April 15, 2010
posted on: Apr 15, 2010
IPAMS Meetings and Announcements
Tell Congress to Rein in the EPA and Protect Western Jobs!
The Senate is now considering a resolution sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) that would prevent the EPA from circumventing Congress and stop its misuse of the Clean Air Act (CAA). This resolution has bipartisan support, and is even supported by Senators who favor climate change legislation. Unfortunately, some western Senators such as Michael Bennet of Colorado, have been very vocal in their opposition to this common sense resolution.
The House is also considering legislation that would prevent misuse of the CAA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Bills such as Congressman Earl Pomeroy’s (D-ND) “Save Our Energy Jobs Act” would ensure that EPA regulation does not take over all aspects of the American economy.
Montana, Dakotas Lease Sales
The impact of BLM’s settlement with the Montana Environmental Information Center, Oil and Gas Accountability Project, and Wild Earth Guardians on Montana 2008 oil and gas lease sales continues to be felt. Because of a protest by the groups on the same grounds as the lawsuit, i.e., BLM’s failure to analyze the impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from leases, BLM has postponed the next three sales in Montana until the corrective NEPA is done. This impacts North and South Dakota as well.
On the positive side, Montana BLM is motivated to get the corrective NEPA done within the next six months so that they can hold a sale later this year and lift the suspension on the 2008 leases. As a result of intervening in the case, IPAMS has been granted ‘contributing status,’ which we’re using to influence the direction and timing of the corrective NEPA. We’re also attempting to get counties, tribes, and the western congressional delegation involved in advocating for the timely completion of the NEPA.
IPAMS is attempting to ensure that the corrective NEPA is modeled on existing analysis that shows the correct level of impact from leasing. It is important that the NEPA process not become a means of regulating GHG emissions in the absence of regulations from EPA or Congressional legislation. The resulting NEPA could serve as the model for other states, where we could see lease sales likewise protested. BLM is continuing to fight a similar lawsuit in New Mexico where the NEPA used for the basis of the lease sale did analyze GHG emissions, unlike the Montana NEPA.
IPAMS Responds:
BLM Suspends Some Oil and Gas Lease Sales to Review Warming Impacts
published in: E&E News/New York Times on: 04/09/2010 by: Noelle Straub
“Obviously we’re disappointed that the sales need to be postponed but very encouraged that the corrective NEPA for the 2008 sales as well as the 2010 sales will be done in a timely manner. We’re very encouraged they have a plan to continue leasing in 2010.” -Kathleen Sgamma
BLM suspends some lease sales to review GHG emissions
published in: Oil & Gas Journal on: 04/09/2010 by: Paula Dittrick
The Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States intervened in the federal case on behalf of lease owners, Kathleen Sgamma, IPAMS director of government affairs, told OGJ. Sgamma said BLM indicated it will complete the NEPA reviews in 3-6 months. “We’re very encouraged they have a plan to continue leasing in 2010,” she said.
Oil and Gas Leases Put on Hold in Montana, Dakotas
published in: Associated Press on: 04/08/2010 by: Matthew Brown
Kathleen Sgamma with the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States said it was unfortunate the upcoming sales were postponed. She said the BLM needs to come up with a long-term solution so the issue doesn’t hang over the industry indefinitely. But Sgamma said she was “very encouraged” by the BLM’s pledge to complete its initial analysis by late September. “That is a very reasonable timeframe.”
Public Lands Webinar
Federal Onshore Natural Gas and Oil Policy: Implications for Western Jobs, Economies and Regional Competitivenes
April 22, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. MST
IPAMS will be participating in a Western Business Roundtable discussion on recent federal government policies and how they are affecting the ability of independent producers to develop natural gas and oil on federal lands in the West, where well over 50% of the land is federally owned. Independent producers supply 27% of America’s natural gas while disturbing only 0.07% of public lands.
Click here to register for the webinar.
Fundraiser for Richard Pombo
May 5, 2010
IPAMS is organizing a fundraiser for Richard Pombo on May 5th in Denver. Pombo served in Congress for 14 years and was Chairman of the House Resources Committee from 2002-2006. He also chaired the Western Caucus where he championed many issues important to the western oil and gas industry. Click here for more background on Richard Pombo’s accomplishments in Congress.
Governor Bill Owens, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Representative Tom Tancredo, Representative Bob Shaffer and State Senator Josh Penry are co-hosting this reception. The event will take place May 5, 2010 at 5:00 pm at Workplace Resource Herman-Miller, located at 1899 Wynkoop Street in downtown Denver. Suggested contribution is $500/individual and $1,000/PAC. Click here for the invitation.
Please contact Jon Haubert if you are interested in making a contribution or have questions about the event.
Wildcatter of the Year: A Western Tradition Continues
May 15, 2010
Traditions are an important way of passing along history, values and culture. Since 1981, when H.A. “Dave” True, Jr. was named the first Wildcatter of the Year, no other tradition at IPAMS is as important or celebrated as our Wildcatter of the Year Gala.
IPAMS will bestow its highest honor, Wildcatter of the Year, to another deserving and remarkable individual. Please join us in celebrating a person whose character, vision, determination, discipline, achievements, service and philanthropy have made the West a better place to live, work and raise a family. By tradition, the name of our 28th Wildcatter of the Year will be kept secret until the evening of the event.
The black tie event will be held at the Seawell Ballroom located in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, with cocktails beginning at 6 o’clock in the evening
After registering online, please email Becca Ness or call (303) 623-0987 with the names of your guests to ensure they have a nametag at check-in. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Click here to learn more about sponsoring this event.
IPAMS in the News
O&G industry questions pollution benefits of wind power (subscription required)
published in: E&E Land Letter on: 04/15/2010 by: Scott Streater
The study, commissioned by the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States, concludes that the fickle, on-again, off-again nature of wind power, and utilities’ reliance on more coal-fired generation to meet demand when winds are light, have contributed to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and worsened ground-level ozone pollution in Colorado and Texas.
IPAMS believes that natural gas-fired power plants, which emit fewer emissions than coal plants and are better suited to throttle up or scale back production, should handle more of the backup duties.
“We’re not saying that wind is bad or that coal is bad. What we’re saying is that public utility commissioners and Congress need to take a very careful look at the electric generation mix so that the full benefits of renewables are realized,” Marc Smith of IPAMS said.
IPAMS Membership Update
IPAMS thanks our broad membership for supporting our organization through your 2010 dues. Your financial support ensures that we have the resources to continue to defend and promote your investment in the Intermountain West.This week we are proud to recognize the following new memberships:
NEW FRONTIER MEMBER
Conoco Phillips
PIONEER MEMBERS
Central Montana Resources
Food Bank of the Rockies
UPGRADED MEMBERSHIP
Macquarie Tristone
For more information or to refer a company to IPAMS regarding membership please contact Susan Fakharzadeh.
Other Upcoming Meetings
Wyoming Basin Advisors Network (WYBAN) Meeting – April 22nd, 10:00 a.m. As a follow-up to the Wyoming BLM presentation on sage grouse policy to review the information presented by BLM and determine next steps. The slides from BLM’s presentation are available on IPAMS wildlife page.
Utah Basin Advisors Network (UBAN) Meeting - May 11th, 10:00 a.m.
Agendas are available for upcoming meetings at http://www.westernenergyalliance.org/advocacy/. All meetings unless otherwise indicated are Mountain time, and at IPAMS and via teleconference.
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. You may also sign up for daily newsbrief emails under the Manage Account section of the “Members Only” page.
The West
Recreation-energy balance for land vital, official says
published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 04/10/2010 by: Gary Harmon
New rules governing oil and gas leasing on federal lands will likely involve greater public participation in leasing, the new head of the state office of the Bureau of Land Management said. Helen Hankins, who was appointed in February to head the Colorado office of the bureau, said the department’s new approach to be announced by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar likely will involve a great emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches to leasing within the bureau, Hankins said.
Colorado
GarCo supports natural gas for vehicles, needs station built in area
published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 04/11/2010 by: Dennis Webb
Employees of the county that leads the state in natural gas production soon may be driving three new vehicles powered by the fuel. Garfield County commissioners have agreed to have the county buy the vehicles, but the purchases hinge on a proposal going forward to build a compressed natural gas fueling station in Rifle. The Western Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association praised the county’s decision.
West Divide Creek resident says water contamination continues
published in: Glenwood Springs Post Independent on: 04/10/2010 by: John Colson
Chemicals in the water continue to plague residents of the West Divide Creek area south of Silt, claims a woman who has been coping with the issue for years and blames the problem on the gas drilling industry. Her complaints, contained in an email sent to Garfield County officials recently, were forwarded by the board of county commissioners to the state agency in charge of overseeing the natural gas industry in Colorado.
New Mexico
Attorney General joins complaint against gas pipeline monopoly
published in: Farmington Daily Times on: 04/14/2010 by: James Monteleone
The New Mexico Attorney General on Tuesday joined area natural gas producers in asking the state Public Regulation Commission to regulate fees charged by pipeline operators. A collection of San Juan Basin natural gas producers, including ConocoPhillips and DJ Simmons, allege pipeline operator Enterprise Field Services is gouging prices charged for monopolized pipeline services, which gas producers require to get their product to market. Producers in a complaint to the PRC in December asked the PRC to regulate fees for the monopoly service as it does for public utilities, citing a recent 240 percent rate hike above 2004 rates charged for gathering gas from well sites and transporting to a processing facility.
Judge halts petition seeking NM gas emissions cap
published in: Associated Press on: 04/14/2010 by: Susan Montoya Bryan
A state judge delivered a setback Tuesday to an environmental group that is seeking a cap on greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico. Judge William Shoobridge granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting a state regulatory panel from continuing proceedings on a petition for the emissions cap until he rules on a lawsuit to stop that petition.
Turner files restraining order over cap and trade
published in: New Mexico Independent on: 04/12/2010 by: Laura Paskus
Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Turner on Monday filed a temporary restraining order against Governor Bill Richardson, saying he hoped that move would halt the state’s plans to administratively cut greenhouse gas emissions from facilities such as coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, refineries and oil and gas compressor stations.
North Dakota
N.D. tax commissioner: State’s tax system helped get through recession
published in: Grand Forks Herald on: 04/13/2010 by: Ryan Johnson
When it comes to North Dakota’s main sources of revenue, it’s perhaps easiest to think of the tax system as a “three-legged stool,” Tax Commissioner Cory Fong said Tuesday. Sales tax, income tax and property tax are the three legs, he told a crowd of about 30 Grand Forks Republicans during a lunch and politics discussion at the Bronze Boot.
New oil discovery found
published in: Minot Daily News on: 04/09/2010 by: Dave Caldwell
A large independent oil producer announced this week it has made another domestic crude discovery in North Dakota. EOG Resources told an analyst conference Wednesday that it has begun drilling on 80,000 acres near the Canadian border in the Spearfish play. The play is part of the Waskada South Field, an extension of Manitoba’s Waskada Field.
Utah
Utah oil lease sales continue to plunge
published in: Salt Lake Tribune on: 04/14/2010 by: Patty Henetz
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will offer six Utah parcels totaling just under 5,000 acres during a quarterly oil and gas lease auction May 25 — two more parcels than the last sale, but far fewer than any other auction since 1998. At the top of the list of reasons for the decline: economics. Natural gas prices are relatively low, experts say, and fields in Texas, Wyoming and the East Coast have proven richer and easier to get at than in Utah.
Harvest Natural Resources expands drilling in Utah
published in: Associated Press on: 04/12/2010 by: Staff
Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. said Monday it plans to spend $16.1 million to expand its oil exploration operations in Utah. Harvest, which already has drilled test wells in the state, said it wants to tap another five wells in the second half of the year. The wells will be drilled to explore the extent of oil deposits in the Lower Green River and Upper Wasatch formations in the Uintah Basin.
Wyoming
Industry, enviros comment on Wyo. oil-gas rules
published in: Associated Press on: 04/13/2010 by: Mead Gruver
Wyoming needs to strike a balance in requiring the energy industry to disclose the mix of chemicals it uses to boost the productivity of oil and gas fields, Gov. Dave Freudenthal said Tuesday. Presiding over a Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission public hearing, Freudenthal closely questioned an attorney for Halliburton Co. about where the oilfield services company stands on disclosing chemicals used in the increasingly prevalent technique of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”
Wyoming delays fracking decision
published in: Billings Gazette/Casper Star-Tribune on: 04/13/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer
State regulators will take more time to consider several proposed rule changes for the oil and gas industry, including more stringent reporting requirements regarding chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. Members of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which includes Gov. Dave Freudenthal, indicated that while they want the new reporting requirements to be user-friendly for the industry, the industry is unlikely to escape more stringent requirements altogether.
Wyoming Pipeline Authority Public Meeting Notice
April 20, 2010 in Casper, WY at 10:00 a.m.
The meeting will be held at the
Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, located at 2211 King Boulevard, Casper, WY.
Contact Brian Jeffries or Colby Drechsel or call (307) 237-5009.
Washington Watch
Coal chiefs go on offensive as Pickens pushes case for natural gas
published in: E&E ClimateWire/New York Times on: 04/15/2010 by: Joel Kirkland
A dramatic preamble to an upcoming climate policy fight played out yesterday on Capitol Hill, pitting the coal, oil and natural gas industries against each other as lawmakers fired up debate about powering a low-carbon U.S. economy. In an austere House hearing room, top executives from the nation’s three largest coal producers emphasized their collective role as sources of cheap electricity. The coal chiefs warned against a “dash to gas” and tried to poke holes in an emerging conventional wisdom that the North American natural gas supply is abundant enough and cheap enough to replace King Coal.
Climate bill would curb EPA
published in: Politico on: 04/14/2010 by: Lisa Lerer
Efforts to limit the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gases has emerged as a major battleground in the climate debate, as three key senators move toward releasing the first draft of their revamped climate bill. Recent drafts of the legislation would hobble the EPA by limiting the agency’s regulatory powers under the Clean Air Act, according to lawmakers and lobbyists familiar with the bill.
House Republicans assail Obama plan to curb oil subsidies (subscription required)
published in: E&E News on: 04/14/2010 by: Mike Soraghan
House Republicans charged today that President Obama wants to raise taxes on oil and gas companies to subsidize an uncertain “clean energy” future. While expressing support for alternative fuels, Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, said Obama’s proposed elimination of $40 billion in tax subsidies for fossil fuels would discourage the search for new oil and gas reserves.
GAO Report: Interior Fails to Accurately Track Oil and Gas Production on Federal Leases
published in: E&E News/New York Times on: 04/14/2010 by: Noelle Straub
Interior Department policies don’t ensure accurate measurement of oil and gas production on federal leases that generates billions of dollars in royalty payments each year, according to a government audit released today. Limited oversight, gaps in staff skills, failure to update measurement regulations, inconsistent policies, lack of coordination and a failure to determine its authority over key oil and gas infrastructure have hindered Interior’s ability to accurately verify production levels, the Government Accountability Office found.
Senate road for ‘energy only’ isn’t as easy as some would hope
published in: E&E News/New York Times on: 04/14/2010 by: Mike Soraghan
Looming just behind the climate change negotiators laboring in Senate conference rooms is “Plan B” — an “energy only” bill that is smaller in scope and enjoys bipartisan support. There is a committee-passed bill (S. 1462) waiting in the wings that has more offshore drilling for Republicans and more renewable energy requirements for Democrats.
Republicans renew inquiry into Interior’s monument plans (subscription required)
published in: E&E News on: 04/14/2010 by: Patrick Reis
House Republicans today introduced a resolution calling on the Obama administration to release information on its alleged plans to declare new national monuments on federal lands in the West. The resolution from Reps. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Rob Bishop (R-Utah) asks the Interior Department to release all materials surrounding a leaked list of potential sites for designation as national monuments under the Antiquities Act. The 1906 law allows the president to designate monuments without congressional approval if he deems them in need of immediate protection (E&ENews PM, Feb. 18)
Some Republicans say open to climate bill
published in: Washington Post/Reuters on: 04/13/2010 by: Richard Cowam
Some prominent Republican senators expressed openness on Tuesday to a U.S. climate change bill that might be introduced next week and that would need bipartisan support to have any chance of advancing. Senator Lamar Alexander, a member of the Republican leadership in the Senate, praised the sector-by-sector approach in a compromise bill aimed at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
‘CLEAR Act’ gains attention, good and bad, as climate bills race for finish (subscription required)
published in: E&E ClimateWire on: 04/13/2010 by: Evan Lehmann
A back-seat climate bill got a boost yesterday with claims that it could cut emissions more cheaply than the anticipated measure scheduled for release next week by a Senate trio entrusted by the White House. It comes as friction appears to be rising between the Senate’s two climate camps, and critics dismissed the findings as wrong. The Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University Law School contends in an analysis that the “CLEAR Act” sponsored by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) could help businesses diminish greenhouse gas emissions more affordably by establishing a nationwide price on carbon.
Interior to compare U.S. oil-and-gas royalty rates with other countries
published in: The Hill on: 04/12/2010 by: Ben Geman
The Interior Department on Monday announced it is reviewing whether royalty rates that oil-and-gas producers pay for projects on federal lands and in federal waters are too low. An upcoming study will examine financial rules for oil-and-gas in other countries and compare them with U.S. practices.
Boren wants to talk to Obama about natural gas
published in: News OK on: 04/09/2010 by: Chris Casteel
U.S. Rep. Dan Boren, the Muskogee Democrat who is the co-leader of a special congressional group that promotes natural gas, released a letter today that he and a Pennsylvania Republican sent to President Barack Obama. The letter, written with Rep. Tim Murphy, whose state is cashing in on a natural gas boom, invites Obama to meet with the Natural Gas Caucus. Despite his attention to developing clean energy, Obama has given short shrift to natural gas, according to those in the industry. It’s yet to be seen whether natural gas will have a specific role in an energy/climate change bill expected to be unveiled soon in the U.S. Senate.
Oil drilling prompts Al Gore’s first public split with President Obama
published in: The Hill on: 04/08/2010 by: Russell Berman
President Barack Obama’s decision to allow expanded offshore oil drilling prompted the first public criticism of his administration from Al Gore’s environmental advocacy group, the Alliance for Climate Protection. The organization, which the former vice president founded and chairs, put out a statement last week opposing the new policy. The statement is significant because it marks Gore’s first break with Obama on his signature policy issue, nearly two years after Gore’s enthusiastic endorsement gave the Illinois senator a jolt of momentum following the divisive Democratic presidential primary.
Media Watch
Op-ed: U.S. must tap natural gas
published in: Politico on: 04/13/2010 by: T. Boone Pickens
This is a tale of two countries — and two energy futures. In spite of promises to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, the United States continues to import nearly two-thirds of its daily oil requirements. Meanwhile, China has quietly and effectively been locking in long-term oil supplies to make certain that its internal needs will be met when the world’s economies rebound and global oil production has peaked.
Crapo: Feds Overreaching on Water Policy
published in: Roll Call on: 04/12/2010 by: Sen. Mike Crapo, (R-ID)
Americans rely on water for everything from individual survival to agriculture, commerce, transportation, recreation and energy. In the western United States, water is the lifeblood of many communities, and we take pride in our efforts and successes in managing it. To the dismay of many people, there has been an aggressive push in recent years to drastically expand federal regulatory powers over water.
Editorial: Royalty Rip-Off
published in: New York Times on: 04/11/2010 by: Editorial Staff
A sloppily written law passed by Congress 15 years ago has cost the country several billion dollars in lost oil royalties in the Gulf of Mexico and threatens to cost the country billions more. Representative Edward Markey has been trying, without success, to fix the law. He argues that the profit-rich oil companies are absconding with money that rightly belongs to American taxpayers.
Environment and Wildlife
Feds: Wyo. pocket gopher listing not warranted
published in: Associated Press on: 04/14/2010 by: Mead Gruver
There is no clear evidence that gas drilling, wind energy development, climate change and other factors are harming the Wyoming pocket gopher and justify protecting the animal under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday. The Wyoming pocket gopher is a palm-sized, burrowing rodent that carries food in fur-lined cheek pouches. The animal is among several pocket gopher species in the West and exists in small numbers in a relatively small area in south-central Wyoming.
Piping better than trucking for grouse
published in: Jackson Hole News & Guide on: 04/14/2010 by: Cory Hatch
Conservation groups say they’re encouraged by preliminary findings from the Pinedale Anticline that show using pipes instead of trucks to transport liquids associated with natural-gas production is better for sage grouse. Still, some groups say drilling fewer wells is the best way to protect the species, which was placed on the candidate list for Endangered Species Act protection earlier this year.
Federal agencies agree to help sage grouse in West
published in: Associated Press on: 04/13/2010 by: Bob Moen
Farmers and ranchers in 11 western states should be able to protect both their operations and sage grouse habitat through an agreement between two federal agencies. The arrangement announced Tuesday by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar involves the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service.
Device to limit methane emissions certified for GHG offsets (subscription required)
published in: E&E News on: 04/09/2010 by: Phil Taylor
Aside from helping the environment, the oil and gas sector now has another reason to curb emissions of heat-trapping methane. The American Carbon Registry said it has approved a process for energy companies to collect carbon offset credits by retrofitting gas wells with devices designed to reduce emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas more than 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide.
Technology, Alternative & Renewables
Chinese Turbines Spun by Texas Winds Spur ‘Buy American’ Push
published in: Bloomberg on: 04/13/2010 by: Kim Chipman
Chinese turbines powered by west Texas winds are sparking a debate over whether “Buy American” rules should be imposed on renewable-energy investments backed by the U.S. government. A-Power Energy Generation Systems Ltd., based in Shenyang, China, will supply turbines to a joint venture planning to build a $1.5 billion wind farm using equipment made in China. The group, which includes two U.S. partners, says it may seek financial aid from the Obama administration because the project will create at least 1,000 American jobs.
Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) Informational Meeting
May 4, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
The AGA-ANGA Natural Gas Transportation Collaborative Task Force seeks to advance the production and use of natural gas as a transportation fuel. The task force is focused on legislative advocacy, infrastructure development/business models, fleet conversions and manufacturer outreach, and marketing and education. Click here for the agenda.
RSVP to Janet Flanigan at 303-672-6984 or janet.flanigan@questar.com
Markets
Some shift focus from natural gas to oil
published in: Houston Chronicle on: 04/14/2010 by: Tom Fowler
The U.S. energy industry spent the past year beating the drum for natural gas, telling lawmakers and anyone would listen how important the fuel is. But some companies are putting a renewed emphasis on good old-fashioned oil production as they talk to Wall Street. The reason: Natural gas prices are down 30 percent from the beginning of the year, with a flat to negative outlook for the rest of 2010.
Energy Analyst Sees Stable Oil Prices Ahead
published in: National Journal on: 04/13/2010 by: Tom Risen
Jorge Pinon has worked in the oil business since starting at Shell Oil in 1975, eventually becoming president of Amoco Oil Latin America. He currently works as an energy consultant and analyst of Latin American energy politics. In an interview with NationalJournal.com, Pinon talked about the pursuit of black gold and alternative energy.
World oil demand to hit record high this year: IEA
published in: Reuters on: 04/13/2010 by: Christopher Johnson
Global oil demand will hit a record high this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday, revising up consumption estimates as the world economy recovers from recession. The Paris-based adviser to industrialized economies raised its forecast for world oil demand growth this year to 1.67 million barrels per day (bpd), up 100,000 bpd. The agency said in its monthly Oil Market Report that world oil demand would reach an average of 86.60 million bpd this year, up from 84.93 million in 2009.
What if shale gas doesn’t show up?
published in: Houston Chronicle on: 04/08/2010 by: Tom Fowler
Yes, I know this won’t play well with everyone in Houston busy in shale plays, but… Frank Clemente, a professor at Penn State University, believes the recent calls for mass shut-downs of U.S. coal power plants in exchange for natural gas-fired power plants is a bit short-sighted. Sure, the potential for shale gas has been touted as huge. But with the steady decline of conventional gas resources between now and 2020, shales are expected to take up 60 percent of the slack.
Industry News and Events
Coalbed methane discharge harmless, study shows
published in: Billings Gazette on: 04/12/2010 by: Jennifer McKee
Results of a seven-year study show that the salty water pumped to the surface to extract southeastern Montana’s coalbed methane is not having harmful effects on farms or crops. However, area farmers said the study is flawed. State regulators said it didn’t adequately consider one specific type of soil, even as they praised the results as evidence that Montana’s cautious approach to methane development has paid off.
Exxon urging disclosure of fracking chemicals
published in: Star-Telegram/Bloomberg on: 04/13/2010 by: Joe Carroll
Exxon Mobil is urging oilfield service companies to disclose the chemicals used in a drilling method that cracks open geologic formations to release natural gas. Exxon, which agreed in December to pay $29.2 billion for Fort Worth-based XTO Energy, said today in a proxy statement that it wants ingredients used in fracturing fluids disclosed to assuage concerns of landowners.
SPE Environmental Study Group
April 27, 2010 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (bring your own sack lunch)
Daniel Pring, Buys & Associates, Inc. will be discussing recent developments in EPA Air Quality Regulations . Non-SPE members are welcome to join.
Location: Halliburton Energy Services, Main Conference Room (CHASE Building), 1125 Seventeenth Street, Suite 1900, Denver CO 80202
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has several regulatory actions finalized or pending concerning air quality issues for which Oil and Gas operators will potentially be subject to. Among the pending regulatory issues are:
• Greenhouse Gas Mandatory Reporting Requirements , Subpart W Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems (Upstream Operations) – Proposed Rule Published: 3/22/10
• Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Title V Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule – Proposed Rule
• NAAQS – NOx 1-hour Standard, Final Rule Effective: 4/12/10
• NAAQS – Primary/Secondary Ozone Standard review
There is no registration fee or RSVP necessary to attend.
Bakken and Beyond!
May 2 – 4, 2010 in Bismarck, North Dakota
The 18th Williston Basin Petroleum Conference & Expo will be held May 2 – 4, 2010 in Bismarck, North Dakota.Technical presentations will be the highlight of the Conference, as industry experts from across North America cover all the “Hot Plays” in the Williston Basin including the Bakken, Three Forks, and Lodgepole, along with talks on deep and shallow gas plays and CO2-EOR opportunities in the Basin. In addition, crude oil transportation issues and a panel on Bakken fracture stimulation techniques will be of great interest to attendees. Keynote speakers include North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, Clarence Cazalot of Marathon Oil Company, and Jim Volker of Whiting Oil and Gas. Click here to learn more.
GHG Information Session: Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule- What to Expect and When
May 4, 2010 from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Buys & Associates, Inc. will be hosting an information seminar on Tuesday, to discuss the EPA’s Proposed GHG Reporting Rule. The workshop will include:
• Operations affected by proposed rule
• Reporting Thresholds
• Reporting Requirements
• Additional Requirements
• Suggestions for moving forward/future compliance (how to prepare)
Location: Buys & Associates’ Corporate Headquarters, 300 E. Mineral Avenue, Suite 10. Littleton, CO 80122
Please RSVP to Lauren MacMillan or (303) 781-8211 ext. 237
Environmental Learning for Kids Cast-a-Line BBQ
May 15, 2010 at Lake Lehow, Colorado
Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) is hosting it’s spring fishing event, Cast-a-Line, on Saturday, May 15th from 11 – 3 at Lake Lehow in southwest Denver. Click here for more information or visit the ELK website, www.elkkids.org.
University of Wyoming Energy Resources and Produced Waters Conference
May 25-26 2010 in Laramie, WY
Final call for Presentations and Registration is still open. The Energy Resources Produced Water Conference, convened by the University of Wyoming’s Ruckelshaus Institute and the School of Energy Resources, is intended to advance the understanding of current research and monitoring projects related to the management, treatment, protection, and use of water associated with energy development in Wyoming and the West. The conference will cover produced water issues from various types of energy development, including, oil, gas, coalbed natural gas, coal mining, uranium, and carbon sequestration.
The format for the two-day conference will consist of oral presentations in concurrent sessions as well as a display of posters. Click here to learn more.
Institute for Energy Research’s 2nd Annual Houston Luncheon
June 4, 2010 in Houston, TX
The Institute for Energy Research (IER) will have John Stossel, Fox Business Anchor, as their keynote speaker at their 2nd Annual Luncheon.
For additional event and sponsorship questions, contact Nancy Bradley at events@iertx.org or call (713) 591-1732. Click here for more information and registration.
BENPOSIUM
June 7-10, 2010 in Houston, TX
The most comprehensive natural gas symposium that applies the “fundamentals” perspective to how production, capacity, flow, inventories and demand interact to drive prices, trading opportunities and marketing and investing strategies. The goal of BENPOSIUM is to provide executives, analysts, traders and investors for an in-depth look at the shifting energy market dynamics and how these developments are the reshaping natural gas and power industry landscape. Click here to view the agenda and to register.
Content Policy
