Geothermal

The Golden State’s largest oil and natural gas producer, California Resources Corp. (CRC), has partnered with ICE Thermal Harvesting LLC and the University of Houston to use zero-emissions electricity for in-field operations.  The pilot project, which was launched at CRC’s flagship Elk Hills oilfield in October, aims to test the feasibility of harvesting thermal energy…

An effort by utility unions and other stakeholders is under way in the waning days of the California legislature’s current session that could mandate an expanded market for geothermal power generation at the expense of existing natural gas-fired and renewable-based generation.

A wide variety of outcomes are possible when contemplating the likelihood that an oil or natural gas injection well could increase the chance of seismic activity, including the possibility of not operating the well at all, according to a draft report by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) workgroup.

Critics of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in California lament an alleged lack of information from the oil/natural gas industry, but producers are trying to counter what they consider to be gross misinformation on the drilling practice.

California’s proposed law (AB 591) dealing with hydraulic fracturing (fracking) was close to being held over as a two-year bill late Wednesday, according to the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA). With less than two weeks left in this year’s state legislative session, AB 591 has not moved as deadlines have passed in the state Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) has proposed amending its existing regulations for reporting production and royalties on crude oil, natural gas, coal and geothermal resources produced on federal and Indian leases in order to align the agency’s regulations with its current business practices.

Power plant developer/operator Calpine Corp. Tuesday was directed by a Delaware court to work out a plan in the next week for returning more than $300 million in proceeds from oil/gas asset sales whose earlier distribution had been challenged by two sets of corporate bondholders. The monies need to be distributed back into The Bank of New York, a collateral trustee and one of the plaintiffs filing the lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery.