California

Natural gas futures on Monday cruised higher for a second consecutive session as forecasts pointed to stronger weather-driven demand over the back half of July. The August Nymex contract advanced 10.5 cents day/day and settled at $3.779/MMBtu. The prompt month had gained 6.0 cents on Friday to close out trading last week. The September contract…

The Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with San Diego-based Sempra Energy to work on decarbonization strategies. In the MOU, Sempra and NREL agreed to focus on advancing artificial intelligence to scale solutions across the United States. They also plan to integrate low-carbon fuel solutions, including…

The size of California’s wildfires doubled year/year in 2020, so state officials are throwing technology enhancements at the seasonal challenge through the utilities, grid operators and energy planners. “One of the biggest lessons we have learned is how unpredictable fire dangers and climate both are, and we’re still grappling somewhat with how to prepare for…

California regulators have fined Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) $106 million for allegedly violating guidelines in 2019 for executing planned power outages to lower wildfire risks.  The fine by an administrative law judge (ALJ) is part of an ongoing effort by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to hold the state’s major investor-owned utilities…

California has begun the public comment period for a regulatory initiative to end the issuance of new hydraulic fracturing (fracking) permits by January 2024. Gov. Gavin Newsom last month instructed the Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management (CalGEM) Division to begin drawing up the measure. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) also was ordered to…

For the next 15 years, natural gas will be an important transition fuel, but longer term, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) is still conducting an assessment of what its future will be, CEO Patti Poppe said Thursday. “In all the clean energy scenarios, and certainly in the near-term over the next 15 years, there…

Moving closer to an all-out ban, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has directed regulators to start a regulatory process for banning new permits for drilling using hydraulic fracturing (fracking) by January 2024.  The governor said he chose the regulatory route after a legislative attempt earlier this month again failed. He has directed the Department of Conservation’s…

Another attempt in California to ban the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and other well stimulation technologies has failed to get a key legislative committee’s endorsement, drawing cautious optimism from industry representatives. Senate Bill 467 by state Sen. Scott Wiener was granted reconsideration to possibly be reintroduced. The bill also would have prohibited wells from…

California Resources Corp. (CRC), the state’s largest producer, said it is ahead of schedule in meeting a list of climate change goals by 2030 and shrinking its carbon footprint. Established four years ago, the environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives address water, renewable energy, methane emissions and carbon capture in the oilfield operations. Compared to…