Berkshire Hathaway energy unit MidAmerican Power Holdings has agreed to buy wind turbines with an estimated value of more than $1bln from Siemens. IFM Investors has agreed to invest $1.3 billion in equity funding for the proposed three-train Freeport LNG natural gas liquefaction and export plant in Texas, sourced from a consortium of project finance ledners. The funding in question… Keep reading →
Chevron is restarting a shale drilling campaign in Romania, which has met resistance from the local population. As many as 300 riot police are patrolling the site. [Natural Gas Europe] Platts’ Brian Scheid has written an interesting piece on the Department of Energy’s latest LNG export approval, for an additional 0.4 billion cubic feet per… Keep reading →
We are at a transformational moment in energy history. Just a few years ago, all energy projections forecast increased imports, increased scarcity, and increased natural gas prices. Today, we’ve shifted from scarcity to abundance. U.S. oil production has increased by 2.5 million barrels per day (B/D) since 2010. This year, the United States overtook Saudi… Keep reading →
Language on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline buried on page 491 of the International Energy Agency’s most recent World Energy Outlook may provide more fuel for opponents of the project, but it could offer a leg up to project proponents, as well. The WEO 2013 forecasts that oil sands production will average 4.3 million barrels… Keep reading →
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 →
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 →
TransCanada’s CEO Russ Girling says they are not giving up on the Keystone XL Pipeline project and neither are producers seeking to ship their product through the line. The economic rationale of transporting oil via pipe rather than rail underpins the project and Girling is confident “the oil market transcends politics.” [The Hill] Eike Batista’s… Keep reading →
Large oil and gas companies are some of the most active investors in the cleantech space, using new technologies to improve operational efficiency, according to research and advisory firm the Cleantech Group. Cleantech start-ups and oil and gas producers would not appear at first glance to be a good fit for fruitful corporate partnerships. The… Keep reading →
Out With Bad Arguments – In With Energy Security
By Energy Tomorrow BlogThe long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline and whether President Obama will agree with a strong majority of Americans who believe that the full project is in the U.S. national interest landed on a couple of year-ending lists of top energy issues, here and here, no doubt reflecting the politics surrounding the pipeline’s five-year federal review. Much of politicizing has been fueled… Keep reading →