July 15th


Verenium Awarded U.S. Department of Energy Grant to Fund Jennings, Louisiana Demonstration-Scale Plant

Verenium Corporation (Nasdaq: VRNM), a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, today announced that it has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under a $40 million program to support the development of small-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefinery plants. The Company will now begin discussions with the DOE to determine the amount of the award.

Demonstration-scale facilities are a critical development step to scaling and validating cellulosic technology as the industry advances toward the commercialization of next-generation ethanol. Verenium is one of two companies that were selected for this round of DOE grants and will utilize the funds to support ongoing activities at its 1.4 million gallon per year demonstration-scale facility in Jennings, LA. The grant was announced today by the Department of Energy. Read more: Verenium Corporation ( VRNM )

Oro Gold Resources Ltd. (“Oro Gold”) (TSX-V: OGR) reports that is has commenced a 5,000 metre reverse circulation (RC) drill program at its 100-per-cent-owned Trinidad property in Sinaloa, Mexico. The drill campaign has three objectives:

(1) to expand the current inferred resource of 200,930 ounces (4,491,800 tonnes at an average gold grade of 1.39 g/t, at a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off, as reported in Oro Gold’s May 29, 2008 press release);
(2) to upgrade a portion of the inferred resource to the indicated category; and
(3) to test additional new targets identified in the Taunus and Colinas areas.

Oro Gold has completed 8,300 metres of drilling to date in 70 core and RC drill holes. Read more: Oro Gold Resources Ltd ( OGR )

July 15th

Chaparral Energy to Acquire Edge Petroleum

Chaparral Energy, Inc., a privately held company, and Edge Petroleum Corporation (Nasdaq:EPEX) (Nasdaq:EPEXP) today jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that provides for Chaparral to acquire Edge in an all-stock transaction. Through the merger, Chaparral will become a publicly traded company.

The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the merger agreement. The transaction will remain subject to Edge stockholder approval and other customary closing conditions. Chaparral\'s stockholders have already voted in favor of the merger. Chaparral and Edge plan to file a proxy statement/prospectus with the Securities Exchange Commission as promptly as practical. It is anticipated that the closing of the merger will occur in the fourth quarter of this year. The merger is expected to be a tax-free transaction for existing stockholders of Edge. Read more: Edge Petroleum Corporation ( EPEX )

Vancouver, BC - Consolidated Abaddon Resources Inc. (TSX-V: ABN) (FWB: E2L) is pleased to announce the commencement of a summer field program on the Pukaskwa uranium claims in Northwestern Ontario. The Pukaskwa uranium claims are located in the White River area to the Northwest of Elliot Lake and North of Cameco\'s Blind River uranium operation. The claims consist of 4 claim blocks totalling approximately 100,000 acres.

The claim areas were staked based on the results of Airborne Gamma Ray and a lake sediment sampling survey that clearly identified 4 strong uranium anomalies.

Consolidated Abaddon feels the claims demonstrate the potential for a major structural flexure marked by a magnetic signature that correlates well with the uranium anomalies. Read more: Consolidated Abaddon Resources Inc ( ABN )