A recent report by consultancy IHS Cera takes aim at common arguments against development of Canadian oil sands, but acknowledges the need for continued – and improved – environmental monitoring and regulation. Groups opposed to construction of the Keystone XL pipeline frequently feature the following claims on their websites: that the pipeline will not enhance… Keep reading →
After repeated delays to the start-up of Kazakhstan’s giant Kashagan field, and not one, but two incidents that forced its shutdown in the first month that the field was on stream, some might call the project cursed. But the latest in the string of mishaps – a gas leak that has prompted an indefinite shutdown… Keep reading →
Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey has made a rather odd request of TransCanada: that it seek to influence the marketing operations of refiners that buy Canadian crude oil shipped through the Keystone XL pipeline. Senator Markey wrote a letter to TransCanada chief executive Russ Girling yesterday requesting that the company require buyers of oil that would… Keep reading →
The Chevron-Apache Kitimat LNG export project in British Columbia has the potential to capitalize on Canada’s vast natural gas resources, as well as the proximity of its western coast to Asian markets. But it is also up against competition from producing countries like Australia, where the buildout of LNG export infrastructure is already well underway,… Keep reading →
ExxonMobil is famously tight-lipped and conservative, and its quarterly earnings calls rarely produce much in the way of stunning news or salacious gossip. But the company’s discussions of ongoing operations at important projects – such as massive oil sands investments, Russian gas export facilities and Alaskan infrastructure targets – touch on some of the trickiest and… Keep reading →
Opponents of TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline have numerous complaints about the project, and one that remains front and center in the debate is that it would lead to faster development of Canada’s oil sands. But TransCanada chief executive Russ Girling, in an interview with The Hill, has made the case that the future of the… Keep reading →
Climate Activist Bill McKibben says that a campaign to encourage divestment from fossil fuels is gaining momentum. If effective, it could have a huge impact on the oil, gas and coal industries, but it remains unclear how far-reaching it will prove to be. Brown University refused to divest from the 15 largest US coal companies,… Keep reading →
The Alaska LNG project team has selected Nikiski as the lead site for the proposed liquefaction plant and terminal. On October 7, 2013, ExxonMobil, BP, ConocoPhillips, and TransCanada, announced the selection of Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula as a lead liquefaction plant and terminal site for the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project. Prior… Keep reading →
The global natural gas revolution has arrived in Mexico. As the country’s power sector undertakes a fuel shift toward natural gas, state-owned and domestic companies are beginning to seek ways to partner with technology-empowered foreign firms to boost domestic production. While maintaining and expanding struggling crude oil production at state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos (better known as… Keep reading →
Two of the oil industry’s more colorful chief executives – Total’s Christophe de Margerie and Eni’s Paolo Scaroni – provided some choice remarks on a range of energy-related topics yesterday at a Council on Foreign Relations event, The Future of Energy. They were joined by Michael Levi, director of the Council’s program on energy security… Keep reading →
