Doors open at 11 a.m. with lunch, live music, giveaways and speakers starting at noon.  The event is part of a series of rallies throughout the country (click here to read about the Texas rallies with more than 5,000 attendees.)

Vote From Home Program

Western Energy Alliance is expanding its “Vote from Home” voter registration program because everyone deserves the right to vote.

Long hours, shift schedules, travel and long-term field deployment have prevented many of the 130,000 individuals in Colorado’s natural gas and oil industry from casting their vote on Election Day.  Help your employees sign up for a permanent absentee ballot and give them a voice in the next election.

Trained personnel will attend your regularly scheduled safety, staff or other meetings to provide and collect voter registration forms, photocopy driver’s licenses and mail forms to the appropriate county clerk’s office.  There is no cost associated to participate in Western Energy Alliance’s Vote From Home Program.

If you are interested in having our Vote From Home Program at one of your next meetings, please contact Jon Haubert at jhaubert@westernenergyalliance.org or (303) 623-0987.

Wyoming BLM Issues June 2008 – May 2010 Leasing EAs

Wyoming BLM has issued Environmental Assessments (EA) for the June 2008 – May 2010 lease sales with over $52 million worth of unissued leases outstanding.  There is also a letter clearing the protests from the June 2008 sale. While enabling the issuance of many of the backlog of leases, there are a substantial number of leases that will remain in leasing limbo, and are identified in the documents as “deferred.”  Please let Kathleen Sgamma know if you have any leases that are identified as deferred.  Western Energy Alliance will continue to advocate for issuance of all outstanding leases.

Energy Finance Discussion Group

A Look Back on TARP, Bailouts and Stress Tests in Banking. Why Does this Matter to Us?

September 14, 2010

Join us on Tuesday, September 14th from 7:30-9:00 AM at the DAC (Denver Athletic Club) for a presentation by Todd Berryman, Senior Vice President and Deputy Manager of the Denver National Banking Office for Bank of the West.  Todd’s presentation will review the significant  upheaval the U.S. banking industry has experienced in the last several years and put them into the context of  current events in commercial lending. This upheaval has resulted in reduced lending, bank failures, and “government bailouts” of those institutions deemed “too big to fail”. These events have also lead to Europe applying a stress test to its banks, and has  brought an international agreement within the banking industry, referred to as  Basel II, to the forefront of the banking industry. While the topic is immense in size, Mr. Berryman will try to encapsulate some of these broad issues, and illustrate how they affect both the energy industry, and the  audience as consumers.

The breakfast will be held at the Denver Athletic Club (DAC)  located at 1325 Glenarm Place.  Cost for the event is $26 per person one week prior to the event and $35 there after.  As the DAC will require a final head count one week before the event, anyone interested in attending will need to register by September 7th. As the DAC will bill us for every plate we ask them to prepare, whether or not it is eaten, you will be billed if you have registered, even if you do not attend!

Western Energy Alliance is currently going through a website upgrade and the online system is not working.  Please click here to download the registration form and send it back to bness@westernenergyalliance.org or FAX to 303-893-0709.  If you have any questions contact Becca Ness at (303)-623-0987.

Distinguished Speaker Series

The Distinguished Speaker Series along with some special engagements will offer compelling topics and speakers from all over the country. The Western Energy Alliance speaker events provide great networking and exposure opportunities for our members to develop business, reconnect and share important news with the organization at large. Key sponsorship opportunities are available today, please contact Becca Ness for details, or fill out the sponsorship form.

Western Energy Alliance is pleased to announce the fall speaking series:

SEPTEMBER

Special Event Luncheon: Natural Gas Markets, featuring Gary Schmitt
Distinguished Speakers Series, featuring President Bruce Benson, University of Colorado

OCTOBER

Small Producer’s Forum: Capital Utilization Strategies (in the Denver Tech Center)

NOVEMBER

Distinguished Speaker’s Series, featuring Susan Arigoni, Xcel Energy

Registration and event details will be available on our website the week of August 23rd.

Fundraiser for Ken Buck

Western Energy Alliance and IPAA will hold a fundraising breakfast for Colorado Senate candidate Ken Buck on Tuesday, September 21^st from 8:00 – 9:30 at our office.  The minimum contribution is $500 for individuals and $1,000 for PACs and co-hosts.  Please let me know if you would like to co-host the event or if you can attend.

Click here to view the invitation.

Bob Taylor Ecological Area Improvement Project Kick-Off Event

Western Energy Alliance and the Wildlife Habitat Council are hosting a barbeque and fishing demonstration at the Bob Taylor Ecological Area (BTEA) on Friday October 1, 2010.  The site, which is located in southwest Denver near Chatfield State Park, is owned and managed by Denver Water and is also host to the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s (DOW) Angler Education clinics.  DOW and Denver Water have identified several wildlife habitat, infrastructure, and environmental improvements needed at the site.  The kick-off event will introduce the proposed improvement projects to interested companies and other members of the community.

Click here to view a flyer. Contact Spencer Kimball for more information.

Membership Update

Western Energy Alliance is pleased to welcome the following new member:

New Frontier Member

Marshall and Winston, Inc.

Photo Contest

Western Energy Alliance is looking for scenic photographs featuring wildlife, oil and gas operations, or any picturesque scenes from around the West. The winner will have his/her photo appear on the cover of the 2011 Calendar, which is distributed to member companies, media, other trade organizations, government officials, and business associations. The calendar has proven to be a very helpful tool in demonstrating industry talking points and illustrating visually that oil and natural gas development has a small and temporary environmental impact. The calendar will feature photos of former development areas that have since been reclaimed, wildlife near development, technological advances, etc. Each month will also include a fact that highlights the importance of our industry and the steps we take to minimize environmental impacts.

Please submit all photos (300 dpi or better) to Jon Haubert no later than October 9, 2010.

Western Energy Alliance in the News

Wind Power Won’t Cool Down the Planet

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 08/24/2010 by: Robert Bryce
The wind industry has achieved remarkable growth largely due to the claim that it will provide major reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. There’s just one problem: It’s not true. A slew of recent studies show that wind-generated electricity likely won’t result in any reduction in carbon emissions or that they’ll be so small as to be almost meaningless.

Other Upcoming Meetings

Montana Basin Advisory Committee (MBAN) – August 30th, 1:30 p.m.

Utah Basin Advisory Committee (UBAN) – September 7th, 10:00 a.m. (PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE)

Visit westernenergyalliance.org for the latest news affecting the Intermountain West’s oil and natural gas industry. Headlines are updated daily from local, national and international news sources.

The West

Rally for Jobs

The Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is holding rallies to raise awareness of the impact of legislation being considered in the wake of the Gulf oil spill.  The Rally for Jobs is an opportunity for those whose livelihoods depend on the oil and natural gas industry and American consumers to express their concerns with proposals that Congress and the administration are debating that, if approved, could cost American jobs, drive small- and mid-sized firms out of business, threaten our fragile economic recovery and jeopardize our energy security.

The New Mexico rally will take place on September 8^th from 11 am – 1 pm in Farmington (McGee Park, 41 Road 5568, Farmington, NM 87401)

The Colorado rally will take place on September 11^th from 11 am – 1 pm in Grand Junction (Two Rivers Convention Center, 159 Main Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501)

CEA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports the thoughtful utilization of energy resources to help ensure improved domestic and global energy security and stable prices for consumers. CEA seeks to improve consumer understanding of our nation’s energy security, including the need to reduce reliance on imported oil and natural gas, maintain reasonable energy prices for consumers, properly balance our energy needs with environmental & conservation goals and continue efforts to diversify our energy resources.

Click here for more information.

Little Snake Proposed RMP

Colorado BLM has released the Little Snake Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will prohibit future leasing in the 77,000 acre Vermillion Basin.  The deadline to submit protests is September 13^th.  Western Energy Alliance will protest the proposed RMP/EIS.  If you have points of protest to include, please contact Spencer Kimball at 303-623-0987.

Rocky Mountain land plan gets new push from ex-forest chiefs (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/25/2010 by: Staff
Three past U.S. Forest Service chiefs have written in support of an act that would protect the Rocky Mountain Front, a region where the mountains meet the Great Plains between East Glacier and Lincoln in Montana.

Company regrets Ruby Pipeline conservation deal

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/24/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer
An El Paso Corp. spokesman expressed regret that the company struck a deal setting aside some $22 million in conservation trusts to alleviate environmental opposition to a Wyoming-to-Oregon natural gas pipeline.

Pickens, Turner push gas at confab

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/23/2010 by: Dennis Webb
Oilman T. Boone Pickens and media giant Ted Turner joined Saturday in touting natural gas as an important part of the nation’s energy future and a resource Pickens says can be cleanly produced.

Western Election News

Fundraiser for Matt Mead

QEP Resources is hosting a fundraiser for Wyoming Gubernatorial candidate Matt Mead on Thursday September 2^nd, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., at their office (1050 17^th St., 7^th Floor, Denver, CO).

Click here to view the invitation

Democrats could have candidates in all five Wyoming statewide election races

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/26/2010 by: Jeremy Pelzer
The Democrats will likely field a candidate in each of Wyoming’s five statewide races this November, after the state canvassing board Wednesday certified Democratic candidates for state auditor and treasurer.

Tipton: Use natural gas in vehicles

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/25/2010 by: Gary Harmom
The United States should follow the lead offered by Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens and look to natural gas as a transportation fuel, Republican congressional candidate Scott Tipton said.

Energy vote costly for Harry Teague

published in: Politico on: 08/23/2010 by: Staff
Rep. Harry Teague made an expensive decision last June when he supported Democratic leaders on climate change.

Energy issues divide Montana lawmakers

published in: Daily Inter Lake on: 08/23/2010 by: Jim Mann
Energy issues are heating up again in Montana, and the state’s power cooperatives will be paying close attention in the months to come.

Lee’s wilds idea

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/23/2010 by: Matt Canham
Washington • For decades, one of Utah’s defining characteristics — its tremendous landscapes — also has been its biggest political problem. It seemed no one could agree which lands deserved protection and which should be opened to developers, miners and recreationists.

Gov’s energy expertise difficult to replace

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/23/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer
Whether Wyoming’s next governor is Democrat Leslie Peterson or Republican Matt Mead, there will be a steep learning curve to match Gov. Dave Freudenthal’s knowledge of the energy industry.

Colorado

Mesa County OKs natural gas facility

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/26/2010 by: Mike Wiggins
Despite objections from neighbors, Mesa County commissioners unanimously approved a conditional-use permit Tuesday for the construction and operation of a natural-gas-treatment facility in extreme northeastern Mesa County.

Public comment sought on emissions

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/25/2010 by: Gary Harmon
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission will take public comment this month on plans by Xcel Energy to meet new emissions requirements.

Gas companies face new water-supply plan

published in: Trinidad Times on: 08/24/2010 by: Randy Woock
Las Animas County’s four largest gas-extraction companies — Pioneer Natural Resources, El Paso E&P Company, XTO Energy and Red River Ranch Holdings — are working to implement a substitute water-supply plan (SWSP) as required by the State Engineer’s Office (SEO) to continue gas production from area coalbed methane (CBM) wells.

Montana

Montana Leasing Environmental Assessments

Montana BLM has released eight EAs that are available on their website. They are taking public comment until September 13^th.  All EAs have a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and will enable the suspensions of 2008 leases to be lifted and a lease sale to take place at the end of the year.  Western Energy Alliance will discuss comments at the Montana Basin Advisors Network (MBAN) meeting on August 30^th at 1:30.  Since the EAs include deferrals for several leases nominated for 2010 sales, we need to hear from companies with information on the leases being deferred.  Due to the sensitivity of nominations, please contact Kathleen Sgamma directly.

Michigan, Gulf of Mexico oil spills intensify scrutiny of Montana’s pipelines

published in: Great Falls Tribune on: 08/23/2010 by: John Adams
Even before an oil pipeline in Michigan burst last month — spilling an estimated 800,000 to 1 million gallons of Canadian crude oil into a tributary of the Kalamazoo River — Montana emergency management officials began taking a closer look at the safety of Montana’s pipeline network.

New Mexico

Report: Former BLM manager took oil company gifts

published in: Washington Post on: 08/24/2010 by: Susan Montoya Bryan
An investigation has found that a former Bureau of Land Management official in New Mexico who oversaw one of the largest onshore mineral production areas in the U.S. took gifts from an oil company and misused travel funds.

North Dakota

Southwest Pipeline nears end of project

published in: Bismarck Tribune on: 08/24/2010 by: Lauren Donovan
In one swoop, the Southwest Pipeline Project will take on its most expensive work to date, its first ever and its last major project to finally complete delivery of treated Lake Sakakawea water to a 12-county area in southwestern North Dakota.

ND oil lease auctions double last year’s record

published in: Associated Press on: 08/23/2010 by: James McPherson
The amount of state land available for drilling in North Dakota’s oil patch is diminishing, with companies snatching almost all available acreage at auction for premium prices.

Utah

2010 Utah Call-up

We have scheduled the annual Utah Call-Up in Salt Lake City on October 19^th – 20^th to coincide with the interim legislative session.  In addition to leasing, Uinta Basin air quality, and other important issues, a surface owner’s protection act bill will be the focus of the Call-Up.  We’re asking Utah operators to join us in Salt Lake City to help address concerns related to surface owner notification and compensation for E&P activities on split estate lands in Utah.  We need to proactively engage on the issue in order to avoid a bad SOPA bill this upcoming session. Our Utah Representative Lowell Braxton has taken the lead in engaging landowners, legislators, trade groups, landmen, and others, but we’ll need operators to help us resolve these issues during the Call-Up. Please join us for the September 7 UBAN meeting at 10:00 to learn more and get involved in the planning of this year’s Call-Up.

Wilderness debate: Is Utah at a turning point?

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/26/2010 by: Christopher Smart
They used to meet, it seems, only in court. Now they meet, too, at the bargaining table. They used to issue dueling news releases. Now they pen companion newspaper columns. They used to push competing bills. Now they sign cooperative deals.

Commissioners join fight against pipeline agreement

published in: Vernal Express on: 08/26/2010 by: Mary Bernard
Uintah County is opposing a $20 million so-called “secret agreement” between energy company El Paso Corp. and two conservation groups.

Gulf oil spill affects Utah

published in: Standard Examiner on: 08/23/2010 by: Staff
The massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has had a trickledown effect in Utah.

Wyoming

Wyoming revamps sage grouse core areas plan

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/25/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer
Gov. Dave Freudenthal this morning issued a revised executive order updating Wyoming’s sage grouse Core Population Area strategy, first implemented in 2008 to help avoid a listing of the bird under the Endangered Species Act.

Pinedale Anticline operators aim to clear the air

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/23/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer
In a tone of gloom-and-doom, H. James Sewell of Shell Upstream Americas commiserated with several colleagues from QEP Resources Inc. and Ultra Petroleum — the three main operators of the Pinedale Anticline natural gas field.

BLM Study: Pipeline Would Cut Traffic, Pollution

published in: Associated Press on: 08/23/2010 by: Staff
An environmental assessment by federal land managers says a proposed pipeline from a Pinedale natural gas field to LaBarge could reduce truck traffic and pollution.

Meetings To Focus On Effects Of A SE Wyo Oil Boom

published in: Associated Press on: 08/20/2010 by: Mead Gruber
How an oil boom could affect the people and environment of southeast Wyoming will be the focus of upcoming meetings in three cities.  The meetings Aug. 31 in Cheyenne and Sept. 1 in Wheatland and Torrington will be hosted by the Wheatland-based High Plains Economic Development District.

Washington Watch

MMS slowly morphed from watchdog to industry partner (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/25/2010 by: Staff
The Minerals Management Service addressed its charge to “meet the nation’s energy needs” by publicly and formally working as a partner to the energy industry, a transition that took decades but ultimately gave the industry too much power.

With Hill hopes dashed, advocates circle wagons at EPA (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/25/2010 by: Robin Bravender
With global warming legislation sidelined, advocates are bracing for battle over U.S. EPA climate rules, the only game in town for curbing emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

Obama admin urges Supreme Court to vacate ‘nuisance’ ruling (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/25/2010 by: Gabriel Nelson
The Obama administration has urged the Supreme Court to toss out an appeals court decision that would allow lawsuits against major emitters for their contributions to global warming, stunning environmentalists who see the case as a powerful prod on climate change.

UAW joins labor-enviro alliance (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/24/2010 by: Jason Plautz
The United Auto Workers has announced that it will join the BlueGreen Alliance, a partnership of labor and environment groups pushing for policies that create green jobs.

White House, Critics Reach Stalemate in Dispute Over Oil Budget in Gulf

published in: New York Times on: 08/24/2010 by: Katie Howell
Neither the White House nor critics of an Obama administration report is crying uncle in a dispute over a government report suggesting that three-fourths of the oil in the Gulf of Mexico is “gone.”

White House website hushes cap-and-trade rhetoric (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/23/2010 by: Robin Bravender
The White House has recently revised its energy and environment website, stripping references to a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases and a pledge to funnel $150 billion into clean energy research.

Markey predicts Senate passage of House energy bill (subscription required)

published in: E&E NEws on: 08/23/2010 by: Robin Bravender
Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) predicted last week that the Senate will eventually clear the House-passed climate bill and blamed Senate Republicans for hamstringing the effort.

Senator proposes fracking regulations

published in: Associated Press on: 08/19/2010 by: Staff
Sen. Bob Casey said Thursday that Pennsylvania’s emerging natural gas industry has the potential to create jobs and wealth, but also carries environmental risks that must be addressed.

Media Watch

Letter to the Editor: Sportsmen back energy bill

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/24/2010 by: Dave Sweet
Editor:As sportsmen and women who treasure the hunting and fishing opportunities we find on our nation’s public lands, we urge anyone who hunts, fishes or enjoys the outdoors to support the bipartisan renewable energy legislation introduced by Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada in the Senate, and by Rep. Dean Heller of Nevada in the House.

Editorial: Hold government accountable for moratorium’s harm

published in: Shreveport Times on: 08/24/2010 by: Editorial Board
Supporters of the Gulf of Mexico drilling moratorium are quick to note that it has yet to produce the thousands of job losses predicted. For instance, Louisiana had only 595 first-time claims for jobless benefits in June and July from people who had just lost jobs in the mining sector, which includes mostly petroleum, according to the state work force commission.

West can lead the new energy economy

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/23/2010 by: Craig Cox
The West, with its wealth of wind, solar, geothermal and other clean, renewable energy resources, is poised to lead the nation toward a new energy future. But achieving that vision will require continued collaboration and a balanced approach that offers tremendous new economic and environmental benefits.

Full reviews for offshore oil drilling applications

published in: Denver Post on: 08/23/2010 by: Editorial Board
Requiring full environmental reviews — at least for the time being of new deepwater oil and gas drilling is a move in the right direction as the country recalibrates its regulation of deep sea energy exploration.

Hydraulic fracturing critical

published in: Bismark Tribune on: 08/23/2010 by: Ron Ness
The recent documentary “Gasland” has created a variety of misconceptions recently cited in an Aug. 10 letter to the editor about hydraulic fracturing, a process that has been used safely for more than 60 years in more than 1 million wells to produce oil and natural gas, which are critical to our nation’s energy security.

State needs to keep worker safety a priority

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/23/2010 by: Editorial Board
Wyoming is no longer the deadliest state in the nation in which to work. That’s certainly good news, but it’s absolutely not a reason for anyone to think that we should stop working on ways to reduce workplace fatalities. Our commitment to improve our safety record needs to be stronger than ever.

Environment and Wildlife

States, industry sue EPA over SO2 standards (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/26/2010 by: Gabriel Nelson
Texas and North Dakota filed lawsuits in federal court this week over U.S. EPA’s newly tightened limits on sulfur dioxide (SO2) pollution, joining industry groups in challenging the rule before the Monday deadline.

N.M. counties, ranchers sue over wolf reintroduction program (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/25/2010 by: Staff
Two New Mexico counties and several ranching groups are suing to stop the reintroduction of the endangered Mexican gray wolf into the wild in New Mexico and Arizona.

Group seeks protection for 4 mountain-dwelling species (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/25/2010 by: Dina Fine Maron
Three birds and a squirrel that live on high-elevation mountaintops are at risk of being wiped out by climate change, according to an organization that works to protect threatened creatures.

Feds appeal grizzly bear relisting

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/24/2010 by: Staff
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service filed an appeal earlier this month to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the relisting of the estimated 600 grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem.

EPA delays release of final ozone standards (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/24/2010 by: Gabriel Nelson
U.S. EPA won’t meet its goal of releasing new nationwide standards for ground-level ozone this month, the agency told a federal court Friday.

EPA delays hearing on state GHG permitting (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/24/2010 by: Robin Bravender
U.S. EPA has delayed a hearing slated for Wednesday on its plans to take over permitting programs for states that can’t or won’t comply with greenhouse gas regulations.

Global warming debate is scuttled and barbs fly (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/24/2010 by: Robin Bravender
Director James Cameron blasted global warming deniers yesterday after a prominent climate change skeptic accused the filmmaker of backing out of a public debate on climate science.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

New DOE process may unlock access to stranded resources (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/26/2010 by: Katherine Ling
The National Energy Technology Laboratory has developed a method of freezing natural gas that could lower the cost of transportation to access vast amounts of the world’s gas resources.

Green Exchange rides GHG offsets to trading milestone (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/24/2010 by: Nathanial Gronewold
Environmental commodities trading in New York reached a milestone yesterday.

Nevada OKs Natural Gas-Diesel Alt Fuel Combination

published in: Associated Press on: 08/24/2010 by: Scott Sonner
A Sparks refinery that produces a cleaner-burning, more efficient fuel made from a combination of low-sulfur diesel and natural gas has become the first of its kind in Nevada to win approval from state environmental regulators.

Richardson, Ritter: States lead way on green energy

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/23/2010 by: Dennis Webb
If the federal government isn’t going to take on domestic energy problems, then it falls to states to do so, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Saturday.

Markets

Shale resources set to double market share in 20 years — report (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/26/2010 by: Nathanial Gronewold
Unconventional natural gas sources will double their share of the U.S. market in the next 20 years, say analysts at Deloitte in a new report.

Ruby Pipeline to exceed Wyoming gas exports

published in: Associated Press on: 08/26/2010 by: Staff
The executive director of the Wyoming Pipeline Authority says a Wyoming-to-Oregon pipeline should finally provide more than enough capacity to export the state’s natural gas.

Pipeline to widen markets for gas

published in: Casper Star Tribune on: 08/26/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer
Assuming construction of the Ruby natural gas pipeline does not get delayed in the current storm of legal proceedings, completion of the line in March should provide enough additional access to the Western market to ensure that Rockies gas flows westward for decades.

Enbridge pipeline expansion will get export tankers off roads in 2013

published in: Bismarck Tribune on: 08/25/2010 by: Lauren Donovan
The largest ever expansion of pipeline leaving North Dakota’s oil fields will take pressure off the blacktop, but not for several years.

Frontier Oil To Restart Wyoming Refinery Crude Unit This Week (subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 08/24/2010 by: Staff
Frontier Oil Corp. (FTO) said repairs have been completed on the crude unit of its refinery in Cheyenne, Wyo., that was closed because of a fire July 28.

U.S. Oil and Gas Drilling Accelerates, Led by Oklahoma, Baker Hughes Says

published in: Bloomberg on: 08/23/2010 by: Margot Habiby
The total of oil and natural-gas rigs operating in the U.S. rose for an 11th consecutive week to the highest level since the end of 2008, according to data published by Baker Hughes Inc.

Analysis: Big bets on U.S. oil bonanza after shale gas boom

published in: Reuters on: 08/23/2010 by: Selam Gebrekidan
As the U.S. shale gas revolution enters its third year, companies are making big bets to try to recreate that success with the billions of barrels of oil locked in the sedimentary rock even though geologists doubt the actual production potential.

Industry News and Events

SM Energy to raise $300-$500 mln via divestitures

published in: Reuters on: 08/24/2010 by: Staff
Oil and gas company SM Energy Co (SM.N) plans to raise at least $300-$500 million over the next 12 months via joint venture agreements and sale of assets, including its Marcellus shale positions.

U.S. research vessel sees few signs of spilled oil

published in: Reuters on: 08/24/2010 by: Anna Driver
Scientists above a U.S. research ship have started an around-the-clock search for elusive signs of oil lurking beneath the Gulf of Mexico’s surface in what they jokingly call “Operation Dipstick.

API discloses industry standards

published in: Washington Post on: 08/24/2010 by: Juliet Eilperin
The nation’s top oil and gas group has agreed to let the public see dozens of federal offshore drilling rules online for free — though they’ll still have to pay to print them out

Dominion, Marathon Oil pay $6.9 million settlement

published in: Associated Press on: 08/23/2010 by: Staff
Marathon Oil Co. and Dominion Oklahoma Texas Exploration and Production Inc. will pay $6.9 million to resolve claims the two Houston-based energy companies separately underpaid natural gas royalties to the government and Native Americans, the Department of Justice said Friday.

U.S. Saw Drill Ban Killing Many Jobs

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 08/23/2010 by: Stephen Power
Senior Obama administration officials concluded the federal moratorium on deepwater oil drilling would cost roughly 23,000 jobs, but went ahead with the ban because they didn’t trust the industry’s safety equipment and the government’s own inspection process, according to previously undisclosed documents.

Denver Petroleum Club Mentorship Program

Denver Petroleum Club announces its 2010-2011 mentorship program. Designed to bring established oil and gas industry leaders together with young industry professionals, this is a great opportunity to foster new leaders and develop relationships. Click here for more information and to fill out an application for the program. Help bridge the leadership gap in our industry by encouraging young professionals in your office to participate in this fulfilling professional development opportunity!

If you are interested in being a mentor, please contact Susan Fakharzadeh or 303-623-0987.

Entries for the 2010 IOGCC’s Chairman’s Stewardship Award

Must be received by Sept. 13, 2010

Energy Education

This award is resented to a group or organization that has created a program to educate the public about oil and natural gas and hundreds of ways it affects the lives of Americans.

Environmental Partnership

The Environmental Partnership award recognizes an innovative project led by a non-industry organization(s) in cooperation with industry partner(s).

Small Company

This award recognizes an innovative project by a small oil and natural gas company that demonstrates positive environmental stewardship. Small companies are those that operate in a limited area or region.

Large Company

This award recognizes an innovative project by a large oil and natural gas company that demonstrates positive environmental stewardship. Large companies are those that operate nationwide and in many instances internationally.

Click here for more information or to make an entry.

North Dakota Petroleum Council Annual Meeting

September 21-23, 2010 in Minot, ND

This year’s Annual Meeting has many great speakers and panels along with several networking opportunities including golf and sporting clays. Steven Wuori, President of Enbridge Pipelines, will deliver the keynote address during the Thursday industry luncheon. There are also several Bakken-related talks on the agenda.  Click here to register.

Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum

September 24, 2010

The 2010 Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum, which takes place at Red Rocks Community College, is designed as an educational event for high school students in the Denver Metro area to bring college representatives, energy companies, and students together in one location, to present information about college options and career opportunities to the future generation of leaders. This year’s event will be co-hosted by High Plains Communications, LLC and Red Rocks Community College.  Click here for a summary of the event.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees, and we will have separate break-out sessions for teachers and counselors. Please contact Jaime Gardner or (970) 597-0696 for more information. Click here to download the Expo/Booth registration form. Click here to download the sponsor form.

RPSEA 2010 Small Producer Program Request for Proposals Released

Proposals will be accepted well in advance of the due date, which is September 28, 2010, 4 p.m., Central Time.

The International Conference on Energy, Logistics and the Environment

October 7 – 9, 2010 in Denver, CO

Please visit www.globalconferenceforum.org for agenda, registration and sponsorship details.

Energy Moving Forward 2010

Presented by the GEM Program, University of Colorado Denver Business School

Sheraton Hotel, Denver CO

September 14, 2010

Click here for agenda, registration and sponsorship details

Content Policy

Materials contained herein are a summary of industry related issues and are for the edification of Western Energy Alliance members only. Contents do not reflect official comments or positions of Western Energy Alliance. Attribution of Wildcatter Weekly contents for publication without Western Energy Alliance content is prohibited. NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

Research Shows More Investment at Risk if Congress Raises Taxes on Domestic Producers

Research group Wood Mackenzie has published new evidence pointing to the harmful effects that proposed tax increases would have on domestic oil and natural gas producers. Wood Mackenzie’s study, “Evaluation of Proposed Tax Changes on the US Oil & Gas Industry,” analyzes the estimated impact of two widely-used deductions, intangible drilling costs (IDC) and Section 199 manufacturing tax deductions.

The study finds “the proposed repeal of the IDC and the Domestic Production Activities deductions increases breakeven prices by approximately 10%.

Western Energy Alliance has been challenging tax increases since they were first proposed in the President’s Budget and will continue to work with affiliated trades and other groups to prevent these counter-productive ideas from becoming law.

Western Energy Alliance Tax Committee has met with members of our western Congressional delegation to educate them on the impacts of IDCs and percentage depletion deductions.  This June, we were encouraged when all but 5 Senators from our 13 western states voted against Senator Bernie Sanders’ tax amendment to eliminate IDC and development costs, repeal percentage depletion and Section 199 manufacturers’ tax deduction for oil and natural gas producers.  No Senators from major producing states in the West supported the measure. Even so, we continue to be vigilant, and expect the increases will again be considered in the lame duck session that will occur after November’s election.

Please take a moment and read this short 14 page study and share it with someone who cares about American jobs and energy security.  Click here to read the study. Additional resources and industry studies are available on Western Energy Alliances’ study archive.

Membership Update

Western Energy Alliance is pleased to welcome the following new member:

New Frontier Member

Marshall and Winston, Inc.

Events Update

The Distinguished Speaker Series along with some special engagements will offer compelling topics and speakers from all over the country. The Western Energy Alliance speaker events provide great networking and exposure opportunities for our members to develop business, reconnect and share important news with the organization at large. Key sponsorship opportunities are available today, please contact Becca Ness for details, or fill out the sponsorship form.

Registration and event details will be available on our website the week of August 23rd.

Western Energy Alliance is pleased to announce the fall speaking series:

SEPTEMBER

Special Event Luncheon: Natural Gas Markets, featuring Gary Schmitt
Distinguished Speakers Series, featuring President Bruce Benson, University of Colorado

OCTOBER
Small Producer’s Forum: Capital Utilization Strategies (in the Denver Tech Center)

NOVEMBER

Distinguished Speaker’s Series, featuring Susan Arigoni, Xcel Energy

Scholarship Fund in Honor of Don Likwartz

Efforts to fund a $25,000 petroleum engineering scholarship endowment at University of Wyoming in Don Likwartz’ name are still continuing.   Don has been a great friend to many of in industry and it was his leadership of the WOGCC that allowed the developments in the Powder River Basin and Southwestern Wyoming to proceed in the efficient manner that it did.

Currently the scholarship is just shy of its goal.  Any parties interested in donating should contact Bruce Williams or (307) 461-4666.

Photo Contest

Western Energy Alliance is looking for scenic photographs featuring wildlife, oil and gas operations, or any picturesque scenes from around the West. The winner will have his/her photo appear on the cover of the 2010 Calendar, which is distributed to member companies, media, other trade organizations, government officials, and business associations. The calendar has proven to be a very helpful tool in demonstrating industry talking points and illustrating visually that oil and natural gas development has a small and temporary environmental impact. The calendar will feature photos of former development areas that have since been reclaimed, wildlife near development, technological advances, etc. Each month will also include a fact that highlights the importance of our industry and the steps we take to minimize environmental impacts.

Please submit all photos (300 dpi or better) to Jon Haubert no later than October 9, 2010.

Western Energy Alliance in the News

EPA considers expanding fracturing study to air quality

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/14/2010 by: Dennis Webb

Marc Smith, executive director of the Western Energy Alliance (formerly the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States), said air quality is an important topic, and it’s not that the industry objects to studying it at some point as it pertains to fracturing.

“It’s always within the jurisdiction of EPA to look at human health and environmental issues, and by no means are we saying that the EPA doesn’t have a right to do that. What we do believe is that their interest in that area should not delay the timely completion of the study on hydraulic fracturing,” he said…

“Industry believes it will provide the peace of mind to communities to have the EPA confirm what other reports have indicated, which is that state regulatory programs provide a high level of protection for groundwater,” he said.

Feds would lift block on oil leases in MT, ND, SD

published in: Associated Press on: 08/14/2010 by: Staff

Kathleen Sgamma, director of government affairs for the Western Energy Alliance, said the BLM was moving in the right direction. But Sgamma, whose group until recently was known as the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States, noted that the BLM intends to carry out similar reviews prior to future lease sales, adding a new layer of bureaucracy. “Certainly this has caused an interruption to industry,” she said. “Once you’ve got the process down, hopefully it’s fairly easy to do it and repeat that process.”

Conservationists, Citizens Question Efficacy Of Current EPA Rules for Oil, Gas Industry

published in: BNA on: 08/04/2010 by: Tripp Baltz

For their part, representatives of industry question whether a ‘‘one-size-fits-all federal approach’’ would work, said Kathleen Sgamma, director of government affairs for the Western Energy Alliance, which represents some 400 companies engaged in exploration and production of oil and natural gas in Western states.   Energy companies have been working to reduce emissions per unit of production, Sgamma said. The alliance has been working with the Western Regional Air Partnership—a federal, state and tribal effort administered by the Western Governors’ Association—on a comprehensive, accurate, air emissions inventory for all aspects of exploration and production of oil and natural gas, she said…

Other Upcoming Meetings

Joint Air Quality/Natural Gas Committee – August 24th, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m.   The Natural Gas and Air Quality Committees are having a joint lunch meeting.  Air Quality Committee members will give an overview of upcoming EPA regulatory actions and how they will affect operations, including:

• Tom Gibbons, Whiting – Mandatory greenhouse gas reporting

• Dana Wood, BP – Ozone standard increase and Aggregation

• Larry Volmert, Holland & Hart – EPA Review of NSPS/NESHAP

Please RSVP to Becca Ness if you plan on attending this meeting.

Natural Gas Vehicle Committee – August 24th, 1:00 p.m.

Fracking Disclosure Position Meeting – August 26th, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Montana Basin Advisory Committee (MBAN) – August 30th, 1:30 p.m.

Utah Basin Advisory Committee (UBAN) – September 14th, 10:00 a.m.

Visit westernenergyalliance.org for the latest news affecting the Intermountain West’s oil and natural gas industry. Headlines are updated daily from local, national and international news sources.

The West

Little Snake Proposed RMP

On Friday, Colorado BLM released the Little Snake Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will prohibit future leasing in the 77,000 acre Vermillion Basin.  The deadline to submit protests is September 13^th.  Western Energy Alliance will protest the proposed RMP/EIS.  If you have points of protest to include, please contact Spencer Kimball at 303-623-0987.

Montana Leasing Environmental Assessments

Montana BLM has released eight EAs that are available on their website. They are taking public comment until September 13^th.  All EAs have a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and will enable the suspensions of 2008 leases to be lifted and a lease sale to take place at the end of the year.  Western Energy Alliance will discuss comments at the Montana Basin Advisors Network (MBAN) meeting on August 30^th at 1:30.  Since the EAs include deferrals for several leases nominated for 2010 sales, we need to hear from companies with information on the leases being deferred.  Due to the sensitivity of nominations, please contact Kathleen Sgamma directly.

Documents reveal ‘monumental’ plans for land by BLM

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/16/2010 by: Gary Harmon

Broad swaths of western land, equivalent to the size of Colorado and Wyoming combined, should be considered “treasured lands” and managed without regard to state lines or other jurisdictional boundaries, according to an internal Bureau of Land Management document.

• Also, click here to watch Rep. Rob Bishop, Chair of the House Western Caucus on the issue
• Click here to read “BLM director to visit Montana to address monument concerns”
• Click here to read “Documents reveal ‘monumental’ plans for land by BLM”

Western Election News

Wyoming GOP: Unity key in gov’s race

published in: Associated Press on: 08/19/2010 by: Staff

The Wyoming Republican Party says it’s not going to let another governor’s race slip through its fingers this fall, and political observers say that’s probably right.

Solid picks complement candidates for governor

published in: Denver Post on: 08/19/2010 by: Editorial Staff

It’s rare that someone would cast a vote based on who the No. 2 person on a ticket- Sarah Palin in 2008 is the obvious exception — but running mates are important and can complement and boost a campaign.

This time, Salazar brand is not so bankable

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/18/2010 by: Rick Wagner

Scott Tipton may have to get himself a good hunting dog if he’s going to track down John Salazar for many debates.

Murray, Rossi advance in Senate race

published in: Seattle Times on: 08/17/2010 by: Jim Brunner

Republican Dino Rossi will advance to a November matchup with three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in a race that could determine control of the Senate.

Tea Party Choice Scrambles in Taking On Reid

published in: New York Times on: 08/17/2010 by: Adam Nagourney

Sharron Angle leaned across a table in her campaign office here, defending her suddenly embattled campaign to defeat Senator Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader, under the gaze of a half-dozen advisers and an official videographer packed into the room.

Colorado

Mesa County rejects facility for oil, gas wastewater

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/18/2010 by: Mike Wiggins

The Mesa County Commission on Tuesday rejected a proposal to treat and dispose of oil and gas wastewater south of Whitewater, saying evaporation ponds would have been too close to a creek that drains into the Gunnison River.

BP to sell Colorado gas plant

published in: Denver Business Journal on: 08/17/2010 by: Mark Harden and Cathy Proctor

Energy giant BP plans to sell a large natural-gas plant in Aurora, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Lawsuit challenges coal-fired power plant in Colo.

published in: Associated Press on: 08/16/2010 by: Staff

Plans to convert a natural gas-fired power plant in Lamar, Colo., to a coal-fired one are coming under a legal challenge.

Colo. small towns may see rise in oil drilling

published in: Associated Press on: 08/15/2010 by: Christina Dickinson

In the shadow of Colorado’s largest wind farm, the new-energy economy is taking a back seat to old-fashioned oil.

Drilling rig numbers start to climb in Piceance

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/12/2010 by: Staff

Thirty-five rigs now are operating in the Piceance Basin as Colorado is poised to issue 6,500 permits to drill this year, officials said.

Montana

Montana Heath shale oil potential due tests

published in: Oil & Gas Journal on: 08/18/2010 by: Staff

Montana issued drilling permits to several operators to explore for oil in fractured Mississippian Heath shale in the Central Montana Trough.

Governor: Ruling is good for Montana oil companies

published in: Associated Press on: 08/17/2010 by: Matt Gouras

Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Tuesday that a recent ruling by the state Public Service Commission means Montana oil companies have a better shot at putting their oil in a proposed pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

New Mexico

NM regulators hear greenhouse gas debate

published in: Associated Press on: 08/16/2010 by: Staff

New Mexico regulators are hearing testimony that an environmental group’s proposal for curbing greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico won’t destroy the state’s economy as critics have complained.

NM: Oil & gas industry worries over proposed cap & trade

published in: KOB-TV on: 08/16/2010 by: Joe Bartels

Oil and Gas producers in New Mexico are very worried about proposed rules aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

North Dakota

ND’s Record-Setting Oil Production Fuels Economic Boom With Record Employment, 3.6% Jobless Rate

published in: Daily Markets on: 08/17/2010 by: Mark Perry

Following an ongoing pattern that I have been following all year, North Dakota set more new records in June for monthly oil production…

BOOM OR BURDEN? The race is on

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/15/2010 by: Jan Falstad

Looking over to a badlands butte flanking the shore of Lake Sakakawea, Bev and Bruce Conway, of Williston, N.D., pointed out their truck window to a 30-foot natural-gas flare burning up from a coulee under a brilliant July sky.

BOOM or BURDEN? Paying the price

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/15/2010 by: Jan Falstad
In two short years, Bainville, a town with at least 150 residents on the Montana-North Dakota state line, has seen its K-12 school enrollment of 67 nearly double.

BOOM OR BURDEN? ‘Fracking’ utilizes brute force, high tech

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/14/2010 by: Staff
While enjoying a summer night at the cabin on the shores of Lake Sakakawea 20 miles east of Williston, N.D., attorney Chuck Neff spotted massive lights illuminating a once-dark bluff.

Utah

Utah ranked No. 3 nationally for minerals production

published in: Deseret News on: 08/18/2010 by: Amy Joi O’Donoghue

On the same day a group of lawmakers was pressed about the need to increase “mineral literacy” in Utah, a new report showed the state now ranks No. 3 in the nation for the value of non-fuel minerals produced in 2009.

Wyoming

Oil board opts not to block injection

published in: Billings Gazette/Casper Star-Tribune on: 08/18/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer

A state regulatory board has denied a request by ExxonMobil Corp. to block a competitor from reinjecting carbon dioxide into a geologic formation close to a legal boundary separating the two producers.

WY: Was energy adviser the way to go?

published in: Gillette News-Record on: 08/13/2010 by: Ann Turner

Eight years ago, Dave Freudenthal made clear that he wasn’t fond of the energy council created by then Gov. Jim Geringer.

Company pioneers Niobrara Shale oil play in Laramie County

published in: Associated Press on: 08/13/2010 by: Mead Gruver

The first of potentially dozens of new oil wells in Laramie County is being drilled by Rex Energy Corp.

Washington Watch

Proposed swap for Salazar donor raises hackles

published in: Associated Press on: 08/17/2010 by: Kristen Wyatt

A proposed land swap in western Colorado that would benefit a Florida billionaire who is a political donor to U.S. Rep. John Salazar has drawn intense opposition from hunters and fishermen, who claim the plan smells of political favoritism.

Oil industry group to hold ‘citizen rallies’

published in: The Hill on: 08/17/2010 by: Darren Goode

The leading trade association for oil and gas companies is ramping up its public advocacy campaign this summer ahead of congressional debate this fall that includes efforts to clamp down on tax benefits for the industry.

Gore calls for major protests on climate change inaction

published in: The Hill on: 08/17/2010 by: Russell Berman

Former Vice President Gore is calling for major rallies to protest congressional inaction on climate change.

Obama blasts GOP for blocking ‘clean energy’ efforts (subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 08/16/2010 by: Katie Howell

President Obama today scolded Senate Republicans for blocking his “clean energy” agenda, but he stopped short of renewing his push for passing sweeping energy legislation in Congress.

President Obama: ‘Homegrown Clean-Energy Industry’ Will Jumpstart Manufacturing, Create Jobs

published in: ABC News on: 08/16/2010 by: David Kerley and Karen Travers

Speaking at advanced battery and electricity storage plant outside Milwaukee, President Obama to push his administration’s commitment to a “homegrown clean-energy industry” to jumpstart manufacturing and create jobs.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman: No bills before November

published in: Politico on: 08/13/2010 by: Darren Samuelsohn

Sen. Jeff Bingaman said Thursday that he doubts Congress will pass any major legislation before Election Day, including a pared-back energy bill focused on responding to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

How Long to Pass an Oil Spill Bill? Try 18 Months

published in: New York Times/E&E News on: 08/12/2010 by: Anne C. Mulkern

An epic oil spill covers the sea, damaging wildlife and walloping the local economy. Congress demands changes to prevent similar disasters. But political arguments erupt and legislation stalls.

Media Watch

Op-ed: The senator, the founding and N.D.’s economy

published in: Grand Forks Herald on: 08/17/2010 by: Tom Dennis

Agriculture, 36 percent. Oil industry work, 24 percent. Tourism, 18 percent.  So far, routine stuff: The pie chart graphs North Dakota’s economic base in 2008, not considering federal payments.

Wood to Coal to Oil to Natural Gas and Nuclear : The Slow Pace of Energy Transitions

published in: Energy Tribune on: 08/16/2010 by: Robert Bryce

In the wake of the Macondo well blowout, we are hearing renewed claims that we must quit using oil, that we must win “the oil end game.” In addition, there are the continuing calls for drastic reductions in carbon-based fuel consumption, and those calls are being amplified thanks to the drought and record-setting heat that has affected parts of the globe in recent weeks.

Editorial: Good news on oil, gas drilling

published in: Denver Post on: 08/14/2010 by: Editorial Staff

Oil and gas drilling is on the rise again in Colorado, in a bit of surprising good news that suggests the state’s new oil and gas rules criticized unfairly and often this political season — are working as intended.

Editorial: Wildlife rules aren’t blocking gas drilling

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/12/2010 by: Editorial Staff

The announcement this week that the state of Colorado has reached agreements with 10 major energy companies operating in the Piceance Basin to protect wildlife habitat on more than 355,000 acres of western Colorado’s landscape is a good indication that gas drilling and wildlife protection aren’t incompatible, and that state gas regulations aren’t halting drilling.

Environment and Wildlife

Prairie Dog Problem

published in: KXMBTV on: 08/16/2010 by: Staff

Some think they are cute, but for any land owner they’re a pest.  Environmental Protection Agency officials recently visited North Dakota to see how big a problem prairie dogs are to our state’s producers.

Officials tell Ruby Pipeline company to drop compromise

published in: Associated Press on: 08/14/2010 by: Staff

Elected officials from Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and Oregon are warning a pipeline company not to contribute to environmental causes to protect sagebrush habitat.

Activist ‘Green’ Lawyers Billing U.S. Millions in Fraudulent Attorney Fees

published in: New Mexico Federal Lands Council on: 08/13/2010 by: Richard Pollock

Without any oversight, accounting, or transparency, environmental activist groups have surreptitiously received at least $37 million from the federal government for questionable “attorney fees.” The lawsuits they received compensation for had nothing to do with environmental protection or improvement.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

Vestas Plunges as Wind-Turbine Maker Cuts Forecasts Blaming Delayed Orders

published in: Bloomberg on: 08/18/2010 by: Christian Wienberg

Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the world’s largest wind-turbine maker, lost more than a quarter of its value in Copenhagen trading after it reported a larger-than- expected loss and cut forecasts, blaming delayed orders.

Alternative Energy: Will U.S. Lead or Follow?

published in: CBS News on: 08/16/2010 by: Seth Doane

In the wake of the Gulf oil disaster, calls for cleaner, greener energy, are growing louder.  “Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash America’s innovation to seize control of our own destiny,” President Obama said in June.

Markets

Stocks, Oil Moving in Lockstep (subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 08/16/2010 by: Carolyn Cui

From Houston to New York, energy traders and commodity investors are watching a new and unusual market phenomenon: a persistently high correlation between oil and stocks.

Hedge Funds Cut Bets on Rising Gas by 23% as Prices Fall

published in: Bloomberg on: 08/16/2010 by: Asjylyn Loder

Hedge funds slashed their bets on rising natural gas to the lowest level this year as prices fell, a sign the fuel may repeat last year’s 19 percent August slide during a so-far quiet hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Pressure on Natural Gas (subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 08/16/2010 by: Liam Denning

For America’s natural-gas producers, even a hurricane would seem like a breath of fresh air.  Overworked air conditioners fueling demand for gas-fired electricity raised gas prices earlier this summer, when futures for the coming winter rallied above $6 per million British thermal units. It didn’t last: Now they are under $5.

Industry News and Events

Long-term natural gas focus seen to persist

published in: Oil & Gas Journal on: 08/19/2010 by: Staff
Despite the near-stampede to oilier unconventional plays, the US upstream sector remains a highly natural gas-focused industry that is navigating a “messy period” that may not end gracefully.

Devon CEO: Wave Of Gas Consolidation Expected In Next 2 Years

published in: Dow Jones Newswires/NASDAQ on: 08/18/2010 by: Isabel Ordonez
Devon Energy Corp.’s (DVN) chief executive said Wednesday he expects a wave of merger and acquisitions to happen in the next two years among independent natural gas producers as companies face persistent lower commodity prices, rising costs and lack of investment.

Denver Petroleum Club Mentorship Program

Denver Petroleum Club announces its 2010-2011 mentorship program. Designed to bring established oil and gas industry leaders together with young industry professionals, this is a great opportunity to foster new leaders and develop relationships. Click here for more information and to fill out an application for the program. Help bridge the leadership gap in our industry by encouraging young professionals in your office to participate in this fulfilling professional development opportunity!

If you are interested in being a mentor, please contact Susan Fakharzadeh or 303-623-0987.

Entries for the 2010 IOGCC’s Chairman’s Stewardship Award

Must be received by Sept. 13, 2010

Energy Education

This award is resented to a group or organization that has created a program to educate the public about oil and natural gas and hundreds of ways it affects the lives of Americans.

Environmental Partnership

The Environmental Partnership award recognizes an innovative project led by a non-industry organization(s) in cooperation with industry partner(s).

Small Company

This award recognizes an innovative project by a small oil and natural gas company that demonstrates positive environmental stewardship. Small companies are those that operate in a limited area or region.

Large Company

This award recognizes an innovative project by a large oil and natural gas company that demonstrates positive environmental stewardship. Large companies are those that operate nationwide and in many instances internationally.

Click here for more information or to make an entry.

Energy Moving Forward 2010

September 14, 2010 in Denver, CO

Presented by the GEM Program, University of Colorado Denver Business School

Click here for agenda, registration and sponsorship details.

North Dakota Petroleum Council Annual Meeting

September 21-23, 2010 in Minot, ND

This year’s Annual Meeting has many great speakers and panels along with several networking opportunities including golf and sporting clays. Steven Wuori, President of Enbridge Pipelines, will deliver the keynote address during the Thursday industry luncheon. There are also several Bakken-related talks on the agenda.  Click here to register.

Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum

September 24, 2010

The 2010 Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum, which takes place at Red Rocks Community College, is designed as an educational event for high school students in the Denver Metro area to bring college representatives, energy companies, and students together in one location, to present information about college options and career opportunities to the future generation of leaders. This year’s event will be co-hosted by High Plains Communications, LLC and Red Rocks Community College.  Click here for a summary of the event.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees, and we will have separate break-out sessions for teachers and counselors. Please contact Jaime Gardner or (970) 597-0696 for more information. Click here to download the Expo/Booth registration form. Click here to download the sponsor form.

RPSEA 2010 Small Producer Program Request for Proposals Released

Proposals will be accepted well in advance of the due date, which is September 28, 2010, 4 p.m., Central Time.

The International Conference on Energy, Logistics and the Environment

October 7 – 9, 2010 in Denver, CO

Please visit www.globalconferenceforum.org for agenda, registration and sponsorship details.

Click here for more information.

Content Policy

Materials contained herein are a summary of industry related issues and are for the edification of Western Energy Alliance members only. Contents do not reflect official comments or positions of Western Energy Alliance. Attribution of Wildcatter Weekly contents for publication without Western Energy Alliance content is prohibited. NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

The study finds “the proposed repeal of the IDC and the Domestic Production Activities deductions increases breakeven prices by approximately 10%. For natural gas, the average breakeven price shifts from $5.40/mcf to $6.00/mcf when losing the deductions. The average oil breakeven shifts from $47.00/bbl to $52.00/bbl. Almost 80% of gas developments need $5.00/mcfor greater to breakeven, while less than 20% of the oil developments need more than $65/bbl to breakeven.”

Producers operating in the Rockies and Mid-Continent and Gulf Coast onshore areas are disproportionally affected by the proposed tax increases with $12 billion of the total $15 billion of investment risk in 2011 directly related to these regions.

Rocky Mountain region plays “fall below the economic threshold as 20 of the 33 plays fall below a 15% Internal Rate of Return (IRR.) This set of sub-economic plays includes tight gas and CBM plays in the Piceance, Powder River, and Uinta basins, as well as the Bakken Oil Play in the non-core Montana portion of the formation. The most viable areas such as the core Bakken, the Jonah field, and the Pinedale field provide sufficient economics under the proposed changes. Development is expected to continue in areas of many of the marginal plays, but the periphery of the developments is at risk due to higher taxes.”

Western Energy Alliance has been challenging tax increases since they were first proposed in the President’s Budget and will continue to work with affiliated trades and other groups to prevent these counter-productive ideas from becoming law.

Western Energy Alliance Tax Committee has met with members of our western Congressional delegation to educate them on the impacts of IDCs and percentage depletion deductions.  This June, we were encouraged when all but 5 Senators from our 13 western states voted against Senator Bernie Sanders’ tax amendment to eliminate IDC and development costs, repeal percentage depletion and Section 199 manufacturers’ tax deduction for oil and natural gas producers.  No Senators from major producing states in the West supported the measure. Even so, we continue to be vigilant, and expect the increases will again be considered in the lame duck session that will occur after November’s election.

Please take a moment and read this short 14 page study and share it with someone who cares about American jobs and energy security.  Click here to read the study. Additional resources and industry studies are available on Western Energy Alliances’ study archive.

Colorado BLM to release Little Snake Proposed Resource Management Plan

Tomorrow, Colorado BLM will release the Little Snake Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will prohibit future leasing in the 77,000 acre Vermillion Basin.  The deadline to submit protests is September 13^th.  Western Energy Alliance will protest the proposed RMP/EIS.  If you have points of protest to include, please contact Spencer Kimball at 303-623-0987.

Montana BLM Releases Leasing Environmental Assessments

Montana BLM has released eight environmental assessments (EA) for oil and gas leasing. These field office EAs are the result of a settlement that suspended all 2008 Montana leases and postponed 2010 lease sales until analysis on climate change is complete.  Western Energy Alliance will comment on the EAs, and will be coordinating comments during the August 30^th Montana Basin Advisors Network meeting at 1:30.  The deadline for comment is September 13^th.

Who is working for energy in the West?

The U.S. Senate adjourned on Friday for a six week summer recess without passing any sort of energy legislation. Prior to its adjournment, the House of Representatives passed the CLEAR (Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources) Act on July 30th by a 209 – 193 margin. Western Energy Alliance was instrumental in getting most of the egregious onshore provisions stripped from the bill and its companion, the “Blowout Prevention Act”, which were melded together for the vote.

We were disappointed to see bad legislation pass the House, but it could have been worse.  Initially, we were faced with a much more harmful set of bills, which we helped to improve considerably over the course of a few weeks by traveling to Washington, DC and garnering the support of Republicans and moderate Democrats. Western Energy Alliance’s members and staff provided targeted messaging and position papers to key congressional committees and leadership, generated grassroots letters, mobilized governors, state regulators and the IOGCC.  Western Energy Alliance led the advocacy effort on the onshore provisions, and coordinated with national and state trades to improve the final contents of this bill… Click here to read the remaining message.

As members of Congress return to their districts to meet with constituents and campaign for the upcoming elections, Western Energy Alliance will be reaching out to thank some, and voice our concerns to others about their support of legislative proposals to raise taxes and give federal regulators greater control over energy development.   Please help us in this effort by reminding your elected officials that your business is creating jobs, economic activity and important revenue for state and local government.  Remind them that we need their support and appreciate their constructive actions. 

For contact information for your member of Congress, click here.

Events Update

Western Energy Alliance will soon be announcing speakers and dates for our fall speaking series. The Distinguished Speaker Series along with some special engagements will offer compelling topics and speakers from all over the country. The Western Energy Alliance speaker events offer a great networking and exposure opportunities for our members to develop business, reconnect and share important news with the organization at large. Key sponsorship opportunities are available today.  Click here to become a sponsor and/or contact Becca Ness with any questions.

Director of Public Affairs Leaving Western Energy Alliance

Friday is Jon Bargas’ last day at Western Energy Alliance and he will be missed very much.  Since instituting professional public affairs and media relations functionality, Jon has increased the association’s appearance in major media by over 450%. That’s an impressive increase that includes regular national media exposure such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, LA Times, Fox News, CBS News, Denver Post, Salt Lake Tribune, E&E News, Associated Press, National Public Radio (NPR), and industry publications, as well as every major local and regional publication across the West.  Best of luck to Jon Bargas in his future endeavors.

Scholarship Fund in Honor of Don Likwartz

Efforts to fund a $25,000 petroleum engineering scholarship endowment at University of Wyoming in Don Likwartz’ name are still continuing.   Don has been a great friend to many of in industry and it was his leadership of the WOGCC that allowed the developments in the Powder River Basin and Southwestern Wyoming to proceed in the efficient manner that it did.

Currently the scholarship is just shy of its goal.  Any parties interested in donating should contact Bruce Williams or (307) 461-4666.

Photo Contest

Western Energy Alliance is looking for scenic photographs featuring wildlife, oil and gas operations, or any picturesque scenes from around the West. The winner will have his/her photo appear on the cover of the 2010 Calendar, which is distributed to member companies, media, other trade organizations, government officials, and business associations. The calendar has proven to be a very helpful tool in demonstrating industry talking points and illustrating visually that oil and natural gas development has a small and temporary environmental impact. The calendar will feature photos of former development areas that have since been reclaimed, wildlife near development, technological advances, etc. Each month will also include a fact that highlights the importance of our industry and the steps we take to minimize environmental impacts.

Please submit all photos (300 dpi or better) to Jon Haubert no later than October 9, 2010.

Western Energy Alliance in the News

Colo., drillers strike deals allowing access to Western Slope lands (subscription required)

published in: E&E Land Letter on: 08/12/2010 by: Scott Streater

But Marc Smith, the Western Energy Alliance’s executive director, said the wildlife management plans are a “good example of how Westerners share a common interest in creating clean energy and protecting natural resources” and demonstrates the industry’s long-standing willingness to work with various stakeholders “to find ways to protect and improve wildlife habitat in areas where we develop.”

Other Upcoming Meetings

EPA Call on Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting - August 18th, 9:00 a.m. (Note Time Change)

Joint Air Quality/Natural Gas Committee – August 24th, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m.   The Natural Gas and Air Quality Committees are having a joint lunch meeting.  Air Quality Committee members will give an overview of upcoming EPA regulatory actions and how they will affect operations, including:

• Tom Gibbons, Whiting – Mandatory greenhouse gas reporting

• Dana Wood, BP – Ozone standard increase and Aggregation

• Larry Volmert, Holland & Hart – EPA Review of NSPS/NESHAP

Natural Gas Vehicle Committee – August 24th, 1:00 p.m.

Fracking Disclosure Position Meeting – August 26th, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Montana Basin Advisory Committee (MBAN) – August 30th, 1:30 p.m.

Utah Basin Advisory Committee (UBAN) – September 14th, 10:00 a.m.

Visit westernenergyalliance.org for the latest news affecting the Intermountain West’s oil and natural gas industry. Headlines are updated daily from local, national and international news sources.

Western Election News

Bennet beats Romanoff in Democratic primary race for Senate

published in: Denver Post on: 08/11/2010 by: Michael Booth

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet fended off a fierce challenge from Andrew Romanoff on Tuesday, earning the chance to win his appointed seat in November and extending the power of President Barack Obama’s brand at least a few more weeks.

Buck defeats Norton in bruising GOP primary for Senate seat

published in: Denver Post on: 08/11/2010 by: Allison Sherry

Ken Buck defeated Jane Norton in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, setting up a general election this fall that pits an establishment Democrat against a scrappy, Tea Party-backed opponent.

Maes claims late night victory

published in: Denver Post on: 08/11/2010 by: Sarah Horn

With nearly all the ballots counted in the GOP gubernatorial primary race, Evergreen businessman Dan Maes had pulled ahead of former congressman Scott McInnis, with 50.6 percent of the votes.

Republican former state senator from Laurel formally enters 2012 governor’s race

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/09/2010 by: Mike Dennison

Former state Sen. Ken Miller, a Laurel businessman and Republican who ran unsuccessfully for Montana governor in 2004, today formally kicked off his campaign for governor in 2012.

Colorado

Garfield County Commissioners undecided on DeGette bill, for now

published in: Glenwood Springs Post Independent on: 08/12/2010 by: John Colson

The elected leaders of Garfield County this week decided not to decide about supporting a proposed wilderness designation for Assignation Ridge near Carbondale.

2nd legal target emerges in tainted-spring probe

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/08/2010 by: Dennis Webb
A regulator says the state is continuing to focus on Oxy USA in its investigation into contamination of a spring northwest of Parachute, even as the affected property owners have sued a second energy company they consider to be responsible.

Montana

PSC gives oil pipeline eminent domain

published in: Helenda Independent Record/Billings Gazette on: 08/11/2010 by: Mike Dennison

State regulators have granted condemnation powers to the proposed Keystone oil pipeline across eastern Montana, but not until its developer agreed Montana has power to regulate local oil producers’ access to the line.

New Mexico

Reducing New Mexico’s carbon emissions = economic sense

published in: NMpolitics.net on: 08/10/2010 by: Vicki Pozzebon

When President Obama was elected, the spotlight turned to Washington D.C., where he promised to enact national climate change legislation. Now that Congress has passed on a climate bill, attention is shifting back to New Mexico where steps are being taken to regulate global warming pollution.

NM: Xcel continues pleas for energy conservation

published in: Carlsbad Current-Argus on: 08/04/2010 by: Stella Davis

Xcel Energy is urging its customers in Carlsbad and other service area communities in New Mexico and Texas to cut back on their electricity use.

North Dakota

Another Bakken in ND?

published in: KXMBTV on: 08/11/2010 by: Jim Olson

Central Bottineau County is poised to become the hub of a brand new boom.  We’ve all become familiar with the Bakken Shale Formation in recent years.

ND regulators plan hearing on oil pipeline

published in: Associated Press on: 08/09/2010 by: Staff

State regulators are holding a public hearing Sept. 9 on a proposed oil pipeline through three western North Dakota counties.

About $64M in oil, gas leases

published in: Dickinson Press on: 08/04/2010 by: Lisa Anne Call

Phones rang, hands feverishly flew in the air and bids climbed higher and higher as oil and gas lease totals amassed about $64 million during a North Dakota State Land Department oil and gas lease auction at the Rough Riders Hotel Conference Center Tuesday.

Utah

New BLM director sees positive future for Utah land issues

published in: Deseret News on: 08/07/2010 by: Amy Joi O’Donoghue
With the taste of gritty dust in his mouth and the smell of a harvest on the wind, Juan Palma was just a little boy when he worked the fields from south Texas to Yakima Valley, Wash.

BLM document reveals big change in federal land management

published in: KSL News (Salt Lake City) on: 08/05/2010 by: Sarah Dallof

KSL 5 News has obtained a document that outlines a huge change in how the federal government wants to manage federal land in Utah, and one Utah congressman says it makes him furious.

Wyoming

Rex pioneers Niobrara Shale oil in Laramie County

published in: Associated Press on: 08/12/2010 by: Mead Gruver

The first of potentially dozens of new oil wells in Laramie County is being drilled by Rex Energy Corp.

EPA To Hold Pavillion Meeting Aug. 31

published in: Associated Press on: 08/10/2010 by: Staff

Homeowners in the Pavillion area will hear more about groundwater contamination in their neighborhood during a public meeting Aug. 31.

Energy permit problems not going away

published in: Gillette News-Record on: 08/09/2010 by: Steve McManamen

Permit problems still abound for all sectors of Wyoming’s energy industry and an expected surge in permit applications to the already overwhelmed Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality will only exacerbate the issue if no solution is agreed upon soon.

US national park faces sale

published in: Guardian News and Media on: 08/06/2010 by: Chris McGreal

Some might call it blackmail. The governor of Wyoming calls it desperation.  Governor Dave Freudenthal is threatening to sell off a chunk of one of America’s most beautiful national parks unless the Obama administration comes up with more money to pay for education in the financially beleaguered state.

Washington Watch

Will Obama Kill the Oil Services Industry?

published in: Tycoon Report on: 08/11/2010 by: Teeka Tiwari

Even the most ardent Barack Obama supporters I know have a hard time understanding why he felt it was necessary to impose a 6 month drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico.

Report Highlights Split Among Utilities on EPA’s ‘Transport’ Rule for Air Pollution

published in: New York Times/E&E News on: 08/11/2010 by: Gabriel Nelson

U.S. EPA’s plan to limit interstate air pollution from power plants would not hurt the reliability of the electric grid despite complaints from coal states, according to a new utility-funded report that highlights the battle lines that have formed within the industry.

Browner: Energy bill success still possible before end of the year

published in: The Hill on: 08/08/2010 by: Shane D’Aprile

White House Energy Adviser Carol Browner said Sunday that while the Obama administration is “deeply disappointed” that an energy bill was unable to make its way through Congress, the president has not given up hope that it can get done this year.

Congress puts pressure on blowout preventers

published in: Houston Chronicle on: 08/08/2010 by: Jennifer A. Dlouhy
Lawmakers eager to prevent another oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico — and prove to voters that they’re responding to the Deepwater Horizon disaster — are insisting on new standards for blowout preventers, a last line of defense against runaway wells.

Deep freeze ahead for carbon cap bills

published in: Politico on: 08/07/2010 by: Darren Samuelsohn

When it comes to global warming, the environmental lobby is going on defense.  Stung by the failure to secure a Senate vote on climate and energy legislation and wary of a possible GOP-led Congress, leaders of some of the country’s most influential green groups are moving cash and staff away from cap and trade.

Obama Gets a Menu of Climate Actions He Can Take Without Congress

published in: New York Times/E&E ClimateWire on: 08/06/2010 by: Evan Lehmann

President Obama could invoke strong climate policies, like gasoline carbon limits, without congressional input before world leaders convene this fall to negotiate an international global warming treaty, a research group says in a plan provided to the administration.

Fallout Begins After Senate’s Failure to Act on Energy, Oil Spill

published in: New York Times/E&E News on: 08/05/2010 by: Robin Bravender and Katie Howell

After the worst oil leak in U.S. history and months of heated negotiations on energy and spill-response legislation, senators will head home for the August recess empty-handed.

Media Watch

Guest opinion: Partisanship stalls productive energy committee

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/07/2010 by: Robyn Driscoll and Ron Erickson

Montana legislators on the Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee have been working diligently to bring forward a bipartisan update to our state energy policy for the 2011 Legislature to consider. The committee of four Republicans and four Democrats has been working together on this task since the last legislature adjourned.

Guest opinion: State must encourage drilling, mining

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/07/2010 by: Brian Cubell

Can you really imagine a Montana energy policy without oil, natural gas and coal? Would you say it’s a little like building a pickup truck and leaving off the wheels and engine?

Op-ed: Tavaputs agreement good business for Barrett

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/07/2010 by: Fred Barrett

It was with a sense of gratitude and accomplishment that we at Bill Barrett Corp. received news last week of the Bureau of Land Management’s record of decision on our West Tavaputs natural gas project. The decision reflects several years of hard work and tough decisions by the many stakeholders involved.

Op-ed: Compromise agreement protects Desolation Canyon wilderness

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/07/2010 by: Stephen Bloch

The recent agreement reached between the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and the Bill Barrett Corp. to protect the remarkable Desolation Canyon wilderness, while at the same time allow substantial natural gas development, offers a path forward to resolving difficult public lands issues in Utah.

Editorial: Groups should reduce number of protests

published in: Casper Star-Tribune on: 08/06/2010 by: Editorial Staff

The Bureau of Land Management’s decision Tuesday to not issue oil and gas leases on more than 83,000 acres of public land in Wyoming was a victory for conservation groups that protested the leases.

Environment and Wildlife

Coal-bed methane water examined in 6 states

published in: Associated Press on: 08/11/2010 by: Staff

Water produced by coal-bed methane drilling can be treated for livestock, wildlife and farms to use, but costs and regulations are causing most of the water to be disposed of instead, according to a prepublication version of a new study.

Can Gas ‘Fracking’ Pollute Groundwater? Unlikely

published in: Forbes on: 08/08/2010 by: Christopher Helman

Can hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells pollute groundwater? The anti-drilling crowd wants you to think so, and has convinced the Environmental Protection Agency to launch an investigation into fracking. Don’t believe them.

Wildlife Advocates Hail Rocky Mountain Wolf Ruling

published in: Associated Press on: 08/06/2010 by: Matt Volz

Wildlife advocates say a ruling to restore Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves throughout the Northern Rocky Mountains buys time to create a better plan than the one the judge rejected, one that ensures their numbers don’t dwindle again.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

Xcel to buy power from new type of photovoltaic plant

published in: Denver Business Journal on: 08/09/2010 by: Cathy Proctor

Xcel Energy Inc.  has signed a 20-year contract to get 30 megawatts of power from a new “concentrating photovoltaic” power plant to be built near Alamosa in the San Luis Valley, solar power developer Cogentrix Energy LLC said Monday.

Markets

Gas Can’t Shake Its Chill (subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 08/10/2010 by: Jason Womack

Natural-gas prices fell again as forecasts for cooler weather across a wide swath of the U.S. sparked concerns that demand for the fuel could suffer at a time when ample gas supplies are in storage.

Oil prices rise, gas price continues falling

published in: Oil & Gas Journal on: 08/10/2010 by: Sam Fletcher

Oil prices increased 1% on Aug. 9, ending three sessions of declines on the New York market, but natural gas prices continued to fall, down 3.5%.

Industry News and Events

Denver Petroleum Club Mentorship Program

Denver Petroleum Club announces its 2010-2011 mentorship program. Designed to bring established oil and gas industry leaders together with young industry professionals, this is a great opportunity to foster new leaders and develop relationships. Click here for more information on the program, or download the mentor application.

If you are interested in being a mentor, please contact Susan Fakharzadeh, sfakharzadeh@westernenergyalliance.org or 303-623-0987.

Energy Development on Public Lands Conference

August 16-17, 2010 in Denver, CO

Western Energy Alliance will be speaking at the Law Seminars International Energy Development on Public Lands conference on August 16th & 17th in Denver. Click here for more information.

Geothermal in the Oil Field Symposium

August 18-19, 2010 in Casper, WY

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Southern Methodist University (SMU) Geothermal Laboratory are partnering to host a two-day geothermal symposium in Casper, Wyoming. The symposium will highlight the application of low-temperature geothermal power production in oil and gas operations and other settings in the western United States.

This first-of-its-kind symposium will cover low-temperature projects throughout the western U.S. and provide an opportunity for participants to learn of the remarkable potential for power generation using co-produced fluids from existing oil, gas, and industrial infrastructure with minimal additional environmental impacts.

Click here to register or call (888) 599-2200 or talk@rmotc.doe.gov.

North Dakota Petroleum Council Annual Meeting

September 21-23, 2010 in Minot, ND

This year’s Annual Meeting has many great speakers and panels along with several networking opportunities including golf and sporting clays. Steven Wuori, President of Enbridge Pipelines, will deliver the keynote address during the Thursday industry luncheon. There are also several Bakken-related talks on the agenda.  Click here to register.

Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum

September 24, 2010

The 2010 Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum, which takes place at Red Rocks Community College, is designed as an educational event for high school students in the Denver Metro area to bring college representatives, energy companies, and students together in one location, to present information about college options and career opportunities to the future generation of leaders. This year’s event will be co-hosted by High Plains Communications, LLC and Red Rocks Community College.  Click here for a summary of the event.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees, and we will have separate break-out sessions for teachers and counselors. Please contact Jaime Gardner or (970) 597-0696 for more information. Click here to download the Expo/Booth registration form. Click here to download the sponsor form.

RPSEA 2010 Small Producer Program Request for Proposals Released

Proposals will be accepted well in advance of the due date, which is September 28, 2010, 4 p.m., Central Time,

Click here for more information.

Content Policy

Materials contained herein are a summary of industry related issues and are for the edification of Western Energy Alliance members only. Contents do not reflect official comments or positions of Western Energy Alliance. Attribution of Wildcatter Weekly contents for publication without Western Energy Alliance content is prohibited. NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

We were disappointed to see bad legislation pass the House, but it could have been worse.  Initially, we were faced with a much more harmful set of bills, which we helped to improve considerably over the course of a few weeks by traveling to Washington, DC and garnering the support of Republicans and moderate Democrats. Western Energy Alliance’s members and staff provided targeted messaging and position papers to key congressional committees and leadership, generated grassroots letters, mobilized governors, state regulators and the IOGCC.  Western Energy Alliance led the advocacy effort on the onshore provisions, and coordinated with national and state trades to improve the final contents of this bill.

No Republicans from our region voted in favor of this bill.  Notable Democrats voting against the bill included: Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (SD), Jim Matheson (UT), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ), Earl Pomeroy, (ND), Harry Teague (NM), John Salazar (CO), and several oil patch Democrats from Oklahoma, Texas, and California.

It takes courage for a member of Congress to break with their party and vote against a bill, even if it’s a bad one.  As such, we need to express our thanks to the Democratic members of Congress who stood tall.  We also need to thank the members of Congress who are champions of the future viability of America’s energy producers and the critical economic, environmental and energy security solutions we provide.

The following policymakers deserve credit for their important leadership on the CLEAR Act and for supporting the 488,000 natural gas and oil employees in the Intermountain West:

Ranking Member Doc Hastings (R-WA) and his Republican staff at the Natural Resources Committee created an internet war room, issuing multiple press releases, hourly updates and talking points highlighting the harmful aspects of this legislation. Click here to read one of Hastings’ press releases highlighting facts supplied by Western Energy Alliance.

Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) offered an amendment to the CLEAR Act repealing the $2 per barrel tax on all new and existing wells in the United States, which amounts to a new $22 billion tax on energy production.  Click here to view Lamborn’s statement.

16 oil patch and moderate Democrats circulated a letter among House leadership highlighting numerous negative impacts included in the CLEAR Act (Westerners included Harry Teague (NM), Earl Pomeroy (ND), Jim Matheson (D-UT) and Jim Costa (CA).

Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal (D-WY) also weighed in with a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

As members of Congress return to their districts to meet with constituents and campaign for the upcoming elections, Western Energy Alliance will be reaching out to thank some, and voice our concerns to others about their support of legislative proposals to raise taxes and give federal regulators greater control over energy development.   Please help us in this effort by reminding your elected officials that your business is creating jobs, economic activity and important revenue for state and local government.  Remind them that we need their support and appreciate their constructive actions.

For contact information for your member of Congress, click here.

Western Energy Alliance Testifies at EPA Air Quality Hearing

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a meeting this week to receive public input on further regulation of industry under the New Source performance standards (NSPS) and national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP).  EPA is reviewing the regulations and making a determination on whether to proceed with additional regulation under the Clean Air Act.  They are required to review regulations every eight years, but were compelled to do so now in their settlement of a lawsuit brought by WildEarth Guardians and the San Juan Citizens’ Alliance.  It’s important to note that over 100 other sectors have NESHAP and NSPS standards that have also failed to meet these timelines, but the oil and gas industry is blessed to have the environmental lobby looking out for us.

In the statement, Western Energy Alliance pointed out that air emissions have steadily decreased per unit of production, and that oil and gas production is a small source of emissions compared to other sectors, as shown in our presentation.  EPA was particularly interested in our WRAP Phase III regional air emissions data.  The inventory, funded by Western Energy Alliance members, is a case where industry has provided scientific data that not only provides regulators with accurate data that don’t overestimate our emissions, but also improves our public perception.

The audience was probably split between pro- and anti-industry people.  COGA got more mileage out of the studies done for the COGCC rules change process, showing oil and gas workers have no higher incidence of cancer over the long term than do the general population.  John Jacus with Davis Graham and Stubbs gave a detailed presentation of all the regulations that currently apply, and highlighted the additional stringent regulations that states impose.  Industry’s main points were that a federal one-size-fits-all approach is not practical nor necessary, while the environmental groups were pushing for further control by EPA, to the point that the WildEarth Guardians even suggested that EPA should control well pad siting as a method of air quality control.

Several Sierra Club members were testified, as well as the Wyoming Outdoor Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, Western Resources Advocates, Environment Colorado, and San Juan Citizens’ Alliance.   The Environmental Defense Fund noted that the oil and gas industry is the third-largest source of U.S. emissions of methane, making sure to highlight the fact that it’s a greenhouse gas that is more than 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. What they fail to mention is that all oil and gas methane emissions, from production to refining and distribution to the end consumer, represent only 2% of America’s total GHG emissions, and that the subject of this regulation is just upstream production and some midstream.  EDF’s solution is a laundry list of emissions controls and practices such as outlawing pits and flaring.

The next step is for EPA to make a determination on whether to propose new standards, and if so, to do so by January 31, 2011.  Since going after the oil and gas industry is one of eco-warrior (as dubbed by The Rolling Stone) EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s stated priorities, we can all guess what that determination will be.

Below is a snapshot of Western Energy Alliance in the press coverage.

EPA weighs tougher air pollution rules on drillers

in: E&E Land Letter on:08/05/2010 by: Eryn Gable

Kathleen Sgamma, director of government affairs for the Western Energy Alliance, warned that additional regulation could compel energy companies to move their operations overseas to countries with less-stringent standards, costing American jobs and ultimately leading to more environmental damage.  “Certainly it makes sense to comply with the law, and to review those regulations. But the outcome should not necessarily be lots of additional, onerous regulation,” she said.

EPA undertakes overdue review on oil, gas rules

published in: Associated Press on: 08/04/2010 by: Catherine Tsai

Kathleen Sgamma of the Western Energy Alliance, a trade group, said at the EPA meeting Tuesday that onerous regulations would make it more difficult to produce energy domestically and lead to more importation. She noted other sources of air pollution and said regulators should focus on industries with higher emissions.

Agency to tackle drilling pollution

published in: Durango Herald on: 08/04/2010 by: Joe Hanel

“How many lives would be lost or quality of life degraded if we didn’t have affordable energy to heat our homes in the winter; generate electricity to power dialysis machines, life-support and medical diagnostic equipment; and fuel to safely transport our loved ones?” said Kathleen Sgamma, director of government affairs for the Western Energy Alliance.

Tougher Pollution Rules on Oil and Gas Industry Weighed

published in: KUNC Radio on: 08/03/2010 by: Kirk Siegler

“Certainly it makes sense to comply with the law, and to review those regulations. But the outcome should not necessarily be lots of additional, onerous regulation,” says Sgamma, Director of Government Affairs for the Denver-based Western Energy Alliance.

Another Look at Colorado’s Air Quality

published in: 5280 on: 08/04/2010 by: Staff

Kathleen Sgamma of Western Energy Alliance, a trade group, says any onerous requirements by the EPA would make it more difficult to produce energy domestically and could prompt more importation. Environmental groups, meanwhile, praise the process.

Western Energy Alliance in other News

Movement in Western oil-gas lease backlog in Wyo.

published in: Associated Press on: 07/31/2010 by: Mead Gruver

News that the BLM is issuing leases is encouraging, said Kathleen Sgamma, government affairs director for the petroleum industry group Western Energy Alliance.  “But we continue to be concerned by the uncertainty by the lengthy time, in this case over two years, and the fact that federal leases are still in limbo,” she said.

Events Update

Western Energy Alliance will soon be announcing speakers and dates for our fall speaking series. The Distinguished Speaker Series along with some special engagements will offer compelling topics and speakers from all over the country. The Western Energy Alliance speaker events offer a great networking and exposure opportunities for our members to develop business, reconnect and share important news with the organization at large. Key sponsorship opportunities are available today.  Click here to become a sponsor and/or contact Becca Ness with any questions.

Other Upcoming Meetings

Utah Basin Advisors Network – August 10th, 10:00 a.m.

Joint Air Quality/Natural Gas Committee – August 24th, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Visit westernenergyalliance.org for the latest news affecting the Intermountain West’s oil and natural gas industry. Headlines are updated daily from local, national and international news sources.

The West

Feds OK project to drill under, not on, wild areas

published in: Associated Press on: 07/29/2010 by: Paul Foy

An energy company received federal approval Thursday to take natural gas from a largely untouched, picturesque region of Utah by agreeing to use new technology to drill under wild areas instead of on top of them.

Related: Click here to see Western Energy Alliance’s regional competitiveness survey referenced in today’s E&E Land Letter article, “Industry, enviro pact allows Utah drilling project to proceed.”

Western Election News

Maes holds slight edge over McInnis, poll says

published in: Denver Post on: 08/01/2010 by: Michael Booth and Colleen O’Connor

Weeks of publicity for former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis over plagiarism appear to have melted his previously huge lead over Evergreen businessman Dan Maes in Colorado’s Republican gubernatorial primary.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Petersen, Gosar happy to succeed Freudenthal

published in: Casper Star-Tribune on: 08/02/2010 by: Tom Mortan

Leading primary Democratic gubernatorial candidates Leslie Petersen and Pete Gosar would be happy to succeed the very popular Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal, they said Sunday.

New Mexico Race Gives Big Donors Last Splash (subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 08/01/2010 by: Stephanie Simon

The two women vying to be New Mexico’s next governor are both promising to clean up a state sullied by a string of political fund-raising scandals, but both are taking full advantage of the state’s unusually loose campaign-finance laws.

Colorado

EnCana grant keeps local man employed

published in: Citizen Telegram on: 08/05/2010 by: Heidi Rice

There was a time when Jesse Montover of Silt never thought he’d have a steady job or income because of his developmental disability.

Drillers trying to cap well in Colorado

published in: 9 News on: 08/04/2010 by: Liz Lambert

The water may not look quite right in Fourmile Creek this week, after crews drilling for water hit some unexpected pressure that forced about 1,600 to 2,000 gallons of water per minute to flow into the creek, along with non-toxic drill mud and road base from the drill pad which discolored the water.

Colorado oil drilling aimed to bring business to small towns

published in: Denver Post on: 08/01/2010 by: Steve Raabe

In the shadow of Colorado’s largest wind farm, the new-energy economy is taking a back seat to old-fashioned oil. Drilling rigs are springing up in areas of Weld County largely bypassed by the natural-gas boom of the past decade.

Montana

Montana Oil: The Next Bakken Rush

published in: Energy & Capital on: 08/02/2010 by: Keith Kohl

Sometimes a story just doesn’t unfold the way you expect it to.  For Montana’s oil industry, the carpet was pulled out from underneath them when the media’s attention was snatched away by the state’s neighbor to the east…

Permit activity shows Montana oil back in play

published in: Billings Gazette on: 08/01/2010 by: Tom Lutey

After a major slowdown, oil permits filed with the state of Montana are on the rise again.

New Mexico

Oil and gas pipeline fatalities peak in NM, Tex., study finds

published in: New Mexico Independent on: 07/29/2010 by: Bryant Furlow

New Mexico and Texas have seen more people killed by oil and gas pipeline accidents since 2000 than any other states, concludes a new study of refinery and pipeline accidents and pollution released Thursday by the National Wildlife Federation.

North Dakota

North Dakota jumps to No.3 in overall rig activity

published in: Associated Press on: 08/03/2010 by: James MacPherson

North Dakota has overtaken Oklahoma as the third-busiest state for oil and natural gas drillers, ranking behind only Texas and Louisiana, according to a Houston-based company that tracks such activity.

A brighter future beckons as the oil boom strengthens

published in: Grand Forks Herald on: 08/03/2010 by: Mike Jacobs

Evidence that this oil boom is serious just grows and grows.  This week, the number of oil rigs working in North Dakota passed the total in Oklahoma, making North Dakota the third most active state for oil exploration.

More more more: State hopes to assess oil boom needs

published in: Bismarck Tribune on: 08/01/2010 by: Lauren Donovan

Not long ago, a good number for new workers needed every year in the oil patch was 1,200.

Utah

Utahns give Salazar an earful on public lands

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/04/2010 by: Christopher Smart

Utahns from all walks of life came together Tuesday to talk about public lands. But despite all the polite discussion in close quarters, the various interests remain miles apart.

Wyoming

Groups protest 64 of 76 leases at Wyo. BLM auction

published in: Associated Press on: 08/02/2010 by: Mead Gruver

Environmental groups are protesting all but a dozen of the 76 latest oil and gas leases that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management plans to auction off in Wyoming.

Private mineral owners in Wyo. to auction rights

published in: Associated Press on: 07/29/2010 by: Staff

A group of people who own mineral rights in eastern Wyoming say they’re planning to sell those rights to oil developers in a public auction.

Washington Watch

CLEAR bill is clear loser

published in: E&P Magazine on: 08/05/2010 by: Rebecca Torrellas

The US House of Representatives voted 209-193 in favor of HR 3534 – known as the CLEAR Act – the bill that would overhaul offshore drilling guidelines.

Greens defend climate tactics

published in: Politico on: 08/05/2010 by: Darren Samuelsohn

Environmentalists went with an all-or-nothing strategy for the 111th Congress. Nothing won.  Now, green groups licking their wounds after spending tens of millions of dollars to pass a cap-and-trade bill must answer serious questions about whether they are capable of playing another round of hardball.

Report: Reid mulling broader energy bill

published in: The Hill on: 08/04/2010 by: Ben Geman

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is open to broadening the energy package that has been delayed until after the August recess, according to a news report.

DeGette has high hopes for protecting lower-elevation acres as wilderness

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/04/2010 by: Dennis Webb

A Colorado congresswoman who has been pushing for passage of a Colorado wilderness bill for 11 years says she is optimistic she can get a measure through Congress this fall.

Why 2 million (promised) green jobs couldn’t sell a climate bill

published in: Los Angeles Times on: 08/03/2010 by: Jim Tankersley

From the early days of the Obama administration, environmentalists believed that they had found the message to carry them to victory in what promised to be a grueling debate over energy and climate policy.

House approves oil spill bill; stalled in Senate

published in: Associated Press on: 07/31/2010 by: Matthew Daly

The House has approved a bill to boost safety standards for offshore drilling and remove a liability cap for oil spills, but a partisan fight in the Senate will likely delay action on a response to the Gulf oil spill until Congress returns from its summer recess.

Media Watch

Editorial: Land debate

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/05/2010 by: Editorial Staff

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar was in Utah this week to listen. And he got an earful from people with widely differing ideas about how America’s publicly owned lands should be used, or not used.

Carroll: Cap and trade: It’s the cost, stupid

published in: Denver Post on: 08/04/2010 by: Vincent Carroll

“Of course I’m angry,” declared 4th District Rep. Betsy Markey after hearing last week that the Senate had abandoned efforts to pass a comprehensive energy bill. “This is a national-security issue. It’s critical that we break our dependence on Middle East oil.”

Samuelson: Hope for our energy future

published in: Washington Post on: 08/02/2010 by: Robert J. Samuelson

You probably have never heard of oilman George Mitchell, but more than anyone else, he has changed the global energy outlook.

Editorial: Good news for gas

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/01/2010 by: Editorial Staff

Those who believe a strong natural gas industry is critical for this region’s economy — a large majority of the local populace, no doubt — should take heart from two news items.

Editorial: Saving Nine Mile

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 08/01/2010 by: Editorial Staff

The epic battle for public lands pitting energy developers against environmental groups has yielded few compromises and even fewer agreements outside a courtroom.

Environment and Wildlife

Study: Amount of water for oil shale production is less than estimated

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 08/03/2010 by: Gary Harmon

An oil shale industry producing the equivalent of 1.5 million barrels of oil per day might require significantly less water than had been previously believed, a study suggests.

Lynx may yet get critical habitat protection in Colorado

published in: Summit County News on: 07/30/2010 by: Bob Berwyn

A federal judge has ruled  that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act when it excluded Colorado from a critical habitat designation for threatened Canada Lynx.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

Tilting with wind turbines — a legal war slows industry growth

published in: New York Times/CliamteWire on: 08/04/2010 by: Peter Behr

It’s being called “the turbine wars.”  General Electric Co. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., the Japanese industrial behemoth, are locked in a 2-year-old, escalating legal battle over patents surrounding GE’s wind generators, which have been the leaders in the fast-growing American wind power market.

Turbines Too Loud? Here, Take $5,000

published in: New York Times on: 07/31/2010 by: William Yardley

Residents of the remote high-desert hills near here have had an unusual visitor recently, a fixer working out the kinks in clean energy.

Markets

What Drove the NatGas Rally?

published in: CNBC/The Schork Report on: 08/03/2010 by: Stephen Schork

Natural gas bulls are the Buffalo Bills of the commodities complex!  Over the last three months Nymex Henry Hub natural gas futures for prompt delivery have rallied from a low of 3.855 (May 06th) to a high of 5.196 (June 16th).

Williams Partners gets OK for pipeline project

published in: Associated Press on: 08/03/2010 by: Staff

Williams Partners LP said Monday the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved plans for a $36-million expansion of its Transco natural gas pipeline in the Southeast.

El Paso gets OK to start building Ruby Pipeline

published in: Associated Press on: 08/02/2010 by: Staff

El Paso Corp. has received regulatory approval to start building a new natural gas pipeline to run from Wyoming to Oregon.

Industry News and Events

Energy Development on Public Lands Conference

August 16-17, 2010 in Denver, CO

Western Energy Alliance will be speaking at the Law Seminars International Energy Development on Public Lands conference on August 16th & 17th in Denver. Click here for more information.

Geothermal in the Oil Field Symposium

August 18-19, 2010 in Casper, WY

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Southern Methodist University (SMU) Geothermal Laboratory are partnering to host a two-day geothermal symposium in Casper, Wyoming. The symposium will highlight the application of low-temperature geothermal power production in oil and gas operations and other settings in the western United States.

This first-of-its-kind symposium will cover low-temperature projects throughout the western U.S. and provide an opportunity for participants to learn of the remarkable potential for power generation using co-produced fluids from existing oil, gas, and industrial infrastructure with minimal additional environmental impacts.

Click here to register or call (888) 599-2200 or talk@rmotc.doe.gov.

Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum

September 24, 2010

The 2010 Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum, which takes place at Red Rocks Community College, is designed as an educational event for high school students in the Denver Metro area to bring college representatives, energy companies, and students together in one location, to present information about college options and career opportunities to the future generation of leaders. This year’s event will be co-hosted by High Plains Communications, LLC and Red Rocks Community College.  Click here for a summary of the event.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees, and we will have separate break-out sessions for teachers and counselors. Please contact Jaime Gardner or (970) 597-0696 for more information. Click here to download the Expo/Booth registration form. Click here to download the sponsor form.

RPSEA 2010 Small Producer Program Request for Proposals Released

Proposals will be accepted well in advance of the due date, which is September 28, 2010, 4 p.m., Central Time,

Click here for more information.

Content Policy

Materials contained herein are a summary of industry related issues and are for the edification of Western Energy Alliance members only. Contents do not reflect official comments or positions of Western Energy Alliance. Attribution of Wildcatter Weekly contents for publication without Western Energy Alliance content is prohibited. NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

Update on CLEAR Act: Progress made, but concerns remain

For several weeks, Western Energy Alliance has been closely monitoring energy legislation making its way through Congress. This legislation began as an attempt by Congress to address the tragic accident in the Gulf, but in typical Washington fashion, was poisoned with punitive measures targeting onshore producers as well.  Together, the “CLEAR Act” and the “Blowout Prevention Act” would have had detrimental consequences for onshore production.

Western Energy Alliance has been the lead voice objecting to the incorporation of harmful onshore provisions. Thanks to the diligence and the hard work of our members, staff and friends in state and local government, as of today much of the onerous onshore language, including the completion disclosure requirement, has been removed from the bill!

Concerning provisions do still remain in the bill, including:

• A conservation fee of ($2 per barrel of oil or 20 cents per million Btu of natural gas) on all U.S. oil and natural gas production on federal leases. Essentially, this is a $22 billion dollar energy tax.

• Ending Royalty in Kind program (RIK)

• Establishing new Interior agencies to manage different aspects of federal land development, a complete reorganization of MMS

• Changing how leases are offered

• Repealing the Storm water exemption included in EPACT 2005 (Section 728).

For a more detailed description, click here to read Western Energy Alliance’s analysis sent to House leadership.

Western Energy Alliance will continue working closely with state and local governments, allied trades, business and conservation groups, and members of Congress to ensure that these harmful provisions do not become law. In the meantime, if you have not done so already, I encourage you to contact your congressional representatives and ask them to oppose this legislation.  Click here to ask Congress to oppose the CLEAR Act.

Click here to read the entire update on the CLEAR Act.

In the Senate, Harry Reid introduced an the “Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Company Accountability Act of 2010” which now includes Disclosure of Hydraulic Fracturing Chemicals (Title XLIII). Western Energy Alliance, along with other industry trades strongly oppose this language and are working with our Western Delegation to have it removed. For more details, see Politico’s article, “Hydro-fracking fight hijacks spill bill”.

Events Update

For those who attended the recent Annual Meeting and Summer Conference, we’d like your feedback! A survey was sent out via email to all attendees and is also available by clicking here. This survey is designed to help us make more informed decisions for upcoming conferences and facilitate the continued success of the Western Energy Alliance member events. We appreciate your input. Completed surveys can be returned to Becca Ness.

Membership Update

Western Energy Alliance welcomes the following new member:

Pioneer Member

Energy Operating Company, Inc.

We look forward to an improved online experience for our entire membership and apologize in advance for any inconvenience this brief downtime might cause. Should you have membership questions or concerns, please contact Susan Fakharzadeh, Director of Membership and Events.

Events Update

Western Energy Alliance will soon be announcing speakers and dates for our fall speaking series. The Distinguished Speaker Series along with some special engagements will offer compelling topics and speakers from all over the country. The Western Energy Alliance speaker events offer a great networking and exposure opportunities for our members to develop business, reconnect and share important news with the organization at large. Key sponsorship opportunities are available today, please contact Becca Ness.

For those who attended the recent Annual Meeting and Summer Conference, we’d like your feedback! A survey was sent out via email to all attendees and is also available by clicking here. This survey is designed to help us make more informed decisions for upcoming conferences and facilitate the continued success of the Western Energy Alliance member events. We appreciate your input. Completed surveys can be returned to Becca Ness.

Western Energy in the News

EPA Reviewing Air Pollution Rules for Oil, Gas

published in: Associated Press on: 07/28/2010 by: Catherine Tsai

The oil and gas industry continues to be one of the heaviest regulated industries, said Kathleen Sgamma, the Western Energy Alliance’s director of government affairs. The group’s members already are working with the Western Regional Air Partnership — an effort of tribal and state governments and federal agencies — in voluntarily providing detailed emissions data to state regulators.  “We want to make sure to reduce emissions from oil and gas production,” she said.  Sgamma said the industry accounts for only a small percentage of emissions of specific pollutants…  Sgamma said there is no one-size-fits-all solution, since conditions can vary for exploratory wells and production wells and from basin to basin.  “A lot of variables go into deciding what controls and technologies can be used,” she said.

Environmentalists: Don’t overlook onshore drilling

published in: Associated Press on: 07/23/2010 by: Mead Gruver

Giving more oversight to the federal regulators who failed to prevent the Gulf disaster would be a bad idea, said an industry group, the Western Energy Alliance.”It doesn’t make sense to take more control away from state oil and gas regulators and give it to the federal agency that just oversaw the worst environmental catastrophe in the history of our nation,” Marc Smith, executive director of the alliance, said Friday. He pointed out that 17 Democratic representatives wrote to Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Wednesday, urging the leaders not to have a “knee-jerk” reaction by passing “extraneous proposals” restricting onshore energy development.  What Congress really should do, Smith said, is pass a more predictable process for oil, gas and renewable energy development on public land, one that helps companies be more certain about whether their plans can move ahead. “That’s the real reform that’s needed,” he said.

Western Energy Alliance Survey Discussed on Floor of U.S. House of Representatives

Western Energy Alliance did a survey to find out what would be taking place in the West, these areas that I’m saying are heavily hit. 74% of the respondents to the survey by the Western Energy Alliance said their companies are downsizing capital investment in the Rocky Mountain Area.

Click here to watch the debate on the House Floor.

Other Upcoming Meetings

Legislative, Legal and Regulatory Committee – August 4th, 1:30 p.m.

Utah Basin Advisors Network – August 10th, 10:00 a.m.

Colorado Basin Advisors Network – August 12th, 10:00 a.m.

Joint Air Quality/Natural Gas Committee – August 24th, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Visit westernenergyalliance.org for the latest news affecting the Intermountain West’s oil and natural gas industry. Headlines are updated daily from local, national and international news sources.

The West

Western Climate Initiative offers cap-and-trade

published in: Associated Press on: 07/27/2010 by: Jeff Bernard

A coalition of seven western states and three Canadian provinces on Tuesday offered its most detailed strategy yet for controlling greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate change, saying they hope it will stand as a model for national systems in the United States and Canada.

Western Election News

Democratic Senate hopeful Andrew Romanoff sells his home, loans money to his underdog campaign

published in: Denver Post on: 07/27/2010 by: Michael Booth

Andrew Romanoff has officially gone all-in for his U.S. Senate bid, selling his Washington Park house and loaning his campaign $325,000.

Senate candidates sound off with divided views on energy bill’s death

published in: Denver Post on: 07/26/2010 by: Michael Booth

Hot weather, oil blowouts and a wiped-clean agenda in Congress gave all four U.S. Senate candidates the chance to showcase their climate and energy policies in the past week.

Tancredo will run for governor as American Constitution Party candidate

published in: Denver Post on: 07/26/2010 by: Karen Crummy

Former Congressman Tom Tancredo is in the race for Colorado governor, he said this morning.  “I will officially announce at noon that I will seek the nomination of the constitution party,” Tancredo told The Denver Post.

Colorado

Colorado improves, but still lags in survey of oil, gas investment

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 07/28/2010 by: Dennis Webb

Colorado has rebounded somewhat from last year’s last-place standing among oil- and gas-producing states in an annual survey measuring attractiveness for investment by that industry.

BLM considers field manager applicants in Moffat County

published in: Craig Daily Press on: 07/28/2010 by: Brian Smith

The Bureau of Land Management is getting closer to naming a replacement field manager for its Little Snake Field Office in Craig.

Club 20 tries to reverse Vermillion drilling ban

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 07/27/2010 by: Gary Harmon

The decision by the Bureau of Land Management to cordon off the Vermillion Basin in northwest Colorado against drilling runs contrary to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s history in Colorado, Club 20 says.

Applications for drilling permits rise

published in: Glenwood Springs Post Independent on: 07/23/2010 by: John Colson

Piceance Basin oil and gas drilling activities continue to be well below levels reached before the Great Recession and a drop in gas prices put local activities into a tailspin, according to the Garfield County oil and gas liaison Judy Jordan.

Montana

Montana company vies for helping clean up oil

published in: Billings Gazette on: 07/23/2010 by: Tom Howard

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., says he’ll do what he can to help a Montana company that is vying to play a role in cleaning up the oil released after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico.

New Mexico

New Mexico Apache tribe wins natural gas appeal

published in: Associated Press on: 07/22/2010 by: Sue Major Holmes

An appellate court in Washington, D.C., has ruled in favor of northern New Mexico’s Jicarilla Apache Nation in a dispute over natural gas royalties dating from more than 20 years ago.

North Dakota

ND counties rich in energy tops in annual wages

published in: Associated Press on: 07/28/2010 by: James MacPherson

North Dakota counties that produce either coal or crude oil held seven of the top 10 spots in a statewide survey of average annual wages.

ND oil patch produces 300K barrels per day in May, new monthly production record

published in: Associated Press on: 07/27/2010 by: James MacPherson

North Dakota’s oil patch is turning out about 300,000 barrels of crude per day, or double the state’s production two years ago.

Shutting Down the Bakken?

published in: KFYR-TV on: 07/23/2010 by: Jacob Kaucher

It may not look like much, but hydraulic fracturing is what makes drilling in North Dakota possible.

Utah

Decision on leases expected

published in: Vernal Express on: 07/28/2010 by: Mary Bernard

U.S. District Court Judge Dee Benson told attorneys last week that he would decide within a month on the issue of the 77 leases withdrawn by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar after the December 2008 oil and gas lease sale.

Navajos, politicians split over control of oil money

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 07/28/2010 by: Matt Canham

The state of Utah has washed its hands of a Navajo trust fund that benefits tribal members living in San Juan County.

Energy Startup Defends Oil-Sands Project in Utah

published in: Associated Press on: 07/27/2010 by: Paul Foy

An energy startup from Canada on Tuesday defended its plan to launch the first significant U.S. oil sands project in eastern Utah, after opponents argued it would dig up fragile topsoil and pollute groundwater.

Wyoming

Wyoming gov urges Pelosi to stall drilling regs

published in: Associated Press on: 07/28/2010 by: Staff

Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal has urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to delay action on pending federal legislation he says would reduce states’ authority to oversee energy development.

Washington Watch

Reid US Senate energy bill pleases NGV advocates, upsets drillers

published in: Platts on: 07/28/2010 by: Rodney White

Natural gas vehicle advocates on Wednesday praised the energy bill introduced Tuesday by US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, but a pro-drilling group complained that the Nevada Democrat is trying to sneak in language to regulate hydraulic fracturing.

Obama says will keep pushing for climate bill

published in: Reuters on: 07/27/2010 by: Jeff Mason

President Barack Obama pledged on Tuesday to keep pushing for legislation to fight climate change despite a move in the U.S. Senate to focus energy reform more narrowly on offshore drilling.

Regional and state interests may dominate future climate and energy policy

published in: New York Times/E&E ClimateWire on: 07/26/2010 by: Peter Behr and Christa Marshall

The failure of climate legislation in the Senate last week is a blunt reminder of a basic truth, experts say: The nation’s energy policies are historically driven by state and regional interests that will trump national agendas in all but the most compelling circumstances.

Activists frustrated at Obama’s environmental record

published in: Christian Science Monitor on: 07/25/2010 by: Brad Knickerbocker

When Barack Obama took over the White House from George W. Bush, environmental activists breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Salazar pledges to limit Interior’s revolving door

published in: Washington Post on: 07/23/2010 by: Kimberly Kindy

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told lawmakers Thursday that he will use his regulatory authority to impose strict new rules to remedy the revolving-door problems in his department.

Media Watch

Editorial: CLEAR thinking on energy issues

published in: Denver Post on: 07/29/2010 by: Editorial Staff

Democrats have abandoned their effort to dramatically cut the nation’s greenhouse gases and instead have rolled a few minor carbon-reduction measures into a bill that would reform regulations on oil and gas drilling.

Carroll: Wheeling and dealing with the PUC

published in: Denver Post on: 07/28/2010 by: Vincent Carroll

Last winter and spring, state officials quietly hammered out the details of a bill benefiting natural gas producers and Xcel Energy with representatives from those industries.

Editorial: Rep. Henry Waxman seems obsessed by fracturing concerns

published in: The Oklahoman on: 07/26/2010 by: Editorial Staff

Energy industry executives knew the Obama administration would play havoc with their ability to supply oil and natural gas. And this was before the Gulf oil disaster that led to the petty pace of offshore drilling moratorium edicts.

Editorial: New safety alliance has right priorities

published in: Casper Star-Tribune on: 07/25/2010 by: Editorial Staff

We’re glad to see that an oil and gas industry group is continuing the efforts of the governor’s task force on workplace safety.

Environment and Wildlife

In Wyoming, a Careful Balance Between Wind Power and Sage Grouse

published in: KUNC Radi on: 07/28/2010 by: Molly Messick
Wyoming is a prime place for wind development. Some of the best quality winds in the country blow across its miles of sagebrush and range land.

BLM unveils new sage grouse maps

published in: Casper Star-Tribune on: 07/22/2010 by: Jeff Gearino

Bureau of Land Management officials unveiled their proposed new maps of sage grouse core areas at a statewide open house kickoff Monday night.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

Montana lagging when it comes to wind power

published in: Missoulian on: 07/26/2010 by: Mike Dennison

When it comes to wind power in Montana, there’s plenty of talk of the coming boom – but as Montana talks, nearby states have sprinted ahead in actual development of wind projects.

Feds snatch counties’ geothermal revenue

published in: RGJ/Las Vegas Sun on: 07/25/2010 by: Stephanie Tavare

Ten months ago, the U.S. Interior Department, in its annual budget request to Congress, commandeered counties’ share of revenue generated from geothermal energy rent and royalties.

Markets

Tulsa-Based ONEOK Plans North Dakota Pipeline

published in: Associated Press on: 07/28/2010 by: Staff

An Oklahoma company plans a pipeline pegged at about $500 million to move natural gas liquids from North Dakota’s oil patch.

U.S. Decision on Pipeline Is Delayed

published in: New York Times on: 07/27/2010 by: Tom Zeller, Jr.

The State Department said it would delay its decision on a permit for a contentious $7 billion pipeline project intended to deliver crude oil from the oil sands of the province of Alberta in Canada, to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Industry News and Events

Energy Development on Public Lands Conference

August 16-17, 2010 in Denver, CO

Western Energy Alliance will be speaking at the Law Seminars International Energy Development on Public Lands conference on August 16th & 17th in Denver. Click here for more information.

Geothermal in the Oil Field Symposium

August 18-19, 2010 in Casper, WY

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Southern Methodist University (SMU) Geothermal Laboratory are partnering to host a two-day geothermal symposium in Casper, Wyoming. The symposium will highlight the application of low-temperature geothermal power production in oil and gas operations and other settings in the western United States.

This first-of-its-kind symposium will cover low-temperature projects throughout the western U.S. and provide an opportunity for participants to learn of the remarkable potential for power generation using co-produced fluids from existing oil, gas, and industrial infrastructure with minimal additional environmental impacts.

Click here to register or call (888) 599-2200 or talk@rmotc.doe.gov.

Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum

September 24, 2010

The 2010 Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum, which takes place at Red Rocks Community College, is designed as an educational event for high school students in the Denver Metro area to bring college representatives, energy companies, and students together in one location, to present information about college options and career opportunities to the future generation of leaders. This year’s event will be co-hosted by High Plains Communications, LLC and Red Rocks Community College.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees, and we will have separate break-out sessions for teachers and counselors. Please contact Jaime Gardner or (970) 597-0696 for more information. Click here to download the registration form. Click here to download the sponsor form.

RPSEA 2010 Small Producer Program Request for Proposals Released

Proposals will be accepted well in advance of the due date, which is September 28, 2010, 4 p.m., Central Time,

Click here for more information.

Content Policy

Materials contained herein are a summary of industry related issues and are for the edification of Western Energy Alliance members only. Contents do not reflect official comments or positions of Western Energy Alliance. Attribution of Wildcatter Weekly contents for publication without Western Energy Alliance content is prohibited. NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

Together, the “CLEAR Act” and the “Blowout Prevention Act” would have had detrimental consequences for onshore production due to provisions that would have:

o   Subjected onshore development to the reorganized MMS bureaus

o   Changed onshore leasing to a sealed-bid system

o   Reduced lease sales

o   Increased rents and bonus

o   Required “diligent development” reporting

o   Required disclosure of proprietary components used in well-completions

Western Energy Alliance has been the lead voice objecting to the incorporation of harmful onshore provisions. Thanks to the diligence and the hard work of our members, staff and friends in state and local government, as of today much of the onerous onshore language, including the completion disclosure requirement, has been removed from the bill!

A large part of our success is a result of our ability to engage Democrat Congressmen, who weighed in to Speaker Pelosi with a letter asking leadership not to punish onshore producers for the Gulf disaster.  The letter was signed by 16 Democrats, including Representatives Altmire (PA), Boren (OK), Boucher (VA), Costa (CA), Critz (PA), Cuellar (TX), C. Edwards (TX), G. Green (TX), Hinojosa (TX), Matheson (UT), Melancon (LA), Pomeroy (ND), Ortiz (TX), Gonzalez (TX), Ross (TX), and Teague (NM).

Western Energy Alliance also worked closely with the state trades, regulatory agencies, and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), encouraging them to contact Congress with their concerns. IOGCC sent a letter to Congress, and is helping to spur the states to action.  The Texas Railroad Commission, for example, recently sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman about the negative impacts of the Blowout Prevention Act.

Unfortunately, there are still several provisions in this bill that would be harmful to onshore producers:

Reorganization of MMS

Western Energy Alliance has grave concerns over provisions reorganizing the Minerals Management Service (MMS), which would diminish the efficiency of the professional land managers at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Park Service (NPS), while adding additional superfluous layers of bureaucracy that will exacerbate the already long and costly process of developing energy on public lands.

Separating the leasing, permitting and environmental analysis from the overall land stewardship of BLM will result in severed functionality and lack of a holistic approach to land management. It is unclear to us how moving environmental analysis into a separate bureau from that which conducts land use planning will work, since Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) are such a large part of the land use planning process.

Imposition of an “annual production incentive fee”

The imposition of a $2 per barrel of oil, or 20 cents per million Btu of natural gas for production from existing leases adds to the growing concern that this Congress has no regard for the sanctity of contracts.  The bill specifies that the fee would apply to all leases in effect on the date of enactment of the Act, rather than just on new leases. Such a retroactive measure would violate the terms of valid existing leases and government contracts that were entered into in good faith by lessees under the terms in effect at the time.

Energy development on federal land is recognized as a costly and uncertain prospect for industry, but it is highly profitable venture for the federal government.  We will continue to remind Congress that the federal government receives $46 to $1 return on investment for every dollar spent managing energy development on federal land.  Important revenue from federal land development is shared with states, funds conservation programs and helps reduce the federal deficit.

Elimination of the Royalty-in-Kind program

Western Energy Alliance also opposes the elimination of the Royalty-In-Kind (RIK) Program.  RIK allows companies to pay royalties directly with quantities of natural gas or oil, providing a straightforward method for handling royalty payments. Prices of natural gas and oil vary by date, by marketer, by grade of product sold (gravity of oil, BTU content of gas, quality of natural gas liquids, etc.) and other factors. The payment of royalties through the RIK program simplifies this complexity, and eliminates the need for hundreds of auditors. Under the RIK program, the only determination is the quantity of natural gas or oil delivered to the government.  According to government reports, the RIK program raises millions of dollars in additional revenues to the government than would normally be received if the royalty were taken in cash value.

These concerns are outlined in an analysis that was requested by and sent to House leadership this afternoon.

The Western Energy Alliance will continue working closely with state and local governments, allied trades, business and conservation groups, and members of Congress to ensure that these harmful provisions do not become law. In the meantime, if you have not done so already, I encourage you to contact your congressional representatives and ask them to oppose this legislation.

Click here to ask Congress to oppose the CLEAR Act.

Click here to view the revised CLEAR Act in its entirety.

Western Energy Alliance Fighting Bills to Federalize Control of Onshore Development

Western Energy Alliance was in Washington this week fighting the CLEAR Act (Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources) and the onshore provisions of the Blowout Prevention Act, which will come to a floor vote next week in some form.  When we arrived, we heard from our key congressional allies that industry’s voice was not being heard on the BOP Act, and we set out to right that deficiency by talking to key members and distributing our talking points. Since it passed out of the Energy & Commerce committee with unanimous support, including from Republicans, the fight on the bill is particularly difficult.  It would empower the Department of the Interior (DOI) to determine whether state regulatory regimes are adequate, and take over regulation on private and state lands if they determine otherwise or if compelled by citizen lawsuit.   The irony of Congress taking control of oil and gas regulation from the states, which have had an exemplary safety record over many decades, and giving it to the very agency that oversaw the worst well disaster in US history, is mind blowing.  Western Energy Alliance has already documented that DOI mismanagement has prevented $3.9 billion of investment in the Rockies, which translates into 19,500 direct and indirect jobs that producers were prevented from creating. Congress seems intent on perpetuating that job destroying record, and Rockies producers stand ready to commiserate with all other American producers.

We’re working to get state oil and gas regulators to weigh in, and ask you to use your relationships to make them aware of this usurpation of their authority.  In addition, the CLEAR Act is widely recognized as a bad bill, and conservative Democrats do not want to be forced to take another bad vote.  However, we anticipate various parts of the Act will be combined with other legislation and brought to a vote next week.  Please click here to ask Congress to oppose these bills that will threaten our energy security and kill western jobs! Our position paper on the CLEAR Act is available here.

Membership & Communications Update

Effective July 12^th the association has changed its name from IPAMS to Western Energy Alliance. As part of this transition, we are analyzing our back-end system that runs our “members-only” section on the website. In an effort to continually provide improvements in efficiency and communications to our member base, we are upgrading this system and, as a result, parts of the “members-only” section will be unavailable for the coming weeks.

We look forward to an improved online experience for our entire membership and apologize in advance for any inconvenience this brief downtime might cause. Should you have membership questions or concerns, please contact Susan Fakharzadeh, Director of Membership and Events.

Western Energy Alliance Social Media Pages

Our social media webpages have been updated to reflect our new name.  Please visit our new pages:

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Youtube

Events Update

For those who attended the recent Annual Meeting and Summer Conference, we’d like your feedback! A survey was sent out via email to all attendees and is also available by clicking here. This survey is designed to help us make more informed decisions for upcoming conferences and facilitate the continued success of the Western Energy Alliance member events. We appreciate your input. Completed surveys can be returned to Becca Ness.

Membership Update

Western Energy Alliance welcomes the following new members:

Pioneer Member

Fifth Third Bank

Upgraded Member

Brownstein Farber Hyatt Schreck

Western Energy in the News

Interior dismisses report on Utah lease wrangling

published in: Vernal Express on: 07/21/2010 by: Mary Bernard

The U.S. Interior Department released a report from its own inspector general last Monday that suggested the department wrongfully canceled 77 oil and gas leases in Utah in early 2009.  But a spokeswoman for Interior Secretary Ken Salazar — who has been sharply criticized by local officials and drilling advocates ever since the decision to pull the leases — told the Vernal Express that the report’s findings aren’t directly related to the withdrawal of the leases, some of which sit in close proximity to two national parks and Dinosaur National Monument.

“It’s unfortunate that the Interior Department is discounting its own report simply because it refutes their justifications for withdrawing the 77 leases,” Sgamma said.  “The findings of the Interior report confirm what we’ve been saying — the leases next to national parks were all removed,” Sgamma added. “All leases sold were miles away from national parks, many over 20 miles away, except one adjacent to existing leases and Dinosaur National Monument.”

BLM to Make Decision on Backlogged Oil and Gas Leases

published in: Wyoming Energy News on: 07/16/2010 by: Staff

More than $100 million worth of unissued oil and agas leases may finally get acted upon by the Bureau of Land Management. The federal agency said this week that it will soon decide whether the first of the leases across the West will be handed over to drilling companies.

The latest announcement was met with cautious optimism by industry groups because they’ve heard it before. The BLM said last August and again in April that the backlogged leases were about to be issued, according to the Western Energy Alliance.

Energy Needs Left High And Dry

published in: Investors.com on: 07/15/2010 by: Staff
As the job-killing deepwater drilling ban continues offshore, our interior secretary defends an onshore ban imposed in Utah. If we could drill in places like that, maybe oil wouldn’t be gushing a mile under the Gulf of Mexico.

“Salazar justified his decision because the 77 leases were allegedly rushed in the last days of the Bush administration,” said Kathleen Sgamma, the government-affairs director of the Western Energy Alliance, a Denver-based trade group for oil and gas producers. “This IG report shows that assertion to be false.”

Other Upcoming Meetings

Air Quality Committee Meeting- July 22, 10:00 a.m.

Colorado Basin Advisors Network (CBAN) Meeting: Presentation on Colorado Non-Tributary Water Rulemaking – July 27th, 10:00 a.m. The CBAN Committee will host Kevin Rein, Assistant Colorado State Engineer, to provide an update on the State Engineers Office (SEO) non-tributary water rulemaking, including an overview of the Supreme Court decision, resulting legislation, and policy changes. Western Energy Alliance has been following the rulemaking in order to better understand the potential implications of the tributary vs. non-tributary determinations. Several of the basin-wide SEO determinations are now facing legal challenges from opposing water organizations. Please RSVP to Spencer Kimball.

Legislative, Legal and Regulatory Committee Meeting – August 4th, 1:30 p.m.

Visit westernenergyalliance.org for the latest news affecting the Intermountain West’s oil and natural gas industry. Headlines are updated daily from local, national and international news sources.

Western Election News

CO: Senate race becoming rife with gender jibes

published in: Denver Post on: 07/22/2010 by: Allison Sherry

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Buck was unapologetic Wednesday after a video circulated in which he is seen telling a crowd that voters should pick him over Jane Norton “because I don’t wear high heels.”

Romanoff’s cash dwarfed by Bennet

published in: Politico on: 07/20/2010 by: David Catanese

Andrew Romanoff, the Colorado Senate candidate aiming to upend appointed Sen. Michael Bennet, enters the final three weeks of the Democratic primary campaign at a significant financial disadvantage, according to his second-quarter fundraising report, released Tuesday.

In Colorado, reflections of an anxious electorate

published in: USA Today on: 07/19/2010 by: Susan Page

Meet Lesley Hollywood, stay-at-home mom turned kingmaker.  Thirty years old and new to politics, she has in short order become director of the Northern Colorado Tea Party and state coordinator of the national Tea Party Patriots, leading some of the had-it-up-to-here conservatives who have flipped the Senate race in this swing state upside down.

Schweitzer calls U.S. Senate run rumors ‘silly talk’

published in: Missoulian on: 07/18/2010 by: Charles S. Johnson

For months, the Montana political rumor mill has been abuzz with a couple of juicy tidbits.  The first one, circulating on and off since last summer, has Gov. Brian Schweitzer gearing up to take on longtime U.S. Sen. Max Baucus in the Democratic primary in 2014 in what would be a battle of political titans.

Colorado

Garfield County won’t support effort to stop drilling in Thompson Divide area

published in: Glenwood Springs Post Independent on: 07/20/2010 by: John Colson

Garfield County officials on Monday declined to back a move to introduce national legislation to prevent natural gas drilling in the Thompson Divide area.

Gas company has plans to drill 284 wells south of Silt

published in: Glenwood Springs Post Independent on: 07/19/2010 by: John Colson
A natural gas drilling company is poised to drill 284 wells in an area about six miles south of the town of Silt known as North Castle Springs, on mostly public land between Divide Creek and Baldy Creek.

Montana

High court says rezoning for Great Falls power plant was illegal

published in: Grat Falls Tribune on: 07/17/2010 by: Karl Puckett

A closely divided Montana Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Cascade County in 2008 illegally rezoned 668 acres of land where Southern Montana Electric Generation & Transmission recently began construction of a natural-gas-fired power plant, calling the move special legislation and spot-zoning.

New Mexico

NM: Groups seek investigation over oil industry hire

published in: Associated Press on: 07/21/2010 by: Susan Montoya Bryan

Several environmental groups are crying foul over the recent hire of a former Bureau of Land Management official as the president of New Mexico’s leading oil and natural gas industry group.

North Dakota

ND: State agencies get input on oil impacts

published in: Minot Daily News on: 07/21/2010 by: Jill Schramm

Ward County may contribute only minimally to the state’s oil production but it feels the effects of the industry on its housing, roads and other infrastructure, area officials told a delegation of state agency representatives in Minot Tuesday.

Oil industry fuels Williston, N.D., to third in taxable sales and purchases

published in: Grand Forks Herald on: 07/19/2010 by: Staff

The retail economy in Grand Forks has been eclipsed by Williston, N.D., where an oil-boom economy has prompted a similar boom in purchases.

Utah

BLM’s new boss in Utah

published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 07/19/2010 by: Patty Henetz

Juan Palma, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s new state director for Utah, says he is ready for the hot public-lands debates waiting for him.

Wyoming

BLM turnover high, not excessive

published in: Sublette Examiner on: 07/19/2010 by: Mari Muzzi

The Pinedale Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office has seen a lot of recent turnover, with another new BLM field manager just signing on.

Wyo Oil and Gas safety alliance kicks off this week

published in: Wyoming Business Report on: 07/19/2010 by: Staff

The newly formed Wyoming Oil and Gas Industry Safety Alliance (WOGISA) will hold its first meeting on July 22 at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel in Casper from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

Washington Watch

Democrats pull plug on climate bill

published in: Politico on:07/22/2010 by: Darren Samuelsohn and Coral Davenport

Senate Democrats pulled the plug on climate legislation Thursday, pushing the issue off into an uncertain future ahead of midterm elections where President Barack Obama’s party is girding for a drubbing.

Why does Ken Salazar hate our economy?

published in: MichelleMalkin.com on: 07/20/2010 by: Michelle Malkin

When last we visited with the Interior Department’s Job Destroyer-in-Chief, he was shoving his newly “revised” offshore drilling moratorium down America’s throat.  Today, let’s talk about what he’s doing in Utah to screw over onshore development and the economy.

EPA takes new look at gas drilling, water issues

published in: Associated Press on: 07/20/2010 by: Marc Levy and Mary Esch

So vast is the wealth of natural gas locked into dense rock deep beneath Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio that some geologists estimate it’s enough to supply the entire East Coast for 50 years.

Casey eyes Senate energy bill for tougher controls on gas ‘fracking’

published in: The Hill on: 07/20/2010 by: Ben Geman

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) signaled on Tuesday that he will seek to require new EPA regulation of a controversial onshore natural gas drilling technique in the upcoming Senate energy bill.

-See Also: N.D. Democrat urges House leaders to keep fracking out of spill bills (E&E News, 07/19/2007 by: Katie Howell.)

-Click here to read the letter.

Locke: U.S. should follow Colo. plan on new energy

published in: Denver Post on: 07/20/2010 by: Aldo Svaldi and Drew FitzGerald

The country could miss a key opportunity for growth if it doesn’t soon follow Colorado’s example in pursuing the new-energy economy, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke said Monday.

Obama’s Job Approval Lowest in Wyoming at 29%, and Utah, 34%

published in: CNS News on: 07/20/2010 by: Staff

President Barack Obama’s job approval rating is lowest in Wyoming and Utah, according to the Gallup polling company, which tracked the numbers for all 50 states and the District of Columbia from January through June 2010.

Media Watch

Editorial: Son of Cap and Tax (subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 07/22/2010 by: Editorial Staff

In the Mad Mad Mad Mad World that is Senate energy politics, Democrats want a climate bill, really they do, even as they deny that they favor a climate bill at all. “Those words are not in my vocabulary,” Majority Leader Harry Reid said last week when asked about cap and trade.

Op-ed: 10 Environmental Disasters Worse Than BP Oil Spill

published in: CNBC on: 07/19/2010 by: Terry Tamminen

Fingers crossed. BP’s oil leak  has apparently stopped shy of 200 million gallons spewed into the Gulf of Mexico and a few million more burned off into plumes of toxic smoke. Many have dubbed it the worst environmental disaster in American history.

Op-ed: Obama’s War On Fossil Fuels

published in: Fox News on: 07/19/2010 by: Tom Borelli

By allowing the U.S. Interior Department to issue its third offshore drilling moratorium since April’s oil spill in the Gulf, President Obama is demonstrating his unrelenting determination to rid America of fossil fuels.

Op-ed: Rockin’ the Bakken, frackin’ the Forks

published in: Grand Forks Herald on: 07/16/2010 by: Ralph Kingsbury

It’s a fun time in the oil patch. And what makes it especially so is this: So far, the evidence suggests that what’s happening across western North Dakota isn’t just a flash in the pan.

Op-ed: The Natural Gas Revolution (subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 07/16/2010 by: John Deutch

Even energy experts tend to forget the enormous impact unanticipated events can have on markets and public policy. Today there are two developments that have the potential to cause dramatic change: the existence of enormous reserves of natural gas and the BP spill.

Environment and Wildlife

Tenderfoot land deal gets first 1,160 acres

published in: Great Falls Tribune on: 07/21/2010 by: Kristen Inbody

Trophy elk — instead of trophy homes — will line the banks of Tenderfoot Creek for generations to come, thanks to a land sale announced Tuesday.

El Paso, conservation groups form partnership

published in: Magic Valley Times-News on: 07/18/2010 by: Adella Harding

El Paso Corp. has reached a precedent-setting, $20 million arrangement for habitat protection with two environmental organizations that protested the company’s planned Ruby Pipeline.

Legal questions arise over methane water

published in: Billings Gazette/Casper Star-Tribune on: 07/20/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer

State regulators say they must answer some legal questions about how a landowner can assume liability for reservoirs that were built to dispose of coalbed methane gas water.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

Wind power’s big blades can mask radar

published in: Denver Post on: 07/17/2010 by: Ann Schrader

Wind turbines blossom across the country, holding the promise of reduced reliance on fossil fuels while having a benign environmental impact.

Markets

Impact of BP blowout on the energy M&A market

published in: Oil & Gas Financial Journal on: 07/19/2010 by: Miro Lazarov
The size of the oil spill resulting from the Macondo well blowout and the inability of BP to contain the spill within a reasonable time frame will result in significant changes in the regulatory framework within which the oil and gas industry operates in the US.

Industry News and Events

Big Oil plans rapid response to future spills

published in: Associated Press on: 07/21/2010 by: Chris Kahn

Big Oil wants to be ready next time there’s a big mess in the Gulf.  The American Petroleum Institute says that ExxonMobil, Chevron Corp., Conoco Phillips and Shell Oil have agreed to pool $1 billion to form a new company that would respond to offshore oil spills.

Geothermal in the Oil Field Symposium

August 18-19, 2010 in Casper, WY

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Southern Methodist University (SMU) Geothermal Laboratory are partnering to host a two-day geothermal symposium in Casper, Wyoming. The symposium will highlight the application of low-temperature geothermal power production in oil and gas operations and other settings in the western United States.

This first-of-its-kind symposium will cover low-temperature projects throughout the western U.S. and provide an opportunity for participants to learn of the remarkable potential for power generation using co-produced fluids from existing oil, gas, and industrial infrastructure with minimal additional environmental impacts.

Click here to register or call (888) 599-2200 or talk@rmotc.doe.gov.

Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum

September 24, 2010

The 2010 Front Range Energy Career Expo and Forum, which takes place at Red Rocks Community College, is designed as an educational event for high school students in the Denver Metro area to bring college representatives, energy companies, and students together in one location, to present information about college options and career opportunities to the future generation of leaders. This year’s event will be co-hosted by High Plains Communications, LLC and Red Rocks Community College.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees, and we will have separate break-out sessions for teachers and counselors. Please contact Jaime Gardner or (970) 597-0696 for more information. Click here to download the registration form. Click here to download the sponsor form.

Content Policy

Materials contained herein are a summary of industry related issues and are for the edification of Western Energy Alliance members only. Contents do not reflect official comments or positions of Western Energy Alliance. Attribution of Wildcatter Weekly contents for publication without Western Energy Alliance content is prohibited. NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.