We guess that means Mrs. Claus would also be Canadian if the North Pole is included in the country’s Arctic claim. “Canada will still meet a Dec. 6 deadline for filing an application to the United Nations to extend its northern sea boundary, according to the daily Globe and Mail. But it now also plans to follow up with a broader claim that includes the geographic North Pole…” [Japan Times]

Read more about the issue here.

Partisan politics are were in full swing during at an Energy and Power Subcommittee hearing held to address FERC’s role in energy infrastructure approval and security. Republicans want to speed the approval process for all kinds of energy infrastructure projects like pipelines, power transmission lines and LNG plants. [National Journal]

Norway – Europe’s second largest pipeline gas supplier – is making a push to maintain and perhaps increase natural gas output from current levels by increasing investment next year. “‘Total investments in oil and gas activity in 2014, including pipeline transportation, are now estimated at NOK 223.3 billion (€25.2 billion); an increase of NOK 8.2 billion compared with the estimates given in the previous quarter,” according to Statistics Norway. [Natural Gas Europe]