Can Trump reverse Biden's offshore oil drilling ban?
In an executive order issued on Monday, President Donald Trump revoked the ban placed by former Democratic president Joe Biden against new offshore oil-and-gas development along most of America's coasts. Trump will face legal challenges regarding his authority. What did BIDEN and Trump do? Biden used his authority, granted by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1970, to stop oil and gas drilling in federal waters along the East and Western coasts of the United States as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico. He also halted the drilling of portions of the northern Bering sea of Alaska. Biden said that the move was in line with his efforts to fight climate change.
Republican-led states file suit against Biden administration for offshore drilling ban
A group of Republican states filed a suit on Friday to challenge a ban on offshore oil and natural gas development announced earlier this month by the outgoing Democratic U.S. president Joe Biden. According to a court document, the lawsuit is seeking a reversal Biden's prohibition with declaratory and judicial relief. The filing argues that Biden does not have the authority or power to impose a such a restriction and that this authority belongs to the U.S. Congress. Biden's announcement on January 6 was largely symbolic as it won't impact areas where oil-and-gas development is already underway. It will mainly cover zones where drillers don’t have any important prospects.
SLB's Russia business aligns itself with US sanctions as revenues drop
SLB, an oilfield services provider, said on Friday that its current business in Russia aligns with the U.S. sanctioned this month but revenue is declining in Russia. After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, one of only a few Western companies that will remain in Russia is the world's largest oilfield services company. SLB faces pressure to leave Russia following the U.S. Treasury Department's new sanctions on Jan. 10. These included an executive order that cut off Russia’s access to U.S. Services related to the production and extraction of crude oil, and other petroleum products. According to the sanctions, companies have until February 27 to cease operations.
Trump's nominee for Interior supports drilling on federal land
Doug Burgum, the nominee for Secretary of Interior by Donald Trump, will tell Congress during his nomination hearing Thursday that he is committed to maximizing energy production on America's public land and waters. He will call this a key element of national security. The comments are a sign of a policy shift that is about to occur. President Joe Biden tried for years to limit oil and gas drilling in federal waters by reducing federal auctions and prohibiting future development. This was part of his strategy to combat climate change. "Today…
Trump's Energy Department pick calls for increased LNG and nuclear energy
Chris Wright, the nominee of Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Energy Department told U.S. Senators during his confirmation hearing that his top priority was expanding domestic energy production, including liquefied gas and nuclear power. Wright, 60 believes that fossil fuels will end world poverty and is a bigger problem than the "distant threat" of climate change, according to an article he wrote in his capacity as CEO of Liberty Energy, a company providing oilfield services. Protesters interrupted the hearing several times, with one protester…
New York City dismisses climate change lawsuit against Exxon BP Shell
A judge dismissed New York City’s lawsuit against Exxon Mobil and BP for misrepresenting their products and commitment to renewable energy, as well as their fight against climate change. Anar Patel, a state Supreme Court justice, ruled on Tuesday that the city cannot claim to have climate-conscious citizens, but then let them down by oil companies who fail to disclose the contribution of their fossil fuels to climate change. Patel found that there was no evidence the oil companies or defendant American Petroleum Institute engaged in "greenwashing", including statements about alternative energy and clean energy, to increase sales of fossil fuels products in the city.
Trump's Energy Department pick calls for more LNG and Nuclear Power
Chris Wright, the nominee of Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Energy Department will tell U.S. Senators during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that his top priority is increasing domestic energy production, including liquefied gas and nuclear energy. Wright, 59 years old, believes that fossil fuels will end world poverty. This is a bigger problem than the "distant threat" of climate change, according to an article he wrote in his capacity as CEO of Liberty Energy, an oilfield services firm. Wright is in favor of some fossil fuel alternatives. These include small nuclear reactors that are not yet available commercially, as well as geothermal energy.
Brazil president signs law authorizing offshore wind development
A statement released late Friday said that Brazilian President Luiz inacio Lula da Silveira had signed into law the bill authorizing offshore wind farms. The move was made to improve the energy security of the country and spur a wave investment. In a statement, it was stated that the new law provides incentives for the development offshore energy projects within Brazilian territorial waters. The wind speed offshore is usually faster and more stable than the wind speed on land. This could be an advantage over wind farms constructed on a continent.
US issue partial guidance on clean-fuel subsidies, which chastises ethanol producers
The U.S. Government released on Friday short-term guidelines on how companies could secure clean fuel tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. However, it did not finalize the key details of the program. The biofuels industry is eager to get clarity about the tax credits that are available for fuels which combat climate change. They hope this will allow corn-based fuel ethanol to be used as a feedstock in sustainable aviation fuel. The U.S. Treasury Department released the guidance. It said it provided new details on the criteria fuels must meet to qualify for the subsidy.
Alaska sues Biden Administration over ANWR Leases
The U.S. state of Alaska has sued the Biden administration for what it calls violations of a Congressional directive to allow oil and gas development in a portion of the federal Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).Monday's lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Alaska challenges the federal government's December 2024 decision to offer oil and gas drilling leases in an area known as the coastal plain with restrictions.The lawsuit said curbs on surface use and occupancy make it "impossible or impracticable to develop" 400,000 acres (162,000 hectares) of land the U.S.
Biden Team wraps up expanded Clean Energy Credit Guidance
The Biden Administration released Tuesday guidance to assist companies in securing clean energy tax credits as part of the 2022 Inflation reduction Act. This program finalized a program that extends subsidies previously available for solar and wind to other low-carbon sources. This move is a part of the actions taken by outgoing president Joe Biden to support his administration's efforts to combat climate change. The move could be vulnerable when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in the coming weeks on a platform that emphasizes cutting spending and maximising fossil fuel production.
Biden bans offshore oil and gas drilling before Trump's term
The U.S. president Joe Biden has announced that he will ban all new offshore oil and natural gas development along the majority of U.S. coasts. This is a decision which President-elect Donald Trump who has pledged to increase domestic energy production may find hard to reverse. Biden, according to the White House on Monday, will exercise his authority under 70-year-old Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act in order to protect federal waters along the East and Western coasts of the United States as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico. He will also use this authority to protect portions of Alaska's northern Bering sea.
Biden bans offshore oil and gas drilling before Trump's term
The U.S. president Joe Biden has announced that he will ban all new offshore oil and natural gas development along the majority of U.S. coasts. This is a decision which President-elect Donald Trump who has pledged to increase domestic energy production may find hard to reverse. Biden, according to the White House on Monday, will exercise his authority under 70-year-old Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act in order to protect federal waters along the East and Western coasts of the United States as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico. He will also use this authority to protect portions of Alaska's northern Bering sea.
Biden team offers nuclear pathway to hydrogen tax credit
Biden's administration announced on Friday that portions of nuclear power plant will be eligible for tax credits in order to produce clean hydrogen, if these credits prevent the reactors from being retired. The new rules deal with one of the most controversial issues in the Inflation Reduction Act. This law, which is set to be implemented by 2022 and aims to combat climate change through subsidizing technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was enacted to help fight the effects of global warming. Some environmental groups claim that…
Biden Administration offers nuclear industry a path to hydrogen tax credits
The Biden administration announced on Friday that nuclear power plants would be eligible for lucrative tax credits if they produce what it calls "clean hydrogen" and if these credits prevent the reactors from being retired. The new rules resolve one of the most controversial issues surrounding the Inflation Reduction Act. This law, which is set to be implemented in 2022 and is designed to combat climate change through subsidizing technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Some environmental groups claim that nuclear reactors, as clean energy sources, should not be eligible for the IRA’s clean hydrogen program.
Top five contrarian commodity scenarios for 2025: Russell
In 2025 it may be worth being a contrarian, since the year ahead could be one of most volatile ever, especially in commodities. Donald Trump is back, threatening to disrupt the global trade flow with a wall on imports. He will be able to do little this time, with a Republican-led Congress. China is the second largest economy in the world and the biggest buyer of commodities. The future of global energy transition is much more uncertain because of Trump's climate scepticism and the growing influence of right-wing parties in Europe. Also, people are becoming increasingly wary of the costs that they will be forced to bear as the world moves away from carbon-based fuels.
Top five contrarian commodity scenarios for 2025: Russell
In 2025 it may be worth being a contrarian, since the year ahead could be one of most volatile ever, especially in commodities. Donald Trump is back, threatening to disrupt the global trade flow with a wall on imports. He will be able to do little this time, with a Republican-led Congress. China is the second largest economy in the world and the biggest buyer of commodities. The future of global energy transition is much more uncertain because of Trump's climate change doubt, the growing influence of right-wing parties in Europe and the public's increasing concern about the costs that they might be forced to bear as the world moves away from carbon-based fuel.
Wall Street Journal, Dec 19,
These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. Woodside and Chevron announced they would streamline their oil and gas operations throughout Western Australia by announcing a stake exchange deal. This move will result in the Australian energy company exiting the $34 Billion Wheatstone LNG Project. The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the pharmacy chain CVS for filling illegal prescriptions of opioids and billing federal insurance programs. This is contributing to an epidemic of opioid overdose and addiction across the country.
Biden Administration releases LNG export study and urges caution on new permits
Tuesday, the administration of U.S. president Joe Biden released the long-awaited report on the economic impacts and environmental effects of exports of liquefied gas. The results highlighted the need to be cautious when issuing new permits. Biden had in January halted the Department of Energy’s approvals of U.S. exports of LNG to large consumers in Asia and Europe, so that his government could conduct the review. This triggered complaints from the oil industry. The study's findings were summarized by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in a letter to reporters.
Biden's DoE LNG Export Study Tepid on New Permits
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden released a long-awaited study on the economic and environmental impacts of liquefied natural gas exports on Tuesday, saying the results underscored the need for a cautious approach to new permits.Biden in January had paused the Department of Energy's approvals of U.S. LNG exports to big consumers in Asia and Europe so that his administration could conduct the review, triggering complaints from the oil and gas industry."The main takeaway is that a business-as-usual approach is neither sustainable nor advisable," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told reporters ahead of the release of the study.
