocol of intent with state outfit Uzbekneftgaz to jointly explore a block in northwest Uzbekistan.

: Wood Mackenzie, the energy consultants, expect Australian resource sector investments to begin to peak in 2013 at US$85 billion, dominated by LNG spending.

: Mitsui OSK Lines, the Japanese shipping group, said it concluded a long-term carrier contract to deliver LNG to Japan for utilities Osaka Gas Co. and Kyushu Electric Power Co. with a newbuild vessel.

: More LNG carriers are expected to come to Damen Shiprepair yard in the port of Brest in northwest France for maintenance after a labour agreement was negotiated to ban a French tradition - the two-hour lunch break.

: Det Norske Veritas Chief Executive Henrik O. Madsen said that amid financial uncertainty and rapid technological change the Norwegian classification society saw the offshore industry and LNG shipping stand out as two of the few segments that are performing well.

: The Canadian province of Nova Scotia is to have a second Atlantic Basin LNG export project, with the latest being announced by an India company based in Mumbai.

: GasLog, the Monaco-based LNG carrier fleet operator, believes the strong fundamentals of the LNG industry will provide significant growth opportunities for its "high-quality shipping operations."

: At Rio Tinto we understand the dedication and commitment our Electrical Engineers put into their everyday work and to demonstrate some of the people behind our successful operation, we created a short video to showcase “a day in the life of.” Rio Tinto read more

: Uruguay's state-owned energy company Ancap has awarded France's GDF-Suez the contract to supply a floating, storage and regasification vessel as an import facility.

: By Sarah Long, aka 'The Miner's Girl' on Mining Family Matters Last month Mr Miner’s company moved employees out of camp and into accommodation in town. Mining Family Matters read more

: Oil and gas employers grappling with skills shortages will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with thousands of potential candidates thanks to a new joint initiative between The Resource Channel and Australian Gas Technology Conference & Exhibition(AGT). Diversified Exhibitions read more

: Did you know that health insurance options for mining workers make compelling and interesting retention strategies? Have you ever considered the impact of health insurance for workers as part of your retention strategy? Access the podcast here - http://tinyurl.com/chsrpbv Mining IQ had a great chat with Samantha Edmunds from NIB who told us why health insurance is important to the mining industry. Some of the questions included: Mining IQ read more

: According to the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, Australia’s easing mining boom has continued to impact negatively in the opening months of 2013 on the job outlook for geoscientists. More than half of them do not expect to find new work  with the sector appealing for Federal policy intervention to help arrest the jobs slide. New data released today shows the unemployment rate among this key professional group climbed further over January, February and March this year to a current high within the profession of 7.9%. The Resource Channel read more

:   By Therese Lardner Mining Family Matters careers specialist I recently read a news article that suggested looking after your online brand isn’t worthwhile. I have to say, I couldn’t disagree more! The more digital media infiltrates how we live and work, the more we need to know about it and understand how we can use these tools to make our lives better. This is never more obvious than when you think about your career or searching for a new job. Images:  Mining Family Matters read more

: Whether you are applying directly to a company or via a recruitment agency, you will be dealing with a recruiter.  This is the person you must impress first and foremost. From a recruiter’s perspective, there are a number of mistakes that job seekers consistently make.  Here is your guide to avoiding them. Getting the Basics Right The number of emails we receive each week from job seekers either seeking employment or information is significant.  So, too are the grammar and spelling mistakes! The Resource Channel read more

: Civil engineering and construction company, Decmil Australia has won two contracts totalling in excess of $71 million at the Roy Hill Iron Ore Project. Decmil will design and construct rail and port facilities along with associated infrastructure to service the project. Design has commenced with onsite delivery subject to Roy Hill Infrastructure Pty Ltd obtaining the necessary financing for the Roy Hill Iron Ore Project, which is located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The Resource Channel read more

: Gindalbie Metals Limited, yesterday, celebrated a defining milestone in the history of the Australian iron ore industry with the official opening of the Karara Project – Australia’s second largest magnetite project and the largest resource development in the Mid West – by the Hon. Colin Barnett, Premier of Western Australia; Minister for State Development; Science. The Resource Channel read more