OIL
According to EIA, U.S. liquid fuels production growth has significantly contributed to counterbalancing unplanned global supply disruptions and decreasing crude oil price volatility since 2011. On August 27, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report highlighting the significant role of U.S. liquid fuels production growth in counterbalancing global supply disruptions in recent years,…...
The ITC has approved antidumping duties on imports of Oil Country Tubular Goods from six countries in response to a 2013 petition by U.S. steel pipe companies. On August 22, 2014, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted in trade cases on imports of certain Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG) from nine countries. The ITC…...
Western Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 238 under the OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program attracted $109.95M in high bids for 433,823 acres. On August 20, 2014, the Department of Interior (DOI) conducted the Western Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 238 as part of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program for…...
Federal lands contain significant oil and gas reserves, however federal staffing resource challenges have led to decreases in resource development and delayed state and federal revenue. The proposed BLM Permit Processing Improvement Act of 2014 (S. 2440) has significant bipartisan support, and its passage would expand and extend upon the current federal land permitting program…...
A Colorado District Court has ruled against Fort Collins’ hydraulic fracturing ban, following a similar ruling that invalidated Longmont’s hydraulic fracturing ban in July. On August 7, 2014, the Larimer County District Court ruled that the City of Fort Collins’ ordinance imposing a five-year ban on hydraulic fracturing is preempted by the Colorado Oil and…...
A new task force will provide recommendations for Colorado oil and gas siting to minimize land use conflicts. On August 4, 2014, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper announced the creation of an 18-member task force to craft proposals that would minimize potential land use conflicts when siting oil and gas facilities near homes, schools, businesses, and…...
A Colorado District Court has struck down a hydraulic fracturing ban in the City of Longmont citing preemption by state law. On July 24, 2014, a Colorado District Court ruled that Article XVI of the Longmont Municipal Charter, which bans hydraulic fracturing in the city of Longmont, is invalid as preempted by the Colorado Oil…...
DOT has released a rulemaking proposal for safe rail transportation of flammable material based on new Bakken crude oil data. On July 23, 2014, the Department of Transportation (DOT) released a rulemaking proposal to improve rail transportation safety for crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable materials. The proposal includes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)…...
Thirty-five members from California’s congressional delegation have urged DOI to prohibit new offshore oil and gas lease sales on California OCS Planning Areas. On July 22, 2014, 35 members of California’s congressional delegation, led by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), wrote a letter urging the Department of Interior (DOI) to exclude the Northern California, Central California,…...
Alaska LNG Project partners have applied for DOE authorization to export LNG to FTA and non-FTA countries. On July 21, 2014, the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project participants – ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, BP, TransCanada, and Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) – announced the submission of an LNG export application to the Department of Energy (DOE)…....
BOEM has issued a Record of Decision facilitating geological and geophysical survey activities to explore energy resources off the Atlantic Coast. On July 18, 2014, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a Record of Decision (ROD) to advance appropriate geological and geophysical survey activities (G&G) in the Mid- and South-Atlantic Planning Areas to…...
Industry groups have written the State Department urging approval of the final cross-border permit for the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline. On July 8, 2014, a coalition of 44 industry groups wrote a letter requesting the State Department to complete the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline’s National Interest Determination without delay and grant final presidential permit approval…....