The Deepwater Horizon spill captured the attention of the American public with images of sea birds covered in oil slick and floating masses of crude on the surface of the ocean. But what has yet to be addressed is the impact of the oil spill on the sea floor. Paul Montagna and a team of… Keep reading →
BP and the US federal government are at odds over how much oil was actually spilled into the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010: BP says 2.45 million barrels, the US government says 4.2 MM bbl. “Clean Water Act fines…range from a maximum of $1,100 for every barrel… Keep reading →
Last week we published a piece on what are likely to be Congress’ top 6 energy policy priorities after the August recess, according to Frank Maisano, Senior Principal at law firm Bracewell Giuliani. Elias Hinckley, also a Washington, DC-based attorney specializing in energy, has offered a slightly different take on what we might see in energy policy… Keep reading →
US energy policy is on hold for now, but several top-tier energy issues issues will be front and center when the House and Senate return to Capitol Hill after the August recess, according to Frank Maisano, Senior principal in law firm Bracewell Giuliani’s Government Relations and Strategic Communications Practice. Energy watchers should be on the… Keep reading →
An offshore natural gas well blew out yesterday in the Gulf of Mexico about 150 miles south of the Louisiana coast. All personnel were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported. Environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council took the opportunity to comment on risk associated with petroleum development and suggested that risk is too great… Keep reading →
A rise in well permitting in recent weeks seems to point to robust drilling activity in the second half of this year, according to Barclays. The bank monitors permitting data in 30 states, which has been on an upward trajectory of late. Onshore drilling permit activity showed a 4% increase month-over-month in June, adjusted to… Keep reading →
The Department of Energy looks set to award $8 bln in loan guarantees to limit greenhouse gas emissions produced from the oil & gas and coal sectors. The DOE’s proposal would apply to both downstream carbon capture – such as from coal-fired power plants – and to upstream emissions mitigation. Perhaps not what the world… Keep reading →
Can BP successfully challenge $blns in settlement payouts related to the Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent Gulf of Mexico oil spill? The company is accusing “trial lawyers and some politicians” of submitting thousands of inflated or false claims. [New York Times] Can biomass really challenge Gazprom’s supremacy as an energy supplier to Eastern Europe and… Keep reading →
Hayward steps in as interim Glencore chairman Former BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward is will serve as interim board chairman at mining behemoth Glencore Xstrata until a replacement can be found. Hayward was head of BP at the time of the Deepwater Horizon incident – a rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010… Keep reading →
A proxy battle between activist investor Carl Icahn and Transocean – the world’s largest offshore driller, and owner and operator of the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 – comes to a head today at the company’s annual shareholders meeting. The dispute comes down to control… Keep reading →
