FOSSIL FUELS
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 coalition of four companies has proposed a 100-mile pipeline to transport low-cost Marcellus natural gas to Pennsylvania and New Jersey. On August 12, 2014, PennEast Pipeline Company announced plans to construct a 100-mile pipeline to transport natural gas from the Marcellus Shale region to Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The $1B pipeline, a joint venture…...
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…...
According to EIA, Marcellus natural gas production reached a record high level exceeding 15 Bcf/d in July 2014. On August 5, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report highlighting record growth in the Marcellus Region’s natural gas production, which exceeded 15 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in July. The report draws on EIA’s…...
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…...
DOE has conditionally authorized LNG Development Co. LLC, Oregon to export LNG sourced from Canadian and domestic natural gas supplies. On July 31, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) conditionally granted long-term multi-contract authorization for LNG Development Co. LLC (Oregon LNG) to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries from the…...
FERC has authorized Freeport LNG to liquefy and export liquefied natural gas from its Quintana Island Terminal in Texas. On July 30, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorized Freeport LNG Development LP to construct and operate facilities for natural gas liquefaction and export from its liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal near Freeport,…...
DOE has announced natural gas infrastructure modernization initiatives to reduce methane emissions. On July 29, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced measures to modernize the natural gas transmission and distribution systems as part of the Administration’s “Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions.” The announcements came after the fifth and final Capstone Roundtable on reducing methane…...
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)…....