EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 10/5/23
PIPELINE NEWS
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Summit hearing in Iowa to be extended into November
Des Moines Register: Iowa regulators agree to let Navigator pause its plan to build carbon capture pipeline
KGAN: Summit Pipelines requests hold on all wastewater and Air Quality permits
WGLT: McLean County state’s attorney: County limited in regulating carbon capture wells
The Pantagraph: McLean County zoning board postpones vote on CO2 sequestration drilling
The Hawk Eye: Iowa officials share CO2 pipeline strategies
Bloomberg: Keystone Pipeline Restarts at Half Capacity of 300,000 Barrels a Day
Press release: TC Energy successfully completes $5.3 billion sale of a 40 per cent non-controlling equity interest in Columbia Gas and Columbia Gulf
KATV: Fire sparked by pipeline explosion causes mile-wide evacuation in Arkansas
KWTV: OKLAHOMA FARMERS ALONG THE MIDSHIP PIPELINE STILL DEALING WITH DAMAGE
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Phillips remains ‘acting’ chair of FERC, White House says
STATE UPDATES
Los Angeles Times: California lawmakers have a plan to plug old, vapor-spewing oil wells. Could it backfire?
Associated Press: Arizona To Cancel Leases Allowing Saudi-Owned Farm Access To State’s Groundwater
Press release: EPA settlement with XTO Energy resolves Safe Drinking Water Act injection well violations in Utah
Washington Post: Oil spill cleanup underway near Utah national monument
EXTRACTION
CNN: Five people arrested after Just Stop Oil protesters disrupt London performance of ‘Les Misérables’
DeSmog: Carbon Capture Is Risky But We Need It, Say Tory MPs At Chevron-Sponsored Event
American Gas Association: Decarbonizing Through Carbon Capture
Reuters: Suncor Energy to acquire TotalEnergies' Canadian oil sands stake for C$1.47 bln
Bloomberg: Shell’s CEO Plans Town Hall for Staff Amid Anxiety Over Oil Shift
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Shaw Local: Students in Sandwich benefit from TC Energy grant at IVVC
OPINION
Washington Examiner: Biden’s Drilling Limits Mean High Prices Are In The Pipeline
PIPELINE NEWS
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Summit hearing in Iowa to be extended into November
JARED STRONG, 10/4/23
“Testimony for Summit Carbon Solutions’ evidentiary hearing for a pipeline permit in Iowa isn’t expected to conclude this week, and it might not resume until November,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “We anticipate issuing an order early next week, laying out being here in November for a very limited amount of time,” Erik Helland, chairperson of the Iowa Utilities Board, said Wednesday… “Last week, when it became clear it would not finish in that time frame, Helland announced the board had extended the reservation and hoped to conclude this week. But an attorney for most of the remaining landowners who are set to testify said the relatively short notice of the reservation extension has made finishing this week impossible. Many of the landowners are farmers, and corn and soybean harvesting began in recent weeks. Two of the farmers who testified Wednesday said they were able to make time for the hearing because widespread rain Tuesday night caused them to pause their work. One testified remotely Wednesday via video conference from the cab of a tractor. Helland and Summit attorney Bret Dublinske have blamed delays on excessive and duplicative questioning and testimony of witnesses, whose purpose at the hearing is to be available for cross examination. Summit has alleged that pipeline opponents want to delay the company’s permit processes as much as possible to decrease the likelihood of the project’s success… “Helland said the first full week of November is likely the earliest the hearing could resume. That is a month away. Summit has said it wants to have an IUB decision on its permit request by the end of the year. It’s unclear if the hearing delay will affect that timeline.”
Des Moines Register: Iowa regulators agree to let Navigator pause its plan to build carbon capture pipeline
Donnelle Eller, 10/5/23
“Iowa regulators have agreed to let Navigator CO2 Ventures pause its plan to build a carbon capture pipeline across Iowa while the Omaha, Nebraska, company awaits regulatory action on a crucial section of the pipeline in Illinois, an order filed this week says,” the Des Moines Register reports. “In a separate announcement Wednesday, the Iowa Utilities Board also said it would cancel it next three regular monthly board meetings due to a "high volume of docket proceedings." “...In its order this week, the Iowa Utilities Board denied a request from the Iowa Sierra Club to use a previously scheduled Oct. 9 meeting between Navigator and regulators to provide its members, landowners and the public more information about the $3.5 billion project's status… “The board also denied a request from Richard McKean, an Emmet County landowner, to dismiss or stay Navigator’s request until the resolution of Iowa Supreme Court appeals of two lawsuits by landowners who challenged the company's efforts to survey their properties. The board said the request to stay the case was moot, given the pause on Navigator’s permit request… “In addition to its heavy regulatory load, the three-member board also said it was canceling its October, November and December monthly public meetings to reduce the risk of "ex-parte communication" ― communication that's prohibited by state law between a board member and an interested party in a contested case that's pending before the board.”
KGAN: Summit Pipelines requests hold on all wastewater and Air Quality permits
Meghan Hanley, 10/4/23
“Summit Pipelines requested the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to put a hold on all wastewater and Air Quality permits needed to complete the company's carbon capture pipeline project,” KGAN reports. “...The DNR already issued one Water Withdrawal Permit for SCS Capture LLC, and four Air Quality permits, one for Lawler SCS Capture LLC, then Mason City SCS Capture LLC Nevada SCS Capture LLC and Steamboat Rock SCS Capture LLC. “We have major concerns about Summit’s water usage in terms of transparency around quantity needed. We do not believe that water for carbon pipelines is a beneficial use of Iowa’s public water supply,” Jess Mazour, Sierra Club Iowa Chapter Conservation Coordinator, told KGAN. Sierra Club Iowa Chapter is also concerned about Summit’s Air Quality permit requests. One of the air emissions that would be introduced into the atmosphere is triethylene glycol, a product used in the CO2 dehydration process. Triethylene glycol is toxic to kidneys and the nervous system. “Summit doesn’t just want our land and our public tax dollars, they want our water access to Sovereign Lands and resources, and to emit dangerous pollutants into our water and air. This is all risk for Iowans and all reward for Summit. All permit requests from Summit Carbon Solutions should be denied," Mazour told KGAN.
WGLT: McLean County state’s attorney: County limited in regulating carbon capture wells
Charlie Schlenker, 10/4/23
“The McLean County state’s attorney’s office has issued a legal opinion saying the county has only limited authority to regulate carbon sequestration wells,” WGLT reports. “...Trevor Sierra, the office's first assistant state’s attorney for the civil division, authored the memo. “It is my opinion that the County of McLean has the authority to require Class VI injection wells secure a special-use permit for statutory zoning purposes, but may not exclude such activities from its boundaries,” wrote Sierra. Activists from the group Illinois People’s Action have spoken to the county board's land use committee and the zoning board of appeals to register concerns about the technology. They worry about the safety of pipelines that can rupture, and the potential for groundwater contamination if the carbon dioxide does not stay below bedrock layers where it is pumped. So many people turned out to the zoning board meeting Tuesday, it could not be held in a room with limited space, postponing the hearing until Oct. 24. The issue has been under consideration since last spring… “Sierra acknowledged several issues have surfaced as the county considered CO2 well rules, including protection of the Mahomet Aquifer, public safety, and the effect on nearby property. Those issues have energized activists and raised eyebrows among some public officials… “The Illinois Groundwater Protection Act, he wrote, addresses comprehensive regulation in this case. Several advisory groups exist to help the IEPA form rules: the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Groundwater, the Groundwater Advisory Council, and the Mahomet Aquifer Council, but the IEPA has the final decision… “Counties can "regulate and restrict the location and use of buildings, structures, and land," he said, "to establish building or setback lines" in unincorporated areas of a county through zoning rules, according to state code regulating counties.”
The Pantagraph: McLean County zoning board postpones vote on CO2 sequestration drilling
Drew Zimmerman, 10/4/23
“A ruling on McLean County's regulations to allow the drilling of carbon dioxide sequestration wells was postponed Thursday because there wasn't enough space for the people wanting to attend the meeting,” The Pantagraph reports. “The McLean County Government Center's council chambers are being remodeled, so the county's zoning board of appeals was scheduled to meet in a conference room, which could not hold the dozens of people who came to the meeting. Under the Illinois Open Meetings Act, public meetings must be held in locations that are "convenient" and open to the public. Therefore, the board voted to postpone the meeting until Oct. 24, when the council chambers will be back open… “In May, the McLean County Board approved regulations and zoning requirements for carbon sequestration, which is the process of pulling carbon dioxide from the earth's atmosphere, liquifying it, and storing it underground to reduce greenhouse gases. But in September, the McLean County Land Use and Development Committee approved a draft amendment creating additional definitions for sequestration drilling. The text amendment would add language preventing sequestration wells from being located within 1,500 feet of an occupied residence, livestock shelter, community building or commercial and manufacturing building. Applicants also would have to work with a local fire department and emergency management agency to develop and fund an emergency response plan and enter into a road use agreement for the construction, operation and maintenance of the facility… “Julie Prandi, a representative of Illinois People's Action, told the Pantagraph there have been cases in Illinois where natural gas pipelines contaminate private wells and inflict crop damage. If officials approve drilling requirements and open the door for pipelines to run through the state, opponents fear carbon dioxide would seep into water supplies the same way, she added.
The Hawk Eye: Iowa officials share CO2 pipeline strategies
Doug Lindner, 10/4/23
“Keep up the fight. A cadre of presenters laid out their case against carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines and shared their strategies with Hancock County residents Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Lake Hill Winery in Carthage,” The Hawk Eye reports. “About 40 people gathered for the program, presented by the Free Soil Coalition and moderated by Trent Loos, the group’s executive director and an agricultural podcaster. Featured were speakers from Illinois and Iowa, including former U.S. Rep. Steve King. Hancock County Board Member Steve Lucie welcomed those in attendance. “We have been dug into this pipeline deal for a few years now as a county board and trying to do what we can for our community members,” he explained… “One of those was Shelby County Supervisor Steve Kenkel, a five-generation farmer who had prepared a checklist for counties opposing CO2 pipelines. Shelby County was the first in Iowa to be sued by Summit Carbon Solutions, one of three companies actively siting CO2 pipelines in the Midwest. Despite proposing to construct 126 miles of high-pressure hazardous materials pipeline through Shelby County, Summit never approach the county supervisors with the project, Kenkel said. He learned about the proposal from a neighboring farmer. “I’ve never seen a project of this magnitude that you don’t approach the supervisors first,” he observed. As a result, Shelby County was the first county in Iowa to pass an ordinance establishing and regulating setbacks for hazardous pipelines… “Four days later we were sued by Summit,” he reported… “Many local officials are afraid of getting sued, he said, but if the county has decent liability insurance, the cost to taxpayers should be minimal, he said. Seven of 29 counties on the proposed Summit route have banded together to oppose the pipeline… “If Hancock County has the authority to establish zoning and land use ordinances, Kenkel recommended they be amended to include hazardous liquid pipelines. Equally important, he urged, is the permitting of county road crossings and utility right-of-ways. Those ordinances should also be revised to regulate hazardous liquid pipelines. In the Iowa Code, Kenkel said, that authority rests solely in local control.”
Bloomberg: Keystone Pipeline Restarts at Half Capacity of 300,000 Barrels a Day
Robert Tuttle, Devika Krishna Kumar and Lucia Kassai, 10/4/23
“The Keystone crude pipeline, a vital artery transporting Canadian oil to markets in the US and overseas, is operating at about half of its capacity Wednesday after being halted for maintenance work,” Bloomberg reports. “The line returned to service Tuesday night after being taken offline earlier in the same day, people with knowledge of the situation, who asked not to be identified, told Bloomberg. It’s currently transporting close to 300,000 barrels a day — about half of its capacity of nearly 600,000 barrels a day — the people told Bloomberg, citing data from Wood Mackenzie Ltd. Decreased power consumption was observed at the line Wednesday morning… “TC Energy Corp., operator of Keystone, didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment, but the company told Bloomberg on Tuesday it regularly conducts maintenance and occasionally operates the system at reduced rates during work.”
Press release: TC Energy successfully completes $5.3 billion sale of a 40 per cent non-controlling equity interest in Columbia Gas and Columbia Gulf
10/4/23
“TC Energy Corporation today announced that it has successfully completed the sale of a 40 per cent non-controlling equity interest in its Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC (Columbia Gas) and Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC (Columbia Gulf) systems to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for total cash proceeds of $5.3 billion (US$3.9 billion). "This sizable transaction is a tangible example of our team’s focus on achieving one of our key 2023 strategic priorities of significantly advancing our deleveraging goals, ahead of our year-end target," said François Poirier, TC Energy’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "GIP is a strong and reputable strategic and financial partner that will help unlock incremental value on our Columbia gas systems." Delivering $5+ billion of cash proceeds in a single transaction is expected to reduce TC Energy’s year-end 2023 debt-to-EBITDAi leverage metric by over 0.4 times, a major step toward reaching its 2024 year-end objective of 4.75 times debt-to-EBITDA.”
KATV: Fire sparked by pipeline explosion causes mile-wide evacuation in Arkansas
Jack A. Webb, Desmond Nugent, 10/4/23
“A massive fire sparked by the eruption and explosion of a gas pipeline in Garland County has caused a mile-wide evacuation of the area Wednesday evening,” KATV reports. “According to the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management, the explosion happened at 1405 Highway 298 in Jessieville, about 75 miles west of Little Rock. Authorities said no injuries in connection to the pipeline rupture have been reported. Evacuations in a one-mile radius from the explosion site were ordered by authorities. A shelter was established at the Jessieville High School safe room for evacuees needing a place to stay… “The fire plume reached as high as 300 feet tall at its highest point, the sheriff's office told KATV. The fire burned approximately two acres of wooded area around where the rupture occurred, they added. Authorities said only one home was effected with minimal damage. The cause of the pipeline rupture is unknown at this time.”
KWTV: OKLAHOMA FARMERS ALONG THE MIDSHIP PIPELINE STILL DEALING WITH DAMAGE
Deanne Stein, 10/4/23
“A group of Oklahoma farmers stand united against a natural gas pipeline company, as frustrations mount over the ongoing damage done to their properties,” KWTV reports. “Midship Pipeline stretches over 200 miles across Oklahoma and underneath dozens of farms. However, these farmers aren’t opposed to that, they’re upset about the damage done during construction, damage they are still dealing with, years later. “I was born and raised on this farm,” Ann Schweitzer told KWTV. “This was not done right.” Schweitzer took us on a on her 400-acre farm near Calumet in Canadian County, to show us what she has dealt with for more than five years. “It's buried all along the pipeline and it's not right it's not fair,” she told KWTV. What is buried, she told KWTV, is construction debris and tons of it, “What they did was they intentionally buried,” she told KWTV. “We watched them, they buried the debris they used anything they could use even our topsoil to mix with it so they could get the pipeline running.” We met more than a half a dozen other farmers from nearby farms, who like Annette, are living the same nightmare. They say Midship Pipeline buried mountains of construction debris after putting in the natural gas line back in 2019. “When they came in, I knew, there were so many things that went wrong,” Terry Luber, who owns a farm in Kingfisher County, told KWTV. Luber knows firsthand the problems because he was a pipeline inspector for eight years before buying his family farm, “All of my life I dreamed of owning this farm to buy it from my family because I’m fourth generation and I owned it a month before they came in and destroyed it,” he told KWTV. “About every time I work my wheat field, I pull up something and we found rocks and skids which is the blocks they lay the pipe on.” Mark Morris owns farmland in Grady County and told KWTV he is still pulling debris from his land around the pipeline… “Central Land Consulting (CLC) an advocate for farmers and landowners has filed approximately 938 reports, complaints, and requests to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or (FERC) regarding Midship’s construction practices and failure to comply with environmental orders.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Phillips remains ‘acting’ chair of FERC, White House says
Miranda Willson, 10/5/23
“Willie Phillips is still acting chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a White House official said Wednesday, despite the release of a document signed by the president that lists him as chair,” E&E News reports. “Phillips began leading the commission in January following the departure of former FERC Chair Richard Glick. At the time, a White House official said that Phillips, a Democrat, would be FERC’s acting chair until the Biden administration could nominate and confirm a “permanent” chair. Then this week, the Institute for Energy Research released a document signed by President Joe Biden dated Jan. 3 that designated Phillips as “Chair” of FERC. The document, which FERC confirmed, has ignited a debate over the meaning of an “acting” FERC chair and raised questions about Phillips’ official title. According to the White House, however, nothing has changed. “It’s standard procedure to name an acting chair in a situation like this,” the White House said in a statement Wednesday to E&E News, confirming that Phillips is “still acting chair.” “...I think the question that’s looming for all of us … is, ‘Why is he still acting after all of this time?’” Colette Honorable, who was a Democratic FERC commissioner during the Obama administration, told E&E. “To the extent that anyone in the White House is wondering whether he can serve, he’s fully answered that question and he’s doing it completely and with distinction.”
STATE UPDATES
Los Angeles Times: California lawmakers have a plan to plug old, vapor-spewing oil wells. Could it backfire?
TONY BRISCOE, 10/3/23
“As flammable gases and toxic fumes seep from thousands of abandoned oil wells across California, state legislators passed a bill last month that would require owners to set aside more funding to properly seal wells once their use has ended,” the Los Angeles Times reports. “But the measure attracted a surprising adversary: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Department of Finance. The state agency, in a July analysis, has contended the bill could backfire and wind up exacerbating the very problem it intends to solve. Although Newsom has recently gone after oil companies for price-gouging and climate denialism, his finance department’s opposition has cast uncertainty over whether Newsom might veto the would-be law. After passing the California Assembly and Senate, the bill has sat on Newsom’s desk for more than a week, and he has until Oct. 14 to sign or veto it. At a news conference in Echo Park recently, Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, the bill’s author, framed Newsom’s decision as a litmus test of his commitment to seek accountability from oil companies.”
Associated Press: Arizona To Cancel Leases Allowing Saudi-Owned Farm Access To State’s Groundwater
10/3/23
“Arizona governor Katie Hobbs said this week her administration is terminating state land leases that for years have given a Saudi-owned farm nearly unfettered access to pump groundwater in the dry southwestern state,” the Associated Press reports. “On Monday, Hobbs, a Democrat, said the state had canceled Fondomonte Arizona’s lease in western Arizona’s Butler Valley and would not renew three other leases up for renewal there next year. An investigation by the governor’s office found that the foreign-owned farm had violated some of its lease terms. Hobbs called it unacceptable that the farm ‘continued to pump unchecked amounts of groundwater out of our state while in clear default on their lease.’ Fondomonte Arizona, a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant Almarai Co., grows alfalfa in Arizona that feeds livestock in the water-stressed Gulf kingdom.”
Press release: EPA settlement with XTO Energy resolves Safe Drinking Water Act injection well violations in Utah
10/3/23
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Texas-based XTO Energy Inc., a subsidiary of Exxon-Mobil, resolving alleged violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act’s Underground Injection Control program (UIC) at three injection wells within the Uintah & Ouray Indian Reservation in Utah’s Uinta Basin. The settlement was filed on September 29 and requires the company to pay a civil penalty of $19,718.08 for its violations of UIC requirements. XTO failed to timely provide the agency with all information necessary to transfer the permits from XTO to Utah Gas Corp and failed to notify the Agency of the loss of mechanical integrity for one of its wells and to take prompt action to repair the well. The wells are in Uintah County and are used for disposal of brine produced from nearby gas production wells that were also operated by XTO. “This settlement demonstrates that EPA takes compliance with the UIC program seriously,” said Suzanne Bohan, Director of EPA Region 8's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “As the nation’s drinking water aquifers diminish in quantity, it is increasingly important that regulations to protect aquifers are adhered to, especially in historically disadvantaged communities like those within Indian Reservations.”
Washington Post: Oil spill cleanup underway near Utah national monument
Maxine Joselow, 10/5/23
“An oil spill occurred last month near Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, prompting an interagency cleanup effort that is ongoing, the Interior Department confirmed to the Washington Post. “Within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, impacts have occurred within a heavily vegetated rocky canyon that is difficult to access and thorough cleanup efforts are expected to take time,” Interior’s Bureau of Land Management said in an emailed statement. The spill happened Sept. 13 and was contained the next day, the agency said. The cleanup effort involves the BLM, Forest Service, Utah Department of Environmental Quality and Citation Oil and Gas. The Insider, a local publication, reported that the spill resulted from a mechanical failure at Citation’s Upper Valley oil field. The state DEQ has said that as of Sept. 22, the spill involved 163 barrels of oil.”
EXTRACTION
CNN: Five people arrested after Just Stop Oil protesters disrupt London performance of ‘Les Misérables’
Eve Brennan, 10/5/23
“Five climate protesters from the activist group Just Stop Oil disrupted a performance of the musical “Les Misérables” at the Sondheim Theatre in London’s West End on Wednesday night,” CNN reports. “The demonstrators entered the stage during the performance of the song “Do You Hear The People Sing?” carrying orange banners that read “Just Stop Oil” and “The Show Can’t Go On.” London’s Metropolitan Police posted on social media that local officers were quickly on the scene and arrested five people. Just Stop Oil said the protesters locked themselves to the set using flexible bicycle locks at around 8:50 p.m. local time, which theater technicians were unable to remove. The performance was halted, and the theater was evacuated by 9:10 p.m… “Like the citizens of Paris in 1832, you have locked your doors, while the young face slaughter on the streets. We will inherit a scorched earth, unfit to live in and our politicians will be long gone,” Just Stop Oil said. “We cannot let this stand. The show cannot go on.” The activist group has also disrupted several major sporting events in England this year, including The Open Championship, Wimbledon, The Ashes and the World Snooker Championship.”
DeSmog: Carbon Capture Is Risky But We Need It, Say Tory MPs At Chevron-Sponsored Event
Phoebe Cooke, 10/4/23
“Conservative MPs gave resounding backing to the fossil fuel industry this week at a conference event paid for by U.S. oil giant Chevron,” DeSmog reports. “The panel “Can fossil fuel companies play a role in the energy transition?” was hosted on Tuesday in Manchester by Conservative think tank Bright Blue and Chevron… “The five panellists, who included a senior Chevron executive and MPs Peter Aldous and Jerome Mayhew, agreed the fossil fuel industry would “absolutely” play a critical role in the clean energy transition. Mayhew, MP for Broadland in Norfolk, argued in favour of continued North Sea oil and gas exploration and the need for carbon capture and storage to achieve decarbonisation. “No one is saying – apart from the absolute mud hut zealots – that we’re not going to have a long-term, to 2050 and beyond, a need for something [oil and gas], and that there is an ongoing role for exploration and recovery in the shrinking assets that are in the North Sea,” he told the packed room… “Campaigners from Global Witness say the technology has been held up by the fossil fuel industry as a “golden bullet solution” to the climate crisis, but has been a “spectacular failure that has provided a cover for oil and gas companies to carry on polluting”. Concerns about the environmental and economic concerns relating to CCS, raised by DeSmog at the event, were dismissed by Chevron executive Andrew Kulpecz… “Both Conservative MPs acknowledged there were issues with the technology, but insisted that the UK needed to pursue it regardless, referencing the carbon capture utilisation storage (CCUS) plants planned for the industrial clusters in northern England. “I do have concerns about it,” Mayew told DeSmog. “But if we can’t get CCUS to work, we’re in a whole world of pain.
American Gas Association: Decarbonizing Through Carbon Capture
10/4/23
“Natural gas producers are continuously innovating to produce natural gas more sustainably,” according to the American Gas Association. “One promising tool to help further decrease emissions is carbon capture… “Several new applications of carbon capture technology have been added to production sites in locations such as Boulder, Colorado (ION Clean Energy, Inc.) and Cary, North Carolina (Susteon, Inc.), highlighting how carbon capture can be a reliable decarbonization solution… “ If deployed widely, the carbon capture process could help contribute to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions across many industries and economic sectors… “Pre-combustion carbon capture involves removing the carbon from the fuel source before conventional combustion is completed. For natural gas, this might be accomplished with a process like the creation of turquoise hydrogen, where the carbon is removed from the fuel through pyrolysis and preserved for industrial applications. Post-combustion allows for the pulling of carbon out of flue gases from the combustion exhaust or a process stream. Distributors can then choose to store the carbon or utilize it in manufacturing, building materials, or for various commercial uses… “CCUS could contribute significantly to natural gas decarbonization efforts, with the IEA estimating that CCUS could account for nearly 15 percent of the cumulative reduction in emissions from the energy sector by 2070. AGA also acknowledges the important role that carbon capture is expected to play in emissions reductions.”
Reuters: Suncor Energy to acquire TotalEnergies' Canadian oil sands stake for C$1.47 bln
Nia Williams and Tanay Dhumal, 10/4/23
“Suncor Energy (SU.TO) on Wednesday said it would acquire French energy firm TotalEnergies' (TTEF.PA) Canadian operations for C$1.47 billion ($1.07 billion) to bolster its bitumen production capacity,” Reuters reports. “Suncor will buy the 31.23% interest held by TotalEnergies EP Canada in the Fort Hills oil sands mining project in northern Alberta, its total ownership to 100%... “Calgary-based Suncor has been weighing options for replacing around 200,000 barrels per day of raw bitumen supply from Base Mine, its largest oil sands mine, which is set to run out by the mid-2030s… “Fort Hills, an open-pit mine, has struggled with operational challenges since starting production in early 2018. Last year Suncor forecast 5% lower gross production and higher operating costs per barrel at Fort Hills over the next three years as a result of long-term improvement plans for the project.”
Bloomberg: Shell’s CEO Plans Town Hall for Staff Amid Anxiety Over Oil Shift
Kevin Crowley, Laura Hurst, and Jennifer A Dlouhy, 10/4/23
“Shell Plc Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan will meet with employees later this month to discuss his clean energy strategy amid internal anxiety over the decision to put a greater share of investment into fossil fuels,” Bloomberg reports. “Sawan has faced a backlash from environmentalists for placing shareholder returns at the heart of his strategy and renewing focus on the core oil and gas business. While many staff have been supportive of this approach, he’s facing resistance from others, especially those working in the Renewables and Energy Solutions division, Shell employees who spoke on condition of anonymity told Bloomberg.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Shaw Local: Students in Sandwich benefit from TC Energy grant at IVVC
10/4/23
“A $12,000 donation from TC Energy will provide welding and fabrication students at Indian Valley Vocational Center with enhanced learning experiences,” according to Shaw Local. “The grant provides funds to purchase steel for teaching and learning in the 2023-2024 school year. Students will use the steel to practice various weld processes… “TC Energy, which has a regional office in Sandwich and operates the nearby ANR Pipeline, has helped IVVC fund other innovative projects in recent years.”
OPINION
Washington Examiner: Biden’s Drilling Limits Mean High Prices Are In The Pipeline
10/4/23
“President Joe Biden still doesn’t understand that high energy prices are at the heart of his embarrassingly low public support and a huge barrier to his reelection,” according to a Washington Examiner editorial. “His Department of the Interior revealed this last week in its belated, legally mandated five-year plan for federal oil- and gas-leasing rights. Not content to have repeatedly tried to limit leases that had been approved, Biden now proposes to sell the smallest number of offshore drilling rights in the history of the federal leasing program. He would also entirely stop leasing off the Alaska coast and in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Only the Gulf of Mexico would be allowed new leases, just three sales in five years. In an early draft of the plan, the Interior Department considered 11 new leases, far higher than what was eventually allowed, so the proposal of just three is a bitter blow to domestic producers and consumers hoping future prices might be lower than they are now. The limit of three is more stringent than the two five-year plans of left-wing former President Barack Obama, who approved more than 10 leases each half-decade. President Donald Trump had planned to propose 47 new lease sales, nearly 16 times as many as Biden.”