The battle over fracking in Colorado is heating up with major funding flowing into both sides of the debate. Several ballot initiatives regarding the oil and gas well completion technology will be voted on this November. Celebrities like Yoko Ono and wealthy activists including Tom Steyer are supporting anti-fracking legislation, or in many cases, laws that would allow communities to decide how the practice should be regulated in their jurisdictions. The American Petroleum Institute is supporting pro industry initiatives. “The ‘ban fracking’ campaign in Colorado has always been heavily supported by fringe national environmental groups and their ultra-rich donors, but if Tom Steyer and Congressman Polis team up with these far-left forces, it takes this campaign to a completely new level,” said Simon Lomax, a Denver-based industry consultant and spokesman for Energy In Depth, a program of the Independent Petroleum Association of America. [The Denver Post]

The Ukrainian state pipeline company Uktransgaz reported leaks in one of the pipelines that transports gas to European customers. The damage was reportedly attributed to “unauthorized people,” and will impact European supply. “According to the note released just in Russian and Ukrainian, the damage will impact on the transportation of natural gas to Europe. Investigative authorities are said to be working on the case.” [Natural Gas Europe]

Chevron is reportedly the first oil major to enter partnership discussions with Mexican national oil company Pemex after the government enacted legislation effectively ending Pemex’s 75-year monopoly over the country’s oil industry. “Chevron, (CVX) which operates several rigs on the U.S. side of the Gulf of Mexico, is in talks with Mexico City-based Pemex for exploration opportunities in deepwater, shallow water or shale, Ali Moshiri, Chevron’s president of Latin America and Africa, said today during a conference in Mexico City.” [Bloomberg]