A state-owned Chinese oil major has been caught violating provincial and local environmental laws. The size of the fine incurred however, points to evidence that these mega energy companies still have more sway within the country than local laws and government officials tasked to enforce those laws. Late last week, Chinese media reported that… Keep reading →
Saudi Arabia’s oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, recently said again that OPEC will not take sole responsibility for supporting global oil prices. Since the collapse in oil prices this past year, OPEC has attempted to convince non-OPEC oil producers to cooperate on production and prices, but with little success. “Today the situation is hard. We tried, we… Keep reading →
President Obama has used increasingly negative rhetoric in recent months when discussing the Keystone XL pipeline. The President’s remarks have left most observers with the impression that he will reject the controversial pipeline’s permit and cancel the project once and for all. In December, the President said that the pipeline may be “good for the… Keep reading →
The crude oil price plunge of more than 50% since last June has proved a mixed blessing for global economies. It has cut deep into the coffers of oil producing nations while providing much needed relief for oil and natural gas import dependent countries. China, the world’s second largest oil importer, is also taking advantage… Keep reading →
Hillary Clinton received a lot of criticism since it was revealed this week that she had never used an official State Department email account while she was Secretary of State, she instead used a private email account maintained by a contractor. Green groups such as 350.org and Friends of the Earth have expressed dismay that… Keep reading →
Prior to Apple taking the developed world with its innovative products by storm and critically shaping the digital age as we now know it, computer users often used to defrag(ment) their hard drives manually. Basically, the process of ‘defragmentation’ meant to reduce the amount of fragmentation within a system for maintenance purposes “by physically organizing… Keep reading →
President Obama, in an interview with a North Dakota television station, explaining why he continues to delay the Keystone XL pipeline: “Part of the reason North Dakota has done so well is because we’ve very much been promoting domestic U.S. energy use. I’ve already said I’m happy to look at increasing pipeline production for U.S. oil.… Keep reading →
It’s unusual when a documentary film on air pollution becomes a blockbuster hit, but that’s exactly what’s happened with “Under the Dome,” a film produced about energy and environmental issues in China. Released online on Saturday, the 100-minute film has already racked up more than 150 million views on Youku, China’s YouTube equivalent. That’s equal to… Keep reading →
Bulging inventories are expected to continue to build at the biggest US oil-storage facility, putting more downward pressure on crude prices and adding to calls on the federal government to legalize exports, analysts said. The amount of oil stored at the Cushing Hub in Oklahoma rose to 48.18 million barrels in the week ending Feb.… Keep reading →
Opinion: Low Oil Prices Need not Slow Electric Cars
By Peter Lehner and Yossie HollanderThe sudden decline in oil price has prompted some analysts to predict bad days ahead for electric and other fuel-efficient cars. While the price of oil may be low today, history teaches us that it will rise again. The true cost of our oil dependence remains high. Oil pollutes our air and water, is dangerously… Keep reading →