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Lifting Oil Export Ban Left out of Bipartisan Senate Energy Bill

The leaders of the Senate energy panel released a bill Wednesday that includes measures to promote energy efficiency and protect the electric grid from cyber threats, but avoids the controversial issue of lifting a ban on exporting U.S. oil. The bill was drafted by both Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, the Republican chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Maria Cantwell, the panel’s top Democrat. A similar bill is advancing in the Republican-led House. “This represents the universe of where there is bipartisan agreement,” Robert Dillon, a Republican spokesman for the Senate committee, said. Congress hasn’t passed major energy legislation since 2007, as the parties have clashed over renewable energy commitments and projects like the Keystone XL pipeline to link Canadian heavy crude with U.S. refineries. The bill, which the committee will begin debating on July 28 and may vote on later that week, is the common […]

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Murkowski breaks rank on oil tie to highway funding

Measure aimed at keeping highway trust fund afloat with oil sales draws criticism from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, vocal supporter of the industry. File photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI WASHINGTON, July 22 (UPI) — Sen. Lisa Murkowski , a vocal supporter of the oil industry, said selling oil from strategic national reserves to fund highway projects was bad policy. Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairperson of the Senate Energy Committee, criticized the so-called bipartisan DRIVE Act, a measure aimed at generating $9 billion for the federal highway trust fund, by suggesting it puts national security interests at risk . "The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a vital national security asset that must be maintained in case of serious future supply disruptions," Murkowski said. "While I recognize that a long-term highway bill is a priority, a shortsighted sale that undermines our emergency preparedness could have real and lasting impacts on our security." Senate Majority Leader Mitch […]

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Congress Eyes Sales From Nation’s Oil Stockpile for Highway Funding

By Amy Harder And Nicole Friedman WASHINGTON–Lawmakers are eyeing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a piggy bank, but not without controversy. The Senate is considering legislation that would partly replenish the U.S. highway trust fund with $9 billion worth of sales from the reserve, which at 695.1 million barrels of oil is close to its 713.5-million-barrel capacity. This month, the House passed a bill to sell 80 million barrels from the reserve to raise $7 billion to help pay for legislation to boost government drug approvals and research funding. But proposals to tap the nation’s oil stockpile as a way to pay for unrelated government programs have drawn opposition. The Senate Energy Committee chairman, the U.S. energy secretary and oil industry analysts all criticize the move as shortsighted. The sale of crude from the reserve is one of about 15 new funding sources that Senate leaders want to use […]

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US Senate energy bill to speed LNG exports, clarify SPR sales limits

Key US senators have reached a deal on a broad package of energy sector reforms that if enacted would speed decision-making on liquefied natural gas exports, focus the intent of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and require reviews of how federal rules impact electric system reliability. The agreement on the bipartisan legislative package follows a number of Senate hearings in recent months and lawmakers’ consideration of more than 100 bills offered for inclusion in the wider package. The bill unveiled Wednesday is also the result of negotiations between the two leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee — Chairman Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell of Washington — and their staffs, and debate and voting — a markup — of the bill is scheduled to begin in the week starting July 27. A major provision in the bill will speed decision-making on LNG exports by […]

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For G.O.P., Pope Francis’s Visit to Congress Comes With Tensions

Photo Speaker John A. Boehner at a news conference this month. The pope’s visit will fulfill a long-held dream of Mr. Boehner, who has extended offers to popes for the last 20 years. Credit Zach Gibson/The New York Times WASHINGTON — In the Reading, Ohio, neighborhood where Speaker John A. Boehner grew up, nearly every house had two things on the wall: a crucifix and a photo of the pope. “You never ever expected to meet the pope,” said Jerry Vanden Eynden, a lifelong friend of Mr. Boehner’s. “In all of our minds, the pope was the closest thing to meeting God in person here on earth.” When Pope Francis comes to Capitol Hill in September, he will be the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of Congress, where more than 30 percent of the members are Catholic. The visit will fulfill a long-held dream of Mr. Boehner, […]

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OPEC influence debated during House export hearing

Secretary General of OPEC Abdalla el Badri sits in on latest production policy meeting in Vienna. House leaders hear debate over OPEC’s market influence during hearing on U.S. crude oil export policies. File photo by Maryam Rahmanian/UPI WASHINGTON, July 9 (UPI) — U.S. House leaders heard testimony largely in support of lifting a ban on crude oil exports, though debate over OPEC’s market role emerged on the margins. The House Agriculture Committee heard testimony from industry leaders and experts largely in favor of lifting the 1970s-era ban on domestic crude oil exports. Chairman K. Michael Conway, R-Texas, said lifting the ban would have widespread benefits for the United States in the era of shale. "Lifting the oil export ban will grow our economy, it will also improve our geopolitical position and it will lower gas prices," he said in a statement. Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting […]

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Ending crude export ban would help rural US areas, House panel told

Rural US communities generally have benefited from the nation’s crude oil production renaissance, and potentially could be helped more if restrictions on exports of crude were eliminated, witnesses told a US House Agriculture Committee hearing on July 8. Texas Railroad Commission Chairman David J. Porter called the crude export ban “a leftover relic from another period of time.” Allowing more US-produced oil to be sold overseas would spur domestic production, foster economic growth, and provide direct benefits to rural America and the nation as a whole, Porter said in his written testimony. “The export ban is more than just an outdated policy,” he maintained. “Keeping it in place is actually harming our economy.” When crude prices recently dropped, Texas felt harsh economic impacts as thousands of production workers were laid off and rigs were idled, he told the committee. The number of drilling permits the commission issued fell from […]

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House revisits push for Keystone XL

House committee issues subpoena to State Department seeking all documents related to the Keystone XL oil pipeline planned to cross the U.S.-Canadian border. Photo courtesy of TransCanada WASHINGTON, July 9 (UPI) — A committee from the Republican-led House of Representatives said it issued a subpoena to the State Department on the permit process for Keystone XL . The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said it wanted "all reports, recommendations, letters, and comments received by the State Department" about the Keystone XL oil pipeline planned to cross the U.S.-Canadian border. The Republican-led Congress that took its seat in January said passing legislation to approve construction of Keystone XL, offered for U.S. federal consideration more than six years ago, was job No. 1. The pipeline has become a scapegoat for U.S. energy policies, with backers touting its energy and economic benefits, while detractors say it’s too environmentally risky to support. […]

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Senate Democrats outline broad energy goals to nation’s governors

Forty-five US Senate Democrats outlined broad energy policy goals including more clean energy technology investments, infrastructure improvement, and carbon pollution reduction in a letter seeking support from the nation’s governors. “Your feedback will help us collectively craft a path forward on an energy policy that unleashes America’s limitless capacity for innovation, rewards middle-class families for making smart energy choices, and keeps our air and water clean for generations to come,” Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.), Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Minority Member Maria E. Cantwell (Wash.), and 43 other Senate Democrats said in their June 29 letter . Their call for more clean energy investments included low-carbon fossil fuels as well as renewable technology, storage, and advanced grid systems. The nation’s infrastructure should be modernized to make it more reliable and resilient with a safe structure from physical and cybersecurity threats, they recommended. Business and individual […]

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Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski ties Iran to U.S. oil export debate

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said crude oil prices would likely fall if more Iranian oil enters the market. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI WASHINGTON, June 24 (UPI) — Iranian sanctions should stay in place as long as policymakers keep a ban on domestic crude oil exports in force, a report from U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowksi read. Debate is heating up ahead of a June 30 deadline to finalize a framework agreement that would give Iran sanctions relief in exchange for assurances against a nuclear weapon program. Iran, under the terms of a November 2013 agreement meant to curtail nuclear advancements, is limited to exports of around 1 million barrels per day, about half of the country’s full potential. The U.S. Treasury Department estimated Iran was out about $40 billion in revenue last year as a result of sanctions. Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairwoman of the Senate Energy Committee, said crude oil […]

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Climate Clashes Resume in Washington

Washington’s climate wars are heating up, with the White House and congressional Republicans both making moves this week that counter the other’s agenda. The Environmental Protection Agency released a report Monday highlighting the economic benefits of cutting carbon emissions, the first in a series of actions the administration is taking this week to bring attention to President Barack Obama ’s climate-change agenda. The focus comes two years after Mr. Obama first laid out his intentions to make acting on climate a legacy of his time in the White House during a speech at Georgetown University on June 25, 2013, where he directed EPA to write regulations cutting carbon emissions from the nation’s power plants, which at 30% are the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Other actions this week include a summit at the White House Tuesday linking climate change to public health. Mr. Obama’s climate agenda faces […]

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EPA defends controversial biofuels program at Senate hearing

WASHINGTON The U.S. environmental regulator on Thursday defended its handling of the nation’s controversial renewable fuels program at a congressional hearing, the first since its new biofuels targets last month provoked a furor among corn farmers and oil refiners. At the hearing by the Senate subcommittee on regulatory affairs and federal management, U.S. lawmakers criticized the agency for years-long delays to quotas and for last month setting unattainable targets for the amount of corn-based ethanol and other biofuels that must be used in the nation’s motor fuel supply over the next two years. They also questioned the future of the decade-old Renewable Fuels Standards (RFS), which critics say has inflated prices of food and fuel at the pump. The panel will likely increase congressional attention to the pitfalls of the decade-old biofuels policy as it faces a fresh wave of criticism from policymakers, the oil industry and environmentalists. But […]

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U.S. House mulls arctic drilling

House committee hears testimony on the wisdom of exploiting the potential reserves held in the arctic waters off the coast of Alaska. Photo by ziggysofi/Shutterstock WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) — Drilling offshore, particularly in arctic regions offshore Alaska, won’t do much to wean the United States off foreign oil, a U.S. House committee heard. A House subcommittee on energy resources held an oversight hearing on reserves thought to be in arctic waters and how they could potentially impact U.S. leverage overseas. Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas, said in early June that moving more domestic oil to the global market could "strengthen the strategic hand of the United States." Michael LeVine, a senior counsel on the Pacific region for advocacy group Oceana, told the House committee that arctic waters alone weren’t enough to protect the U.S. economy from overseas shocks. "Offshore drilling in the United States, particularly in the Arctic […]

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Peak Oil in the Congressional record

Even the most ardent techno-optimists and economists admit there are limited supplies of fossil fuels, but that we don’t need to worry for a long time. It appears they have succeeded in convincing the government they’re right, because there are only 2 documents about planning for peak oil that I’m aware of at the federal level (several cities have peak oil task force recommendations): Hirsch, R. L., et al. February 2005. Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, mitigation, & risk management . Department of Energy. GAO. 2007. Crude oil. Uncertainty about future oil supply makes it important to develop a strategy for addressing a peak and Decline in Oil Production . U.S. Government Accountability Office. Congress is very aware of our energy situation, they just don’t call it “peak oil” very often. You’ll get a lot of hits on “energy security” or “energy crisis” at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/ The problem is […]

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U.S. should ditch ‘outdated’ oil export ban: Harvard

BOSTON The United States must lift an "outdated" ban on oil exports to take full economic and geopolitical advantage of its hydraulic fracturing boom, according to a study by Harvard Business School and Boston Consulting Group released on Wednesday. Lifting the 40 year-old ban imposed after the Arab oil embargo and easing restrictions on liquefied natural gas export terminals would add $23 billion to the economy by 2030, create tens of thousands of jobs, and provide the United States with additional clout overseas, the paper said. "Our energy resources have given the U.S. important new diplomatic tools that can aid allies and counteract the ability of unfriendly countries to use oil and gas access to achieve political aims," according to the research authored by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter and Boston Consulting Group’s David Gee and Gregory Pope. "Today, the ban on crude exports … is reducing market […]

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Heitkamp Urges Repeal of Oil Export Ban

U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp (ND) Heidi Heitkamp, U.S. Senator from North Dakota is urging lawmakers to repeal a 1970’s era ban on oil exports. Related: Oil Export Ban May Hurt Economy Taking the Senate floor last month, Heitkamp said that the existing restrictions on U.S. oil producers are harming America’s competitiveness. Heitkamp hopes to level the playing field by doing away with restrictions that hinder America’s economic growth and that threaten our long-term goal of becoming energy independent. Not everyone is in favor of lifting the ban, however. Athan Manual, the director of the Lands Protection Program at the Sierra Club, said his biggest concern is how increased oil consumption around the world will impact climate change. “We don’t think we should be exporting global warming, basically, to other countries,” he said. “We think all the countries in the world should do what the U.S. is doing and dramatically […]

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House energy chair supports lifting oil export ban

WASHINGTON The Republican chairman of the House of Representatives’ energy panel on Tuesday said he favored lifting the 40-year-old ban on U.S. oil exports, a move that could boost support for legislation in the chamber. "Oil exports can be a win for the American people and a win for our allies," said Representative Fred Upton of Michigan in prepared remarks at a hearing. Upton’s backing could clear the path for other representatives to support a bill in the House to overturn the trade restriction Congress enacted in the 1970s after the Arab oil embargo. The measure currently has 40 co-sponsors in the 435-member House. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, introduced a bill to overturn the ban last month. It has 13 co-sponsors, including one Democrat. Oil producers eager to ship to markets in Asia and Europe say the ban would cause a glut […]

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Chevron shareholders vote for political spending

SAN RAMON, Calif., May 28 (UPI) — Chevron’s top executive said the company would vet the shoot down of proposals to spend less on political maneuvering and more on environmental issues. Chevron stockholders voted on 13 items , with just under half of them tied in part to political or environmental issues. More than 70 percent of the shareholders voted against reports on lobbying and nearly all of them voted against an end to using corporate funds for political purposes. On environmental issues, 91 percent voted against a proposal to cut greenhouse gas emissions and 80 percent voted against a move to consider an independent director with environmental expertise. "The board will consider the final voting results carefully," Chairman John Watson said in a statement. Chevron has pressed for expanded options for exports of natural gas produced from domestic U.S. resources. A special permit is required to send liquefied […]

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Senate likely to vote on allowing crude exports in 2015, Hoeven says

WASHINGTON, DC, May 20 Ending the US crude oil export ban will produce such significant energy, economic, and geopolitical benefits that it appears likely to come to a Senate vote during 2015, Energy and Commerce Committee member John Hoeven (D-ND) predicted. “Low prices or high prices, we’ll be in a better place economically if US producers can compete globally,” he said in keynote remarks at a May 20 forum sponsored by the American Council for Capital Formation. “We’ll need the right mix of pipelines, rails, and roads, but it will be a net win for the country and for consumers.” Other speakers at the event, where ACCF released a new report, “ Crude Oil Exports: Economic and Geopolitical Impacts ,” said it’s difficult to determine the White House’s actual stand on the idea of repealing the crude export ban which was imposed 2 years after the 1973 Arab oil […]

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What would it take to free U.S. oil exports?

WASHINGTON Lawmakers pushing to repeal the 1970s-era ban on U.S. oil exports face a steep obstacle: The Obama administration sees no need to fully remove the restriction while the country is still importing part of its oil supply. And many politicians are wary of a voter backlash if gasoline prices go up just as they open the door to exports. However, Senator Lisa Murkowski, the Republican head of her chamber’s energy committee, is expected to introduce a bill as soon as Tuesday night that would lift the ban Congress passed in 1975 after the Arab oil embargo created fears of global shortages. While there is plenty of resistance in Congress against lifting the ban, the prospects for a reversal could improve under some of the following conditions: THE US OIL PRICE DROPS FURTHER Mainly because of the U.S. oil glut, domestic crude producers now get about $6 a barrel […]

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Murkowski wants clarity on condensates

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduces bill that would clarify federal definition of condensate, an ultra-light form of crude oil cleared at times for exports from the domestic market. File Photo by UPI/Molly Riley. WASHINGTON, May 8 (UPI) — Federal law lacks a clear definition of condensate, a light form of oil found in shale and cleared for exports, a bill tabled by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski read. Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairwoman of the Senate Energy Committee, introduced 17 separate energy measures. Among them, S. 1224 seeks to standardize the federal definition and policies regarding condensate . "Many federal agencies have conflicting definitions of what qualifies as ‘condensate’ and how it differs from ‘crude oil,’" a background on the so-called Condensate Act reads. "In common parlance, one man’s ‘heavy condensate’ is another man’s ‘light crude.’" When last year the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security, a division of the Commerce Department, […]

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Senator Murkowski plans bill to kill oil export ban

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski said on Thursday she will unveil a bill next week that would reverse the 40-year-old ban on U.S. oil exports. Murkowski, the Republican chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said she would unveil the bill on Tuesday, although it was uncertain when the measure would get a vote in her committee. Murkowski has been one of the biggest supporters of reversing the ban Congress passed in 1975 after the Arab oil embargo led to fears of energy shortages. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner ; Editing by Will Dunham )

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Curb gas flaring, U.S. lawmakers say

U.S. lawmakers press for better rules on controlling gas flared from federal deposits. Photo by Steve Oehlenschlager/Shutterstock WASHINGTON, May 7 (UPI) — The U.S. Interior Department needs to take steps to ensure gas associated with produced reserves isn’t wasted, or flared, bicameral leaders said. House and Senate Democrats issued a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewel urging her to review a report from the Government Accountability Office finding federal standards on gas capturing are behind the curve . The letter states most of the gas vented from federal lands is methane, a potent greenhouse gas. "Eliminating this waste not only would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to removing some 3.1 million cars from the road, but would generate $23 million annual for the [federal government]," the letter read. Jewell said in March her agency would propose "in the coming months" standards meant to cut emissions and reduce the […]

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Senate Passes Bill Giving Congress Review of Iran Nuclear Deal

ENLARGE Sen. John Cornyn leaves a Republican meeting after an agreement was reached to vote on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act in Washington on Thursday. Photo: JIM LO SCALZO/EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY WASHINGTON—The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bill establishing Congress’s right to weigh in on global negotiations to curb Iran’s nuclear program. The 98-1 vote capped weeks of bipartisan efforts to strike a delicate deal on the legislation and then protect it from unraveling on the Senate floor in what is likely the high-water mark for congressional consensus on the nuclear negotiations. The bill from Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) would prevent Mr. Obama from waiving sanctions on Iran for 30 days while Congress initially reviews a final agreement to diminish Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Lawmakers would then be able to vote on whether to disapprove of the deal, or take no action. “I […]

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What the Senate’s Iran Legislation Means

What does the bill do? The legislation would require President Barack Obama to submit any deal with Iran to Congress within five days, and would prevent the president from waiving sanctions on Iran for 30 days while Congress initially reviewed a final agreement to diminish Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Lawmakers would then be able to vote on whether to disapprove of the deal, or they could take no action. If Congress passed a resolution rejecting any agreement, Mr. Obama would have 12 days to veto the measure. If he vetoed it, Congress would have 10 days to try to override his veto, which requires a two-thirds majority. Under the legislation, the administration would have to provide detailed reports to Congress on Iran’s terrorist activities and certify to lawmakers every 90 days that Iran is complying with the nuclear agreement. Congress is a whole branch of government. Why does it need […]

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In Pitch to End Crude Export Ban, Drillers Promise Cheaper Fuel

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, the Republican chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg The oil industry has a new sales pitch for you: Support efforts to lift the 40-year-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports, and reap the reward of cheaper gasoline. If you’re dubious, you’re not the only one. And that’s the challenge for critics of the export ban, who know they won’t get anywhere unless they can persuade consumers to come on board. The politics are clear. Because voters think the ban saves them money at the pump, most lawmakers won’t touch it. The industry’s top leaders and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, the Republican chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, hope to offset that idea using reports from the Brookings Institution and the U.S. government that say the opposite is true. “As long as lawmakers are fearful that there […]

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U.S. frontier energy plans under fire

Frontier developments planned in U.S. territorial waters criticized for lack of transparency and over complaints of state authority. Photo by num_skyman/UPI WASHINGTON, April 28 (UPI) — A South Carolina congressman’s question over state authority over maritime territory and concerns about transparency may curb frontier U.S. oil developments. U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford , R-S.C., was joined by state and local officials in expressing opposition to permits to conduct seismic testing to get a better understanding of potential oil and gas reserves off the coast of South Carolina. The U.S. Interior Department in February released a draft proposal for 2017-22 for access to federal waters. Ten leases are planned for the Gulf of Mexico, three for offshore Alaska and one, a debut, for waters in the Atlantic. Sanford said state authorities are sidelined from the federal decision-making process for operations off their coasts. "It makes little sense to even conduct tests […]

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Upper East Coast US Senate, House members oppose Atlantic leasing

Observing both Earth Day and the fifth anniversary of the Macondo deepwater well accident and crude oil spill , US Senate and House members—largely Democrats from Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states—introduced bills to stop federal offshore oil and gas leasing off the Atlantic coast. The measures were responses to the US Bureau of Ocean Management’s draft proposed 2017-22 Outer Continental Shelf management program, which would include a single Mid-Atlantic lease sale in 2021 ( OGJ Online, Jan. 27, 2015 ). “Imagine the devastation an oil spill in the Atlantic would cause—not just to my home state of New Jersey, but to states up and down the East Coast,” said Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), primary sponsor of S. 1042, the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act. “The Jersey Shore’s tourism industry alone generates $38 billion/year and directly supports almost half a million jobs,” he said in an Apr. 22 […]

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House GOP wants more Atlantic leases in offshore drilling plan

Obama administration’s latest offshore drilling plan proposes just 14 leases. Photo by Kyle Waters/Shutterstock WASHINGTON, April 16 (UPI) — The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing Wednesday on the Obama administration’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2017-2022. The U.S. Interior Department released a draft proposal in January for access to federal waters for exploration and drilling. While an Atlantic Ocean area was included for the first time, the proposal was met with frustration by Sen. Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska, as the proposal came on the heels of the closure of parts of Alaska’s wilderness area to energy companies. "The Obama Administration often touts that it is committed to promoting oil and gas production on federal lands, including the Outer Continental Shelf," said Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn, R-Colo. "However their draft five year lease […]

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House passes Keystone XL legislation; will test veto pen

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., may face presidential showdown as Keystone XL bill moves up the steps of Capitol Hill. UPI/Kevin Dietsch The House of Representatives passed the bill with a vote of 270-152. Twenty-nine Democrats joined House Republicans in the vote for the legislation. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., was the only Republican to vote against the measure. A coalition of energy groups in the United States issued letters to the House in support of the legislation, which is meant to advance the construction of the pipeline meant to cross the U.S.-Canadian border. James P. Hoffa , president of the powerful Teamsters Union, said building the pipeline would bring net benefits to the United States. "If the pipeline is not built, important socio-economic benefits will not be realized," his letter reads. The House took up a Senate bill sponsored by Sen. John Hoeven , R-N.D., to build the pipeline. Hoeven […]

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Oil, gas infrastructure investments essential, House panel told

WASHINGTON, DC, Feb. 4 02/04/2015 Investments in oil and gas transportation and storage should move ahead because they are essential in continuing the US economic recovery and North American energy renaissance, witnesses told a US House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee. “There is a growing awareness that this is a unique American moment,” American Petroleum Institute Pres. Jack N. Gerard said during the Pipelines, Railroads and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee’s Feb. 3 hearing. “It is a moment that marks the transition from endemic energy dependence to energy security and global energy leadership—both of which have been public policy goals of every president and every Congress since the 1970s. Gerard’s testimony continued, “But to be clear, to secure this unique American moment will depend heavily on our ability to build the necessary infrastructure to achieve our nation’s full energy potential.” The unexpected collapse of crude oil prices has altered the outlook for […]

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Congress Gets Busy On Oil, Gas Issues

Republicans are wasting no time in taking on some of the energy issues that have been waiting in Congress for years, Alex Mills says. This opinion piece presents the opinions of the author. It does not necessarily reflect the views of Rigzone. For the first time since Barack Obama became President, Republicans took control of the U.S. House and Senate, and they wasted no time in taking on some of the energy issues that have been languishing in the Congress for years. Senate Republicans made good on a pledge to pass the long-pending Keystone XL oil pipeline on Jan. 29. Senators voted 62-36 on the bill to bypass the Obama administration’s delaying tactics on the Keystone XL, only 5 short of the number needed to override a presidential veto, which is expected. All Republicans present voted for the bill, as did nine Democrats. Approving the Keystone XL has been […]

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Murkowski: Obama’s Alaska move an act of war

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, says proposal to set aside more state acreage as a wilderness reserve is an act of war on a state that depends on oil revenue. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (UPI) — The Obama administration has declared war on the economic future of Alaska by proposing new acreage as protected wilderness, congressional leaders said. The White House announced plans Sunday to set as 12 million of the 19 million acres in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as protected wilderness . U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska, chairwoman of the Senate Energy Committee, said in a statement President Barack Obama launched an assault on the health of the state’s economy with the policy recommendation. "It’s clear this administration does not care about us, and sees us as nothing but a territory," she said in a statement. "We will fight back with every […]

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Keystone Pipeline Bill Stalls in Senate, Prolonging Debate

ENLARGE Some of more than 350 miles of pipe awaiting shipment for the Keystone XL oil pipeline is stored at Welspun Tubular, in Little Rock, Ark. Photo: Associated Press WASHINGTON—The Senate on Monday rejected a procedural motion to advance legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, prolonging the chamber’s debate over the project. Amid a partisan fight over congressional procedure and absences due to weather and other conflicts, Senate Republican leaders couldn’t amass the 60 votes needed to end debate on the bill and move toward a final vote on approving the pipeline. The procedural vote was 53-39. While enough Senate Democrats support the pipeline to clear the 60-vote hurdle, several of them are fuming over a decision last week by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) to vote against taking up Democratic amendments and to prevent Democrats from delivering one-minute floor speeches on their amendments. Their effort […]

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Democrats Push Back With Keystone Export and Steel Amendments

“The project now would simply pump American oil across the American heartland — not to… Read More Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Senate Democrats said Tuesday they’ll push amendments to legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline requiring that it’s built with domestically produced steel and that the oil it carries is used in the U.S. “The project now would simply pump American oil across the American heartland — not to be used here — but to be shipped overseas,” Senator Charles Schumer of New York , the Senate’s third-ranking Democrat, said at a news conference. With polls showing a majority of voters supporting Keystone, Democrats have sought to undermine its purported benefits to the U.S. They argue that the oil from Alberta is destined for overseas markets — an assertion disputed by pipeline builder TransCanada Corp. (TRP) Republicans have made circumventing President Barack Obama ’s review of the Keystone project, by […]

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U.S. Lobbyists Turning Down Heat on Oil Exports

ENLARGE U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) addresses the second annual Conservative Policy Summit at the Heritage Foundation Jan. 12 in Washington, DC. Getty Images For months, the nation’s oil and natural-gas industry has been urging Congress and the Obama administration to lift the decades-old ban on oil exports, arguing that doing so would bring jobs and geopolitical leverage to the U.S. Now, however, with an energy bill being debated in Congress for the first time in years, industry officials are urging lawmakers to wait, saying they want more time to lobby before senators cast votes. The issue is arising now because the Senate is debating the Keystone XL pipeline under a process in which senators are being allowed to offer a wide range of amendments on various energy issues. Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), whose home state produces nearly 40% of all U.S. oil, is sponsoring an amendment […]

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GOP leadership pushes natural gas developments

Republican leadership on Capitol Hill advance bills to facilitate natural gas deliveries. UPI/Hamid Forotan WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) — Republican leaders in the House of Representatives say the federal government needs to pick up the pace with reviewing permits for natural gas pipelines. "Ongoing delays because of a complex permitting process must not prohibit families in Kansas, and across the country, from obtaining reliable and economical heating for their homes in the winter and cooling for them in the summer," Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., said in a statement after introducing a pipeline bill Thursday. If approved, Pompeo’s measure would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve or deny applications for new projects no later than one year after receiving an application. House leaders argue gas pipeline infrastructure additions aren’t keeping pace with increasing production. Republican leaders taking control of the 114th Congress are putting energy at the top […]

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New Congress Grapples With Energy Issues

ENLARGE The John Amos coal-fired power plant is seen behind a home in Poca, West Virginia in May. With coal production slowing due to stricter environmental controls, the availability of natural gas and a shift to surface mining, the state’s coal country has been hit hard with job losses and business closures. Reuters Legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline , which lawmakers will take up as soon as this week , will open the first broad debate on energy policy in Congress in eight years and give the new Republican majority a chance to push for significant changes to President Barack Obama ’s agenda. GOP lawmakers, who now control the Senate and have a firmer hold on the House, are planning measures that would aim to spur greater development of fossil fuels and curtail a series of Mr. Obama’s environmental regulations, including ones cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Republicans are […]

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House Plans to Vote on Keystone XL Bill Friday

ByAmy Harder A sixty-foot section of pipe is lowered into a trench during construction of the Gulf Coast Project pipeline in Prague, Okla. The Gulf Coast Project is part of the Keystone XL Pipeline Project and will run from Cushing, Oklahoma to Nederland, Texas.  Bloomberg News The House is planning to vote Friday on legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), said in an interview Monday. With Republicans holding even more seats in the lower chamber after November’s elections, the measure is sure to pass. The vote will be the tenth time since 2011 that the GOP-controlled chamber has passed measures approving the controversial oil-sands pipeline, which has been under review by the Obama administration for more than six years. The most recent vote came in November, when the House  passed it 252-161 . The Senate, now also controlled by Republicans, is expected […]

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Democrats to Push Clean Energy, Export Limits in Keystone XL Pipeline Bill

ByAmy Harder Senate Democrats will introduce a series of amendments countering the GOP push to pass legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline, Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Sunday. The amendments are unlikely to change the ultimate outcome of the bill, which is expected to pass and face a potential veto from President Barack Obama . But the Democratic strategy will add more political tension to what’s expected to be a partisan showdown between Mr. Obama and Republicans pushing to approve the pipeline as their first item of business this upcoming Congress. Democrats will introduce at least three amendments that would make the Keystone measure “more of a jobs bill,” Mr. Schumer, the fourth-most-senior Democrat in the upper chamber, said Sunday on CBS ‘s “Face The Nation.” The amendments will require the steel used in the pipeline to be made in the U.S., ban exports of oil shipped through […]

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House vows to deliver on energy promises

Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich, vows to advance era of energy abundance as new GOP-led Congress readies to take its seat. UPI/Yuri Gripas. WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) — House Republicans will work to create the "architecture of abundance" needed to take advantage of North American energy leadership, a lawmaker said. The House Energy and Commerce Committee published a 105-page strategy document meant to highlight the agenda of the incoming Republican-led Congress. It says federal policies are ill-suited to develop the infrastructure needed to take advantage of the oil and gas production boost in the United States. "Creating this architecture of abundance is slowed at every step by archaic federal rules that can cause years of delays and even block some pipeline and power line projects outright," the paper reads. Rep. Fred Upton, the committee’s chairman, said the new Congress would work to advance its blueprint when it comes into power […]

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Moody’s: Mid-term elections dim federal fracing regulation prospects

Results of 2014’s congressional elections have reduced the prospect of the federal government enacting its own hydraulic fracturing regulations, Moody’s said in a Dec. 17 report. It noted that Republicans, who generally have taken the position that state regulations are sufficient, will assume control of the US Senate in addition to the House in January. This change in Washington’s political climate means oil and gas producers can avoid the consequences of higher costs from federal regulation, the New York credit rating service said. It cited an Independent Petroleum Association of America estimate that one proposal could raise costs per well by up to $100,000. “However, the biggest benefit of not having federal regulation is the time to receive permits, which likely would have slowed,” the report added. Operators face growing regulations of their exploration and development of unconventional resources on state and local levels, it continued. Courts in Pennsylvania […]

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U.S. Talking Oil Exports Just When World Needs It Least

The U.S. Congress is talking about allowing unfettered oil exports for the first time in almost four decades. Its timing couldn’t be worse. There’s space in the global market for 1 million to 1.5 million barrels a day of U.S. crude if the ban vanishes, Energy Information Administration chief Adam Sieminski told a congressional subcommittee at a Dec. 11 hearing. That would be less than 2 percent of worldwide demand . With prices sliding amid a glut, the figure is bound to be even smaller, according to consultants including Wood Mackenzie Ltd. As members of Congress promise more hearings on repealing the restrictions on oil exports, the world is awash in the stuff. Global prices have fallen by almost half since June to the lowest in five years amid slower demand growth and rising supply. What’s more, the kind of crude flowing in record volumes from U.S. shale plays […]

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Too soon to lift oil export ban, Congress hears

Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., chairman of a House energy commerce subcommittee, says during debate on export policies shale yielding an oil domestic refineries don’t want. (UPI Photo/Roger L. Wollenberg) The House Energy and Commerce Committee heard testimony Thursday on the validity of restrictions on U.S. crude oil exports at a time when production, largely from shale, is at 40-year highs. With U.S. oil production eclipsing 9 million barrels per day, those in the exploration and production sector say the time is ripe to consider repealing a 1970s-era ban on crude oil exports. Studies conducted by the Brookings Institution , IHS Energy, the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, and the U.S. Government Accountability Office found there would be consumer benefits , like low gasoline prices, from easing the restrictions, though each found lifting the ban did little to eliminate foreign dependency. Deborah Gordon, director of energy programs at the Carnegie Endowment […]

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U.S. House weighs oil export ban

House committee chaired by Rep. Fred Upton hears testimony on effectiveness of 1970s era policies restricting crude oil exports. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch) House leaders hear testimony Thursday on policies restricting crude oil exports, arguing America’s updated energy outlook mean it’s time to redraft the rules. Advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, techniques usually described under the banner of fracking, have resulted in exponential increases in U.S. oil production. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates total U.S. crude oil production will increase next year by 10 percent to average 9.42 million barrels per day, a level not seen since the 1970s. "America’s updated energy outlook necessitates the re-examination of laws conceived in an era of energy scarcity," a memo from the House Energy and Commerce reads. Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries stopped exporting oil to the United States in response to U.S. support for Israel […]

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U.S. oil group applauds pro-export bill

U.S. oil production group applauds legislation aimed at easing restrictions on crude oil exports. UPI/Gary C. Caskey Rep. Joe Barton , R-Texas, introduced a bill Tuesday that would remove all restrictions on the export of crude oil from the United States. Output from U.S. shale, he said, has placed the country as the top oil producer in the world and laws governing the market don’t reflect that position. "The most recent estimates show that the U.S. has more than enough resources to meet our domestic energy needs," he said. "In order to take full advantage of this opportunity, we need to rethink outdated laws that were passed during an era of energy scarcity." The U.S. Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the Energy Department, estimates total U.S. oil production at around 9 million barrels per day, a 13 percent increase from last year. George Baker, executive director of […]

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Republicans Use Spending Bill to Pursue Environmental Goals

@Paula Dowling You Had To Be aware that the electorate voted a shellacking of the democrats and Obama specifically to obstruct and stop their policies that hurt the American worker and companies. Hopefully the republicans will shut down the Obama government  when necessary disregarding the media hype that the Republicans would be blamed. The last shutdown really hurt the republicans, they went out and beat the Obama agenda by winning the midterms making the president and democrats the embarrassing  biggest losers ever.

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Congressman to introduce bill to lift U.S. oil export ban

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Representative Joe Barton will introduce a bill on Tuesday to lift the 40-year ban on exports of crude oil, but the measure has almost no chance of passing due to lawmaker concerns about fuel prices and costs to refiners. Barton, a Republican from Texas, will introduce a bill to lift the export ban Congress passed in the 1970s after the Arab oil embargo led to fears of fuel shortages, an aide said. The lawmaker will introduce the measure ahead of a hearing later this week by the House of Representatives subcommittee on energy and power on whether the export restriction makes sense amid the domestic drilling boom. "The Congressman is planning to drop his bill tomorrow … and he hopes the timing will make it a centerpiece piece of conversation at Thursday’s hearing," the Barton aide said. Barton, a member of the committee, believes lifting […]

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US House passes Keystone XL bill, Senate vote expected next week

Home | News & Analysis | Latest News Headlines | US House passes Keystone XL bill, Senate vote expected next week Washington (Platts)–14Nov2014/143 pm EST/1843 GMT The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the latest bill to approve the stalled Keystone XL pipeline, setting up a much-anticipated vote in the Senate next week. The House passed the bill, HR 4682, by a 252-161 vote, a widely expected result which follows eight previous votes in the House to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. The Senate is expected to vote on a companion bill as soon as Tuesday, but it remains unclear if that bill has the 60 votes to overcome a filibuster or the 67 votes to overturn a likely veto by President Barack Obama. The bills, which would immediately approve a presidential permit for Keystone XL, were introduced by Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, and Representative Bill […]

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