Wyoming delegation asks Jewell to exempt state from BLM fracing rules | Oil & Gas Journal

Wyoming’s congressional delegation asked US Sec. of the Interior Sally Jewell to exempt the state and others that already regulate hydraulic fracturing from the US Bureau of Land Management’s final regulations when they are issued.

In an Aug. 19 letter to the secretary, the three Republican members of the delegation—US Sens. John Barrasso and Michael B. Enzi, and US Rep. Cynthia M. Lummis—said they appreciated Jewell’s favorable comments about Wyoming’s existing fracing regulation regime during a June 6 Senate and Energy Natural Resources Committee hearing.

“We therefore request that you exempt Wyoming and the other states currently regulating hydraulic fracturing from BLM’s final rule,” they continued. “State regulations are a solution that is working for the people of our nation’s public land states. They should be supported, not supplanted, by the [Obama] administration.”

BLM is accepting comments on its proposed fracing regulations through Aug. 23.

Contact Nick Snow at nicks@pennwell.com.

More in Government

Alberta files Bill C-69 court challenge

The government of Alberta has filed a legal challenge to a federal law enacted earlier this year that opponents say impedes permitting of oil and gas pipelines and other major projects.

MARKET WATCH: Crude benchmarks fall after Bolton firing

Crude oil benchmarks fell in New York and London markets Sept. 10 after US President Donald Trump fired US National Security Advisor John Bolton, which at least one analyst suggests could be a move toward easing US-Iran relations.

190910 Eia Steo Chart

EIA continues to lower oil price, demand growth forecasts

In its September Short-Term Energy Outlook, the US Energy Information Administration reduced its 2019 Brent crude oil price forecast to $63/bbl, which is $2/bbl lower than in its August STEO.

MARKET WATCH: Crude benchmarks gain more than $1/bbl

Crude oil benchmarks rose by more than $1/bbl in New York and London markets Sept 9 largely on news that Saudi Arabia had appointed Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman as its energy minister.

Alberta starts promised review of AER

The Alberta government has begun a review of the Alberta Energy Regulator, a campaign promise of Premier Jason Kenney. It also has replaced AER board members with interim directors with oil and gas expertise.

MARKET WATCH: NYMEX, Brent crude oil prices close week with gain

Light, sweet crude oil gained modestly to close above $56/bbl for both October and November delivery on the New York market Sept. 6 while Brent for November delivery gained in London to close above $61/bbl.

Rosneft, Japan to study energy cooperation prospects

Rosneft and Japan’s Agency for Natural Resources and Energy signed a memorandum creating a joint coordinating committee to examine participation in joint projects for the exploration and development of oil and gas fields and petrochemicals.

IER lawsuit alleges USDA withholding RFS documents

The Institute for Energy Research has sued the USDA to compel the department to release certain documents the public policy group sought in April out of concern that the department is interfering with a key Renewable Fuel Standard regulatory process.

EIA: US crude inventories down 4.8 million bbl

US crude oil inventories for the week ended Aug. 30, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, decreased by 4.8 million bbl from the previous week, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.

MARKET WATCH: Brent for November approaches $61/bbl

Brent crude oil on the London market rose to approach $61/bbl on Sept. 5 while light, sweet crude prices gained only slightly in New York after having rallied more than $2/bbl the previous day.

Papua New Guinea validates Papua LNG gas agreement

Papua New Guinea’s National Executive Council (NEC) has cleared the way for the Total SA-led joint venture to proceed with implementation of the Papua LNG project following many perceived gains for the country by the government’s negotiating team.

Resist harmful ethanol mandates, refining executives urge Trump

Three US refining executives called on US President Donald Trump to avoid ethanol policies that potentially could harm US oil products production.

Tullow Ugandan project farm-down agreement to expire

Tullow Oil PLC said its final investment decision for the Lake Albert joint venture development in Uganda will likely be delayed as a farm-down agreement with Total SA and CNOOC will expire Aug. 29 and the agreement terminated.

EPA mulls exempting some oil, gas operations from emissions rules

The US Environmental Protection Agency proposed removing oil and gas transmission and storage operations from regulations under federal New Source Performance Standards.