The number of earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater near oil and gas disposal wells in Oklahoma should continue to decline over the next few years as a result of state regulations reducing wastewater injection volumes, according to new research from Stanford University.
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People — M. Howard Petricoff, PUCO
Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Commissioner M. Howard Petricoff said Friday that he would step down, after the state Senate Public Utilities Committee in a rare move voted Thursday to oppose his appointment. Petricoff, a Democrat, was nominated in June by Republican Gov. John Kasich. He has been serving without confirmation since. He retired in 2015 after nearly 30 years with the Columbus-based law firm, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, which has represented energy clients in high-profile cases in the state. Petricoff was the only Democrat serving on the PUCO. While the full Senate didn’t vote on his appointment, some Republicans in the chamber expressed uncertainty about his previous work on behalf of natural gas suppliers and electricity providers. Petricoff released a statement saying “I am grateful for the governor’s trust, and out of respect for that trust, I see no value in subjecting his appointment of me — nor the good efforts of the nominating council — to an unfortunate outcome.” PUCO Chairman Asim Haque said he was saddened by the Senate’s position and noted that Petricoff has “four decades of experience as a utility expert.”
Oregon’s Rep. Walden Elected to Lead House E&C Committee
Republican lawmakers in the House on Thursday elected Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee.
Petition, Protests Could Affect Oil/Gas Lease Sale For Ohio National Forest
A petition filed by more than 92,000 people in mid-November with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and an administrative appeal filed by environmental groups to stop an oil and gas lease sale in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest (WNF) could impact a scheduled Dec. 13 auction, an official said.
States Claim ESA Critical Habitat Revisions Hamper Energy Projects, Economic Development
Eighteen states are challenging revamped critical habitat rules within the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that were finalized earlier this year by the Obama administration, claiming federal authorities are attempting to usurp control over state land and water resources by imposing unnecessary revisions.
With More to Review, FERC Delays Mountaineer, Gulf XPress EIS
The final environmental impact statements (EIS) for TransCanada Corp.’s Mountaineer XPress (MXP) and Gulf XPress (GXP) pipeline projects will be delayed three months, FERC said in a notice of revised schedule this week.
Statoil Tax Dispute in West Virginia Sent Back to County Courts
A judge on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a dispute between a unit of Norway’s Statoil ASA and four counties over nearly $7 million in property taxes the company claims it overpaid must be handled in the county court system.
Congress May Wait on Energy Reform, LNG Left Out of Talks, Staffer Says
Language to speed up approval of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects could get left behind as lawmakers in the Senate and House conference try to rescue an energy reform bill before time runs out, a congressional staffer said Tuesday in Washington, DC.
Rep. Walden Reported Favorite to Lead House E&C Committee
According to media reports, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) is the front-runner to succeed Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) as chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee.
Brief — Slawson Exploration Co.
Slawson Exploration Co., an exploration/production (E&P) operator in the Bakken Shale play, reached a settlement Thursday with the Obama administration regarding alleged Clean Air Actviolations in North Dakota, including on the Fort Berthold Reservation. Slawson was accused by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice of failing to adequately control emissions on its E&P and storage operations at approximately 170 oil/natural gas well pads in North Dakota. The settlement resolves claims that Slawson’s operations caused emissions of volatile organic compounds. As a result of the settlement, Slawson will spend an estimated $4.1 million for systems upgrades, monitoring and inspections. The total includes $2.1 million in civil penalties and another $2 million in environmental mitigation projects.