Archive for April, 2015

Senators propose fee on older model oil train cars

Senators propose fee on older model oil train cars

Oil train cars fees would go to train first responders, clean spills, relocate rails U.S. senators from six states on Thursday proposed that the government charge companies a special fee to ship oil, ethanol and other flammable liquids in older railroad tank cars that have been involved in fiery explosions. The fee would start at […]

New study says Texas drilling rig decline could bottom out in May

New study says Texas drilling rig decline could bottom out in May

Morgan Stanley report suggests Texas drilling outlook already improving in some top tier counties Is Texas drilling ready for an upswing this summer? A Morgan Stanley analyst says Texas operators may already be ramping up as the decline in the drilling rig count appears to be bottoming out. “Many of the second tier counties are starting to […]

Exxon Mobile Q1 profits down 46% to $4.94B

Exxon Mobile Q1 profits down 46% to $4.94B

Lowest Exxon Mobile Q1 in six years Exxon earned $4.94 billion in the first quarter, a huge sum but only about half of what the company made last year. Lower oil prices depleted both Exxon’s top and bottom lines. It was the lowest first-quarter profit for Exxon Mobil Corp. in six years, although the results […]

American energy consumption growth flat to 2040 – study

American energy consumption growth flat to 2040 – study

American energy consumption only rises slightly in industrial, commercial sectors For the first time in decades, American energy consumption is projected to remain below historical levels even as economic growth picks up, according to a study by the US Energy Information Administration. U.S. energy consumption has slowed recently and is not anticipated to return to […]

Renewable energy: All pain, little gain?

Renewable energy: All pain, little gain?

Analysts argue renewable energy leads to higher power bills for consumers, businesses Ed. note: This op-ed was written for a Canadian audience, but the renewable energy examples cited by Green and Jackson will be of interest to American audiences. BC Hydro’s planned project for a hydroelectric dam on the Peace River—known as the Site C […]

Canadian oilsands air quality not a threat to public health: study

Canadian oilsands air quality not a threat to public health: study

Slight change in oilsands air quality likely due to population increase By Katie Willis for the University of Alberta Alberta’s oilsands have been the subject of controversy and discussion for many years. But residents in the Athabasca oilsands region needn’t hold their breath about air pollution, says a professor in the University of Alberta’s School of Public […]

Governor sets aggressive California greenhouse gas reductions targets

Governor sets aggressive California greenhouse gas reductions targets

California greenhouse gas reductions to 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2013 Building on California’s ambitious effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions, Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday called on the state to further slash its carbon footprint over the next 15 years. Brown set a new target of reducing emissions to 40 per cent […]

Texas oil and gas production statistics – March 2015

Texas oil and gas production statistics – March 2015

Texas industry hard hit by lower prices, but oil and gas production maintains growth in short-term Drilling is way down, but production is up in March, according to the latest oil and gas production stats released by the Texas Railroad Commission. The Texas average rig count as of April 17, was 411, representing about 45 […]

Shell Arctic offshore drilling regulatory filings investigation sought

Shell Arctic offshore drilling regulatory filings investigation sought

Advocacy groups file petition concerning Shell Arctic offshore drilling Two groups petitioned the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday for an investigation of Royal Dutch Shell PLC and what the groups call misstatements in regulatory filings regarding the risk of a catastrophic oil spill from Arctic offshore drilling. The petition was filed Monday by Oceana […]

Total SA, BP see Q1 profit fall due to low oil prices

Total SA, BP see Q1 profit fall due to low oil prices

Total SA production rose, profits slid French energy giant Total SA says its net profit slid 20 per cent in the first quarter despite a rise in production as slumping oil prices took their toll. The company says Tuesday that net profit for the quarter was $2.66 billion, down from $3.34 billion a year earlier. […]