Andrew Baker

A federal judge on Wednesday voided Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval of ConocoPhillips’ massive Willow development envisaged for Alaska’s North Slope, citing a failure by BLM to analyze the project’s downstream greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In a written ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason of the District of Alaska said the environmental impact…

Plans to produce low-carbon hydrogen, using natural gas and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), are gaining momentum in major producing states such as North Dakota and Texas. Bakken Energy LLC on Monday agreed to acquire the Great Plains Synfuels Plant in Beulah, ND, as part of a larger plan to develop a more than…

Natural gas and carbon capture, storage and utilization (CCUS) together offer the most feasible near-term path for expanding low-carbon hydrogen production in Latin America, according to new analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Currently, the most prevalent and economically feasible way to produce hydrogen is by splitting it from natural gas without abatement of…

Lower 48 exploration and production firms must stay disciplined amid current high oil and natural gas prices, Continental Resources Inc. management said recently. “While we remain bullish on commodity prices, given the volatility of price cycles and potential impact of, and government reaction to, the Covid variants, we continue to believe it is inappropriate for…

The White House said Thursday it is aiming for zero-emission electric vehicles (EV) to account for half of new vehicles sold in the United States by 2030. It also called for more stringent fuel economy standards. “Zero-emission” includes battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and fuel cell EVs, the White House said. President Biden was set…

Pioneer Natural Resources Co. will accelerate disbursing a variable dividend for shareholders amid a bullish commodity cycle and improved efficiencies across its one million acre-plus footprint in the Permian Basin, management said this week. “We are witnessing strong oil demand growth as the global macroeconomic environment continues to improve, with a corresponding improvement in commodity…

Mexican state power utility Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) said Sunday it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with TC Energy Corp. to advance two natural gas pipeline projects and to “consolidate” several existing firm natural gas transport agreements between the firms. CFE said it has agreed “to take a more active role” in…

Electrification alone will be insufficient to decarbonize the energy sector, said speakers at the LDC Gas Forums Northeast event in late July. Enbridge Inc.’s Steve Elliott, director of business development, told the Boston conference that about 80% of the world’s energy is currently consumed as a molecule, with the remaining 20% consumed as an electron.…

North America’s largest natural gas transporters and distributors are advancing projects to produce clean hydrogen and blend it into their mix to help achieve decarbonization goals. Managers from industry heavyweights including Enbridge Inc. and Williams gave updates on their progress at the LDC Gas Forums Northeast event this month in Boston. Although hydrogen offers “great…