Environmentalists sue Gulf of Mexico Oil Auction to Stop it
On Tuesday, environmental groups sued the Trump Administration for its decision to proceed with the planned December 10, offshore oil and natural gas lease sale that covered 80 million acres (32 millions hectares) of the Gulf of Mexico. Why it's Important The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenges…
Norway loses an appeal over oilfield development
The Norwegian Court of Appeal ruled against the government and in favor of environmentalists on Friday, confirming the lower court's ruling that the approval by the Energy Ministry of three offshore oil-and-gas fields was invalid. The court said that production from the oilfields affected would not stop, but the government could correct any deficiencies in the original approvals.
The European Court of Human Rights rejects the climate case against Norway Oil
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday in favor of the Norwegian Government in a case brought by young activists for climate change who claimed that the country's Arctic oil exploration policy had put their future in danger. Norway, the largest oil and natural gas producer in western Europe, produces four million barrels equivalent of oil per day.
Japan will send a senior official for the Alaska energy conference
Yoji Muto, Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry minister, said on Friday a senior official would attend a conference in Alaska next week, at which the $44 billion Alaska LNG Project is expected to come up for discussion. Muto announced that Takehiko Matsuo will be the Vice-Minister of International Affairs for the Ministry. The conference is scheduled to take place from June 3 to 5, Muto stated.
Philippines communities challenge dash for fossil gas
The government claims that LNG is an alternative to coal, and the capacity to generate it is required to meet the energy demands of Luzon Island, which is also home to Manila, the capital city, located 110 km (68 mi) north. Many people in Santa Clara, an area adjacent to the port's terminal, claim that respiratory illness has increased dramatically, even among children as young five years old.
Aker BP begins production at Tyrving Oilfield amid legal battle between the government and Aker BP over approval
Aker BP, a Norwegian oil company, has begun production at its Tyrving off-shore oilfield. The Norwegian government is trying to overturn the court's ruling that the project approval was invalid due to the failure to evaluate the climate impact. The Oslo District Court in January ruled that the Norwegian energy ministry failed to assess…
Activists Blockade Shell Refinery in Port of Rotterdam
Dozens of Greenpeace activists in Rotterdam port used a ship, buoys and a small flotilla of kayaks on Monday to block traffic around Shell’s Pernis refinery, Europe’s largest, as part of a campaign seeking a ban on fossil fuel advertising.Police ended the blockade after several hours and the port’s authority said economic disruption to…
Shell Faces Lawsuit From Environmentalists
Environmentalist and human rights groups said on Friday they had started a lawsuit against Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands to force the energy firm to cut its reliance on fossil fuels.The groups, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Netherlands, handed over a court summons to Shell at its headquarters in The Hague, demanding it stop extracting oil and gas and cut its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by
UK Takes Extra Measures to Support Shale Gas Development
The British government announced measures on Thursday to speed up planning applications to support development of the country's shale gas industry.Increasing reliance on imported gas as Britain's domestic North Sea output declines is one of the driving forces behind government support for hydraulic fracturing, which involves extracting…
Schneider Electric Supports UK Shipping and Port Industry
By plugging into the power grid with 100 per cent renewable electricity and turning off their diesel engines, ships at berth in the UK would reduce emissions equivalent to 84,000 to 166,000 diesel buses – or 1.2 million diesel cars representative of the current UK fleet. The pressure is mounting for the UK to align with EU air pollution emission targets…
Britain Blocks Plans for New Coal Mine on Climate Grounds
Britain has rejected plans for a new open cast coal mine in northeastern England, as it could hamper efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb climate change, the minister for local government said on Friday. Supporters of the project had said it could bring much needed jobs to the region, while environmental campaigners said it would go against Britain's commitment to reduce greenhouse gases.
Call for Carriage Ban on Non-Compliant Fuel
A group of leading environmental and maritime shipping organizations have called for the prohibition of transporting non-compliant marine fuels once the global 0.5 percent sulfur cap takes effect in 2020. The United Nation's International Maritime Organization (IMO) has agreed that from 1st January 2020 the maximum permitted sulphur content…
Canada to Rule on Two Pipelines; Kinder Morgan Still Up In Air
Canada will this week decide the fate of two Enbridge Inc pipelines but is keeping quiet about its verdict on Kinder Morgan Inc's plans to more than double the capacity of its Trans Mountain line, a move environmentalists strongly oppose. The Liberal government is widely expected to veto Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline from Alberta's oil sands to the province of British Columbia on the Pacific Coast.
Britain's First U.S. Shale Gas Arrives in Scotland
Britain's first shale gas delivery from the United States sailed into a heated European political debate on fracking on Tuesday and immediately ran into its first practical problem - the Scottish weather. The huge "Ineos Insight" tanker had entered the Firth of Forth at sunrise, a lone Scots piper playing on its bow, as it headed for the Grangemouth refinery, west of Edinburgh.
EU Regulators Poised to Seek Deeper Cut in Energy Use
EU regulators are poised to propose a binding target to cut energy use by 30 percent by 2030, a more ambitious goal than previously discussed, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. The draft law, which the European Commission is expected to publish next month, is part of a set of proposals to implement 2030 goals on cutting emissions, increasing renewable energy use and preventing energy waste.
Brexit Could Provide Boost for Britain's Shale Gas
Britain's shale gas industry could get a helping hand from a falling pound and a supportive new prime minister just as it is gearing up for its first production this year, after facing economic and political challenges that slowed its start. The British pound's weakness since the Brexit vote has made it more expensive to import gas, helping…
German Government Agrees to Ban Fracking Indefinitely
Germany's coalition government agreed to ban fracking for shale gas indefinitely on Tuesday, after years of fractious talks over the issue, but environmental groups said the ban did not go far enough and vowed to fight the deal. Test drilling will be allowed but only with the permission of the respective state government, officials said.
U.S., India in Talks to Settle Solar Power Trade Dispute
The United States and India are in talks that could settle a long-running solar power trade dispute, delaying the announcement of a ruling by the World Trade Organization, an Obama administration official said on Friday. Washington filed the WTO challenge three years ago, claiming that India's national solar power program illegally discriminated…
'Kayaktivists' Take Shell Arctic Protest Nationwide
Environmental activists in the U.S. prepare to take their so-called “kayaktivism” nationwide as they urge lawmakers to revoke oil and gas exploration leases in the Chukchi Sea, says environmental group Friends of the Earth. The group’s “Shell No” day on July 18 will gather activists in 13 states and in Washington D.C. as they bring their…
Shell Steps Closer to Arctic Drilling
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service authorized the nonlethal, incidental, and unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walrus that result from Shell’s exploratory drilling activities in the Chukchi Sea. The agency gave authorization despite finding information gaps regarding walrus and polar bear behavior in offshore environments…