Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Senate Committee Hearing On FERC Nominees

Congress Struggles With Funding Repairs To U.S. Capitol Dome

Last week the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to consider the nominations of Robert Powelson and Neil Chatterjee to serve as Commissioners of FERC.

Congressional Energy Roundup

Congress Struggles With Funding Repairs To U.S. Capitol Dome

Energy Tax Policy in 2016 and Beyond.

Washington Landmarks Begin To Re-Open As Government Shutdown Ends

The appointment of Senator. Lisa Murkowski as Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee will have a major impact on U.S. Energy Policy particularly in relation the Keystone XL Pipeline, hydraulic fracturing, air quality regulations and LNG Export development. Murkowski emerged victorious from the Alaska Senate race and will ensure these issues become a… 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 →

Sens. Wyden And Murkowski Hold News Conference On Campaign Finance Reform

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski addressed the USAEE/IAEE North American Conference via webcast on Monday with a short speech on the importance of federal policy in determining energy outcomes. And she addressed a question raised at a recent hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee – of which she is ranking member – why… Keep reading →

Obama Nominates New Energy Secretary, New EPA Administrator

The US federal government has long had a hand in guiding development of the country’s energy sector. In some cases, such as the Department of Energy’s role in the early stages of research and development that helped usher in the shale boom, this has been hailed as a success. In others, such as the highly-publicized… Keep reading →

Louisiana Oil Industry Recovers From Katrina Devastation

Natural gas production gains spurred by the unconventional revolution upended long-held beliefs about resource scarcity in the US, leading to calls for exports. And the rise in US unconventional crude production has led to similar calls for exporting oil. “Federal lawmakers should overturn the ban on exporting crude oil produced in the United States,” said Blake… Keep reading →

Oregon Voters Go To The Polls

Ron Wyden, Democratic Senator from Oregon and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, grilled oil market experts today on why US consumers are not benefiting from higher US oil production via lower gasoline prices at the pump. Those experts indicated that whether or not they are aware of it, US consumers… Keep reading →

China's Yuan Hits New Record High Against The Dollar

The large gap between domestic US natural gas prices and LNG prices in European and Asian markets that underlies the rationale for US LNG exports has raised the question: when US gas is sold abroad, who captures that spread? The difference between low prices paid for gas produced in the US – currently trading at… Keep reading →