Shell has decided to halt 2014 Arctic drilling operations following a court ruling that DOI’s Chukchi Sea lease sale was based on arbitrary production estimates. On January 30, 2014, Royal Dutch Shell Plc announced its decision to stop its offshore Alaska exploration program for the second consecutive year. The announcement comes after a January 22…...
The Whitehouse has released guidelines for federal departments and agencies to implement the 2013 Arctic National Strategy On January 30, 2014, the White House released an implementation plan to execute the National Strategy for the Arctic Region issued in May 2013. The plan details specific activities to implement the Arctic Strategy’s three lines of effort:…...
In last night’s 2014 State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama highlighted energy industry progress as a major job and economic growth driver. The President first mentioned crude oil production outpacing imports for the first time in nearly 20 years, then natural gas production and how if extracted safely, it can serve as a…...
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced legislation that would restrict EPA authority to finalize power plant emissions regulations. On January 28, 2014, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Electricity Security and Affordability Act (H.R. 3826) designed to provide a reasonable alternative to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) impending carbon dioxide…...
A federal appeals court ruled that DOE’s 2008 oil lease sale offshore Alaska was based on a flawed production estimate. On January 22, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the Department of Interior’s (DOI) 2008 lease sale (Lease Sale 193) for oil and gas development in the Chukchi Sea…...
DOE will provide $1B financial assistance for the FutureGen 2.0 Project, the world’s first commercial-scale, oxy-combustion electric generation project with CCS technology. On January 15, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced its decision to provide approximately $1B in cost-shared funding to FutureGen Industrial Alliance for its $1.68B FutureGen 2.0 Project, a private-public partnership established…...
U.S. Commerce Chamber’s new energy advocacy platform proposes actionable recommendations to capitalize on the nation’s energy potential. On January 15, 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy launched its new energy advocacy platform titled “Energy Works for US,” a comprehensive plan with recommendations for 2014 and beyond. The plan, an update…...
EIA estimates a two percent increase in 2013 energy-related emissions over 2012 due to increased coal-fired electricity generation. On January 13, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report estimating that U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2013 were approximately two percent above 2012 levels mainly due to a slight increase in the use…...
Alaska Governor’s latest plans to advance Alaska’s long-sought natural gas pipeline calls for state ownership share in the state’s LNG export project. On January 10, 2014, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell announced a proposal to establish state equity partnership in the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project. To this end, the state will terminate its 2008…...
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia represent the three highest natural gas producing states in the Marcellus Shale Region. While state legislation has complimented production levels, increased local scrutiny over industry methods could impact future production. Overview The Marcellus Shale Region is rich in natural gas reserves and underlies southern New York, much of Pennsylvania and…...
President Obama has ordered a comprehensive energy strategy review to ensure federal policies continue to address changing energy requirements. On January 9, 2014, President Obama signed a memorandum establishing a Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) to enhance the federal government’s capability to provide a comprehensive and integrated energy strategy to meet challenges posed by rising energy…...
An EIA report highlights that 2013 U.S. crude oil production reached its highest level in 24 years, contributing to global oil price stability. On January 9, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that U.S. crude oil production witnessed a record annual growth of 1.0 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2013,…...