Committee

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee plans to hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on April 9 to consider the nomination of Ernest Moniz to be secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE). Moniz would succeed current Energy Secretary Steven Chu (see Daily GPI, March 5). Moniz currently serves as science adviser in the administration and director of the MIT Energy Initiative. He is a familiar face to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where he has testified on a variety of energy issues. Moniz has a reputation of being supportive of natural gas development, calling it a “bridge fuel” even as he has called for more funding for renewable energy. In 2010 he co-authored an MIT study that concluded that gas would be a leader in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions over the next several decades, mostly by replacing older, inefficient coal plants with combined-cycle gas generation.

Two prominent Ohio Republicans — state House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Media) and Treasurer Josh Mandel — told supporters of the oil and natural gas industry that they oppose Gov. John Kasich’s proposal to levy new severance taxes on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and natural gas liquids (NGL).

In a stunning setback for shale development in the Empire State, the New York State Assembly voted 95-40 on Wednesday to enact a two-year moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF). The bill, A5424, now moves to the state Senate.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other top Japanese officials during their recent visit to Washington, DC, to discuss opportunities to export Alaska natural gas to Japan.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, met Friday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other top Japanese officials to discuss opportunities to export Alaska natural gas to Japan.

Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s (Oxy) board has launched a search for a new CEO as part of the company’s management succession planning process. The board has formed a search committee to review both internal and external candidates to replace current President and CEO Stephen Chazen, 65. No timetable has been set for the completion of the search. As previously announced, Oxy Executive Chairman Ray Irani, who is in his late 70s, will retire at the end of 2014.

The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has cleared the acquisition of Calgary-based Nexen Inc. by CNOOC Ltd., a unit of state-controlled China National Offshore Oil Co., giving the deal all the approvals it needs to close, Nexen said Tuesday.

Senate chairman of Committee of Energy and Natural Resources, Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden, last week rejected the findings of a study published last year for the Department of Energy (DOE) that favors liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and called for a do-over.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), the incoming chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has announced that members of his senior staff will include Joshua Sheinkman, staff director; Sam Fowler, chief counsel; and senior counsels Dan Adamson, Patty Beneke, David Brooks, Michele Miranda and Todd Wooten. Drew Johnston and Cisco Minthorn also will be part of the counsel staff. Senior professional staff will include Isaiah Akin, Meghan Conklin, Kevin Rennert, Allen Stayman and Sara Tucker. Keith Chu has been tapped to be press secretary, and Samantha Offerdahl will be press assistant.