Energy Today – May 24, 2013
Mary Schaper
Posted May 24, 2013
The Hill – Keep Climate Change Out of Keystone XL Decision, GOP Warns
In a letter, 24 Senate Republicans urged President Obama not to tie the Keystone XL pipeline project to “wholly unrelated and economically disastrous new regulatory policies.”
Bloomberg – FracFocus Drillers’ Registry to Create Chemicals Database
A revamped FracFocus website – expected next week – will now allow regulators to search and aggregate data. The Environmental Defense Fund’s Mark Brownstein called it “a substantial improvement.”
Penn Energy – Port Arthur Stem Cracker Now Processing Shale Gas Ethane
Not commonly known, hydraulic fracturing also produces ethane – a feedstock for manufacturers. Capitalizing on the abundance of shale production in Texas, a Port Arthur steam cracker plant will now be able to process this ethane.
Platts – Did the Shale Revolution Already Find Its Biggest Oil Field?
Credit Suisse: Shale is a vital component of current U.S. production, which is growing at a huge clip – as much as 10 million b/d in the next several years, up from 6.5 million b/d last year. CS also notes that “five years ago, oil companies were only beginning to explore the merits of a practice that is now standard.”
AEI Ideas Carpe Diem Blog – Shale Surge Spreads to Five States, Combined Output Up 46 Percent
Mark J. Perry notes that recent breakthroughs in advanced drilling technologies have brought large increases in shale oil output over the past three years not only to Texas and North Dakota, but to five other states: Oklahoma (51%), Utah (46%), Colorado (64%), Wyoming (22%) and New Mexico (46%).
Politico – The Stakes of U.S. Prosperity, LNG Trade
Politico has an opinion piece noting the geopolitical role American natural gas exports would have on the LNG market. “The real geopolitical potential lies in liberalizing the U.S. export regime for natural gas trade. With U.S. natural gas prices now one-third to one-fifth of those in Europe and Asia, market incentives clearly align with U.S. strategic priorities.”
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – Industry Leader Says Natural Gas Exports Should Be Approved
API’s Jack Gerard on LNG exports: Rather than picking winners and losers for the permits, the federal government should grant all the permits, “and let the market decide.”
About The Author
Mary Schaper is a Digital Communications Manager for the American Petroleum Institute. She previously worked on Capitol Hill for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee as Digital Director and for Senator Lisa Murkowski. Before coming to D.C., she spearheaded digital strategy for Murkowski's successful Senate write-in campaign in 2010. Schaper enjoys traveling and taking in the local culture alongside her husband, their son and loyal springer spaniel.