International news for oil and gas professionals
With activists occupying the US Department of State and protesters taking to streets in several US cities, it is for those of us who survived the political and populist turmoil of the 1960s just like "deja vu all over again."
In its fight against punishing tax hikes, the US oil and gas industry won a round this month. Senate Democrats scuttled at least some industry tax reversals from their proposal for funding a jobs bill.
The essential question the US Department of State must address as it considers the Keystone XL pipeline's cross-border permit application is whether the project is in the national interest of the US, several of the project's supporters said.
Dominion Resources Inc., Richmond, Va., has asked the US Department of Energy for permission to use its Cove Point, Md., LNG import terminal as an export facility as well.
The oil industry will benefit greatly from emerging technologies unveiled during the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X Challenge in which $1.3 million was awarded to two winning contestants for demonstrating highly efficient methods to recover spilled crude oil from the ocean surface, Shell executives said.
African natural gas that is now being liquefied for export could be redirected to domestic electric power generation as customers in Europe, Asia, and the US exploit shale gas resources in their own countries, experts suggested during a discussion of African energy needs.
The US won't likely meet some specific biofuel mandates under the current Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by 2022 unless innovative technologies are developed or policies change, the National Research Council (NRC) said on Oct. 4.
A proposed hydraulic fracturing chemical disclosure rule for Texas would help "demystify" the chemicals used and could reassure the public, Andrew Barron, Rice University's chemistry professor, told the Railroad Commission of Texas during an Oct. 5 hearing in Austin, Tex.
Units of Magnum Hunter Resources Corp., Houston, have agreed to provide new processing and transportation services for Marcellus shale gas production in northwestern West Virginia, Magnum Hunter reported.
Tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran, already high, received new strain Oct. 11 with allegations of a foiled plot linked with Iran to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US and to commit other acts of terrorism.
The Italian government has joined other states in the region raising tension in the Eastern Mediterranean by issuing a diplomatic "demarche" protesting Malta's publication of a tender for oil and gas exploration in areas of the Ionian Sea claimed by Rome.
A long-time Washington, DC, energy observer recommended caution as the Obama administration considered possible responses to an alleged Iran-based conspiracy to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US (OGJ Online, Oct. 11, 2011).
The International Energy Agency, responding to statements by officials of Saudi Aramco, said it is "very important" that oil producers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) continue to invest in increasing their oil production capacity.
Through how many circles will the US run while chasing its tail on energy?
