Hoping

The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) did not give sufficient attention to the potential environmental impact from hydraulic fracturing (fracking) when it issued oil/gas leases for 2,500 acres two years ago, a judge in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, in San Jose ruled on Monday.

Hoping to head off threats of a state moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking), Illinois leaders, the exploration and production (E&P) industry and conservation groups on Thursday firmed a mutual agreement on a bipartisan bill (HB 2615) that establishes rules for unconventional drilling using stimulation techniques.

Hoping to head off threats of a state moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking), Illinois state legislative, oil/natural gas industry and environmental leaders on Thursday announced agreement on a bipartisan bill (HB 2615) establishing rules on the use of the contested well stimulation practice.

For 2013, Southwestern Energy Co. is dialing down spending by $100 million but expects to increase net natural gas and oil production by 11-13% from this year. Drilling is increasing on the eastern side of the Fayetteville Shale, and new pipeline infrastructure is taking more gas to market from the Marcellus Shale, the company said.

California has a mandate to have one-third of its electricity from renewable energy resources by 2020, but energy planners and providers are hoping milder weather prevails this summer in the face of prospects of a permanent shutdown of one of the state’s two major nuclear generating plants.

While the state has a mandate to have one-third of its electricity come from renewable energy resources by 2020, energy planners and providers alike are hoping milder weather prevails this summer in the face of prospects for perhaps a permanent shut down of one of the state’s two major nuclear generating plants.

With the final pollution standards for the oil and natural gas industry due to be issued within days, the industry is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. An official with the American Petroleum Institute (API) said the group hopes the rule will be “reasonable” and “achievable,” while at the same time stressing that industry does not oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) efforts to reduce emissions from oil and gas operations.

Current and former officials in the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) warn that companies hoping to build an ethane cracker in the state could have difficulty getting the necessary permits if they choose to build in areas that don’t meet federal air quality standards.

Current and former officials in the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) warn that companies hoping to build an ethane cracker in the state could have difficulty getting the necessary permits if they choose to build in areas that don’t meet federal air quality standards.