Newsbrief archive for July 01, 2010

News from around the West

Proposal would limit gas drilling in White River National Forest

published in: Aspen Times on: 07/01/2010 by: Scott Condon
About 141,000 acres of sensitive lands now available for gas drilling in the White River National Forest surrounding Aspen would get special protection under new rules proposed Wednesday.

Western Governors Confront Increased Demand for Water, Energy

published in: Flathead Beacon on: 06/30/2010 by: Dan Testa
The annual conference of the Western Governors’ Association, meeting here to celebrate 100 years of its existence, provides state leaders with an amiable environment in which to discuss extraordinarily thorny problems.

Xcel switches on hybrid solar-coal power plant

published in: Denver Business Journal on: 06/30/2010 by: Cathy Proctor
Xcel Energy Inc. has started operating an experimental power plant, called Cameo, which uses both solar power and coal to produce electricity near Grand Junction.

Western Election News

Editorial: Reject attack on political speech

published in: Denver Post on: 07/01/2010 by: Editorial Board
Last week, the House of Representatives approved a little known, benign-sounding bill called the Disclose Act. It passed by a slim 219-206 margin, with two Republicans voting for it and 36 Democrats opposing it.

Gulf-themed DeGette event draws fire

published in: Politico on: 06/30/2010 by: Chris Frates
A leading government watchdog group has criticized Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette for holding a fundraising event for state Democrats billed as an "insider briefing" on the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Norton, Buck swap jabs and pledge of support

published in: Denver Post on: 06/30/2010 by: Allison Sherry
GOP Senate candidates Jane Norton and Ken Buck shoved each other around Tuesday as to who was the truer conservative, calling each other out on fiscal records in previous jobs and each claiming the other is more entangled in the Republican establishment.

Washington Watch

Proposal to close oil tax 'loopholes' could finance green jobs bill(subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 07/01/2010 by: Katherine Ling
A member of the Ways and Means Committee yesterday introduced a bill to end $30 billion worth of tax "loopholes" for the oil industry that could offer a template for Democrats to pay for "green jobs" legislation.

House bill would strengthen oversight of oil and gas exploration

published in: Federal Times on: 06/30/2010 by: Tim Kauffman
House leaders are pushing forward new legislation to reform how agencies manage oil and natural gas exploration in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.

Waxman to push carbon limits in conference if Senate falls short

published in: The Hill on: 06/30/2010 by: Ben Geman
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said he would “absolutely” seek to keep greenhouse gas limits alive in a House-Senate conference if the Senate approves energy legislation this summer that omits carbon provisions.

Senate panels advance oil spill bill

published in: Associated Press on: 06/30/2010 by: H. Josef Hebert and Matthew Daly
Congress began advancing legislation Wednesday that imposes new safeguards on offshore oil drilling in hopes of preventing a repeat of the devastating spill that has brought environmental and economic havoc to the Gulf coast.

Bingaman, Snowe working behind the scenes on utility-only measure(subscription required)

published in: E&E News on: 06/30/2010 by: Robin Bravender
Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) are emerging as key players in a possible compromise climate and energy package that could represent the Senate's best chance at capping greenhouse gas emissions this year.

White House Energy Session Changes No Minds

published in: New York Times on: 06/29/2010 by: John M. Broder
The senators who emerged from a White House meeting with President Obama on energy policy on Tuesday made no effort to paper over the large differences that remain between them.

Environment & Wildlife

Oil firms question sequestration

published in: Billings Gazette/Casper Star-Tribune on: 07/01/2010 by: Dustin Bleizeffer
Some people in the oil industry are miffed that the Wyoming Legislature allocated $45 million in federal Abandon Mine Lands funds for a carbon sequestration project.

CO2 storage, EOR method wins high marks in DOE test

published in: Greening of Oil on: 06/30/2010 by: Rose Ragsdale
A carbon sequestration field test in a North Dakota oil field is getting high marks from the U.S. Department of Energy. Researchers at the Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership – one of seven DOE-initiated regional partnerships – injected 440 tons of liquid carbon dioxide into a producing oil well at the Northwest McGregor Oil Field in Williams County, N.D. to test the so-called “huff and puff” enhanced oil recovery method.

Governor believes State’s Future Tied to Conservation of the Sage Grouse

published in: Star Valley Independent on: 06/30/2010 by: Dahl Erickson
Maintaining a vibrant economy in Wyoming is directly tied to the conservation of the sage grouse, according to the chairman of the Sage Grouse Implementation Team which made its final recommendations to Governor Dave Freudenthal today.

Grouse area grows

published in: Associated Press on: 06/30/2010 by: Matt Joyce
A state team released new recommendations Tuesday for preserving sage grouse in Wyoming, including adding more land that's designated as protected habitat for the birds.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

NASA makes natural gas discovery

published in: E&P Magazine on: 06/30/2010 by: Rhonda Duey
The critics are all over shale gas in the US, claiming that gas operations are polluting both the air and the water.

Markets

Energy Under Our Feet

published in: Forbes on: 07/01/2010 by: Ken Fisher
Despite its many critics, hydraulic fracturing will change the nature of energy production. Your investments in the energy sector should reflect that fact.

Oil, natural gas prices slump with consumer confidence

published in: Oil & Gas Journal on: 06/30/2010 by: Sam Fletcher
The forefront crude contract fell 3% June 29, its biggest drop since June 4, while the new front-month natural gas unit tumbled 3.9% on the New York market.

Industry News

Storm forces evacuations in Gulf of Mexico

published in: Oil & Gas Journal on: 06/30/2010 by: Staff
Operators have begun removing workers from platforms and rigs in the Gulf of Mexico in anticipation of Hurricane Alex.