When the oil and gas industry spills or leaks harmful fluids – whether toxic oil or chemical-laden wastewater – the damage to local ecosystems can last for decades. Understanding the most common causes of accidental releases could help stakeholders take corrective measures to avoid them. Unfortunately, many regulators don’t collect and make transparent critical information… Keep reading →
Oil and gas development produces massive amounts of air and water pollution that can have severe impacts on our communities and ecosystems. And data in a recent investigative article could help us understand more about where and how much oil, wastewater, and other fluids are spilled across the country. According to an EnergyWire article by… Keep reading →
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 →
An international organisation is not a State, and is only afforded immunity to the extent granted by statute. It is relatively uncommon for international organisations to come before the English courts, though economically and politically they can be very influential. Assuranceforeningen Gard Gjensidig v International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund [2014] EWHC 3369 (Comm) is a rare example of how the courts will interpret immunity legislation in the context of international organisations.
Ed. note: This is a new weekly column by Elie Mystal, Managing Editor of Above the Law Redline. This space will focus on the laws that exist, should exist, and should be put out of their misery. OVER-REGULATED Gag Orders: Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship is under criminal indictment for his role in the death… Keep reading →
Some of technology’s most elegant solutions come from emulating Mother Nature. One of the latest examples involves using the unique characteristics of milkweed fiber to engineer cost-effective absorbent tubes used for cleaning oil spills. And there’s an added environmental benefit from growing industrial milkweed crops – saving monarch butterflies. Milkweed has long been considered a… Keep reading →
An exciting new research initiative has amassed over 18 terabytes of data from more than 200 scientific studies covering Gulf of Mexico ecosystems. The program called the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information & Data Cooperative (GRIIDC) allows scientific researchers to share information and data through an easily accessible web-based platform. “We have research on… Keep reading →
A previous article explained why the Arctic is currently a central theme in world politics. Canadian Professor Michael Byers established this thesis during a highly informative event hosted by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) – entitled “Passing the Arctic Council Torch” – that brought together leading Arctic experts from government and academia… Keep reading →
No doubt the Energy and Utilities industry has witnessed increasing complexity and significant challenges in recent years, centering around compliance issues, competitive pricing pressures, and business continuity. These issues, amongst others, will remain the focus for Board and Management’s corporate strategy and 2014 planning meetings around the world. Looking back on year 2013, and ahead… Keep reading →
