Shell employed an interesting legal tactic when it preemptively sued several environmental and activist groups in order to head off potential legal challenges to the company’s controversial Alaskan exploratory drilling program. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday ruled Shell’s approach unconstitutional. “Shell may not file suit solely to determine who would prevail in… Keep reading →
The western boundary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, located on Alaska’s North Slope, has been redrawn and 2 oil and gas exploration leases pending since 2011 have been awarded. There has been a longstanding discrepancy with regard to ANWR’s western boundary – covering roughly 20,000 acres – with US Fish & Wildlife Service maps… Keep reading →
Reports that a new Obama Administration climate plan seeks to circumvent congress have democrats and republicans up in arms. The alleged plan would create binding agreements with other governments that fall short of an actual treaty which would require a majority senate vote many see as unlikely. “Republicans have also sought to portray Obama as… Keep reading →
Project partners and the State of Alaska filed a permit application with FERC on Friday to export an estimated 35 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves from Alaska’s North Slope. The mammoth project could cost between $45 billion and $65 billion and would involve constructing an 800-mile pipeline in addition to gas processing, liquefaction… Keep reading →
ConocoPhillips has obtained DOE authorization to export LNG to non-FTA countries from its Kenai Facility in Alaska. On April 14, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued authorization for ConocoPhillips Alaska Natural Gas Corporation (CPANGC) to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Kenai LNG facility in Alaska to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries. CPANGC… Keep reading →
BP announced yesterday it will sell interests in four Alaska North Slope assets to Hilcorp, a comparatively small, independent, Texas-based operator. BP says the divestment will help focus on increasing output from the giant Prudhoe Bay field and an ambitious LNG export project. “There are some big benefits from this transaction,” said Janet Weiss, President… Keep reading →
After a handful of false starts and accidents, Shell’s multi-billion dollar bet on offshore Alaskan oil and gas exploration was put on hold for 2014. And now a Coast Guard report claims the oil major prioritized financial interests over safety with its fateful decision to tow a drilling rig to Seattle for repairs on New Year’s… Keep reading →
A myriad of countries and companies around the world are feverishly trying to access Asia’s high-priced LNG market. Sudden discoveries of vast new and economically exploitable natural gas deposits – the shale revolution in the U.S. – have created the opportunity for many countries to become net exporters of natural gas and to challenge the ‘primus… Keep reading →
BLM has released a draft environmental analysis of the first proposed commercial oil production project in the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve. On February 21, 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a notice seeking public input on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the proposed Greater Mooses Tooth Unit 1 (GMT1),… Keep reading →
The energy industry – oil & gas sector in particular – is bracing itself for a massive wave of retirements over the short to medium term, which has been dubbed “The Great Shift Change.” As the industry prepares for this turnover, companies are looking to the next generation of candidates with skills ranging from finance,… Keep reading →
