EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 3/3/23
PIPELINE NEWS
Summit-Tribune: House bill that would apply to proposed carbon pipelines passes judiciary committee
The Center Square: Central Illinois residents speak out against proposed CO2 pipeline
Interior News: Clore River flowing over buried natural gas pipeline
New Paltz Oracle: Ulster County Residents Protest Iroquois Pipeline
U.S. Energy Information Administration: The least U.S. interstate natural gas pipeline capacity on record was added in 2022
Reuters: Europe takes steps toward developing hydrogen pipeline network
Associated Press: Shipping companies reach $97M California oil spill agreement
KCLU: The pipeline which ruptured in Santa Barbara County is back in the news
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Associated Press: EPA to require Norfolk Southern to test directly for dioxins in East Palestine
Axios: Labor unions say East Palestine cleanup site workers are falling ill
The Hill: As EPA begins work on East Palestine cleanup, some states feel blindsided by waste disposal
Associated Press: US sues chemical company over cancer risk to minority area
Press release: WHITEHOUSE INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO CREATE PARITY BETWEEN CAPTURED CARBON UTILIZATION AND SEQUESTRATION
E&E News: Why Republicans want to kill the compromise methane fee
E&E News: Bipartisan Southeastern senators push for hydrogen hub
STATE UPDATES
Wyoming Public Radio: Conservation groups ask BLM to finalize Congressional reforms on oil and gas leasing
EXTRACTION
Canadian Press: Enbridge CEO asks for more carbon capture support in next federal budget
Canadian Press: Alberta band chief angry over silence from Imperial Oil after Kearl oilsands tailings spill
Natural Gas Intelligence: Oxy Eyeing 12% Permian Oil, Natural Gas Production Growth as CCUS Projects Advance
Global Energy Monitor: Gas plant capacity in development globally grew 22% in 2022
Reuters: Global energy-related CO2 emissions edged up to record high in 2022 - IEA
Bloomberg: Exxon Broke Rules With Late Reporting Of Permian Methane Leak
CNN: ExxonMobil sued after a Black employee allegedly discovered a noose at work. It was the fifth at the same facility
OPINION
Anchorage Daily News: OPINION: Carbon dioxide pipelines are under-regulated and dangerous
The Courier: GUEST COLUMN: Heartland Greenway pipeline won't effect tiling
Delco Times: Letter: Breech in liquified natural gas pipeline could be catastrophic
PIPELINE NEWS
Summit-Tribune: House bill that would apply to proposed carbon pipelines passes judiciary committee
3/2/23
“On Feb. 28, one week after hundreds of landowners and advocates rallied at the State Capitol in Des Moines for a full ban on eminent domain, the House Judiciary Committee passed HF 368,” the Summit-Tribune reports. “While the bill would require pipeline companies to acquire at least 90 percent of the affected route miles through voluntary or pre-existing easements, it does not include a full ban on eminent domain. A full ban on the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines is supported by 80% of Iowans, according to Food and Water Action polling… “Earlier this year, 30 groups sent a letter to PHMSA requesting the agency instruct states to halt permitting approvals for the dangerous pipelines while the rulemaking was ongoing… “For more than two years, the threat of hazardous carbon pipelines has been a ticking time bomb for Iowans’ fighting these corporate profiteers off their land,” Food and Water Watch Senior Iowa Organizer Emma Schmit told the Tribune. “Now there’s a deadline — and the clock is still ticking. The time for legislative action to safeguard our health and safety is now. It is imperative that HF 368 be passed with amendments to include a full ban on eminent domain for carbon pipelines.”
The Center Square: Central Illinois residents speak out against proposed CO2 pipeline
Andrew Hensel, 2/2/23
“A proposed 1,300-mile pipeline to carry concentrated carbon dioxide that would run through 13 Illinois counties is being met with pushback from residents of central Illinois,” The Center Square reports. “...Kathleen Campbell of Citizens Against the Greenway Heartland Pipeline told WMAY the group has no political affiliations and is simply concerned with the safety of its communities… "Well, this is for hazardous waste. Some people confuse this with energy, and it is absolutely not," Campbell told WMAY. "This is a toxic, hazardous waste pipeline that is highly explosive." “...Then in February, Navigator came back with an even larger proposal that runs a high risk of contamination, Campbell told WMAY… “Campbell also pointed to a similar pipeline in Mississippi that had a leak and led to many people being hospitalized.”
Interior News: Clore River flowing over buried natural gas pipeline
ROD LINK, 3/2/23
“The Clore River is now running free again after being diverted so that a trench could be dug across its bottom and Coastal GasLink’s pipeline placed inside, the company said in a statement,” Interior News reports. “...We continue to work closely with regulators as we wrap up the remaining work on site,” said Coastal GasLink, adding that the flow was restored Feb. 28. The work site southeast of Terrace is the latest flash-point between the company, Indigenous groups and others protesting the 680-kilometre long liquefied natural gas pipeline from northeast B.C. to the LNG Canada facility being built in Kitimat. In January, observations recorded via helicopter overflights organized through the David Suzuki Foundation alleged that the work was damaging fish habitat by creating sediment that would settle down stream and on top of the habitat… “Meanwhile, Coastal GasLink says its pipeline is now 84 per cent complete, with the latest status report indicating that pipe placing has finished along two of the pipeline’s eight sections, with much progress being made on the rest. Latest estimates put the construction cost at $14.5 billion, substantially over original projections in the $6 billion range.”
New Paltz Oracle: Ulster County Residents Protest Iroquois Pipeline
Gianna Riso, 3/2/23
“The controversy of the Iroquois pipeline continues as Ulster County residents protest potential compressor stations from being built in both Dover and Athens, NY,” the New Paltz Oracle reports. “...The Iroquois pipeline was built over 30 years ago. When they built it, it was shoddily built and they actually got the second highest fine next to the Exxon Valdez oil spill,” co-founder of Frackbusters New York Mary Finneran told the Oracle. “It actually starts in Canada at the Trans Canada pipeline and the Trans Canada pipeline company owns the Keystone XL.” “...The compressor stations that will potentially be placed in Dover and Athens will put these communities at risk for not only health concerns, but also at an economic disadvantage. “Compressor stations are extremely loud and extremely polluting to wherever they’re built, they’re a nuisance and the sites where they’re proposed are either in or adjacent to communities that are considered to be disadvantaged or have a harder time economically,” Laura Shindell, an organizer with Food and Water Watch, told the Oracle. “Where the compressor station will be placed is considered a disadvantaged community in the climate log that NY state has passed,” Rodriguez told the Oracle. “Those communities are typically lower income communities of color.” Shindell explained that since environmentally disadvantaged communities have less political power, “it’s easier to get [compressor stations] approved, but then it’s always folks that end up with the brunt of asthma and health outcomes and lower property values and every negative outcome that comes with polluting infrastructure.”
U.S. Energy Information Administration: The least U.S. interstate natural gas pipeline capacity on record was added in 2022
3/2/23
“In 2022, 897 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of interstate natural gas pipeline capacity was added collectively from five projects, according to our latest State-to-State Capacity Tracker, which contains information on the capacity of natural gas pipelines that cross state and international borders,” according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “In 2022, the least interstate natural gas pipeline capacity was added since we began data collection in 1995. However, capacity was added to intrastate pipelines and to existing FERC-administered interstate pipelines as expansions that increased intrastate capacity in 2022. Interstate capacity additions were low in 2022 for two primary reasons: More growth in intrastate capacity (which are not captured in our interstate data); Less overall capital expenditures by oil and natural gas companies… “In 2022, five projects increased interstate capacity to transport natural gas. The projects focused primarily on upgrading compressor stations, with only one project adding a relatively small amount of new pipe.”
Reuters: Europe takes steps toward developing hydrogen pipeline network
Paul Day, 3/2/23
“Europe is taking tentative steps toward developing a hydrogen pipeline network, essential if the gas is to play a role in decarbonizing energy-intensive industries that cannot electrify,” Reuters reports. “German energy firm RWE and Norwegian oil and gas producer Equinor signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in January to develop large-scale energy value chains between Germany and Norway which include renewable generation, hydrogen, and natural gas. The companies are planning the construction of new combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) in Germany and blue hydrogen production facilities in Norway, the implementation of hydrogen pipelines between the two countries, and development of offshore wind farms for green hydrogen production. Blue hydrogen is where hydrogen is produced from natural gas and the resulting CO2 is removed via carbon sequestration and storage (CSS). Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water using renewable energy and electrolysis… “As a hydrogen network is built up, the MoU aims to transition to green hydrogen from renewable energy sources. This will require a massive infrastructure build out on both sides of the German-Norway border… “The companies plan to transport the green hydrogen via a pipeline, AquaDuctus, to the small German archipelago Heligoland as of 2028. The project is considered ‘proof of concept’ for the longer-term vision to produce up to 10 GW of green hydrogen offshore by 2035 and piping it to mainland Germany, the companies said.”
Associated Press: Shipping companies reach $97M California oil spill agreement
2/1/23
“Shipping companies will pay nearly $97 million to settle a lawsuit with a pipeline operator over a 2021 oil spill off the coast of Southern California, the pipeline company said Wednesday,” the Associated Press reports. “Amplify Energy, the Houston-based company that operates the pipeline, said in a statement that companies associated with the M/V Danit and M/V Beijing agreed to the payments. Amplify accused the vessels of dragging anchors in the waters off California and striking the pipeline during a January 2021 storm, which months later led to the spill of 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean. Once the payments are made, Amplify said it would drop its claims against the shipping companies… “While less severe than initially feared, the oil spill sent blobs of crude washing ashore, shuttered beaches for a week and fisheries for more than a month, oiled birds and threatened area wetlands. Southern California fishermen, tourism companies and property owners sued Amplify and the shipping vessels seeking compensation for their losses. Amplify agreed to pay $50 million and the vessels agreed to pay $45 million to settle those lawsuits.”
KCLU: The pipeline which ruptured in Santa Barbara County is back in the news
Lance Orozco, 3/2/23
“It’s a controversial subject any way you look at it,” KCLU reports. “It’s been nearly eight years since a crude oil pipeline ruptured on Santa Barbara County’s Gaviota coastline. More than 140,000 gallons of oil ended up on the coast, and in the ocean. The pipeline has been shut down ever since. But now, a proposal meant to improve the pipeline’s safety has created new attention, and controversy. The owner, Plains All-American Pipeline, filed an application to replace it. At the same time, even though it’s not operational, it’s still required by a new state law to maintain the existing line as if it was working. So, the company filed an application to add 16 automatic safety valves which would shut it down if there was a spill. It had manual valves at the time of the accident, and operators were slow to use them. The State Fire Marshal’s Office approved the plan. Santa Barbara County also has to approve the plan. Here’s where the controversy comes into the picture. Some people fear it could lead to the pipeline being patched up, instead of replaced, especially with new owners in the picture… “Attorney Barry Cappello represents some of the opponents. "If they're using it as a guise for this pipeline that's in the ground already which is a Swiss cheese...it's a bait and switch," Cappello told KCLU. "Are they doing a new pipeline? That requires a full EIR...they may not want to do it" Project opponent Bill Woodbridge came with a photo of the pipeline. "Look at the condition of that pipe. Putting lipstick on a pig doesn't change it. It's still a pig."
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Associated Press: EPA to require Norfolk Southern to test directly for dioxins in East Palestine
JULIA SHAPERO, 3/2/23
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Thursday that it will require Norfolk Southern to test for dioxins in East Palestine, Ohio, in the wake of last month’s train derailment,” the Associated Press reports. “The railroad company will also be required to conduct a background study comparing dioxin levels in the eastern Ohio town to those in other areas, and the EPA will continue sampling for “indicator chemicals,” the agency noted… “While the EPA said on Thursday that its testing continues to suggest a “low probability” that dioxins were released from the incident, the burning of vinyl chloride — a toxic substance used in the manufacture of plastics — can create the pollutants, experts told AP… “In the face of heavy criticism over his administration’s response to the incident, President Biden said on Thursday that he will visit East Palestine “at some point.” “...Biden also threw his support behind a bipartisan bill that would tighten federal oversight of trains carrying hazardous materials. “I applaud the bipartisan group of senators for proposing rail safety legislation that provides many of the solutions that my administration has been calling for,” he said Thursday in a statement.
Axios: Labor unions say East Palestine cleanup site workers are falling ill
Sareen Habeshian, 3/2/23
“Railroad union leaders are claiming that rail workers are falling ill at the site of the East Palestine, Ohio, toxic freight train derailment, according to a letter sent to government officials on Wednesday,” Axios reports. “The big picture: The union that represents workers on Norfolk Southern Railroad, the rail operator of the train that derailed last month alleges that workers at the cleanup site are getting sick with "migraines and nausea" and are not being provided necessary protective equipment. The American Rail System Federation (ARSF) of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) sent the letter to the Department of Transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R)... "When some of the NS Workers inquired about the appropriateness of their personal protective equipment and the safety of their working conditions, they would receive little or no response from NS officials," Jonathan Long, the General Chairman of the ARSF wrote in the letter, obtained by CNBC… “Union heads met with Buttigieg and FRA Administrator Amit Bose on Wednesday to discuss the derailment, aftermath and needed safety improvements… “East Palestine residents have since been reporting headaches and nausea, as well as diagnoses of chemical bronchitis and other health conditions… “The Environmental Protection Agency has said it did not detect any "levels of concern" of hazardous substances released during or after the crash.”
The Hill: As EPA begins work on East Palestine cleanup, some states feel blindsided by waste disposal
ZACK BUDRYK, 3/3/23
“One month after the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, the Environmental Protection Agency-led cleanup is underway — but officials in other states have questioned the waste disposal plans,” The Hill reports. “...On Sunday, EPA regional administrator Debra Shore announced that waste would be shipped beginning this week to sites in East Liverpool and Vickery, Ohio. Earlier shipments had been conducted by Norfolk Southern without federal oversight, but as of Monday all waste disposal the railroad conducts will be subject to EPA approval amid confusion among states receiving waste. Outside of the state, however, several shipments of waste were bound for disposal facilities in Michigan and Texas before EPA halted them, much to the chagrin of some officials and environmentalists who say they were not properly notified… “Lisa Wosniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, called the delivery “a terrible idea for a number of reasons.” “First and foremost, Michigan decision makers were completely taken off guard by this plan,” she told The Hill… “Wozniak further argued that the state shouldn’t be a “dumping ground” for toxic waste. “We should not as Michiganders be paying the price for you know, large corporations that are wanting to cut corners on safety which we’ve seen with Norfolk Southern,” she told the Hill… “Texas officials, meanwhile, have taken umbrage at the shipment of water used to fight the fire to facilities in the Houston area. On Saturday, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) tweeted that the “process of dumping toxic waste in communities without prior notice to local cities and counties has got to stop,” announcing shortly thereafter that the EPA had paused the shipment of waste to the Houston area… “On Thursday. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) wrote to EPA Administrator Michael Regan asking for answers on why Indiana had been selected as a disposal site, noting that it is further from the facility than the Michigan facilities.”
Associated Press: US sues chemical company over cancer risk to minority area
MICHAEL PHILLIS, MATTHEW DALY, 2/28/23
“Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presents an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby majority-Black community and demanding cuts in toxic emissions,” the Associated Press reports.
“Denka Performance Elastomer LLC makes synthetic rubber, emitting the carcinogen chloroprene and other chemicals in such high concentrations that it poses an unacceptable cancer risk, according to the federal complaint. Children are particularly vulnerable. There is an elementary school a half-mile from the plant. The former DuPont plant has reduced its emissions over time, but the Justice Department, suing on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency, said the plant still represents “an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and welfare,” including elevated cancer risks. “The company has not moved far enough or fast enough to reduce emissions or ensure the safety of the surrounding community,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement… “Denka’s facility makes neoprene, a flexible, synthetic rubber used to produce common goods such as wetsuits, laptop sleeves, orthopedic braces and automotive belts and hoses. Chloroprene is a liquid raw material used to produce neoprene and is emitted into the air from various areas at the facility… “Local activists have long targeted the plant, arguing that nearby air monitoring demonstrates the plant is a danger to St. John the Baptist Parish residents… “Mary Hampton, president of Concerned Citizens of St. John the Baptist Parish, told Reuters emissions at the plant need to drop quickly.
Press release: WHITEHOUSE INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO CREATE PARITY BETWEEN CAPTURED CARBON UTILIZATION AND SEQUESTRATION
2/28/23
“U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today introduced the Captured Carbon Utilization Parity Act, a bill intended to create parity between the credit value for utilization and sequestration in the 45Q carbon capture tax credit. “While we’ve made progress on lowering emissions with the Inflation Reduction Act, the world is on track to well overshoot the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. We are going to need robust investment in both carbon utilization and sequestration to lead the planet to safety, said Whitehouse… “The Carbon Capture and Utilization Parity Act of 2023 would increase the tax credit for carbon capture and utilization to match the incentives for carbon capture and sequestration for both direct air capture and the power and industrial sectors. The Carbon Capture and Utilization Parity Act would: Establish parity between 45Q carbon capture tax credits for utilization and sequestration… “The Carbon Capture and Utilization Parity Act would: Increase the value for direct air capture utilization to $180/metric ton; and Increase the value for power and industrial sector utilization to $85/metric ton… “Support utilizing captured carbon in the manufacturing of products to lower the emission intensity of production… Establish parity for utilization that will further incentivize the deployment and innovation of carbon capture technology and low/zero-carbon products.”
E&E News: Why Republicans want to kill the compromise methane fee
Nico Portuondo, 3/3/23
“Democrats imposed the first-ever federal charge last year on a greenhouse gas, viewing it as an unprecedented compromise that would please environmentalists and fossil fuel interests alike,” E&E News reports. “But now that Inflation Reduction Act program to reduce methane emissions is facing outright repeal from fossil fuel-backed Republicans. The effort is being led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), a staunch oil and gas supporter who represents producers in the Permian Basin. His “Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act,” H.R. 1141, would strip out a fee included in the Inflation Reduction Act that will eventually charge up to $1,500 per ton on methane emissions from oil and gas producers, pipeline operators, and others. The bill has 36 co-sponsors — all Republicans… “Republicans and industry leaders tell E&E the methane fee program, as currently constituted, is unworkable and potentially unconstitutional… “While some Democrats might not be surprised at Republican efforts to repeal parts of a bill they didn’t vote for, they are nevertheless confused that some in the industry have come out in strong support of Pfluger’s effort… “The American Petroleum Institute and the Independent Petroleum Producers of America — two of the most important fossil fuel lobbying groups in the country — back Pfluger’s repeal effort. And although those particular fossil fuel interests were against the methane fee since the Inflation Reduction Act was enacted, Democrats were still taken aback… “IPAA acknowledges to E&E that it “consulted with” relevant congressional offices but says that it wasn’t heavily involved with the actual crafting of the legislation… “It’s really not even constitutional,” Steven Pruett, board chair for IPAA, told E&E. “I don’t think it’ll survive the courts, as presently contemplated, to implement the methane fee.”
E&E News: Bipartisan Southeastern senators push for hydrogen hub
Jeremy Dillon, 3/2/23
“Senators from the Southeast have come together in an unusual show of bipartisan harmony as they try to convince the Energy Department to award the region a hydrogen hub project,” E&E News reports. “In a letter led by Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) released Thursday to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the lawmakers made the case that the region should serve as at least one of the four selections for investments by DOE for a hydrogen build-out. The $8 billion program was made possible by the 2021 infrastructure law. The lobbying comes a month ahead of an application deadline to DOE for communities and regions looking to qualify for the funding — a prospect that has prompted aggressive Capitol Hill posturing… “Additional signatures include Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.)... “Lawmakers are already believers, especially for harder-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy-duty shipping vehicles and airplanes. In addition to the hydrogen hub funding, Congress provided a ten-year investment tax credit for hydrogen production as part of the Inflation Reduction Act… “According to Turk, DOE received nearly 80 initial notices of interest from regions and communities across the county. Of that total, DOE encouraged 33 of those applications to continue with the process while also discouraging an additional 46 of those applications from continuing due to eligibility concerns.”
STATE UPDATES
Wyoming Public Radio: Conservation groups ask BLM to finalize Congressional reforms on oil and gas leasing
Caitlin Tan, 3/1/23
“The U.S. Congress made several updates to how federal lands should be leased for oil and gas activity, but dozens of conservation groups in our region say the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has yet to finalize those updates,” Wyoming Public Radio reports. “The conservation groups sent a letter to the BLM on Monday, Feb. 27, asking the agency to finalize the reforms before the scheduled oil and gas lease sales this spring. In our region, about 350,000 federal acres will be up for auction in Nevada, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. This past summer, Congress voted to get rid of non-competitive leasing, as part of a clause in the Inflation Reduction Act. “What non competitive leasing is – or was – say there's a lease sale, and parcels go up for auction, “ Meghan Riley, public lands and wildlife advocate with the Wyoming Outdoor Council, which is one of the groups that signed the letter, told WPR. “And if there are no bids on a parcel, then it would have become available for non-competitive leasing, and a company could lease that parcel for super, super cheap rates, like rock bottom prices.” That reform has not been finalized by the BLM, although it was included in an instruction memorandum from this past fall that guides field offices on how to conduct future lease sales. However, the upcoming sale in Wyoming still states non-competitive leasing is allowed, albeit unlikely… “The groups are also advocating for other reforms, not passed by Congress. One would increase the deposit companies have to pay for future reclamation of oil and gas sites – this is something called a bond.”
EXTRACTION
Canadian Press: Enbridge CEO asks for more carbon capture support in next federal budget
Amanda Stephenson, 3/2/23
“Enbridge Inc. is hoping to see more incentives for carbon capture and storage announced in the upcoming federal budget, the CEO of the energy infrastructure giant said Wednesday,” the Canadian Press reports. “Following the company's annual Investor Day event, Greg Ebel told reporters that the U.S. is currently a more attractive place for carbon capture investment. That country's sweeping Inflation Reduction Act, passed by President Joe Biden last year, offers incentives on both the capital cost side and for ongoing operating costs, Ebel said. "Whether folks like it or not, you’re really competing against the IRA. And they’ve really put a lot of carrots on the table in terms of promoting people to invest there," Ebel said, adding that Canada's oil and gas sector has been urging Ottawa to increase its own support for the emissions-reduction technology in order to spur investment in the space. "Obviously, some more incentive (in Canada) to reduce capital costs and operating costs and therefore the risks of these projects? I think that’s going to be very well received by the industry.” Canada's energy industry has identified carbon capture and storage as key to its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Companies have proposed approximately 25 different projects aiming to capture carbon from Alberta's oil and gas sector — one of which is Enbridge's own Open Access Wabamun Carbon Hub, to be located northwest of Edmonton. However, Enbridge, like most companies, hasn't committed to going ahead with this project. In spite of its potential, carbon capture deployment in Canada remains limited, with just seven projects currently operating in the entire country… “But Ebel said while he's confident carbon capture projects will be built, getting all of the pieces in place takes time. "You see how long it takes to build a pipeline project or just about any kind of infrastructure project these days – I don’t think CCS is any different," he said.
Canadian Press: Alberta band chief angry over silence from Imperial Oil after Kearl oilsands tailings spill
3/2/23
“A northern Alberta Indigenous leader has accused Imperial Oil Ltd. of a nine-month coverup over a massive release of toxic oilsands tailings on land near where his band harvests food,” the Canadian Press reports. “Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said Thursday that Imperial executives had several chances to tell him in person about the leak at the Kearl Lake oilsands site, after it was discovered in May. But he didn’t learn about it until the province’s energy regulator issued an environmental protection order on Feb. 6. “During that nine-month period, ACFN had many meetings with them, including a sit-down, face-to-face between myself and the vice-president in November,” Adam told reporters Thursday. “Each meeting was an opportunity where they could have come clean, but they chose to hide the fact from us over and over again.” “We recognize the communities’ concerns about delays in receiving additional information,” Jamie Long, Imperial’s vice-president of mining, told CP. “We have expressed to (Chief Adam) directly our regret that our communications did not meet the expectations of the (Athabasca Chipewyan) community…We further committed to him that we are taking the necessary steps to improve our communications so this does not happen again in the future.” Shane Thompson, environment minister of the Northwest Territories, told CP the Alberta government broke an agreement with the territory by not telling it about the spill… “This lack of transparency and information sharing from our Alberta partners is not an isolated incident, which increases our frustration in this matter,” he said in a release. “This failure comes at a time when the Alberta government is asking for trust and co-operation from the N.W.T. as they work towards regulations to allow the release of treated oilsands tailings effluent into the environment.” Thompson told CP he has asked for a meeting with his Alberta counterpart Sonya Savage to ensure the agreement between the two jurisdictions is upheld.”
Natural Gas Intelligence: Oxy Eyeing 12% Permian Oil, Natural Gas Production Growth as CCUS Projects Advance
ANDREW BAKER, 3/2/23
“Occidental Petroleum Corp. is targeting substantial growth in Permian Basin production volumes while continuing to advance its carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) business, according to management,” Natural Gas Intelligence reports. “...This year’s capital budget also includes $200-600 million for the emerging low-carbon businesses and net-zero pathway initiative. The wide range “relates to optionality of third-party funding” for the firm’s Direct Air Capture 1 (DAC 1) CCUS project in the Permian. Construction launched in August on DAC 1, with operations expected to begin by mid-2025… “The capital plan also “includes investments in our carbon sequestration business, both through the development of the Gulf Coast hubs we previously announced, and through drilling appraisal wells,” Hollub said. “Investments in other projects that reduce Oxy’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions will also continue.” Oxy also is planning to work with Energy Transfer LP to develop a carbon dioxide pipeline network from point source emitters in the Lake Charles, LA, area through Oxy’s Magnolia sequestration site in Allen Parish, the CEO noted. “This pipeline will support our point source carbon capture and sequestration business, which we intend to develop along with our DACs, to help medium- and long-term greenhouse gas emission reduction goals for Oxy and our customers,” Hollub said.
Global Energy Monitor: Gas plant capacity in development globally grew 22% in 2022
3/1/23
“A boom in the development of gas-fired power plants increased global capacity in development by 22% compared to last year, finds new data from Global Energy Monitor. Building all the gas power plants currently announced, in pre-construction and construction phases would add approximately 748 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity globally, at an estimated cost of US$601 billion in capital expenditure. This 748 GW dwarfs the 4.2 GW of gas-fired capacity that was retired in 2022, at a time when the International Energy Agency and others have warned that any hope of limiting planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires that no new fossil fuels infrastructure be built. Key points from the Global Gas Plant Tracker include: The global gas plant build-out is ubiquitous, with the leading five countries – China, Vietnam, Brazil, Bangladesh, and the United States – constituting 45% of all new global gas-fired capacity in development, and the top 20 countries making up 78%; If built, the approximately 748 GW of gas plants in development would add a total of 41,740 million tonnes CO2e lifetime emissions, equivalent to more than six and half years the entire U.S.’s emissions; 111.1 GW, or 14.9%, consist of coal-to-gas conversions or replacements. The 748 GW of gas-fired power plants in development surpasses the 537 GW of coal power plants [1] currently in development. Jenny Martos, Project Manager for the Global Gas Plant Tracker said, “The boom in gas plant construction risks creating an “age of gas” that will last for decades and make the climate crisis worse. Aiding this expansion is the continued conversion of coal to gas-fired power stations at a time when we should be rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels, not prolonging their use.”
Reuters: Global energy-related CO2 emissions edged up to record high in 2022 - IEA
Susanna Twidale, 3/2/23
“Global energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide hit a record high last year, although more clean technology such as solar power and electric vehicles helped limit the impact of increased coal and oil use, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday,” Reuters reports. “Deep cuts in emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, will be needed over the coming years if targets to limit a global rise in temperatures and prevent runaway climate change are to be met, scientists have said. "We still see emissions growing from fossil fuels, hindering efforts to meet the world’s climate targets," IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a release alongside the report… "International and national fossil fuel companies are making record revenues and need to take their share of responsibility," Birol said. Global emissions from energy rose by 0.9% in 2022 to a record 36.8 billion tonnes, the IEA analysis showed.”
Bloomberg: Exxon Broke Rules With Late Reporting Of Permian Methane Leak
Aaron Clark and Zachary Mider, 3/1/23
“Exxon Mobil Corp. failed to initially report a release of the super-potent greenhouse gas methane in the Permian Basin that occurred in early February, violating state rules. The incident at the company’s facility in New Mexico was reported after it reviewed a third-party satellite image. Exxon is the biggest US operator to publicly acknowledge a misstep in reporting its emissions since high-resolution satellite imagery of methane concentrations has become more widely available in the last few months. It also comes at a delicate moment after Exxon disclosed last week that the Justice Department may seek a fine for a well blowout in Ohio that caused an enormous methane leak in 2018. The White House has already been pursuing new policies to empower private citizens to police oil wells and pipelines for leaks. It’s part of a stepped-up agenda to curb emissions of methane, the primary component of natural gas that has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide during its first 20 years in the atmosphere. Methane is responsible for approximately 30% of the Earth’s warming since the Industrial Revolution, and halting releases could do more to slow climate change than almost any other single measure.”
CNN: ExxonMobil sued after a Black employee allegedly discovered a noose at work. It was the fifth at the same facility
David Goldman, 3/2/23
“Exxon was aware of multiple complaints of hangman’s nooses on display at its Baton Rouge, Louisiana, complex, but the oil company failed to properly investigate the incidents or take action to prevent them from happening again — which they did — according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” CNN reports. “The EEOC alleges that in January 2020, a Black employee at ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge chemical plant found a noose at his worksite and reported it to the company. At that time, Exxon was aware of three other nooses that had been displayed on the campus, which includes a chemical plant and a nearby refinery. The company failed to investigate each event and didn’t do enough to prevent further incidents, the EEOC alleges. In December 2020, a fifth noose was reported at the complex. “A noose is a longstanding symbol of violence associated with the lynching of African Americans,” said Elizabeth Owen, a senior trial attorney in the EEOC’s New Orleans Field Office, in a statement. “Such symbols are inherently threatening and significantly alter the workplace environment for Black Americans.” The EEOC said Exxon violated the law because of its lack of proper action. The commission said Exxon created a racially hostile work environment for employees.:
OPINION
Anchorage Daily News: OPINION: Carbon dioxide pipelines are under-regulated and dangerous
Bill Caram is Executive Director of the nonprofit Pipeline Safety Trust in Bellingham, Washington, 2/2/23
“If you happened across the small, rural community of Satartia, Mississippi, on Feb. 22, 2020, you might have thought you’d entered the scene of the most recent zombie movie,” Bill Caram writes for the Anchorage Daily News. “Dozens of residents collapsed, some walking in circles and foaming at the mouth amidst a cloud of green fog. Emergency responders, donning scuba gear, heroically ran into the cloud and carried victims to safety. Vehicles’ internal combustion engines were inoperable, leaving many residents stranded and sick. All told, nearly 50 people went to the hospital, and some still suffer health consequences today. It was, of course, not a zombie movie. A carbon dioxide pipeline operated by Denbury Resources had ruptured, emptying its contents into the community. Since carbon dioxide is an asphyxiant that is heavier than air, it stayed close to the ground while the terrain and weather kept it from dispersing for hours. Satartia is incredibly lucky to have avoided fatalities. I hope this kind of danger does not come to Alaska. Last month, Gov. Mike Dunleavy unveiled legislation that would allow state lands and waters to become an underground carbon dioxide waste receptacle. Such a plan undoubtedly would involve a system of pipelines. Given the series of tax credits in the 2022 federal Inflation Reduction Act, which incentivizes carbon capture and sequestration, ensuring carbon dioxide pipeline safety is critical. Gov. Dunleavy’s proposed legislation, House Bill 50 and Senate Bill 49, do not include any measures addressing pipeline safety, leaving needed safety upgrades entirely up to the federal government. As a pipeline safety expert, I can confidently say that we are not ready for a buildout of carbon dioxide pipelines. Federal minimum safety regulations are in desperate need of modernization… “I call on U.S. DOT to adopt new regulations as identified in that report to keep the people of Alaska and the rest of the country safe. Additionally, I respectfully ask the leaders of your great state to not rush to pass the governor’s Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Act until communities are ensured of appropriate minimum safety standards for carbon dioxide pipelines.”
The Courier: GUEST COLUMN: Heartland Greenway pipeline won't effect tiling
Tim Recker, 3/1/23
“Over the past two years, there has been an increase in discussion around the proposed carbon capture utilization and storage projects in Iowa and across the Corn Belt,” Tim Recker writes for The Courier. “...I have heard from several of my fellow members in the agriculture community who have understandable questions about how a carbon pipeline may impact their tiling… “That is why I was pleased to learn from Navigator CO2 that their proposed project, the Heartland Greenway, will be installed a minimum of five feet below the ground’s surface. In fact, in many places the pipe will be deeper as their company is committed to maintaining a one-foot separation below field drainage tile and two-foot separation from existing utilities the route may cross…. “Navigator CO2 will work with the landowner and a regional tile expert to identify type and location of tile, preventative measures prior to construction, and then conduct permanent repairs and restoration with the original system. This will include the property owner having flexibility in repair during restoration. Navigator will pay for the landowner to hire their own preferred vendor, will continue completion of repairs and replacement with a local tile contractor that Navigator CO2 has hired, and will continue completion of repairs and replacement with the contractor of the landowner’s choosing… “It is critical to talk with the experts so you can hear the right information from the right sources, not what you may read online or hear while grabbing a cup of coffee in town. After a robust conversation learning the facts, it will be clear that the Heartland Greenway is the next step in the evolution of the innovative agriculture industry.”
Delco Times: Letter: Breech in liquified natural gas pipeline could be catastrophic
Will Richan, Chair Environmental & Climate Justice Committee, Chester Branch, NAACP, 3/2/23
“Kevin Sunday’s cheerful message about the benefits of shipping natural gas to other countries (“Replace Russian gas with cleaner U.S. natural gas,” Daily Times Feb. 27 ) omitted one important detail: the risk of a devastating explosion in case of a rift in a pipeline carrying it, one that could cause severe damage to people and property within a couple of miles,” Will Richan writes for the Delco Times. “Natural gas is transported in its liquid form by having its temperature lowered to 260 degrees below zero, which means it is under tremendous pressure. A break anywhere along the line would immediately create a huge incendiary cloud. There are those wanting to install a liquefied natural gas terminal here in Chester. People need to understand what a breech could do, not only to Chester, but to surrounding communities. Such a mishap is not hypothetical. Just such a problem occurred in a pipeline in Texas last year, sending up a huge incendiary cloud that did in fact ignite.”