FOSSIL FUELS
On December 12, 2012, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) introduced a bill that would amend the Natural Gas Act to place North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies on the same licensing system as free trade agreement (FTA) allies for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export. The bill is an outcome of Lugar’s new report, which highlights the…...
The California Department of Water Resources (CDWR), the state’s largest power consumer, has decided to terminate its contract with a coal-fueled power plant in Nevada, with the contract set to expire in 2013. CDWR will switch to natural gas-fueled power, as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The decision came as…...
On December 5, 2012, the DOE released its much-awaited study by NERA Economic Consulting on the macroeconomic impacts of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from U.S. The study projects that U.S. will gain net economic benefits from LNG exports. The report demonstrates that the shale gas revolution can provide a much needed economic lift as lawmakers…...
On December 3, 2012 Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a draft Secretarial Order to harness the potash rich reserves of southeast New Mexico for oil and gas extraction alongside potash mining. The new plan intends to put an end to the prolonged legal dispute between the two industries over extraction rights by establishing “drilling islands” and…...
Utica shale has seen two-fold rig count growth over the past year as drillers in the northern U.S. continue moving away from the Marcellus gas play and into the Utica oil play. Key Takeaways: Utica is becoming a preferential play for drillers because of its rich oil and natural gas liquid (NGL) content Oil-rich eastern Ohio prompts…...
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to shale gas extraction are much lower than previously cited estimates and assumptions, according to a new report from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The study, released on November 26, 2012, shows that companies are using green completion technologies to capture most of the emissions rather than vent or flare…...
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released a revised draft of the state’s hydraulic fracturing regulations, yet again extending the rulemaking period by 90 days. Faced with a November 29, 2012 deadline, DEC sought this extension to allow the health panel to complete its review of the proposed shale drilling regulations. DEC’s effort…...
Politico Conference Recap by Erin Carson, Senior Policy Advisor A well-attended energy conference held in Washington D.C. last week asked congressional members and industry leaders about the upcoming energy policy agenda. The topics included oil and gas, renewable energy, and the possibility of new energy legislation. Panelists spoke about the need to invest in energy technologies…...
Congress considered one piece of energy legislation last week and will not vote on legislation again until after Thanksgiving. However, a number of important energy-policy events occurred in Washington in the last week related to biofuels and the oil and gas industries. In biofuels, the Environmental Protection Agency denied the request for waiver from the…...
With the election over, President Obama’s energy priorities will emerge as new rules and regulations are finalized under existing law. The balance of power in Washington is the same as it was prior to the elections– President Barack Obama will serve another four years and Congress will continue to be divided with a Democrat-controlled Senate…...
Under President Obama’s second term, energy industry officials and analysts are keen on the Administration’s priorities for the energy sector, envisioning regulatory reforms and policies to advance the nation’s energy and economic security. Key areas to watch include Keystone XL Pipeline talks, recognizing the primacy of states in regulating oil and natural gas development, and…...
Sequestration refers to a package of automatic $1.2 trillion across-the-board spending cuts that is a part of the 2011 Budget Control Act (BCA), passed in August 2011. The spending cuts would affect some 1200 government programs, including those that fund energy research and development initiatives. The cuts are scheduled to begin on January 2, 2013…...