EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 10/1/24

PIPELINE NEWS

• South Dakota Public Broadcasting: Referred Law 21 puts pipeline regulation bill to voters

• Pipeline Fighters Hub: Nebraska Water Woes: The True Cost of Carbon Capture in Nebraska

• On the Wight: Environmental groups voice concerns over Solent CO2 pipeline’s impact on wildlife

• E&E News: 1.4M gallons of fluid leaked from Dakota Access drilling, report says

• KPRC: Human remains found in SUV that struck Deer Park pipeline identified

• Globe and Mail: Tensions rise over the Nisga’a Nation’s plans to build pipeline across Northern B.C.

• Daily Gazette: Protesters kayak across river against Iroquois pipeline expansion

• KCEN: Will the DeLa Express pipeline be in the path of McGregor’s SpaceX facility?

• PennLive: Construction of controversial natural gas pipeline can begin despite concerns for trail, wild trout streams

• Law360: Marathon Unit Wants 8th Circ. To Nix Appeal In Pipeline Fight

• Hart Energy: FERC Sides with Williams Over Energy Transfer in Pipeline Dispute

• Journal of Petroleum Technology: Survey Reveals Permian Oil Producers Hesitant To Increase Output Despite Pipeline Expansions

• Offshore Technology: Enbridge reaches toll agreement for Mainline pipeline system

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• E&E News: Biden energy official on CCS, natural gas and faster permitting

• Bloomberg: Trump 2.0 Climate Tipping Points

STATE UPDATES

• Washington Post: Fire at Georgia chemical plant releases chlorine into the air, authorities say

• Louisiana Illuminator: Crowd size forces Louisiana DEQ to postpone hearing on proposed St. Charles ammonia plant

• Washington Post: California governor vetoes bill to require gas stove warning labels

• Santa Fe New Mexican: State agency takes ‘cautious approach’ to fracking injection wells in face of quake fears

• Press release: LSU Collaborating With Halliburton, ExxonMobil on New CO2 Research Well

• Marine Insight: Oil Spill Spotted Near Bulk Carrier In Baltimore, Investigation Underway

EXTRACTION

• The Narwhal: ‘We don’t need a cap’: oil and gas CEO says key federal climate policy would divide Canadians

• S&P Global: CCUS: a viable business model in Asia-Pacific?

• The Conversation: Oil pollution in North Sea is ‘grossly underestimated,’ suggests new report

• Climate Rights International: On Thin Ice: Disproportionate Responses to Climate Change Protesters in Democratic Countries

OPINION

• Grand Forks Herald: Disappointed by decision on halting BLM methane standards

• Medium: Don’t Open the Gates: Latest Dirty Deal in Congress a Trojan Horse

• The Hill: Both candidates are ignoring America’s biggest threat: the abuse of nature
  

PIPELINE NEWS

South Dakota Public Broadcasting: Referred Law 21 puts pipeline regulation bill to voters
Evan Walton, 9/30/24

“One of the more debated topics South Dakota voters are deciding on in November is Referred Law 21,” South Dakota Public Broadcasting reports. “The law regulating pipelines was originally crafted in response to a major carbon sequestration project backed by Summit Carbon Solutions. During the 2024 legislative session, Senate Bill 201 was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kristi Noem. Backers called the bill “The Landowner Bill of Rights.” “…Enough signatures were gathered, however, to stop the bill from going into effect July 1. Now, the citizens of South Dakota have a chance to decide through Referred Law 21 if the original pipeline bill generated by the legislature passes into law. Jim Eschenbaum is the Chairman of the South Dakota Property Rights and Local Control Alliances. He spoke against the bill at the Vote South Dakota town hall, saying he wants people to focus on small local farmers. “This law was a sellout to Summit Carbon Solutions. Outright sellout of the South Dakota citizens to Summit Carbon Solutions. The only thing that they preach is, ‘look at all the money this is going to bring in.’ Let’s go to their revenue part of business model. They produce nothing of value, they produce no public service. They are going to collect their money totally on the taxpayers backs with federal tax credits,” Eschenbaum told SDPB. Eschenbaum told SDPB the pipelines should be more concerned with offering safety… “One of the largest issues opponents have with the carbon capture and sequestration pipeline project are companies’ attempts to utilize eminent domain.”

Pipeline Fighters Hub: Nebraska Water Woes: The True Cost of Carbon Capture in Nebraska
Don Johannsen, Shelli Meyer, 9/30/24

“Summit Carbon Solutions is proposing a carbon capture project located at 4 ethanol plants in Nebraska. Locally, statewide and regionally, this project threatens to deplete public water resources from ground water and aquifers. It also will use a substantial amount of electricity, and other resources used by the state,” the Pipeline Fighters Hub reports. “Water would be used in Summit’s operation to capture carbon dioxide at the ethanol plants to cool the carbon dioxide as it is being compressed. The amount of water that would be needed to produce ethanol and Summit’s proposed carbon capture project far exceeds the water usage for communities in a 10-mile radius surrounding the plants… “The Summit pipeline crosses through 320 miles and 9 counties in Nebraska. The plants will use twice as much water as all of the 14 nearest cities combined. Adding CO2 capture to the existing 4 ethanol plants is equivalent to building 1.5 additional ethanol plants in Nebraska. 4.7 gallons of water is used per gallon of ethanol for production… “Water for Summit Capture Facilities would significantly impact Nebraska’s water and other resources (for private gain) and will impact the communities and rural livelihoods and wells surrounding the ethanol plants.”

On the Wight: Environmental groups voice concerns over Solent CO2 pipeline’s impact on wildlife
Helen Skelton-Smith, 10/1/24

“Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, together with partners RSPB, Solent Protection Society and Isle of Wight Biosphere, have written an open letter raising significant concerns over the ecological impacts of the proposed Solent CO2 pipeline,” On the Wight reports. “…As the pipeline is expected to traverse areas of outstanding biodiversity value, including nationally and internationally protected sites, the coalition of leading regional environmental organisations is calling for more comprehensive ecological studies to assess the true impacts of the project. Debbie Tann MBE, CEO of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, told On the Wight, “We are deeply concerned about the absence of critical ecological data in the current consultation. Without clear information on the environmental impacts and proposed mitigation strategies, it is impossible for us to provide valid feedback, or to help ensure that vital wildlife habitats are not irreversibly damaged. All three proposed corridors include irreplaceable habitats that are home to species declining elsewhere, and the risks posed to such delicate ecosystems cannot be underestimated. We understand that carbon capture technology may be required to decarbonise hard-to-reach sectors, but this must not be used as an excuse to expand fossil fuel use, and it should never come at the expense of nature… “The organisations have also voiced concerns over the potential conflict with the UK’s legal obligations to reverse nature loss under the Environment Act 2021 and international commitments to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. They are calling for the proposed Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Habitat Regulations Assessments (HRAs), scheduled for between 2024-2026, to place a significant emphasis on avoiding any harm to key species and habitats. In addition, the signatories have called for a full assessment of how the project will align with local climate ambitions, such as the New Forest National Park’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050.”

E&E News: 1.4M gallons of fluid leaked from Dakota Access drilling, report says
Mike Soraghan, 10/1/24

“The tribe at the forefront of fighting the Dakota Access oil pipeline has found evidence that more than a million gallons of drilling fluid leaked as construction crews tunneled under the lake that is the tribe’s main source of drinking water,” E&E News reports. “Authors of an engineering report filed last year in a North Dakota lawsuit estimates that 1.4 million gallons of drilling mud escaped the confines of the tunnel in 2017 — at the same time authorities above ground were breaking up the protests about the pipeline. The report found no indication in the records of pipeline developer Energy Transfer that anyone checked to see if it had reached the lake, called Lake Oahe. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says that amounts to violations of the environmental rules laid out for the construction project. Among other things, those rules called on construction crews to stop drilling and investigate when there were signs of leaks. Tribal officials say the Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the lake, never disclosed them.”

KPRC: Human remains found in SUV that struck Deer Park pipeline identified
9/30/24

“The human remains inside the car at the center of Deer Park’s pipeline explosion have been identified Monday,” KPRC reports. “The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office was able to complete testing of the recovered remains and through the use of radiography comparison, identified the driver as 51-year-old Jonathan McEvoy, of Deer Park. Investigators confirmed that the vehicle being driven by McEvoy was a 2022 Lexus NX350… “After the pipeline fire burned for nearly three days, the car was towed on Sept 19 and while the team was processing the car, they found and removed human remains. Authorities are considering it a criminal investigation, but are not saying why. McEvoy would have been 52-years-old in a few days, according to his ex-wife, Delma McEvoy, and his son, Jonathan McEvoy Jr. They told KPRC he was always laughing, joking and wouldn’t hurt a fly… “Back on September 16, loved ones told KPRC they believe McEvoy borrowed his roommates Lexus to go to Walmart on Spencer Highway. His family told KPRC McEvoy had recently started having seizures, but wasn’t diagnosed and had not been on medication. They believe he had a seizure, which led to the crash.”

Globe and Mail: Tensions rise over the Nisga’a Nation’s plans to build pipeline across Northern B.C.
BRENT JANG

“A B.C. pipeline project touted by the Nisga’a Nation as a prime example of economic reconciliation has instead become a thorny issue marked by rising tensions and complications with nearby Indigenous groups,” the Globe and Mail reports. “Construction of the 750-kilometre Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) project across Northern British Columbia is proving to be controversial. In particular, the Gitxsan Nation and Gitanyow Nation both have traditional territories that the natural gas pipeline would cross. On Monday on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a group of Gitxsan hereditary chiefs held a rally in downtown Vancouver to draw attention to their concerns, including what they fear could be heavy-handed RCMP enforcement of potential court-ordered injunctions to quell protests in northwestern B.C… “The Gitxsan are seeking greater consultation with the B.C. government and the Nisga’a to better understand the pipeline route’s environmental effects on a 120-kilometre stretch that crosses the Gitxsan’s traditional territory. “We want a safe place for dialogue, where we can talk about all of the issues at hand,” Gordon Sebastian, executive director of the Gitxsan Treaty Society, told the Globe and Mail. “We don’t want militarized RCMP at the blockades.” “…The Nisga’a, Western LNG and a group of natural gas producers called Rockies LNG are partners in the Ksi Lisims project near Gitlaxt’aamiks, which is home to the Nisga’a Lisims government led by elected president Eva Clayton. “Differences of opinion are a natural and healthy part of any relationship, including between Nations,” Ms. Clayton said in a statement to The Globe and Mail. “The Nisga’a Nation is committed to working together with right-of-way Nations in good faith to address concerns and integrate valuable insights. We are eagerly anticipating upcoming discussions with these Nations during which we will present new opportunities to join us in leading these projects.” “…A group of Wet’suwet’en Nation hereditary chiefs has led a campaign to oppose Coastal GasLink, with 28 per cent of the route crossing the Wet’suwet’en’s unceded traditional territory. Coastal GasLink reached agreements with all 20 elected band councils along the route, including five elected councils within the Wet’suwet’en Nation. But Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs say they have jurisdiction over a 190-kilometre stretch of pipeline through their unceded territory.”

Daily Gazette: Protesters kayak across river against Iroquois pipeline expansion
Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon, 9/30/24

“Climate activists and local elected officials kayaked across the Hudson River on Saturday to call for Gov. Kathy Hochul to deny the Iroquois natural gas pipeline expansion,” the Daily Gazette reports. “The rally was attended by representatives from the environmental action group Food & Water Watch, Concerned Citizens of Dover, Concerned Health Professionals of New York, and local elected officials from Columbia and Greene counties. Attendees first gathered at Athens Riverfront Park for a rally on land, before getting into kayaks and traveling across the Hudson River, along the path of the Iroquois pipeline. Hochul and the state Department of Environmental Conservation have a responsibility to protect New Yorkers, Emily Skydel, senior organizer of the Hudson Valley branch of Food & Water Watch, said during the rally on Saturday. “We deserve clean air and a healthful environment, and we will not allow a greedy gas company to decide our future for us,” she said… “Expansion of the pipeline is not needed, Sandra Steingraber, a biologist and cofounder of Concerned Health Professionals of New York, told the Gazette. “We know the climate crisis calls us to end all new fossil fuel build-out, lest we hit unfixable tipping points,” she told the Gazette. “We know that if this moves forward, this expansion, that the people of Athens will suffer first and worst. Compressor stations kill people, we have good data for that. Compressor stations fill people’s homes with cancer causing benzene. We have good data for that.”

KCEN: Will the DeLa Express pipeline be in the path of McGregor’s SpaceX facility?
Sydney Dishon, 9/30/24

“The path of a proposed major natural gas pipeline is causing some worries in Central Texas. That’s whether it will cross the McGregor SpaceX facility,” KCEN reports. “The DeLa Express pipeline would carry two billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from West Texas to Louisiana with a direct path through Texas… “FERC tells 6 News their team is reviewing the planned route: “We are currently in the pre-filing process for this proposed project, so we are reviewing the planned route and considering issues raised in comments received from the public, including evaluating potential alternative route variations.” Moss Lake Partners confirmed in a statement the proposed route would be 1.5 miles away from the facility… “There are two other pipelines already in Coryell County is close proximity. The City of McGregor says they feel safe with the distance and there’s nothing to be concerned with as far as ground vibration… “I think the concern is maybe the vibrations that people feel from SpaceX. Specifically, SpaceX doesn’t actually vibrate the ground. We have seismic monitors in the ground that show that there’s no ground vibration. It’s over pressure in the air, so there’s nothing to be concerned with there, as far as like, ground vibration,” Bryan LeMeilleur, McGregor City Planner, told KCEN.”

PennLive: Construction of controversial natural gas pipeline can begin despite concerns for trail, wild trout streams
John Beauge, 9/30/24

“Construction of a controversial natural gas pipeline in two northwestern Lycoming County townships can now begin,” PennLive reports. “The last hurdle for the Pennsylvania General Energy (PGE) project was cleared when the Department of Environmental Protection last week approved erosion, sediment control, water obstruction and encroachment permits. The permits cover earth disturbance work and construction activities in streams and wetlands, despite concerns raised about the impact the construction would have on nine wild trout streams, a wetland and the Mid-State Trail.”

Law360: Marathon Unit Wants 8th Circ. To Nix Appeal In Pipeline Fight
Tom Lotshaw, 9/30/24

“A Marathon Petroleum Corp. subsidiary is asking the Eighth Circuit to dismiss an appeal by tribal landowners trying to intervene in its lawsuit challenging the Interior Department’s reversal of prior decisions related to a pipeline crossing part of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota,” Law360 reports. 

Hart Energy: FERC Sides with Williams Over Energy Transfer in Pipeline Dispute
Sandy Segrist, 9/30/24

“A natural gas pipeline owned by Williams Cos. (WMB) does not need federal oversight, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ruled Sept. 27,” Hart Energy reports. “The decision is the latest outcome in a prolonged battle in Louisiana between Energy Transfer (ET) versus Williams and other midstream companies. The FERC ruling was over a dispute between Williams and Energy Transfer that ET filed in April over Williams’ Louisiana Energy Gateway, a project designed to increase the area’s natural gas pipeline network’s capacity… “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has declared that Williams’ disputed Louisiana Energy Gateway project is a gathering network, not a transport line.” 

Journal of Petroleum Technology: Survey Reveals Permian Oil Producers Hesitant To Increase Output Despite Pipeline Expansions
Trent Jacobs, 10/1/24

“Most US-based oil and gas executives expect West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices to rise steadily over the next 5 years, increasing by more than 20%, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas survey,” the Journal of Petroleum Technology reports. “…In this quarter’s survey, more than half of respondents reported that the steep price differential led them to cut production or delay drilling and completing new wells… “But when asked if they will boost well completions as gas pipeline bottlenecks ease with upcoming projects, an overwhelming 80% of oil and gas executives said they have no such plans. Only 20% indicated they plan to ramp up output, signaling a cautious approach even with new infrastructure on the horizon. The survey did not explore all the reasons behind the cautious outlook but did ask whether crude pipeline capacity through 2026 posed a potential issue. On this point, 92% of respondents indicated that they did not expect output to be limited by takeaway capacity, while only 8% believed pipeline bottlenecks would constrain their production. In the edited comment section provided by the Dallas Fed, some oil and gas executives cited uncertainty surrounding the upcoming US presidential election and the economy as key factors influencing their 2025 plans.”

Offshore Technology: Enbridge reaches toll agreement for Mainline pipeline system
Kuldeep Jha, 9/3024

“Canadian pipeline operator Enbridge has finalised a tolling agreement with oil shippers for its Mainline crude pipeline system,” Offshore Technology reports. “The company signed the deal after its earlier proposal for long-term contracts was rejected in 2021 by oil producers such as Canadian Natural Resources. The agreement covers tolls charged on both the US as well as Canadian portions of Enbridge’s Mainline crude pipeline system… “Enbridge president of Liquids Pipelines Colin Gruending said: “This settlement continues with Enbridge’s track record of working cooperatively with shippers and industry groups, and builds on a 27-year history of similar incentive deals on the Mainline itself… “Enbridge Board of Directors has approved the agreement and has also garnered backing from a 37-member industry group comprising producers, refiners and integrated companies.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

E&E News: Biden energy official on CCS, natural gas and faster permitting
Carlos Anchondo, 10/1/234

“The United States has made big strides in carbon capture, but the industry must stay “clear-eyed” about the challenges it faces, the head of the Department of Energy’s fossil energy office said Monday,” E&E News reports. “Brad Crabtree, assistant secretary of DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, said tests range from demonstrating capture capture technologies at “commercial scale across all major industries within this decade” to quicker federal permitting. Another top concern is ensuring that communities affected by projects benefit from them, he said. One of DOE’s priorities is large-scale carbon capture deployment on natural gas facilities, including ones used for power generation, heavy industries, “clean” hydrogen and ammonia, Crabtree said. He was speaking at a carbon management conference that he once helped to organize before his time at DOE. “When it comes to natural gas, we are taking aim at challenging and vitally important areas for broader decarbonization, including combustion streams at power plants, liquefaction terminals, petroleum refineries and industrial facilities,” Crabtree said.

Bloomberg: Trump 2.0 Climate Tipping Points
Jennifer A. Dlouhy, 9/30/24

“For the first time ever, the entire US government has taken up the fight against climate change,” Bloomberg reports. “President Joe Biden unleashed hundreds of billions of dollars toward clean energy and enacted new regulations throttling planet-warming pollution from cars, oil wells and power plants… “The dynamic has been especially pronounced in deeply red districts where voters are more likely to be skeptical of climate change… “Investors, analysts and developers whose decisions shape the American energy transition are resolute: A victorious Trump can’t fully halt the country’s green shift… “Even if Republicans bolster their slim majority in the House and take control of a closely divided Senate, analysts told Bloomberg the flood of investment into red states would likely fracture attempts to build a coalition around repealing tax credits that underwrite ventures to capture carbon dioxide, produce hydrogen and refine climate-friendly jet fuel… “A second Trump administration could potentially make it easier to claim credits for industries and technologies typically favored by Republicans, such as capturing carbon and making hydrogen with the help of fossil fuels, while raising the hurdles to qualify when the subsidies target electric vehicles and renewable power… This kind of maneuvering could open the window for bigger tax changes, such as replacing some IRA credits with immediate expensing that allows companies to instantly write off the cost of new factories rather than waiting decades. The idea has been floated by the Heritage Foundation as it examines China’s clean-tech dominance.”

STATE UPDATES

Washington Post: Fire at Georgia chemical plant releases chlorine into the air, authorities say
Jonathan Edwards, María Luisa Paúl and Amudalat Ajasa, 9/30/24

“A poisonous plume of chlorine from a manufacturing plant with a history of hazardous incidents led authorities to order tens of thousands of people to evacuate or huddle inside their homes Monday as authorities in the Atlanta area shut down schools and government offices,” the Washington Post reports. “County officials said Monday morning that air-quality surveys from the Environmental Protection Agency and the state Environmental Protection Division “revealed the harmful irritant chlorine” about 24 hours after a small fire broke out at the BioLab manufacturing plant in Conyers, about 20 miles southeast of Atlanta, sparking a chain reaction that would send a billowing cloud of gas into the air. Authorities urged Rockdale County residents to shelter in place and recommended that businesses close. On Sunday, they ordered the evacuation of about 17,000 residents near the facility and issued a stay-at-home order that affected about 77,000 others as officials in Atlanta braced for the plume to waft in their direction… “When you see that greenish cloud, you need get as far away as possible,” Sadis Matalon, a professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s medical school, who researches pulmonary injuries, told the Post… “Pregnant animals experienced stillbirths or severe growth restrictions when exposed to chlorine, according to Matalon’s research… “Chlorine by itself really causes long term effects. And if you have preexisting conditions like asthma or any kind of respiratory infection, it can make the situation much worse,” Matalon told the Post… “Abel Russ, an attorney at the watchdog Environmental Integrity Project, told the post the facility had a pattern “of sloppy management of hazardous materials.”

Louisiana Illuminator: Crowd size forces Louisiana DEQ to postpone hearing on proposed St. Charles ammonia plant
PAM RADTKE, FLOODLIGHT, 9/27/24

“After a crush of about 200 St. Charles Parish residents showed up to protest a massive proposed ammonia plant Thursday night, a state agency was forced to shut down the meeting because the room could only hold 60,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “I am grateful to our residents here in St. Rose that they care enough for themselves and for the future generations to come out,” Kimbrelle Eugene Kyrereh told the Illuminator after the hearing was called off. Kyrereh founded Refined Community Empowerment to fight the proposed St. Charles Clean Fuels Plant. She told the Illuminator she and others plastered the community around the proposed site with about 2,000 flyers alerting the public to Thursday’s Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality hearing on the facility’s minor source air permit. Last week, Kyrereh emailed DEQ requesting a larger hearing room. The agency did not grant the request. As residents flowed into the small room at the public library in St. Rose, many said they had just learned about the $4.6 billion plant from the flyers… “DEQ hearing officer Mike Daniels insisted that because the public notice specified the meeting spot, he could not move it. Someone, however, did call DEQ Secretary Aurelia S. Giacometto, who called back 30 minutes into the hearing and ordered it adjourned. Daniels told the audience that a new hearing would be scheduled at a larger space, and the comment period on the minor source air permit would be extended beyond the Sept. 30 deadline… “Before the meeting ended, three people, including Green, testified in opposition to the plant. One speaker questioned how the amounts of pollutants on the permit could be accurate, a question raised by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic in its formal response to the permit on behalf of local residents.”

Washington Post: California governor vetoes bill to require gas stove warning labels
Anna Phillips, 9/28/24

“California’s governor vetoed a bill Friday night that would have required appliance makers to put labels on gas-burning ranges and cooktops, warning potential buyers that they emit harmful pollutants,” the Washington Post reports. “Had the governor signed the bill, it would have made California the first state to mandate warning labels on gas stoves. Instead, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto is a setback for efforts by climate and public health advocates to encourage the shift to all-electric home appliances — part of a broader movement to reduce indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions… “The proposed labels would have included language advising customers that gas stoves release nitrogen dioxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, and other pollutants that “can be toxic to people and pets.” “…In his veto message, Newsom said he was concerned the bill was “highly prescriptive” and would be difficult to amend in the future.”

Santa Fe New Mexican: State agency takes ‘cautious approach’ to fracking injection wells in face of quake fears
Alaina Mencinger, 9/28/24

“Seismicity — the frequency of earthquakes in a region — matters, especially when it comes to the oil and gas industry,” the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. “Wastewater produced by hydraulic fracturing, often called produced water, can be recycled back into oil and gas operations. But the amount of wastewater generated — 6 million gallons per day statewide — can far exceed industry needs. The remainder is usually injected back into the earth, where it’s been linked to increased seismic activity. Three years ago, seven earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 to 4 and dozens of smaller earthquakes occurred in a five-month period in southeastern New Mexico, raising alarms. The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department responded by clamping down on some of those injection sites. Wells in the “red zone” — a three-mile region around the epicenter of an earthquake — were fully shut down by the 2021 action. Areas three to six miles away had to decrease rates by 50%, and areas six to 10 miles away had to reduce by 25%. It wasn’t a long-term solution, Oil Conservation Division Deputy Director Brandon Powell told the New Mexican, but a “reset” to see if more injection could be introduced gradually. And it’s been working, Powell told the New Mexican… “As a result, in December, wells in that third ring were allowed to increase rates by about 5,000 gallons per day. A typical rate is about 50,000. But the department is maintaining a “cautious approach,” Powell told the New Mexican — which is why 75 pending permits for new wells in the area were canceled earlier this year… “Water takeaways can cost between 75 cents and $1 per barrel, Benjamin Shelton, acting deputy secretary of the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, told the New Mexican… “Carlsbad Caverns. People seem fond of it. We would feel super bummed if we were to accidentally collapse it because we didn’t shut” a seismic response area soon enough, Shelton told the New Mexican.

Press release: LSU Collaborating With Halliburton, ExxonMobil on New CO2 Research Well
9/30/24

“In early 2025, the LSU College of Engineering, in collaboration with Halliburton and ExxonMobil, will begin drilling a third research well at its PERTT—Petroleum Engineering Research, Training, and Testing—Lab on LSU’s campus. This new, one-of-its-kind well will enable students, researchers, regulators, and industry to study CO2 in all three of its phases under realistic field conditions. Research will include testing and developing safety and monitoring technologies, understanding CO2 flow behavior in various downhole conditions, and validating the predictions of computer models or bench-scale experiments at the field scale. The new well will not be operational and will not inject any CO2 into the subsurface. The well will be solely used for research purposes, and LSU expects it to have significant research value… “Halliburton’s role will be that of primary service provider on the project. The company has conducted subsurface evaluation and geohazards analysis as part of the well design and anticipates providing cementing, logging, geosteering, and other technologies during the drilling and completion of the well.”

Marine Insight: Oil Spill Spotted Near Bulk Carrier In Baltimore, Investigation Underway
9/30/24

“The United States Coast Guard has begun an investigation into a possible oil spill after discovering a 50-foot by 50-foot oil spill near the 623-foot Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Motor Vessel SSI Defiant in the Patapsco River on September 26, 2024,” Marine Insight reports. “Authorities have formed a precautionary 1,500-foot safety zone around the vessel as they investigate the nature and cause of the sheen. The incident was first reported at 6:24 p.m. by Maryland Pilot Dispatch, who notified Coast Guard watchstanders of the unknown sheen surrounding the vessel, which happened after what has been termed as a “propulsion casualty.” In response, the Coast Guard, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and other partner agencies, has begun conducting inspections aboard the anchored vessel in Baltimore Inner Harbor.”

EXTRACTION

The Narwhal: ‘We don’t need a cap’: oil and gas CEO says key federal climate policy would divide Canadians
Carl Meyer, 10/1/24

“The CEO of one of the country’s largest oil and gas companies says Canada doesn’t need to cap pollution from its oilpatch,” The Narwhal reports. “We’ve been pretty clear that we don’t need a cap,” Cenovus president and CEO Jon McKenzie told The Narwhal on Sept. 24. “We see this as something that further divides provinces, the federal government and industry, and is unnecessary to achieve the goals that the government is trying to achieve.” McKenzie spoke with The Narwhal the same day Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault told media on Parliament Hill the government would be moving ahead in a “matter of weeks” with presenting draft regulations for the oil and gas emissions cap. The fossil fuel executive’s comments bring into focus a looming political battle over a long-awaited and significant piece of Canada’s efforts to mitigate the pollution that traps heat in the atmosphere and causes climate change… “Although successive federal governments have promised action to mitigate the pollution linked to climate change since the 1990s, Canada has never previously set any binding cap on all greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry. Over that time, the sector’s pollution has grown and now accounts for 31 per cent of national emissions, according to the Canadian Climate Institute. This is 12 per cent higher than 2005 levels, it said in September.”

S&P Global: CCUS: a viable business model in Asia-Pacific?
Antonio Dimabuyu Jr., Kunfeng Zhu, 9/30/24

“…With CCUS policy frameworks in Asia-Pacific mostly at an early development stage and incentives remaining relatively low compared to those offered in North America and Europe, initial projects have been geared toward monetizing lower emission hydrocarbons, either through the implementation of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques, such as CO2 injection in mature basins, or implementing carbon capture as a cost component for integrated gas projects,” S&P Global reports. “Progress of CCUS also varies if we look at specific countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia’s commitment to developing a robust CCUS framework is evident through its legislative measures and strategic investments in key projects. Australia has a legal and regulatory framework, plus incentives, to support wide-scale CCUS implementation, which could lead to the establishment of multi-industry injection hubs… “Despite not having carbon tax credits like the US, CCUS projects in Australia can qualify for an incentive called the Australia carbon credit unit, which has a crediting period of 25 years… “China leads the region in the number of projects in CO2-EOR pilot or demonstration stage… “The three Chinese national oil companies – China National Petroleum Corporation, CNOOC and Sinopec – have positioned CCUS as a core component of their energy transition strategies, expanding deployments from a few pilot projects to encompassing most domestic branch oilfields for EOR… “Although direct subsidies are unlikely to be provided in the short term, the country aims to expand available financial instruments and streamline financing channels to increase the deployment of CCUS projects while driving down the cost of CCUS technologies… “Since 2023, Indonesia has released two regulations related to CCUS, demonstrating the government’s intent to position the country as a regional storage hub, and also to bolster oil and gas production for energy security through CO2-enhanced recoveries… “CCS is critical to maintain Malaysia’s production outlook and develop the next wave of high-CO2 fields… “Companies involved in CCUS activities or supporting services qualify for a 10-year investment tax incentive and import duty exemptions. The government is also considering amending the Petroleum Income Tax Act to introduce additional tax incentives and allow for cost recovery for CCUS projects… “Thailand is undergoing closed consultations on the amendments required to its Petroleum Act, which could provide a framework for CCUS projects… “When compared to Europe and North America, Asia-Pacific currently presents fewer hub project developments and more single source-sink projects, although hubs are being targeted for the next wave of investment by governments and operators.”

The Conversation: Oil pollution in North Sea is ‘grossly underestimated,’ suggests new report
Rosie Williams, 9/26/24

“…In recent decades, there has been a gradual decline in the number of oil spills and the volume of oil discharged from tankers, rigs, wells and offshore platforms. While incidents continue to occur globally—often in less scrutinized regions than the North Sea—the UK has, thankfully, not experienced another disaster of Piper Alpha’s magnitude since,” The Conversation reports. “Does this mean that the UK’s oil and gas sector have cleaned up their act? They would certainly like you to think so. But ocean pollution isn’t just about large oil slicks that spread across the water’s surface. As a new report, Sea Slick, from marine conservation charity Oceana explains, the extent of frequent, small-scale spills are still being grossly underestimated, even though big oil spills are less frequent. The report reveals what it claims is the true scale and impact of chronic oil pollution in the UK, showing that for many years the North Sea has been subjected to hundreds of unaccounted for “chronic oiling events.” These are where oil is frequently released in lower volumes than those associated with large spills. This issue stems from a poorly regulated oil and gas sector and a lack of transparency in reporting, allowing oil and gas companies to mark their own homework. Currently, a certain amount of oil pollution is permitted as part of routine operations for oil and gas developments. Companies can apply for oil discharge permits, which allow them to release a set volume or concentration of oil or chemicals into the ocean. This waste output is referred to as “produced water.” Produced water is a by-product of the oil and gas sector, which returns to the surface of the ocean as wastewater during oil and gas production. Produced water may be treated before release but still contains finely dispersed oil and toxic heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic. Oil and gas companies are regularly breaching their legal produced water permit allowances, Oceana’s report claims. Yet, in line with official government reporting requirements, these breaches are not registered as accidental oil spills. Indeed, Sea Slick counts a total of 723 permit breaching incidents in the last three-and-a-half years—that’s equivalent to 17 oil or chemical spills each month. Currently these permit breaches aren’t counted as accidents. They’re not really counted as anything—other than permit breaches. If these unaccounted-for permit breaches are factored into official government data for accidental oil spills, Oceana estimates that the volume of oil spilling into UK seas increases by at least 43%.”

Climate Rights International: On Thin Ice: Disproportionate Responses to Climate Change Protesters in Democratic Countries
9/30/24

“…The UK is not the only democratic country in which climate protesters are being given disproportionately long sentences,” according to Climate Rights International. “On August 27, 2024, a German court sentenced 65-year-old Winfried Lorenz to 22 months in prison without parole, for his involvement in a climate protest that blocked a road. It is believed to be the longest sentence ever imposed in Berlin against a climate activist… “In Australia, Deanna “Violet” Coco became one of the first individuals to be sentenced under one of Australia’s new laws allowing for more severe penalties for demonstrations involving “vital infrastructure.” “…Despite the short duration, the limited scope, and the peaceful nature of the demonstration, Coco was sentenced to 15 months in prison. On April 27, 2023, Timothy Martin and Joanna Smith staged a climate protest at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., spreading red and black paint on the protective case of a sculpture. Climate protests involving works of art have become increasingly common in Europe, with similar actions occurring in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain, among other countries. This form of protest, which generally is not intended to cause permanent damage to the art itself, has often resulted in charges of trespassing or causing damage to public work and been penalized by a modest fine and sometimes restitution. While Martin and Smith expected to face charges for their actions, the government response was far harsher than anticipated. Each was charged with two felonies: conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit… “Many democracies rightly criticize authoritarian regimes for their crackdowns on freedom of expression, association, and assembly. Climate Rights International noted that the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries named in the report have a long history of expressing support for the internationally protected rights to freedom of expression and assembly, as well as criticizing crackdowns on peaceful protests in developing countries… “The imposition of penalties disproportionate to any harm caused has a chilling effect on basic rights and is incompatible with states’ obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which all of the countries cited in this report are parties. Yet, some democratic countries are even taking measures designed to stop peaceful climate protests before they start… “Authorities have also targeted specific climate advocacy groups… “The urgency of the climate crisis, and growing frustration with the failure of their governments to act, is driving many to use protest to press for necessary change. This is especially true for younger people, who are growing up in a world of uncertainty, facing the consequences of decisions that threaten their right to a future. While they cannot afford to donate large sums of money to activist groups, are often too young to run for office, and cannot yet even cast a vote in some cases, they can exercise their right to protest. And many are… “And it is not just the youth who are protesting. People of all ages are using the right to peaceful protest and civil disobedience – a bedrock of a democratic society and the centerpiece of the civil rights and anti-apartheid movements, among many others – as a way to raise awareness about climate change and to press for action by governments and corporations. Some activists and organizations believe that disruptive protests can play a key role in the fight against climate change by challenging the status quo and amplifying urgent calls for transformative action. By disrupting everyday routines and drawing attention to threats caused by climate change, activists believe they can push the climate crisis to the forefront of public discourse, compelling governments and businesses to reevaluate policies and practices and to finally meet their international obligations to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions… “By combining a thorough survey of the current legal landscape with primary research, this report aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the disproportionate responses that peaceful climate protests are facing, highlighting the experiences of protesters and the legal context within which these protests occur.”

OPINION

Grand Forks Herald: Disappointed by decision on halting BLM methane standards
Rep. Lisa Finley-DeVille, a Democrat, represents District 4A in the North Dakota House of Representatives, 9/28/24

“I am writing to express disappointment in a recent court decision by Judge Traynor halting the BLM methane standards in North Dakota and four other states,” Rep. Lisa Finley-DeVille writes for the Grand Forks Herald. “The new BLM methane standards are needed in North Dakota due to the large amount of flaring (waste) that occurs on oil wells located on federal and tribal lands in our state. As the elected representative representing the Fort Berthold Reservation in the North Dakota Legislature, I would not be doing the job I was elected to do if I allowed flaring to continue unchecked on the reservation. I hear complaints from voters in my district about flaring all the time… “I just wish Judge Traynor would have had the common sense to keep the rule intact, rather than playing politics by appeasing the oil and gas industry.”

Medium: Don’t Open the Gates: Latest Dirty Deal in Congress a Trojan Horse
Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, 9/30/24

“Energy Permitting Reform Act (S. 4753) Would Entrench Fossil Fuels, Risk Backlash Against U.S. Transition to Renewable Energy,” Erik Schlenker-Goodrich writes for Medium. “…EPRA, to be frank, is a Trojan horse. It is premised on a troubling and discordant (if politically convenient) “all of the above” approach to energy policy that would further entrench our country’s dependence on fossil fuels and impose additional burdens on public lands, water and wildlife, and communities that have a long and fraught history with U.S. energy policy. Let’s open up this EPRA Trojan horse and show why it should be rejected… “EPRA’s very structure — a hodgepodge of fossil fuel concessions and transmission reforms — is shaped by the same non-climate geopolitical, domestic political, and economic factors that have led the U.S. to prop up and boost oil and gas production for decades. To shift this dynamic, we must account for a more expansive range of public interest values — including public lands, clean air and water, and the imperative to integrate justice and equity into a shared energy transition… “EPRA would provide oil and gas companies with the power to select public lands for new oil and gas leasing, shifting power over public lands to private sector fossil fuel interests… “The politically convenient but discordant “all of the above” approach to energy policy that animates EPRA and, for now, prevails in our national political and legislative discourse ignores the broader range of values that people care about. With this approach, U.S. policy narrowly encourages everything and anything to be built hoping, in the end, that it’ll all shake out to achieve U.S. climate goals even as many have designed and shaped the “all of the above” approach in search of profit and power, not GHG emissions reductions. It is, in my estimation, a short-sighted approach that will hemorrhage support for U.S. climate action and the country’s energy transition. EPRA’s proponents, rather than center these values and address the bill’s full range of costs and benefits, shrug these concerns away, contending that bill, by virtue of transmission provisions that will (according to estimates) drive a net reduction in GHG emissions relative to the status quo, warrants the sacrifice of other values. This glib dismissal of the values people care about invites backlash that can and should be avoided.”

The Hill: Both candidates are ignoring America’s biggest threat: the abuse of nature
William S. Becker is executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project and a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/30/24

“…Issues like immigration and the economy are getting ample attention; however, the candidates have said nothing about the most significant issue voters face this November: America’s ongoing assault on its natural capital, ecosystems and biodiversity,” William S. Becker writes for The Hill. “State and federal governments will always be expected to treat society’s infections and broken bones, but we can’t let short-term problems distract us from a metastasizing cancer. It’s the poisoning, abuse and destruction of the ecological systems on which our lives, posterity and other species depend.  Even climate change is getting less attention than it deserves up and down the ballot. Polling by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication shows that two-thirds of Americans are worried about climate change and believe Congress should do more to address it. Yet climate deniers still control the Republican Party, including 123 members of Congress and the GOP’s presidential candidate… “More than 40 percent of native landscapes have been lost in the contiguous U.S. An analysis by NatureServe last year found that 34 percent of plants and 40 percent of animals in the United States risk extinction. Over 40 percent of the nation’s ecosystems risk range-wide collapse… “A study published by the journal Nature Communications predicts that ecosystem services will decline in the U.S. between 2020 and 2100 because of population pressures and changes in land use. As usual, non-white, lower-income and urban residents will bear a disproportionate share of the consequences… “Although the World Economic Forum survey did not mention them, government subsidies are contributing to environmental threats by underwriting activities that make the biosphere and life within it weaker, sicker, poorer and less secure. Earth Track, a U.S. organization that monitors government subsidies, has found that environmentally harmful subsidies worldwide amount to at least $2.6 trillion annually, with most going to fossil fuels and practices like overproduction that are detrimental to agriculture and water resources. These are some of the big metastasizing issues today. The people who want to make America’s policies should address them.”