HUGE PROSPECT ON D1 OILS

D1 was originally established in 2002 to focus on the development of a portable refinery technology to produce biodiesel for the UK transport industry. During this period, it was concluded that the high cost of rape seed oil, the main feedstock for biodiesel production in Europe, renders its use commercially unattractive. As a result, D1 explored the economics, suitability and yields of a variety of specific energy crops. During 2003, jatropha curcas was identified as its feedstock of choice and the focus turned to securing output from jatropha plantations.

Jatropha was selected as D1's primary energy crop due to it's high productivity, durability and longevity. Jatropha trees can be grown on marginalised land and are durable to the elements. Furthermore, jatropha can grow in areas of minimal rainfall, although it grows better in areas of higher annual rainfall. Jatropha trees produce nuts, which contain oil, for an average of thirty years and generally have their first harvest within two years of planting. Biodiesel refined from jatropha oil complies with EN 14214, the current European standard for biodiesel. Biodiesel meeting EN 14121 specification is an approved blend when mixed with petroleum diesel.

D1 is now commercialising its D1 20 refinery able to produce eight million litres of biodiesel per annum and will utilise jatropha oil as its main feedstock. D1 believes it can maintain low production costs and produce consistent, high volume quality output through sourcing existing feedstock supplies, cultivating new yields of jatropha on existing plantations and setting up D1 20 refineries regionally. D1 is working with highly regarded agronomy and biotechnology research and development facilities in India and South East Asia and is participating in the establishment of nurseries in a variety of locations in the Asia Pacific region. These nurseries will test imported jatropha seeds against indigenous varieties to determine which will grow best under a region's climatic conditions. In addition, D1 has recently acquired the rights to a proprietary growing media which targets the specific nutritional requirements of jatropha.

The global market demand for biodiesel is growing. International energy and environmental policies have helped to create a demand for biodiesel which is estimated to reach at least 10.5 billion litres by 2010 in the European Union alone. Based on current capacity, feedstock availability and positioning in the market, the global production of biodiesel is expected to reach approximately
3 billion litres by 2010, less than one third of the projected demand in the European Union.

D1 Oils aims to become a global, sustainable, low cost producer of biodiesel and supplier of crude vegetable oil used in the production of biodiesel. To reach this objective, D1 will manage its operations regionally, securing plantation rights and establishing refinery operations in each region, thus controlling aspects of the supply chain from seed selection through to the sale of biodiesel to end customers.

To this end, D1 has established four regional operations:
UK (Teesside and London) South Africa (Johannesburg) Asia Pacific (Manila, the Philippines) and India (New Delhi).

Guardian

D1 oiled up for big time

Heard of D1 Oils, the alternative fuels group? Thought not. Well listen up. It has set up a joint venture with BP to collaborate on the production of biodiesel. A company that grabs the attention of BP just three years after coming to the market is worth noting.

I was Cynic - but was too impatient to wait for JV and so sold at the bottom! Obviously regretting that now but I think a few months of dry newsflow should eventually create a buying op, this vertical curve has never been, in my experience, a good time to buy. So i will wait, or i will be proved disastrously wrong.

thanks for the updates barefoot.

Apperantly there is a large buy order that they are trying to fill......it didnt get filled today so roll on tmrw.....there is also another rumour on advfn....a guy said he was in SA recently and heard that the SA Govt had valued D1 SA at $200m dollars....if true ...and when announced....we should see another significant whooooosh!!!!

To me SA = South Africa and I cannot see for the life of me the connection between them and DOO .... to the best of my knowledge, DOO do not even have plantations there.

cynic- i was not aware of anything going on in SA re DOO either, but thinking about it it makes sense. There is plenty of (agricultural) land up there whilst SA relies a 100% on crude oil and petroleum products imports. A diversification into biofuels will politically be a massive boost

but again, so what???? ..... SA govnt may indeed promote the idea of jatropha cultivation, but that has no relevance at all to DOO

Not saying it will happen but DOO distillation units can be set up vitually anywhere and as there are plenty of hectacres to grow jatropha in SA I can see the prospects and advantages of having the units "next door". (have been out of DOO for a while but getting itchy feet again to join you lot)

don't try to rationalise DOO/SA govnt as a reason to buy ...... jatropha palm takes 7/10 years to reach full maturity i think.

that said, i am very happy with my investment in DOO, albeit that i bought (back in again) at 186 in mid Feb, and anticipate hanging in there for a while yet, though i may make a short term trade in either direction depending on the market

thot first crop after planting was about 3 years, but i stand to be corrected

you may be right, as may i be ..... asparagus are similar - lol!

cynic- just noticed that on the very first post on this thread it said "first harvest within 2 years of planting"

i think asparagus may be 3! ...... somewhere there is also a note about time to full maturity .... that apart, i repeat what i have oft said ..... this palm will grow almost anywhere and is not food stock, so double eco(nomic) advantage over ethanol from maize and/or sugar cane and/or sugar beet

so possibly the SA link is not so silly

as i wrote earlier, it's not silly that SA govnt may want to encourage the planting of jatropha, but it is far-fetched to link that somehow with DOO ...... of colurse it is not impossible that DOO will consider "making" plantations in SA, but that may not fit their game plan, given that there is plenty of room for expansion in both Saudi and India where they are already established

let's face it nobody knows so I guess time will tell. May be BP's weight will come into play as well. (just thinking up loud and not based upon anything concrete)

Excuse me guys ... but are yoo not aware that D1 are in SA....the govt valued D1 South Africa at $200m......:O)

Apparently they have done a detailed study of the company over there and that is what they value it at....

heres a link to the web site though this is not mentioned....someone who has been to SA recently heard it over there...

http://www.d1plc.com/globalZA.php

Anyway...we shall see....if true the company will announce it in due course.....;O)

DOO Seems to have Bob Geldof paying an interest:

http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=36310&section=business