US gasoline prices are at their lowest level since 2009 – $2.81 per gallon according to AAA – which could boost the number of holiday travelers and shoppers. “That could mean what is typically the busiest travel day of the year in the United States could get even busier — AAA estimated that 46.3 million… Keep reading →
The Brookings Institute in Washington DC has come out in favor of lifting the U.S. ban on crude oil exports. Brookings hosted an event on Sept. 9 to unveil their new report titled “Changing Markets: Economic Opportunities from Lifting the U.S. Ban on Crude Oil Exports” written by Charles Ebinger and Heather Greenley and based… Keep reading →
The complex natural gas flaring issue associated with producing crude oil and other higher-value liquids from the Bakken Shale formation is back in the news as companies seek to address royalty payments owed for certain volumes of that flared gas. There appears to be some legal uncertainty regarding whether companies owe money to royalty owners… Keep reading →
Maria van der Hoeven, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) spoke last week at the two-day Energy Information Administration (EIA) conference in Washington, D.C. expressing her view – as reported by Jennifer A. Dlouhy for fuelfix.com – that “ending ‘wasteful fossil fuel subsidies’, which may encourage overconsumption of oil and gas, particularly in… Keep reading →
The oil industry continues to try to beat back California’s pioneering clean energy policies. But we at Consumers Union believe their efforts will ultimately fail. That’s because California’s families and businesses are better served by having more energy choices, a level playing field for alternative energy producers, and a focus on efficiency and clean energy… Keep reading →
Last month EPA implemented new gasoline regulations requiring the last microscopic bits of sulfur to be removed from fuel. The Tier 3 standard is likely to hit consumers and burden the economy while providing, at best, negligible benefit. Writing for the Jefferson Policy Journal, Paul Driessen makes a number of important points about the potentially onerous effects of… Keep reading →
In recent years we’ve regularly disagreed with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) because its ethanol mandates could harm consumers and the broader economy. The conversation with Big Ethanol has been, well, spirited. That said, hats off to RFA for including an oil and natural gas industry executive as one of the keynote… Keep reading →
Time and again when the prospect of exporting US crude oil is discussed, the issue of domestic gasoline price impacts surfaces. Will consumers pay more or less at the pump? There is no shortage of debate on the topic, but some analysts contend the increased volumes of light sweet crude US exports would feed into… Keep reading →
This piece argues the US should not export crude oil and instead moderate production volumes in an effort to preserve the country’s natural resource endowment over the longer term. It also contends exports would increase domestic crude and product prices. “The real question for the United States is not about optimal trade policy or economic… Keep reading →
One thing that is very clear from political discussions about the burden higher gasoline prices put on US consumers is that there are few on Capitol Hill who are likely to push for higher gasoline prices. But Oregon state representative Earl Blumenauer is going against the grain, with a proposal to phase in a $0.15 per… Keep reading →
