Legal

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper s

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke bluntly about the rationale for approving the Keystone XL pipeline during a visit to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York yesterday. Canadian energy exports are critically important to the country’s economy, which has suffered in recent years from a lack of market access for its crude oil.… Keep reading →


The wind industry privately worries that MLPs are a bargaining chip for their tax credit.

Master limited partnerships are currently the policy du jour in Washington. And unlike the hollow “momentum” earlier this year for a carbon tax, MLPs actually have bipartisan support and legislative potential. Keep reading →


The Intersection of Energy Law and Project Finance

It’s critically important to understand the regulations associated with financing multi-billion dollar energy projects so as to avoid delays and cost increases that can imperil event the best laid plans. Whether it be an oil & gas project or a major renewable energy initiative, getting the financing right means having the legal pieces in order, and a major law firm with a large energy practice highlights some examples of this in their spring newsletter. Keep reading →


America’s debate on energy policy is consumed by partisanship and short-term thinking. Whether the debate today focuses on tax credits for specific technologies or removing regulatory hurdles to allow for more energy production, policymakers are failing to plan for the long haul. Instead we should ask: what do we want our energy mix to look like in 10, 20, or 30 years? How do we address climate change, ensure energy reliability, and create high-tech industries for the next generation?

Existing energy technologies will play a part. However, the world also needs transformational change in the energy industry. Fusion energy holds this potential. By fusing together two hydrogen atoms, enormous quantities of energy can be produced. When successfully commercialized, it will be a near-optimal source of power – clean, safe, secure, and virtually inexhaustible. Keep reading →


Tax reform in Alaska promises to attract more oil and gas investment, but even for an established player in the state such as ConocoPhillips, getting substantial new production onstream.

Alaska’s state legislature approved oil tax legislation reform earlier this month designed to establish a more attractive investment climate for oil and gas producers. Companies such as ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and BP have been calling for changes to Alaska’s fiscal system for years, arguing that it deters investment in the state’s substantial resources. Keep reading →


Appraisal drilling at the massive Leviathan gas field offshore Israel has led to an increase in its estimated resources, but development remains on hold until the country’s government grants approval for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

The Noble Energy-led consortium developing Leviathan has boosted estimated gross mean resource by a trillion cubic feet (tcf). “We finished an appraisal well in the first quarter at Leviathan, which increased our gross mean resource estimate at the field to 18 tcf,” said Noble Energy Chief Executive Chuck Davidson during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Thursday. Keep reading →


As the U.S. produces more of its own energy, pressure is mounting on the federal government to move quickly to export its natural gas bounty-a move that has encountered stiff resistance from some energy market players.

Natural gas, an abundant fuel source that is cheaper and cleaner than standard gasoline, is increasingly seen as a successor to diesel and regular gas, particularly as the world’s largest economy produces more of it. Keep reading →


New York City – the world’s energy finance capital and one of the world’s largest commodity trading marketplaces – is a fitting location for the Center on Global Energy Policy. As part of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, the center will seek to “provide independent, balanced, data-driven analysis to help policymakers navigate the complex world of energy.”

At Wednesday’s launch event, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was joined by energy experts and US government officials, who helped officially inaugurate the new energy policy initiative. Keep reading →


In this latest installment of the US Department of Interior’s weekly video series “This Week at Interior,” Sally Jewell speaks about coming on board as the 51st Secretary of the Interior.

The Department manages energy leases on federal land both onshore and offshore, in addition to numerous other energy-related responsibilities. Keep reading →

Think of Texas and the mental movie is obvious: old fashioned oil rigs, big hats, big hair, big boots and conservative politics. Not much room for innovation, information technology, renewable energy or energy efficiency efforts in that narrative, but Texas confounds expectations. Keep reading →

Page 4 of 2612345678...26