Newsbrief archive for July 06, 2010

Featured Article

Energy Group Launches Project to Promote Energy Jobs

published in: PR Newswire on: 07/06/2010 by: Staff
Today, the American Energy Alliance (AEA) launches Save U.S. Energy Jobs, a project to promote jobs in the U.S. energy sector, to ensure that citizens are informed about the importance of energy jobs to the American economy and American consumers, and to educate citizens about how the U.S. energy industry addresses safety and health issues.

News from around the West

New PRC commissioner Becenti-Aguilar takes office

published in: New Mexico Independent on: 07/06/2010 by: Bryant Furlow
Theresa Becenti-Aguilar is scheduled to be sworn in Tuesday morning as New Mexico’s newest Public Regulation Commission (PRC) commissioner.

Book chronicles life in Colorado's gas fields

published in: Aspen Times on: 07/06/2010 by: John Colson
A newly published book takes sharp aim at the natural gas industry in Garfield County, providing readers with a very personal look at what the author and others say are the potentially deadly health effects that come from living close to gas derricks and wells.

What North Dakota's oil patch needs gets a look

published in: Bismarck Tribune on: 07/06/2010 by: Christopher Bjorke
If oil patch workers had their own city, it might be the eighth largest in the state.

An oil boom in Laramie County?

published in: Wyoming News on: 07/04/2010 by: Michelle Dynes
Portions of the state not known for energy development, including Cheyenne, may be poised for an oil boom.

Wyoming threatens to sell prime Grand Teton land

published in: Associated Press on: 07/04/2010 by: Mead Gruver
For Sale: Two square miles of Grand Teton National Park.  Majestic views of the Teton Range. Prime location for luxury resort, home development. Pristine habitat for moose, elk, wolves, grizzlies.

Local startup aims to make roads into energy fields

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 07/03/2010 by: Gary Harmon
A Mesa County entrepreneur is hoping to make inroads into the energy field by building better roads for drill rigs.

BLM to revise plan for southeastern New Mexico

published in: Associated Press on: 07/02/2010 by: Staff
The Bureau of Land Management is starting to update its plan for managing everything from oil and natural gas development to wildlife and recreation across millions of acres in southeastern New Mexico.

Western Election News

Governor candidate facing fine

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 07/05/2010 by: Charles Ashby
Republican gubernatorial contender Dan Maes is expected to be ordered to pay what could be the largest campaign finance fine ever levied against a candidate by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.

Washington Watch

Udall: Returning Anvil Points funds to Colorado counties ‘a top priority’

published in: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on: 07/05/2010 by: Dennis Webb
U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., said he continues to fight for passage of legislation to allow for release of millions of dollars of federal mineral-lease revenues to local counties.

Pressure On For Swift Makeover Of Drilling Regulator

published in: NPR on: 07/05/2010 by: Brian Naylor
The federal agency charged with overseeing offshore oil drilling has been given a new name and has a new director.

Obama Decried, Then Used, Some Bush Drilling Policies(subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 07/05/2010 by: Neil King Jr. and Keith Johnson
Less than four months after President Barack Obama took office, his new administration received a forceful warning about the dangers of offshore oil drilling.

As Oil Industry Fights a Tax, It Reaps Subsidies

published in: New York Times on: 07/03/2010 by: David Kocieniewski
When the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform set off the worst oil spill at sea in American history, it was flying the flag of the Marshall Islands. Registering there allowed the rig’s owner to significantly reduce its American taxes.

Activists Beg Obama to Step Up Climate Push

published in: New York Times on: 07/02/2010 by: John M. Broder
A coalition of environmental organizations sent President Obama a letter on Friday pleading for him to intervene in the stalled Senate negotiations on climate and energy legislation.

Senate unlikely to pass CO2 curbs -- Bingaman

published in: Electric Light & Power/E&E News on: 07/02/2010 by: Robin Bravender, Noelle Straub and Josh Voorhees
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said the Senate must pass an energy bill before the August recess in order to have it signed into law this year, but he is "dubious" about the chances for carbon dioxide limits.

Oil industry ramps up opposition to repealing tax breaks

published in: The Hill on: 07/02/2010 by: Ben Geman
A powerful oil industry trade group is launching a broad new ad campaign to prevent legislation that ends billions of dollars worth of tax breaks from gaining political traction.

Environment & Wildlife

Pennsylvania quarantine cattle over gas drilling fluid

published in: Reuters on: 07/01/2010 by: David Storey
Officials have quarantined 28 cows that may have drunk toxic waste water from natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania, adding to concerns about health risks arising from exploiting the state's vast shale deposits.

Technology, Alternative & Renewables

National energy lab in Golden a model of super efficiency

published in: Denver Post on: 07/06/2010 by: Steve Raabe
When it comes to energy efficiency, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is using its new building as a showcase.

Bang for the blade

published in: Associated Press on: 07/02/2010 by: Matt Joyce
Wind developers can produce some of the cheapest wind energy in the West in Wyoming, according to a new study, but the cost advantage decreases when one accounts for delivering the power to West Coast markets.

Markets

Crude oil price falls but natural gas rallies

published in: Oil & Gas Journal on: 07/02/2010 by: Sam Fletcher
Crude oil prices continued to tumble July 1 in the New York market amid more signs of a slowdown in the economic recovery, but natural gas was up following a smaller-than-expected injection into US underground storage.

Industry News

BP Wants Partners to Help Shoulder Spill Cost

published in: New York Times on: 07/04/2010 by: John Schwartz
BP has said repeatedly that it will pay for the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But its actions show that it does not intend to go it alone.

Tests Start on Giant Oil Clean-Up Vessel(subscription required)

published in: Wall Street Journal on: 07/03/2010 by: Ann Zimmerman and Brian Baskin
Officials began testing Friday what they hope will become the world's largest oil skimming vessel, able to gulp up huge volumes of crude spewing in the Gulf of Mexico from the well owned by BP PLC.

US rig count increases by 5

published in: Associated Press on: 07/02/2010 by: Staff
The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by five this week to 1,557.