Marubeni is a general trading company which has competitive strength in overseas IPP business and grain trading.

The company's net incomes became negative for the paper, pulp and steel products and many other segments dropped their incomes compared with a year earlier, being affected by the worldwide economic downturn.

It can not avoid decreasing both revenue and profit for the full fiscal 2009.

However, JCR considers that the company can maintain a certain level of earnings as a result of the strengthening its business base by "selection and concentration" per its portfolio unit.

The company plans to place more emphasis on financial stability in the face of deteriorating external environment. It aims to reduce its interest-bearing debt by controlling amount of investments.

The consolidated net assets were reduced more than cut-back in the risk assets in the fiscal year ended 31 March 2009. As a result, risk assets exceeded the consolidated net assets.

The balance between the risk assets and the consolidated net assets started to improve beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2009 thanks to the increasing net assets resulting from changes in stock prices and the ensuring of profit.

With risks from changes in stock prices and fluctuations in currency exchange rates, JCR considers that the strengthening of risk asset management and accumulation of the consolidated net assets will remain issues for the Company to be addressed.

Additionally, it cannot be denied that a loss occurrence risk might increase depending on deterioration in the external environment.

Therefore, JCR will pay attention to progress in investment projects and changes in asset value.

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The refinery complex will have the capacity to process 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude.

"In principle and under an agreement in principle, YPFB would control 100 percent of the project, but the door has been left open for Marubeni to hold a small stake not to exceed 15 percent," ABI reported, citing a document from the state-owned oil company.

Marubeni executives plan to visit Bolivia later this month to discuss the agreement, ABI said, adding that a Japanese development bank was willing to finance the project with a 40-year loan.

Marubeni, one of Japan's largest trading companies, has operations in a broad range of industries, including energy, chemicals, food, forestry products, transportation equipment, real estate and finance. EFE

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The estimated cost of the Big Foot oil pipeline, which will be located about 170 miles south of the coast of Louisiana, is approximately $250 million. Combined with the Walker Ridge Gathering System project, the proposed oil pipeline would bring the total Enbridge investment for the projects to $750 million.

The Big Foot oil pipeline will consist of approximately 40 miles of 20-inch diameter pipe at depths of up to 5,900ft, and will have capacity to transport up to 100,000 barrels per day. Big Foot will deliver to a sub-sea connection on existing deepwater pipeline infrastructure.

Patrick Daniel, president and CEO of Enbridge, said: "The Big Foot oil pipeline reinforces Enbridge's presence as the leading pipeline services provider in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico region.

"We are particularly pleased with our expanding relationship with Chevron, one of the major operators in the region, and our growing oil pipeline business in the deepwater region, which has substantial production growth potential."

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The Marubeni/Osaka Gas/APA consortium, first partnering in December 2008 for the joint acquisition of the Energy Infrastructure Investments assets, have been looking for further opportunities to expand their business portfolio in Australia.

As part of this policy, the consortium is happy to announce that it will now be partnering in the Hallett 4 project with AGL, who has one of Australia's largest customer base in gas and electricity retail. This project will be the first renewable energy generation project in Australia for the consortium partners.

Hallett 4 is currently in the initial stages of construction, and at completion will have a wind-generated capacity of 132.3MW consisting of 63 x 2.1MW wind turbines.

It is scheduled to begin commercial operation in June 2011, at which time AGL will continue its participation in the project as the 25-year long-term offtaker, ensuring stable revenue flow to the project.