Thought Piece [While the discovery of 5 to 6 billion oil and untold natural gas is good news for Alaska, the U.S. and the global energy markets, the logistics of the harvesting the oil will require vast quantities of water and sand needed for fracking, which will be challenging, and probably more expensive than the lower 48 states. Of the [...]
Thought Piece "Legal Group Wants ‘Partisan’ AG Punished Over Handling Of High-Profile Public Records Request." Another New York Attorney General without boundaries? [Below, you will find two pieces about New York Attorney General Eric Scheiderman. In many ways, his AG office's activities have been reminiscent of Elliot Spitzer's attack on Wall Street: Highly political, very ambitious and utterly [...]
Thought Piece [It is worth mentioning that many of these patents involve improved environmentalism and safety, what I have called "practical environmentalism" over 15 years ago. Deloitte expects these innovative fracking solutions to continue: Recent filings and ongoing research in "the field of nanoparticles, monitoring and sensing" suggests the drive toward faster, cheaper and cleaner hydraulic fracturing will [...]
Thought Piece [While many people seemingly have forgotten that Clean Power Plan was a legalistic nightmare, I think it is important to remember the CPP was opposed by 31 states (out of 50) in court. Ultimately, it was a poorly-written, over-politicized document in search of a political cause. Now that it is just another example of a failed federal over-reach, I wanted to make [...]
Thought Piece [The technology of horizontal drilling and fracking is moving at hyper-speed in the US, thanks to the Internet of Things and the innovations of the American private sector. As expected, the energy industry continues to extract more oil faster and cheaper than OPEC. Yes, Virginia, the slow moving, unwieldy methods used by OPEC are showing. In [...]
[I have up-dated a piece I wrote last year, "EPA's Clean Power Plan and its Moment of Truth." While many people seemingly have forgotten that it was a legalistic nightmare, I think it is important to revisit its many flaws. Ultimately, it was an over-politicized document in search of national problem. Even Gina McCarthy admitted that the Clean Power [...]
Thought Piece [The following piece by John Kemp is a well-nuanced look at the current US gas and oil industry. While increasing flows of oil and gas are doing well, thanks to the return to free trade for US exports, the overall production of shale oil, natural gas and feedstock has just started to hit its stride. [...]
Thought Piece [No amount of rejiggering its long-held strategy can help Saudi Arabia keep its market share. Simple supply and demand economics has hit the international oil markets right between the eyes. Thanks mostly to the growing efficiencies and supply in the US, we are witnessing a fundamental change in the way the oil business is done. It doesn't matter which [...]
Thought Piece [Below, please find two stories that effectively announce a new era without being all that much different than the old era. Oil and natural gas will continue to flow from North Dakota to the outside world, just as it has always done. The Courts have given their final approval to the Dakota Access Pipe Line, with [...]
[It looks like the Chevron Doctrine, which was a pivotal 33-year-old Supreme Court decision, Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, is soon history. This single case established that courts should defer to the judgment of a federal agency when interpreting ambiguous laws and regulation. Thankfully, that deference will go the way of all bad ideas. As it [...]
