STAR Energy, the onshore oil and gas company, has reported a sharp rise in underlying profits after buying Scottish oil company Pentex Management for GBP39m last July. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation climbed to GBP9.4m in calendar 2005, up from GBP2.8m in the previous 12 months. Former Pentex owners Jeff Graham and Russell Jordan each netted GBP20m by selling out to Star.