Tackle

The Pennsylvania General Assembly won’t tackle a tax or fee on Marcellus Shale development during budget talks this summer, but will most likely return to the topic in the fall.

Three federal agencies Friday said they will take an interagency approach to tackle air quality issues associated with onshore oil and natural gas development on public lands.

The U.S. Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy last Tuesday unveiled a five-part plan to tackle the major energy challenges outlined by business and community leaders.

The U.S. Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy Tuesday unveiled a five-part plan to tackle the major energy challenges cited by business and community leaders.

Looking to tackle high energy bills for its customers from the demand side, the Ameren Illinois Utilities on Tuesday filed an energy efficiency plan with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) designed to help customers save money by reducing their natural gas usage.

The “Big Five” U.S. producers — ExxonMobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell, BP plc, Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips — together last year spent 56% of their mighty cash flow on share repurchases and dividends, but the next 20 “second tier” U.S.-based independents were quicker on their feet, outperforming the majors in exploration and development, according to a study by the Baker Institute for Public Policy.

The “Big Five” U.S. producers — ExxonMobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell, BP plc, Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips — together last year spent 56% of their mighty cash flow on share repurchases and dividends, but the next 20 “second tier” U.S.-based independents were quicker on their feet, outperforming the majors in exploration and development, according to a study by the Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Natural gas got caught in the crossfire last week as Democratic and Republican proposals seeking to tackle $3-plus gasoline prices flew left and right when lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill following their Easter recess.

While energy efficiency and renewables, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the eventual construction of the Alaska pipeline can all play a role in helping to tackle the current gas supply/demand quandary facing the U.S., there is no single silver bullet available that can dramatically lower natural gas prices from their high levels today, a broad cross-section of energy and environmental officials agreed at a conference last Tuesday.