As global oil prices continue to plunge based on an aggressive international trading policy by Saudi Arabia, questions are being raised about the sustainability of the U.S. shale boom. “The price of oil fell some more on Tuesday, down as low as $75.84 before closing at $77 a barrel. The decline is blamed on Saudi Arabia… Keep reading →
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) today released the 2015 Fuel Economy Guide, providing consumers with a valuable resource to help them choose the most fuel-efficient and low greenhouse gas emitting vehicles that meet their needs. In comparison to previous years, the 2015 models include a greater number of… Keep reading →
As the 2014 midterm elections come to a close, several key senate races remain too close to call. This electoral uncertainty, however, has not stopped many members of Congress from preparing for a brief but intense Lame Duck session or from looking further down the road to the next Congress. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) released a memorandum on October 22 predicting that a Republican-controlled Senate would approve House-passed bills to eliminate the need for presidential permits for cross-border energy projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, establish deadlines for federal agencies to approve permits for constructing new natural gas pipelines, and streamline the permitting process for certain mining projects. Majority Leader McCarthy also said that the House will continue regulatory reform efforts that have stalled in the Senate.
The White House has released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate plans outlining methods to incorporate energy and climate considerations into their decision-making. On October 31, 2014 – the fifth anniversary of the 2009 Executive Order on Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance – the White House released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate change adaptation plans, detailing… Keep reading →
Linc Energy recently received a research & development license for Underground Coal Gasification (UCG), the first issued in the USA in twenty years. Linc Energy is moving ahead with a demonstration phase project in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, one of the country’s most active coal mining regions. In addition to the R&D license, the EPA… Keep reading →
Recently, Australian state and federal officials, industry leaders, and international experts convened in Sydney at the third annual Eastern Australian Energy Markets Outlook conference to assess the prospects for the energy supply chain in Australia vis-à-vis their international competitors, including the United States. As long-time military allies and economic partners that share a strong diplomatic… Keep reading →
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 →
EPA’s current estimate of the completion time for a draft of its study of the risks posed by hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) to drinking water is now projected by the agency to be developed in early 2015. This is based on comments in a letter originating from EPA’s Region 8 office stating that the study on the risks posed by fracking to drinking water won’t reach draft final form until “early 2015”. [Region 8 Letter]
The energy industry – oil & gas sector in particular – is bracing itself for a massive wave of retirements over the short to medium term, which has been dubbed “The Great Shift Change.” As the industry prepares for this turnover, companies are looking to the next generation of candidates with skills ranging from finance, geology,… Keep reading →
What started as a trickle has grown into a stream, and by most accounts, is likely to turn into a flood. We are, of course, talking about fossil fuel divestments as an increasing number of investors and fund managers are pledging to cleanse their portfolios of dirty assets – whatever that means. It started with… Keep reading →
