The central United States has undergone a dramatic increase in seismicity over the past 6 years. From 1973-2008, there was an average of 24 earthquakes of magnitude 3 and larger per year. From 2009-2014, the rate steadily increased, averaging 193 per year and peaking in 2014 with 688 earthquakes. So far in 2015, there have… Keep reading →
The Obama administration interrupted Washington’s Keystone XL focus on Wednesday with an announcement that could have more profound long-term impact than the controversial pipeline – a regulatory push to cut methane emissions from the surging U.S. oil and gas industry. The administration said the Environmental Protection Agency would craft a new rule to set standards… Keep reading →
There have been a variety of efforts in recent years to harmonize energy policy and markets across the US, Canada, and Mexico. At the North American Gas Forum meeting this past week in Washington D.C. some of these efforts were discussed. The most important change in the energy landscape has clearly been the shale boom with surprising… Keep reading →
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) states on its homepage that it “provides the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information – holding the largest collection globally of primary climate change, water and forest risk commodities information.” In an age of climate change this is crucial information… Keep reading →
With tax reform on the agenda in Washington this year, the oil & gas industry is paying close attention. One idea is to eliminate a provision that allows companies to write off intangible drilling costs. The industry argues this tax incentive allows them to continually invest in capital-intensive drilling programs and the country’s oil and… Keep reading →
It’s no secret that electricity generation requires substantial amounts of water, and different energy sources require varying amounts of water. Nor is it a surprise that Texas and other areas in the West and Southwest are in the midst of a persistent drought. Given these realities, it is surprising that water scarcity is largely absent from… Keep reading →
There are many technologies on the market to clean up by-products from oil and gas production. The success of these and the regulations surrounding them are key in the controversy over things like groundwater pollution from hydraulic fracturing etc.. MIOX, a company that specializes in disinfectant systems, recently held a webinar to discuss their Blackwater… Keep reading →
In this report published by the German Marshall Fund, Washington Institute fellow Simon Henderson discusses ways of surmounting the challenges Israel and Cyprus face as they seek to develop newfound oil and gas deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. [The Washington Institute for Near East Policy] A bit further to the northeast, the Caspian Sea… Keep reading →
The American Petroleum Institute today unveiled a new study that details recent US oil and gas industry greenhouse gas emissions reduction success. The trade group also announced a new national print ad campaign that illustrates the industry’s petroleum development commitment and ways tax policy can impact oil and gas development. API President and CEO Jack… Keep reading →
