Petrochemical

Besides powering a manufacturing/petrochemical industry renaissance, North America’s abundant supply of shale gas is fueling a war of words over the merits of energy exports versus domestic usage.

The Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas is likely the biggest potential driver of U.S. oil production growth for the next five to 10 years with production on track to pass 1 million b/d by the middle of next year and 1.7 million b/d by the end of 2015, analyst at Raymond James & Associates said in a note Monday.

Oneok Partners LP Thursday said it would spend between $980 million and $1.1 billion by 2014 on a slate of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) midstream projects in Texas, Oklahoma and North Dakota.

From 2009 to 2011 nearly 100,000 tons of pollution were released from Texas oil and gas facilities, refineries and petrochemical plants due to accidents and other non-routine events, according to the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP). Natural gas operations were blamed for the majority of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and volatile organic compound (VOC) releases.

From 2009 to 2011 nearly 100,000 tons of pollution were released from Texas oil and gas facilities, refineries and petrochemical plants due to accidents and other non-routine events, according to the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP). Natural gas operations were blamed for the majority of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and volatile organic compound (VOC) releases.

While normally associated with the chemicals and petrochemical industries, a number of small, niche players want to take liquids derived from natural gas and compete in the alternative transportation fuels space. The reinvigorated natural gas transportation fuel buzz has brought back methanol, introduced dimethyl ether (DME) and found potential room for bio-based fuels from natural gas.

Despite a large supply of ethane in the Appalachian Basin and no nearby place to put it, several projects to ship the commodity out of the region are challenged by the complexities of the marketplace, according to several project sponsors.

Beginning in November 2009 “cyberattacks were launched against several global oil, energy and petrochemical companies,” McAfee Labs Chief Technology Officer George Kurtz wrote in a blog post last week introducing the firm’s white paper on its investigation of the attacks. The attacks, which the security firm is calling “Night Dragon,” are believed to have originated in China.

Beginning in November 2009 “cyberattacks were launched against several global oil, energy and petrochemical companies,” McAfee Labs Chief Technology Officer George Kurtz wrote in a Wednesday blog post introducing the firm’s white paper on its investigation of the attacks. The attacks, which the security firm is calling “Night Dragon,” are believed to have originated in China.