Technology

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have signed an interagency memorandum of understanding (MOU) to begin researching the effects of human exposure to airborne emissions from shale gas drilling sites.

With potential ramification for long-haul trucking, railroad, marine and oilfield applications, small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling technology, dubbed “LNG In a Box” was unveiled Wednesday by General Electric (GE) unit GE Oil & Gas. The initial models are to be deployed in Europe under a deal with Luxembourg-based Gasfin.

Alternative transportation fueling, including natural gas variations and biodiesel, is making strides across the country, taking technology to advanced levels.

The U.S. oil rig count will continue to “drift slowly lower” in 2013 and 2014 in part because of technology and in part to balance the market, according to an updated analysis by Raymond James & Associates Inc.

Commercial energy technology is contributing significantly to the U.S. economy, with $132 billion in revenue in 2011 and an estimated 19% growth rate in 2012, according to the first-ever analysis of the advanced energy sector.

A final evaluation by Nebraska environmental officials is expected during early January regarding TransCanada Corp.’s alternative route for its proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline to avoid environmentally sensitive areas in the Sand Hills region of the state.

Tervita Corp., a Calgary-based environmental and energy services company, has been selected to build and operate a facility in Carroll County, OH, to treat Chesapeake Energy Corp.’s produced and tophole drilling water from its Utica Shale operations, the companies said.

A report issued by American Clean Skies Foundation last Thursday projects that technology-driven changes in oil and gas production since 2007 will lead to annual employment gains of 835,000 to 1.6 million new jobs nationwide by 2017 — more than the entire U.S. auto manufacturing industry — and increase the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by $167 billion to $245 billion net.

A report issued by American Clean Skies Foundation Thursday projects that technology-driven changes in oil and gas production since 2007 will lead to annual employment gains of 835,000 to 1.6 million new jobs nationwide by 2017 (more than the entire U.S. auto manufacturing industry), and increase the country’s gross domestic product by $167 billion to $245 billion on a net basis.