Environment

Sources: Biden to Announce Delay on New LNG Export Terminal Approvals

The Biden administration is expected to announce on Friday that it will begin considering climate impacts in its approvals of new LNG exports, a process that will likely delay decisions on new terminals until after the Nov. 5 presidential election, two sources familiar with the matter said.

White House Pauses Decision on Louisiana LNG Export Terminal

The Biden administration is delaying a decision on a Louisiana LNG export project that would be the United States' largest, but which has raised the ire of environmentalists, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

Canada Regulators Face Activist Ire for Trans Mountain Variance Approval

Environmental activists say the CER's conditions around the materials Trans Mountain can use to build the smaller section of pipe are too lenient. However, there is little they can do at this stage to block the approval.

Global Pipeline Construction Outlook 2024: New LNG Terminals Sound Beckon Call for More Pipelines

(P&GJ) — It comes as little surprise to those in midstream that during the past year we have continued to see LNG initiatives garner more attention than pipeline projects. However, terminal construction drives new pipeline construction.

Projects January 2024

Wolf Carbon withdraws pipeline application in Illinois; Canadian oil, gas producers plan to drill 8% more wells in 2024; TC Energy receives FERC approval for Virginia Reliability Project; and more!

Getting a Grip on Fugitive Emissions

Better tracking is needed to tackle fugitive emissions, but this is only one part of the puzzle. Fortunately, new packing sets are beginning to address a long-overlooked problem for heavy industry.

NEPA Proposal Elevates GHG as Approval Impediment

The EPA isn’t the only Biden administration office throwing up potential roadblocks to pipeline construction. Interstate pipeline builders weighed in on the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) proposed reversal of changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) made by the Trump administration.

Terra Natural Capital Launches to Scale Carbon Projects and Boost Natural Assets Investment

Terra was founded with the mission of delivering flexible financing solutions for carbon removal and reduction projects and providing both public and private organizations with access to high-integrity carbon credits at scale.

INGAA Foundation Unveils Report on Electrifying Natural Gas Compression for Greenhouse Gas Reduction

The Foundation aimed to assess the potential effects of electrifying natural gas transmission compression as a strategic measure to combat greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the natural gas supply chain.

Deep Freeze Hits U.S. Oil Industry from North Dakota to Texas

A severe winter storm shut a U.S. Gulf Coast refinery in Texas on Tuesday, triggered malfunctions at others, and halved North Dakota oil production as it dumped snow and rain across a broad swath of the nation.

West Virginia Greenlights Hope Gas' $177 Million Pipeline, Deemed 'Reasonable and Necessary’

West Virginia's PSC approves Hope Gas' pipeline project, investing $177 million to meet Morgantown's rising demand. Amid supply challenges, local customers welcome increased capacity for the region's energy needs.

U.S. Proposes Fee on Methane from Big Oil and Gas Producers

The U.S. on Friday proposed a fee on emissions of methane from big oil and gas producers as required under the 2022 climate law and as a backstop to wider regulations on the greenhouse gas from energy operations.

Marie Tecnimont, Newcleo Team Up to Produce Carbon-Neutral Hydrogen

Newcleo has signed an agreement with Maire Tecnimont's units NextChem Tech and Tecnimont to use its nuclear reactors to decarbonize the chemical industry, including hydrogen production, the two companies said on Wednesday.

Enbridge and EDF Renewables Launch Fox Squirrel Solar Complex in Ohio

EDF Renewables North America and Enbridge Inc. have announced that Phase 1 of Fox Squirrel Solar, the largest solar complex in Ohio, is fully operational and delivering decarbonized electricity to the PJM grid.

EIA: U.S. Energy-Related CO2 Emissions to Remain Unchanged in 2024

U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are expected to remain unchanged in 2024, as increased natural gas and petroleum emissions offset decreased coal emissions, the Energy Information Administration said in a monthly report on Tuesday.

Texas Explosion Likely Caused by Gas Leak Injures 21

At least 21 people were injured Monday in an apparent gas leak explosion at the Sandman Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, the city's fire department said.

Swiss Fossil Fuel Group Closes First Sale of Paris Agreement Carbon Offsets

A Thai electric bus operator said on Monday it had sold the first carbon offsets under a new system created by the Paris Agreement to a Swiss fossil fuel group, a major landmark for putting into action the eight-year-old United Nations climate accord.

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Exxon's Bid to Move Minnesota Climate Lawsuit to Federal Court

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a bid by major fossil fuel companies and an industry trade group to move a lawsuit filed by Minnesota accusing them of worsening climate change out of state court and into federal court, the energy industry's favored venue.

BlackRock to Invest Up to $400 Million in Dubai Decarbonization Firm Positive Zero

BlackRock has agreed to invest up to $400 million in Dubai-based decarbonization company Positive Zero through a diversified infrastructure fund, Positive Zero said in a statement on Monday.

RNG Outlook Offers Mixed Message for Midstream

(P&GJ) – In mid-2023, the international management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) issued an assessment of renewable natural gas (RNG) that offered a mixed message.

Crucial Role of Testing Labs in Pipeline Emergency Response

(P&GJ) — Emergency situations, like explosions due to pipeline ruptures, often happen instantly and without warning. Pipeline managers know about the risks that come with the job, but the aftereffects of pipeline ruptures and leaks are often secondary to protecting human life.

Smart Tech Takes Aim at U.S. Methane Emissions

(P&GJ) — It’s hardly surprising that major gas leaks hit international headlines. Known as super-emitter events, these leaks cause plumes of methane to escape into our atmosphere — sometimes for days on end. However, these leaks are often spotted by satellites orbiting our planet before they are even known about on Earth.

Energy Transfer Faces Allegations of Anti-Competitive Practices in Louisiana Pipeline Dispute

(P&GJ) — The dispute centers around Energy Transfer's denial of three projects seeking to cross its pipelines, leading to a legal battle impacting over $2 billion in energy infrastructure.

Mexico Shows Elevated Methane Emissions from Gas Pipeline, Scientists Report

Mexico emitted "extreme" amounts of methane from a natural gas pipeline running through its northern border state, Durango, in 2019, a research paper published on Tuesday showed, citing data collected from satellites.

CNX Resources Pulls Out of Adams Fork Ammonia Project

CNX Resources said on Friday it had pulled out of the Adams Fork ammonia project and is evaluating several alternative sites in southern West Virginia for clean hydrogen projects.

Climate-Tech Firm Climeworks to Sell Carbon Credits to BCG

It is an important step toward building credibility for the nascent direct air capture (DAC) industry - which uses minerals and chemicals to suck carbon dioxide out of the air - as it ramps up commitments that will help it attract new funds for expansion.

Trans Mountain Pipeline Warns of 2-Year Delay Over Regulatory Setback

Canadian government-owned Trans Mountain Corp. asked the country's energy regulator on Thursday to reverse a decision rejecting proposed construction changes on its oil pipeline expansion, warning of a possibly "catastrophic" two-year delay and billions of dollars in losses.

U.S. Coast Guard Finds Sheen Near Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday it found a light sheen west of an area in the Gulf of Mexico where it was leading the clean-up of a million-gallon (liters) oil spill for nearly three weeks but could not confirm if the sheen was from that spill.

Republican States Challenge EPA's Pipeline Veto Power Expansion in Federal Lawsuit

A group of 11 Republican-led states and energy industry groups have challenged a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that bolsters state and tribal veto power over pipelines and other major infrastructure projects that might pollute rivers and streams.

Exxon Mobil CEO Rebuffs IEA Criticism of Carbon Capture Strategy

Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods on Saturday rejected the International Energy Agency's recent claim that using wide-scale carbon capture to fight climate change was an implausible "illusion", saying the same could be said about electric vehicles and solar energy.