Louisiana

As Drilling At Relief Well Continues, Gulf Coast Toils Over Spill Recovery

Oil has been leaking into the Gulf of Mexico at the site where a hurricane-triggered mudslide toppled a drilling platform off the coast of Louisiana for over a decade, according to an Associated Press investigation. “Evidence that the slow-motion spill is far worse than platform owner Taylor Energy Company has publicly reported during its secretive —… Keep reading →

Louisiana Assesses Coastline Erosion

Louisiana’s coastline is getting washed out to sea and a lawsuit designed to make oil and gas companies pay for the damage now rages. Some believe a creative financing solution – that involves federal, state and private funding – is needed to foot the more than $50 billion dollar bill over 50 years. “Companies will… Keep reading →

Solar Energy Remains Popular For Private Homeowners

The U.S. residential solar segment witnessed record growth in Q3 2013 with 31,000 individual installations. On December 10, 2013, GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released a report analyzing U.S. solar market performance across 28 states and the District of Columbia during Q3 2013.  According to the report, Q3 2013 represents the… Keep reading →

Qatar Petroleum Refinery

What can cost a billion dollars more each week before it even exists? At the end of September, the Louisiana governor’s office projected that a new gas to liquids project announced by Royal Dutch Shell would cost an estimated $12.5 billion. Less than a week into December, the multinational energy giant cancelled its plans amid… Keep reading →

Coast Guard Attempts Burning Off Oil Leaking From Sunken Rig

Shell has selected Louisiana’s Ascension Parish as the potential site for its Gulf Coast natural gas-to-liquids facility. On September 24, 2013, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Royal Dutch Shell announced selection of Louisiana’s Ascension Parish as the site for a proposed Gulf Coast natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant, a cost of least $12.5 billion.  Shell will also fund… Keep reading →

U.S. Trade Deficit Reaches All-Time High

The proposed 6 million ton per annum (mtpa) Jordan Cove LNG export facility in Coos Bay, Oregon has completed the front-end engineering and design and pre-construction phases, but if and when the project clears federal regulatory hurdles, it may still face political opposition at the state level. Infrastructure firm Black & Veatch and construction and… Keep reading →

The South West's First Solar Farm Is Connected

State level regulators, like politicians, read the newspaper headlines, notice what is in their in-box and have a good sense of what their constituents like and dislike. This, more than anything else, explains why they seem reluctant to modify or nullify prevailing net energy metering (NEM) laws even when they realize that the status quo may be unsustainable… Keep reading →