GENERAL INTEREST — Quick Takes
API: US support strong for more Canadian crude
A survey found 79% of 924 US registered voters support importing more crude oil from Canada, the American Petroleum Institute announced.
Harris Interactive, which conducted the survey for API Oct. 28-31, found 80% of respondents believe US government policies should support use of Canadian crude in the US.
API Executive Vice-Pres. Marty Durbin told reporters during a Nov. 3 conference call that the finding was "consistent with polling we've already done showing very broad support among the American public for increased oil and gas production here in North America."
When asked about Canadian oil sands, 65% of respondents said they were unfamiliar with oil sands or the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project to bring crude recovered from oil sands to US refiners.
They nevertheless strongly agreed pipelines would be the safest way to bring Canadian crude to the US.
API released the survey's results as national environmental organizations called their members to Washington for a Nov. 6 protest against possible approval by the administration of President Barack Obama of the Keystone XL pipeline project's permit application.
"It's not surprising that as we come closer to a decision, we are hearing more opposition," Durbin said. "But there also is strong approval among labor officials, state officials, and local officials along the pipeline route."
Durbin said he was optimistic that the pipeline might be approved by yearend.
Australia's upper house passes carbon tax bills
The 18 so-called clean energy bills making up the Australian Labor Government's controversial carbon tax scheme have been passed in the Australian Parliament's upper house with a vote of 36 to 32.
The Australian Greens voted with the government to push the legislation unamended through and mark the end of 5 years of mostly acrimonious debate.
The new laws will require Australia's top 500 polluting companies to pay a price on carbon emissions from the beginning of July 2012. They form the central plank of the government's commitment to cut carbon emissions by 5% of the 2000 levels by 2020.
The new regime will begin with a $23 (Aus.)/tonne price on carbon and will transform into an emissions trading scheme with a floating price in mid-2015.
Greens leader expressed his satisfaction with the result by calling the vote a "green-letter day."
Opposition MPs were less enthusiastic, saying the Labor Party had sold its policy soul to the Greens for the sake of staying in power. They added that a Liberal/National Party coalition government would axe the tax when it was elected.
Bridas cancels deal to buy BP's stake in PAE
BP PLC said Bridas Corp. has terminated its plans to buy BP's 60% interest in Pan American Energy LLC (PAE) for $7 billion because Bridas had not obtained Argentine antitrust approvals and Chinese regulatory approvals for the Argentina-based exploration company (OGJ Online, Nov. 29, 2010).
BP and Bridas are joint venture partners in PAE. Bridas already owns 40% of PAE, which explores, develops, and produces oil and gas in the Southern Cone region of South America. CNOOC Ltd. owns a stake in Bridas, which cited no specific reason for calling off the transaction.
PAE's main holdings are in Argentina. Argentina President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on Oct. 26 ordered oil and gas companies to repatriate all future export revenue. Kirchner said the intent was to strengthen central bank controls on dollar purchases.
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