Oil And Gas Drilling

Over a barrel

Exploring the extreme frontiers of oil drilling 2
Posted 1 month ago To witness firsthand the world’s most extreme drilling territory -- the Mount Everest of oil frontiers -- Amanda Little took a 175-mile helicopter trip to Chevron's "Cajun Express" oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. "I found the whole enterprise of deep-sea drilling doggedly ambitious, but also seemingly desperate—like an addict forcing a syringe into the earth’s innermost veins," she writes. Of course, the director of Chevron’s offshore drilling divisions sees it differently, as he explains while giving Little a tour of the rig. This is the second installment in a series of exclusive excerpts from "Power Trip: From Oil Wells to Solar Cells—Our Ride to the Renewable Future."
Is the global oil tank half-full, is it half-empty … or are we running on fumes? 1
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago In his article in the New York Times Sept. 24, “Oil Industry Sets a Brisk Pace of New Discoveries,” staff reporter Jad Mouawad cites oil discoveries totaling 10 billion barrels for the first half of 2009.
the crude cost of fuel

Two new documentaries—‘Crude’ and ‘Fuel’—examine two sides of our petroleum problem 2
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago Crude and Fuel, two new documentaries, show the damaging effects of the world's addiction to oil, each film from its own unique angle.
the perils of mixing oil and water

Sen. Landrieu’s plan to export Louisiana’s coastal destruction to Florida 2
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago
While Louisiana struggles to restore coastal wetlands ravaged in large part by decades of oil and gas drilling, its senior senator is leading the effort to lift the ban on drilling off Florida's Panhandle.
WTFrack?!

EPA: Chemicals found in Wyo. drinking water might be from fracking 0
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago
Federal environment officials investigating drinking water contamination near the ranching town of Pavillion, Wyo., have found that at least three water wells contain a chemical used in the natural gas drilling process of hydraulic fracturing.
Last of the 'dead enders'

Palin eschews facts and economics in blasting cap-and-trade bill 9
Posted 3 months, 3 weeks ago
When the person John McCain once said knows more about energy policy than anyone else in America pens an op-ed for one of the nation's highest-regarded newspapers, it's time to pay attention and learn something. Uh, maybe not...
From ProPublica

Energy industry sways Congress with misleading data 2
Posted 4 months ago
The two key arguments that the oil and gas industry is using to fight federal regulation of the natural gas drilling process called hydraulic fracturing -- that the costs would cripple their business and that state regulations are already strong -- are challenged by the same data and reports the industry is using to bolster its position.
Searching for that long lost barrel of oil

Florida’s beaches now threatened by offshore drilling 1
Posted 4 months, 2 weeks ago
In a disappointing move, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee gave its blessing for offshore drilling in Florida last week, potentially opening Florida’s coasts to oil and gas development.
Senate it all before

Enviros cringe as Senate committee approves energy bill 3
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved an energy bill on Wednesday that has the environmental community up in arms. The plan, enviros say, relies too heavily on fossil fuels and doesn't do enough to advance renewable energy.
A tax to grind

House GOP unveils energy bill heavy on fossil fuels and nuclear power 13
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago
House Republicans have rolled out their own energy plan, the American Energy Act, intended to compete with the American Clean Energy and Security Act put forward by Democrats.
The legislation

The scoop on climate and energy bills in Congress 2
Posted 4 months, 4 weeks ago
What are the U.S. House and Senate doing about climate change and energy? Here's a rundown on legislation proposed in Congress this year.
Crude Behavior

‘Sweet Crude’ documents oil exploitation in the Niger River Delta 1
Posted 5 months ago
In 'Sweet Crude,' filmmaker Sandy Cioffi takes us to Nigeria to show the dark side of oil production.
Toxic injections

Industry defends federal loophole for drilling before packed Congressional hearing 5
Posted 5 months ago
In a packed and sometimes contentious hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, representatives of the oil and gas industry and their state regulators vigorously defended the practice of injecting toxic fluids underground without federal regulatory oversight.
Natural Gas Politics

Congress reconsiders regulatory exemption for gas drilling 1
Posted 5 months, 2 weeks ago
With growing evidence that hydraulic fracturing can damage water supplies, Democratic leaders in Congress are circulating legislation that would repeal the extraordinary exemption and for the first time require companies to disclose all chemicals used in the key natural gas drilling process.
From The Guardian

Obama’s key climate bill hit by $45m PR campaign 0
Posted 5 months, 4 weeks ago
America's oil, gas and coal industry has increased its lobbying budget by 50%, with key players spending $44.5m in the first three months of this year in an intense effort to cut off support for Barack Obama's plan to build a clean energy economy.
Better speculate than never

Speculation runs rampant as Dems reportedly reach a deal on climate bill 4
Posted 5 months, 4 weeks ago
House leaders have reportedly reached a tentative deal on a climate and energy bill -- and in the absence of details, speculation is rampant about how the bill has been weakened or otherwise changed.
GOP to Jim Rogers: STFU

House Republicans blow off biz leaders who want climate action 3
Posted 6 months ago
House Republicans are ramping up their campaign against the Democratic leadership's climate and energy bill -- and telling business leaders to get with the program or get out of the way.
It don't mean a thing if you ain't got those swings

Undecided reps on House panel hold key to climate bill 3
Posted 6 months, 1 week ago
Authors of the House climate and energy bill will be courting undecideds over the next couple of weeks as they try to get their legislation passed by the House Energy and Environment Subcommittee.
From ProPublica

Officials in three states pin water woes on gas drilling 1
Posted 6 months, 2 weeks ago
A string of documented cases of gas escaping into drinking water across North America is raising new concerns about the hidden costs of this economic tide and strengthening arguments across the country that drilling can put drinking water at risk.
Drill, maybe, drill

Nevada senator plans to revive ‘drill here, drill now’ mantra 0
Posted 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) says Republicans are planning to revive the "drill here, drill now" call this summer. He said they need to be "on guard" against "liberalism" on issues like energy.