Nigeria: Angry Community Shuts Down Oil Wells in Bayelsa
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Bombing targets Irish drilling campaign
An energy company planning to drill for shale natural gas in Northern Ireland said the home of one of its workers was bombed. Tamboran Resources said last month it aims to drill what it says was a "scientific borehole" at a site in Northern Ireland. Since the July 21 announcement, the company said it secured an injunction that prevents outsiders from interfering with its operations because of a string of protests. The company said its workers have been the target of threats from groups worried the drilling campaign would lead to hydraulic fracturing, the controversial drilling practice dubbed fracking. A petrol bomb was thrown at the home of one of the company’s workers, though nobody was injured in the attack. "This was an orchestrated and abhorrent attack on a local family in the middle of the night," a statement published in the Daily Telegraph in London said Monday. "We […]
Japan hits Russia with more sanctions
The Japanese government said Tuesday it enacted sanctions on dozens of entities in response to Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine. Tokyo said it was imposing additional sanctions on Russia for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty through the continued support of separatists in the east of the country. Rebels there are suspected in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 last month, which left all 295 people on board dead. The list of those sanctioned include dozens of high-ranking officials in Crimea as well as Crimean oil and gas company Chernomorneftegaz. Tokyo’s sanctions follow similar actions by the U.S. and European governments targeting Russia’s energy sector. When Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveiled his list of sanctions against Russia, he sad it was in response to Russia’s occupation of the Crimean region in Ukraine and its military action in eastern Ukraine. Japan receives Russian oil through the 2,900-mile Eastern […]
Colorado energy measures praised
| License Photo Despite some outside reservations, the energy industry said Colorado has the right regulations in place for oil and gas development. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper announced a deal with environmental groups and the energy industry he said would prevent ballot measures from curbing oil and gas development in the state. The governor said he created a special task force that would outline ways to develop energy resources safely. "Colorado is fortunate to have an abundance of energy resources, and we have an obligation to develop them in a way that is safe for our residents, supports jobs and the economy, respects private property rights and protects our environment," he said in a statement Monday. Oil from Colorado accounts for one out of every 50 barrels produced in the United States and output is on the rise because of operations in the state’s Niobrara shale basin. The state […]
Pain at the pump subsiding, AAA says
The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the United States is below the $3.50 mark for the first time since March, motor club AAA says. AAA reports the national average price of $3.49 per gallon for Tuesday is lowest national average for this date in four years. Tuesday’s average price was unchanged from the previous day, though the average price at the pump has fallen steadily for about a month. A flare-up in violence in Libya and a Sunni insurgency in Iraq means supplies from two members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries may be at risk. Libyan oil production, however, remains at historic lows while the Iraqi government said July exports were higher than the previous month. AAA said prices at the pump may be influenced by crises in the Middle East and North Africa, though "special attention" was warranted for the […]
California Takes Record Amount of Oil by Rail From Utah
California , home to two-thirds of refining capacity in the western U.S. , brought in a record volume of waxy oil by rail from Utah in June as crude imports from Canada and North Dakota slid. The state, the biggest gasoline market in the U.S., received 2,737 barrels a day of oil by rail from Utah in June, almost twice the volume of the previous month and up from nothing a year ago, data on the state Energy Commission’s website showed yesterday. Canadian oil-by-rail imports dropped 25 percent to 6,669 barrels a day. North Dakota shipments shrank by 34 percent to 4,035. California’s oil-by-rail deliveries are at a seasonal record as refiners in the western U.S., lacking direct pipeline access, use trains to reach surging crude production from shale formations in the center of the country and in Canada. Utah is shipping record volumes of oil by rail as […]
Colorado Deal Would Keep Fracking Off Ballot
Gov. John Hickenlooper, right, listens as Rep. Jared Polis (D., Colo.) speaks at a Monday news conference. Associated Press DENVER—A last-minute agreement on Monday between two of Colorado’s top Democrats would keep off the November ballot a pair of anti-fracking measures that some in the party feared would weaken its candidates on Election Day. Under the deal, Democratic Rep. Jared Polis will drop his support for two ballot initiatives that would limit fracking, even though the congressman has spent millions of dollars of his own money on the effort. The lawmaker instead will support a new plan from Gov. John Hickenlooper to have a commission advise the state legislature on the best ways to address residents’ concerns about oil and natural-gas drilling. Groups aligned with Mr. Polis and critical of fracking have been pushing for ballot questions to limit the drilling practice, which prompted pro-industry groups to push a […]
Russia troops build up on Ukraine border
A Ukrainian serviceman checks cars driving away from Donetsk near the village of Maryinka, a suburb of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, on August 5, 2014. Terrified residents on August 5 fled the besieged rebel bastion of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine along a perilous humanitarian corridor, as government forces pushed their offensive to the outskirts of the city. AFP PHOTO / ANDREY KRASNOSCHEKOVAndrey Krasnoschekov/AFP/Getty Images Russia has sharply increased the number of troops and vehicles positioned on the eastern border of Ukraine in the past few days, raising fears of an invasion to stop the Ukrainian army’s recent advances against pro-Russian separatists. Moscow has around 20,000 troops deployed in battle-ready formations on the border, according to senior Nato military officers – significantly more than the 15,000 US officials said were deployed there last week. More On this story On this topic IN Europe While the number is still well below […]
Marcellus Region production continues growth
Natural gas production in the Marcellus Region exceeded 15 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) through July, the first time ever recorded, according to EIA’s latest Drilling Productivity Report . The Marcellus Region, mostly located in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, is the largest producing shale gas basin in the United States, accounting for almost 40% of U.S. shale gas production. Marcellus Region production has increased dramatically over the past four years, increasing from 2 Bcf/d in 2010 to its current level. The rig count in the Marcellus Region has remained steady at around 100 rigs over the past 10 months. Given the continued improvement in drilling productivity , which EIA measures as new-well production per rig, EIA expects natural gas production in the Marcellus Region to continue to grow. With 100 rigs in operation and with each […]
Volkswagen and Audi launch sustainability programs for US introduction of e-Golf BEV
Volkswagen of America, Inc. introduced several e-mobility sustainability initiatives to commence with the US launch of the battery-electric e-Golf ( earlier post ). These begin with an investment in carbon reduction projects via a partnership with 3Degrees to offset emissions created from e-Golf production, distribution and from the estimated emissions produced from keeping the vehicle charged through the initial 36,000 miles of its life. VoA made the announcement at the Management Briefing Seminar, hosted by the Center for Automotive Research. Volkswagen of America also selected SunPower as VW’s official solar energy partner; Bosch Automotive Service Solutions as its preferred home-charging and installation services provider; and ChargePoint to provide charging stations to the VW dealer network and to provide US e-Golf owners access to consumers to more than 18,000 charging stations nationwide. The 2015 e-Golf will go on sale later this year at participating dealerships in select states. Separately, Audi […]