PIPELINE NEWS
WCMU: Enbridge says Line 5 tunnel facing ‘significant delay’ after court ruling
KBJR: Enbridge says 31,000 barrels (1.3 million gallons) of propane, butane were released after rupture
Michigan Advance: Whitmer attorneys dispute Enbridge argument that Michigan lacks authority to revoke Line 5 easement
Reuters: Enbridge Says Line 5 In Wisconsin To Return To Service Between Aug 31 And Sept 5
North Dakota Monitor: Summit forfeits two CO2 storage permits in North Dakota, continues legal fight over third
Inside Climate News: Trump Administration Speeds Up Environmental Review for 800-Mile Alaska Oil Pipeline
Reuters: Trans Mountain CEO says US trade rift adds urgency to Canada’s oil pipeline plan
Canadian Press: Trans Mountain says Alberta-B.C. pipeline running almost full
Mother Jones: Trump Intervened to Revive a Fraught Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline, But Why?
Press release: Summit Midstream Corporation Announces Final Investment Decision on Double E Pipeline Mainline Compression Expansion
Native News Online: Sean McCann Vows to Oppose Enbridge Line 5 if Elected to Congress
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Reuters: US to take 35% stake in Venezuelan mogul Betancourt’s oil venture, WSJ reports
Axios: U.S. close to striking “massive” deal for Venezuelan oil fields
Reuters: Depleted US oil stash loses potency as Iran war grinds on
Reuters: Trump to meet refiners, fuel retailers as Iran war boosts gas prices ahead of midterms, sources say
Heatmap: America’s Oil Refineries Are Going All Out
Associated Press: Freedom Fuel owner didn’t pay for nearly $4 million in gas, lawsuit claims
Associated Press: Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emission rules, study says
E&E News: Federal judge upholds first state polluter pays recycling law
Guardian: Trump rollback of US forest protections could accelerate extinction of 400 endangered species
Reuters: US officials weigh plan to shield farmers from expansion of refinery biofuel waivers, sources say
Washington Examiner: Trump’s head of offshore leasing leaving for oilfield services firm Halliburton
STATE UPDATES
KCLU: California Legislature passes a bill that may help prevent new offshore oil drilling in the Tri-Counties
Michigan Chamber of Commerce: Chamber backs new Michigan carbon capture legislation
Chemical & Engineering News: Woodside blue ammonia plant stumbles, though CF moves ahead
Louisiana Illuminator: Damage, questions linger a year after Smitty’s Supply disaster as company plans comeback
Press release: IUC announces resignation of Commissioner Erik Helland
EXTRACTION
Bloomberg: Venezuela Weighs OPEC Exit as US Discusses Oil Fields Stake
Edmonton Journal: Oil and gas expert backs Smith, says using energy as tactic in US trade war could hurt Canadian oilsands
CBC: Regulator upholds sanctions against oilsands operator ordered to abandon operations
Australian Financial Review: Woodside paid for carbon capture, ‘footed wedding bills’ instead
Carbon Herald: Open Letter To UK Government Advocates Carbon Storage Mandates For Fossil Fuel Producers
Agence France-Presse: Finland defends shores against oil spill risk
Guardian Nigeria: Oil Spill: Ogoni communities count losses, demand urgent action
OPINION
NWIowa.com: Iowa voters must elect candidates who prioritize property rights
The Orcasonian: Council letter to community | Increased oil tanker traffic in the Salish Sea
Fortune: Who pays for a shadow fleet oil spill? No one
PIPELINE NEWS
WCMU: Enbridge says Line 5 tunnel facing ‘significant delay’ after court ruling
Alvin (AJ) Jones, 8/28/26
“Officials with Enbridge said Friday that a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision is delaying a controversial project to encase the Line 5 pipeline, which carries crude oil and natural gas liquids through the Straits of Mackinac, into a concrete tunnel,” WCMU reports. “...Late last month, the Michigan Supreme Court voted 6-1 to order the Michigan Public Service Commission, the state’s utility regulating agency, to redo a permit it gave Enbridge in 2023, a process that could take years to complete… “Anna Mooney is the government relations manager for Enbridge. She said the court decision “puts us in a significant delay event for the project.” The comments come after the project secured a key federal permit last week and just a few days after a section of Line 5 in northern Wisconsin leaked natural gas liquids. According to Enbridge, an unoccupied semi-truck rolled onto an excavation site Tuesday on a Line 5 valve project, hit a pipe and caused the leak. No one was injured an investigations into air quality are ongoing. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources have asked Enbridge to stop work on the project amid the leak. Enbridge temporarily shut the pipeline down, and said they will continue to “work on the response and restoration of service to the pipeline.” Members of the public spoke out against the project at the meeting in St. Ignace on Friday. Environmentalists and all 12 of Michigan’s federally recognized Native American tribes have opposed the project… “Bill Latka with Oil and Water Don’t Mix, an environmental group that opposes the tunnel project, said that the Wisconsin incident, along with a 2010 oil spill event near Kalamazoo on Enbridge’s Line 6B pipeline, which runs from Griffith, Indiana to Sarnia, Ontario, suggests Enbridge has a bad track record.
KBJR: Enbridge says 31,000 barrels (1.3 million gallons) of propane, butane were released after rupture
8/29/26
“Enbridge officials estimate that about 31,000 barrels [1.3 million gallons] of primarily propane and butane have vaporized and dispersed into the atmosphere,” KBJR reportws. “As of Saturday night, they estimate about 2,000 barrels (84,000 gallons) of liquid product are contained at the site within the excavation area. Bridge crews are also moving equipment into place, as they say they are moving a plan forward to safely remove remaining vapors from the impacted section of Line 5. They told KBJR they will use trailer-mounted flare stacks to safely burn excess hydrocarbon vapors in a controlled and planned manner in the coming days.”
Michigan Advance: Whitmer attorneys dispute Enbridge argument that Michigan lacks authority to revoke Line 5 easement
Kyle Davidson, 8/28/26
“After a federal court ruling found Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s move to terminate the easement to operate the Line 5 pipeline in the Great Lakes unenforceable, the governor and the head of the Department of Natural Resource challenged the decision, filing further arguments with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday,” the Michigan Advance reports. “In their initial brief filed in May, attorneys representing Whitmer and DNR Director Scott Bowen argued that Judge Robert Jonker of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan’s Southern Division had erred in siding with the pipeline’s operator, Enbridge, which argued that the Pipeline Safety Act of 1992 prevents states from imposing safety regulations on interstate pipelines… “In a statement to Michigan Advance, Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy said the state had fought for more than five years to shut down the pipeline due to “unsupported claims about its safety.” “...Tribal leaders and environmental advocates gathered in Lansing earlier this week to lay out the future of their fight against Line 5, with Liz Kirkwood, the executive director of Flow Water Advocates, urging attendees to push Whitmer to “finish the job” she started when she revoked Enbridge’s easement in 2020. David Holtz, coordinator of the Oil and Water Don’t Mix Coalition, remained skeptical, calling Whitmer’s Friday statement about protecting the Great Lakes “message management.” “We’d welcome a governor who actually opposes Line 5, full stop, with the Straits, tunnel, and the 645 miles in between,” Holtz told the Advance. “Today’s filing isn’t evidence of that.”
Reuters: Enbridge Says Line 5 In Wisconsin To Return To Service Between Aug 31 And Sept 5
8/27/26
“Enbridge Inc: Says it estimates return to service of Line 5 between Aug. 31 and Sept. 5 after a line strike in rural northern Iron County, Wisconsin. Says on Tuesday, Aug. 25, a parked, unoccupied semi-truck rolled into an open excavation site on a Line 5 valve project, striking the pipe and releasing natural gas liquids. Says the affected section of pipe was immediately isolated, and Line 5 remains safely shut down.”
North Dakota Monitor: Summit forfeits two CO2 storage permits in North Dakota, continues legal fight over third
Jacob Orledge and Jeff Beach, 8/31/26
“Summit Carbon Solutions is abandoning two-thirds of its planned project to store carbon dioxide underground in North Dakota,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “The company, which had been granted permits to store CO2 in three designated areas in central North Dakota, has requested permits for two of the areas to be canceled. “Summit #1 and Summit #2 have determined as a matter of business judgment that they will not proceed with development, construction, operation, or implementation of either proposed storage facility,” Summit said in a filing with the North Dakota Supreme Court. A North Dakota district court voided permits for all three areas earlier this year. Summit and the state are appealing that decision. But the company is now asking the Supreme Court to limit the appeal to one of the storage areas, known as Summit #3. The company’s decision to abandon two of its storage facility permits is a victory for many of the landowners opposing the project. Most of those landowners have objected to what they characterize as the company’s unwillingness to negotiate on matters of liability and compensation… “In an email last week, Summit said it is prioritizing Summit #3, where the company has about 98% of the storage rights secured.”
Inside Climate News: Trump Administration Speeds Up Environmental Review for 800-Mile Alaska Oil Pipeline
Lisa Sorg, 8/28/26
“The Trump administration is expediting an environmental review of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System that would reauthorize the project for another 30 years, including the pipeline, pump stations, access roads, bridges and a fuel gas line that lie within the right-of-way,” Inside Climate News reports. “The Bureau of Land Management is also shortening the public comment period for review of the project to 15 days. The federal government usually accepts public comment from 30 to 60 days, or even longer, depending on the complexity of the rules. BLM, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, was not scheduled to renew the right-of-way until 2034, the third renewal since 1974… “Critics told ICN the two events indicate the Trump administration “is seeking an early, quick renewal to preclude long overdue consideration of mounting economic and ecological concerns” about the pipeline, according to PEER, a watchdog group that works with current and former federal, state, local and tribal employees.”
Reuters: Trans Mountain CEO says US trade rift adds urgency to Canada’s oil pipeline plan
Amanda Stephenson, 8/28/26
“The collapse of trade talks with the United States has created urgency to plan a new oil pipeline to Canada’s west coast, the CEO of the government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline company said on Friday,” Reuters reports. “...The situation has highlighted the need for Canada to diversify its exports, something the west coast pipeline proposal would do by increasing Canadian oil shippers’ access to Asia, Maki told Reuters. “Events around us have made (the west coast pipeline) much more urgent, and I think that’s actually good. It’s helpful,” he told Reuters… “Project proponents want Ottawa to designate the pipeline as a project of national interest, which would allow for fast-tracked regulatory approval. Maki told Reuters Trans Mountain must move quickly to consult Indigenous communities and plan the route in order to file for regulatory approval early next year… “The company expects to make a final investment decision by the end of 2026 on building more pumping stations to add 210,000 bpd of capacity by the end of 2028.”
Canadian Press: Trans Mountain says Alberta-B.C. pipeline running almost full
8/28/26
“Trans Mountain Corp. says the pipeline that sends Alberta crude to the Vancouver area ran 94 per cent full during the second quarter,” the Canadian Press reports. “...During the three months ended June 30, the Trans Mountain pipeline carried an average of 840,000 barrels of oil per day, up from 703,000 during the same period a year earlier. Net income for the quarter was $138 million, down from $150 million, while revenues rose to $808 million from $719 million… “About two thirds of the oil moving on Trans Mountain heads to Asian markets via tanker, while some serves the U.S. Pacific Northwest and B.C. Lower Mainland.”
Mother Jones: Trump Intervened to Revive a Fraught Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline, But Why?
Macie Parker, 8/28/26
“...The fight revolves around Sable Offshore, a small Houston-based company that, on the order of the Department of Energy (DOE), recently resumed pumping oil through an offshore pipeline that had been out of service since a disastrous 2015 spill,” Mother Jones reports. “...The DOE justified its intervention as an effort to boost domestic energy production in the name of national security. Foes of the pipeline restart say it’s an attempt by the Trump administration to quash states’ rights and eviscerate environmental regulations, and maybe troll a blue state in the process… “What we have off California is a relative drop in the bucket and wouldn’t have a meaningful impact,” Pete Stauffer, senior ocean protection manager for Surfrider Foundation, which is involved in a state campaign to stop offshore drilling, told MJ. With so little oil at stake, Krop, EDC’s attorney, views Wright’s order as a shot across the bow of California, a state Trump openly disdains, and a wedge for other would-be oil drillers. “With Trump’s blessing, it sends a message to oil companies,” she told MJ, “that you can violate court orders, you can violate shutdown orders or cease-and-desist orders.” “...The prospect of the federal government auctioning it off for drilling is very unpopular, Charter told MJ. “This is a political football game for the entire coast of America,” he told MJ. “The Trump administration is underestimating how much people care.”
Press release: Summit Midstream Corporation Announces Final Investment Decision on Double E Pipeline Mainline Compression Expansion
8/31/26
“Summit Midstream Corporation announced today that Double E Pipeline, LLC (”Double E”) has concluded a successful open season and reached a final investment decision on its previously announced mainline compression expansion project, supported by a new long-term firm transportation agreement with an investment-grade shipper… “The expansion project consists of the installation of a bi-directional mainline compressor station on the Double E system, which will increase the pipeline’s forward haul capacity to Waha by approximately 900 MMcf/d. The compression project along with new plant connections and related infrastructure is expected to cost approximately $100 million net to Summit’s 70% interest and is expected to be placed in service by the fourth quarter of 2028.”
Native News Online: Sean McCann Vows to Oppose Enbridge Line 5 if Elected to Congress
Levi Rickert, 8/29/2/6
“The only Native American running for Congress in Michigan in this fall’s midterm election, State Sen. Sean McCann, the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, says he has opposed Enbridge Line 5 since day one,” Native News Online reports. “In my role in Congress, I think [my position] is going to be much less favorable to Enbridge and its operations than you might see from the president of the United States or his allies in Congress,” McCann said during a press gaggle on Tuesday immediately following a town hall at the Women’s Club in Saugatuck, Mich. Joining the town hall to lend support to McCann’s campaign were Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI). Scholten, who is serving her second term in Congress, represents the neighboring 3rd Congressional District, which includes Grand Rapids and Muskegon. McCann, a tribal citizen of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is running to unseat seven-term Congressman Bill Huizenga.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Reuters: US to take 35% stake in Venezuelan mogul Betancourt’s oil venture, WSJ reports
Sathvi G Bhat and Gnaneshwar Rajan, 8/29/26
“The U.S. government plans to take a 35% passive stake in Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt’s North American Blue Energy Partners, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing people involved in negotiating the deal,” according to Reuters. “The U.S. also plans to secure preferential rights to purchase 20% of the company’s production at cost, the WSJ reported. The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital plans to structure the investment through penny warrants that would yield the U.S. an equity ownership in the business without significant capital investment, the WSJ reported… “Responding to a Reuters request for comment, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told Reuters: “The Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) does not take equity stakes in private companies. Under its statutory authority, OSC’s role is strictly limited to providing capital assistance in the form of a loan, loan guarantee, or technical assistance (including transaction structuring for developing and financing investments).”
Axios: U.S. close to striking “massive” deal for Venezuelan oil fields
Marc Caputo, 8/27/26
“The Trump administration is in talks with Venezuela’s interim government about taking an ownership stake in the South American country’s enormous oil resources, two U.S. officials tell Axios. “The historic deal would more than double U.S. oil reserves by drawing from a country that has the world’s largest proven reserves… “Adding pressure to get the deal signed: the wars in Iran and Ukraine, which have disrupted global oil supplies and raised prices. The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is now at a 40-year low. Details are still being hammered out, but the discussions involve more than a dozen productive oil fields — not all of Venezuela’s 300 billion barrels of proven reserves. The fields in question, which have 90 billion barrels of proven reserves, used to be controlled by former Venezuelan insiders — including some who’ve been indicted — as well as interests once controlled by China, the official told Axios. In return for giving the U.S. an ownership stake, Venezuela’s government would benefit from private companies, including American firms, developing the fields and returning more oil revenue to that country.”
Reuters: Depleted US oil stash loses potency as Iran war grinds on
Timothy Gardner, Arathy Somasekhar and Anushree Ashish Mukherjee, 8/31/26
“Six months into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Washington may find it harder to calm jittery oil markets after U.S. presidents drained the aging Strategic Petroleum Reserve over the last five years,” Reuters reports. “The SPR, which Washington created after the oil crises of the 1970s, holds crude in a series of 60 underground salt caverns along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. After years of releases by former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, the reserve is at its lowest level since 1982, holding just 289.7 million barrels. The level will drop to about 243 million if Trump releases a final batch of 39 million barrels from a March agreement with the International Energy Agency… “The water level rises as more oil is released, which can damage cavern walls and pipes and pumps that draw out the crude… “Siddharth Misra, a professor of petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University, told Reuters that while the absolute physical floor for the SPR is 70 million barrels, the practical minimum level for safe operations is close to 250 million barrels.”
Reuters: Trump to meet refiners, fuel retailers as Iran war boosts gas prices ahead of midterms, sources say
Jarrett Renshaw, 8/27/26
“President Donald Trump is expected to meet with U.S. refiners and fuel retailers next week to highlight efforts to lower gasoline prices, as his administration seeks to ease pressure on consumers from the Iran war ahead of November’s congressional midterm elections, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. “Attendees of the meeting are expected to include refiners like Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N), opens new tab, Marathon Petroleum Corporation and PBF Energy Inc, along with major retailers, two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters. The biggest U.S. oil companies and refiners reported strong second-quarter earnings as the Iran war disrupted global energy markets and tightened supplies of gasoline and other refined products. Those results have drawn criticism from Trump, who has argued that oil companies benefiting from higher prices should do more to bring down costs for consumers. Trump has publicly pressed major producers and refiners to lower prices.”
Heatmap: America’s Oil Refineries Are Going All Out
Matthew Zeitlin, 8/28/26
“It’s never been a better time to turn oil into gasoline and diesel, and the United States refining industry is processing every drop it can,” Heatmap reports. “America’s refineries are currently running at over 97% utilization, up slightly from the week prior, according to the Energy Information Administration, and at their highest rate since 2018. In the Gulf Coast refining complex specifically, refining capacity has been above 95% for 19 straight weeks, well surpassing the previous record of 15 weeks in 2022, according to Gulf Oil advisor Tom Kloza. Meanwhile, refiners are putting off whatever maintenance they can. But refineries may have to undertake the large-scale, prescheduled “turnaround” operations that happen in the fall, and can take facilities offline for months… “This is historically unprecedented,” Kloza told Heatmap, referring to both the continuously high levels of utilization for American refiners and the margins they’re receiving for running so continuously. “It’s insane.” “...The tightness of the market means that refineries are likely to be pushed near their limit. If any one goes off line — whether for maintenance or weather or anything else — it will likely mean a windfall for everyone else who can stay online.”
Associated Press: Freedom Fuel owner didn’t pay for nearly $4 million in gas, lawsuit claims
Brendan Brightman and Brian Slodysko, Michael Biesecker and Josh Boak, 8/29/26
“Freedom Fuel Network launched about 25 gas stations selling fuel for $3.47 a gallon in honor of President Donald Trump. But records linking the company to businessmen with legal troubles, a firm in which Trump previously held stock and unanswered questions about its White House access have drawn scrutiny,” the Associated Press reports. “The owner of several Freedom Fuel Network gas stations has been sued by a supplier who claims they are owed nearly $4 million, according to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania… “The lawsuit identifies the owner as KRSM, Inc., which is a foreign corporation with a principle business address in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, according to the lawsuit.”
Associated Press: Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emission rules, study says
Alexa St. John, 8/27/26
“The Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emissions standards this year, making errors in how it accounted for fuel savings, the price of technology and mileage, according to a new study by a group of economists,” the Associated Press reports. “Correcting those errors would negate the economic benefits that the administration said would come from eliminating greenhouse gas emission standards for cars and trucks, according to the paper published Thursday in the journal Science… “But the group of a dozen researchers who examined the EPA’s cost-benefit analysis said that correcting the administration’s errors would “overturn” its justification. The authors - who were from universities including Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania - found that eliminating the standards will actually cost Americans hundreds of billions of dollars. “This is deeper than just a discussion as to whether an administration should value greenhouse gas emissions reductions or not,” Antonio Bento, one of the analysis authors, and a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Southern California, told AP. Even setting aside the environmental debate, “the economic case for the rollback of the standards still falls apart.”
E&E News: Federal judge upholds first state polluter pays recycling law
Ellie Borst, 8/28/26
“A federal judge on Thursday upheld Oregon’s plastic pollution and recycling program, the first court ruling on the legality of state laws designed to hold producers responsible for the cost of dealing with their waste,” E&E News reports. “Judge Michael H. Simon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon rejected arguments from the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors in ruling that Oregon’s landmark extended producer responsibility, or EPR, program does not violate the Constitution… “The ruling marks the first judicial validation of an approach that Democrat-led states are increasingly turning to as a way of holding plastics producers accountable for their single-use plastic and other waste. Seven states — Oregon, California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington state — currently have EPR laws on their books… “Anja Brandon, the Ocean Conservancy’s director of plastics policy, told E&E she’ll “be celebrating” the win. “This decision affirms that states have every right to innovate to solve the plastic pollution crisis,” Brandon told E&E. “It is not only a victory in the fight to end plastic pollution, but a victory for our ocean and a great day to be an Oregonian.”
Guardian: Trump rollback of US forest protections could accelerate extinction of 400 endangered species
Maya Yang, 8/28/26
“More than 400 endangered animal and plant species could face accelerated extinction after the Donald Trump administration’s decision to rescind a rule that has protected old-growth forests for more than two decades,” the Guardian reports. “According to a new report from the Center for Biological Diversity, the rollback of the Bill Clinton-era ‘roadless rule’ could put 7.4m acres of endangered-species habitat and nearly 1,800 miles of protected rivers and streams at risk, while opening more than 45m acres of national forests to roads, drilling and logging. The Trump administration moved last week to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, citing “outdated restrictions [that] have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities”. Conservationists have criticized the decision… “At-risk species include grizzly bears and gray wolves in the Rocky Mountains, wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, Mexican spotted owls and Gila trout in the south-west, as well as rare butterflies and wildflowers nationwide, according to the report.”
Reuters: US officials weigh plan to shield farmers from expansion of refinery biofuel waivers, sources say
Jarrett Renshaw, 8/27/26
“President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials discussed on Wednesday a plan to shield the Farm Belt from an expected expansion of waivers of biofuel laws, which his administration is considering as a way to lower gasoline prices during the Iran war, two people familiar with the meeting told Reuters. The administration is considering a plan that would increase biofuel quotas for the 2027 calendar year by roughly 500 million gallons to offset any damage caused by the soon-to-be-announced exemptions for smaller refineries, two separate sources told Reuters… “The debate revives one of the most contentious energy disputes of Trump’s first term, when broad refinery exemptions drew fierce opposition from Midwestern farmers and ethanol producers while benefiting and winning support from oil refiners. The issue has resurfaced at a time when the administration has sought to bring down fuel costs during the war with Iran while avoiding a backlash from rural voters ahead of November midterm elections… “A coalition of farm and biofuel groups urged Trump on Thursday to reject any waiver expansion, warning that a surge in exemptions for small refineries would hurt rural America by undercutting demand for crops and renewable fuels.”
Washington Examiner: Trump’s head of offshore leasing leaving for oilfield services firm Halliburton
Callie Patteson, 8/27/26
“The man in charge of President Donald Trump’s offshore lease sales for the oil and gas industry is leaving the administration and heading to the private sector,” the Washington Examiner reports. “Two industry sources close to the discussions confirmed to the Washington Examiner that acting director of the Marine Minerals Administration, Matt Giacona, is leaving his post at the start of next month, with his last day set for Sept. 4… “Giacona was also acting director of BOEM before the merger, overseeing all offshore lease sales for oil and gas drilling… “Her departure raised several ethical questions about how public officials interact with industries they regulate. The administration has said that Kelm did not work on ‘official’ matters with Sable while negotiating her new position and that she does not plan to work on ‘ongoing official matters’ between the company and the administration in the new role.”
STATE UPDATES
KCLU: California Legislature passes a bill that may help prevent new offshore oil drilling in the Tri-Counties
Lance Orozco, 8/28/26
“California is poised to take a major new step in its battle with the federal government over the Trump administration’s efforts to open the state’s coastline to new oil and gas drilling,” KCLU reports. “It’s in the form of a bill authored by a Santa Barbara assemblyman that received final approval by the legislature Thursday afternoon. “It’s very important, because the federal government has proposed new offshore leases to facilitate drilling off the California Coast,” Democratic State Assemblyman Gregg Hart of Santa Barbara told KCLU. “California has been a strong opponent of that for nearly four decades… ”Among other things, the measure prohibits the California Coastal Commission from signing leases for oil or gas extraction in protected marine areas or national marine sanctuaries. “There’s been a bipartisan consensus in California for a very long time that offshore oil drilling is a threat to our economy, the quality of life, the marine environment,” Hart told KCLU… “The state has jurisdiction over the ocean up to three miles from the coast, where it becomes federal jurisdiction. Coastal infrastructure is key to getting oil and gas from offshore platforms to onshore facilities. “This (legislation) is mainly focused on the threat from the Trump administration to open up the entire California Coast to new offshore oil and gas leasing,” Linda Krop, Chief Counsel with the Santa Barbara-based Environmental Defense Center, told KCLU.”
Michigan Chamber of Commerce: Chamber backs new Michigan carbon capture legislation
8/28/26
“Three members of the Michigan House Energy Committee this week introduced House Bills 6247, 6248 and 6249, a package aimed at creating a state-run permitting framework for carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Michigan,” according to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. “The legislation would begin the process of transferring oversight of specialized underground carbon storage wells from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). That step is necessary for Michigan to establish its own Class VI permitting program… “For Michigan, establishing a clear, state-based permitting framework could provide greater regulatory certainty while helping attract new investment and support the competitiveness of the state’s industrial and manufacturing sectors. Spearheaded by the Michigan Chamber, the MI SUCCESS coalition brings together business, labor and environmental leaders in support of responsible carbon capture development. CCS has received support across four presidential administrations and has been used in Michigan for approximately 20 years… “The Michigan Chamber, working through the MI SUCCESS coalition, will urge lawmakers to advance the legislation and establish a clear framework that protects Michigan’s environment while creating opportunities for investment and economic growth.”
Chemical & Engineering News: Woodside blue ammonia plant stumbles, though CF moves ahead
Alexander Tullo, 8/28/26
“In the latest setback for low-carbon ammonia, the Australian natural gas development company Woodside Energy is launching a strategic review—which may include a sale—for its newly acquired blue ammonia plant in Beaumont, Texas,” Chemical & Engineering News reports. “At the same time, a joint venture led by the US fertilizer maker CF Industries Holding has begun construction on a similar project in Louisiana with Japanese partners. The Texas plant was conceived by OCI Global, which began building it in 2022 at an estimated cost of $1 billion. Woodside purchased the plant in 2024, while it was still under construction, for $2.35 billion as part of a low-carbon investment push… “ExxonMobil signed on to capture and store the CO2 emissions… “This asset was acquired in a global environment with line of sight to a developing market for lower-carbon ammonia, including the international regulatory frameworks required to support that market,” Woodside CEO Liz Westcott said in an Aug. 26 conference call with analysts. “Significant changes in the global environment over the past 12 months have changed this underlying premise…We will explore all options to determine the best value for Woodside… “During the Joe Biden administration, low-carbon ammonia projects blossomed as firms eyed US government incentives to build plants and overseas markets clamored for the reduced-carbon chemical. But uncertainty over the incentives under the Donald J. Trump administration and ebbing interest from potential customers have cooled enthusiasm for low-carbon ammonia and resulted in a wave of cancellations.”
Louisiana Illuminator: Damage, questions linger a year after Smitty’s Supply disaster as company plans comeback
Wesley Muller, 8/27/26
“A year after the Smitty’s Supply explosion dispersed millions of gallons of oil and chemicals in Tangipahoa Parish, environmental officials are still investigating the disaster as the company continues cleanup efforts and seeks permission to rebuild and restart its operations,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “...The fire burned for nearly two weeks, causing aerosolized oil and soot to rain down on neighbors, animals and property for miles. Residents within a mile of the facility, as well as an elementary school, were ordered to evacuate while millions of gallons of petroleum products spilled into nearby waters. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sued Smitty’s alleging a long list of environmental violations, but are working to settle the case even as their investigation continues.. “In December, the EPA estimated cleanup crews had recovered over 11 million gallons of petroleum products that overflowed containment areas at the plant and poured into the Tangipahoa River… “In an email to the Illuminator last week, The Ehrhardt Group, the company’s public relations firm, said Smitty’s Supply has completed all cleanup tasks that the EPA required of it in an agreement the company signed under the federal Superfund law… “Roseland Mayor Van Showers told the Illuminator he’s angry over what he described as slow and incomplete cleanup efforts. He told the Illuminator oil sheens still repeatedly show up in the waters near the facility and blames the state and federal government for a lack of oversight. “The citizens have been left with a pile of crap,” Showers told the Illuminator.”
Press release: IUC announces resignation of Commissioner Erik Helland
8/28/26
“The Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) today announced the resignation of Commissioner Erik Helland, effective September 4, 2026. With a quorum of two commissioners, the IUC will retain its full authority to conduct business and issue orders until the vacancy is filled. Helland was appointed to the IUC on May 1, 2023, for a term that expires April 30, 2029. The Governor fills vacancies for the unexpired portion of a term in the same manner as full-term appointments are made. The appointment would then be subject to Senate confirmation.”
EXTRACTION
Bloomberg: Venezuela Weighs OPEC Exit as US Discusses Oil Fields Stake
Ben Bartenstein, Mie Dahl, Fabiola Zerpa, and Mitchell Ferman, 8/27/26
“Venezuela is considering whether it should quit OPEC, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg, potentially delivering a fresh blow to the oil cartel it helped create more than six decades ago. The idea of an exit has been a topic in conversations with US officials, and no final decision has been made, some of the people, asking not to be identified discussing private information, told Bloomberg. A decision to pull out of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would underline the sweeping political realignment in Caracas since President Donald Trump ousted the longtime leader Nicolás Maduro and took control of the nation’s oil sales. Washington’s growing influence is also reflected in US talks with Venezuelan leaders to take a large stake in the nation’s oil fields — a development that would have been unthinkable just two years ago… “Given its diminished production, Venezuela’s potential exit is unlikely to have much immediate effect on global oil markets, which are currently dominated by the shockwaves of the US war with Iran.
Edmonton Journal: Oil and gas expert backs Smith, says using energy as tactic in US trade war could hurt Canadian oilsands
Itoro Umanah, 8/28/26
“Talks about retaliatory measures from the Canadian government have taken shape over the past few days since the Trump administration levied 50 per-cent tariffs on $28 billion worth of Canadian goods,” the Edmonton Journal reports. “Prime Minister Carney, in a “dollar-for-dollar” move, announced counter-tariffs expected to cover $27.6 billion worth of imports from the U.S. earlier this week—while Ontario Premier, Doug Ford platformed the use of Canadian energy as leverage in the trade war between the two countries. “I cannot think of a more disastrous policy decision than cutting off or taxing Alberta’s oil to the United States,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in an address on Wednesday… “Smith said an even more unfavourable outcome of losing the United States as a customer, forever, would result in the industry having to cut “half a million jobs at minimum.” “...Oil and gas analyst at BMO Capital Markets, Jeremy McCrea, agreed, cautioning against the discussion of energy as a tactic in the trade war.”
CBC: Regulator upholds sanctions against oilsands operator ordered to abandon operations
Wallis Snowdon, 8/28/26
“Warped boilers on the brink of failure, leaking steam valves, fractured gas lines and decaying unpurged pipelines with leaks that went undetected for months. These are the conditions that cost Sunshine Oilsands Limited control of its flagship thermal oilsands project in northern Alberta,” the CBC reports. “Sanctions ordering Calgary-based Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. to shut down and permanently decommission its West Ells project — located 115 kilometres north of Fort McMurray — have been upheld on appeal. The operator had challenged a pair of orders issued by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) due to the company’s repeated failures to comply with its regulatory and environmental obligations. The AER ordered a suspension of operations two years ago. But hearing commissioners said in their decision they did not believe Sunshine Oilsands is capable of bringing the project into compliance. Lifting the orders poses an unacceptable risk to the public and the environment, the panel wrote… “The OWA’s latest annual report estimates total cleanup cost for all Alberta’s orphan sites reached a record $1.66 billion this July. De Pauw said the increase has been driven by a recent spike in insolvencies.”
Australian Financial Review: Woodside paid for carbon capture, ‘footed wedding bills’ instead
Peter Ker, 8/30/26
“Woodside’s struggling clean energy division claims it paid more than $5 million toward a sham carbon capture project that never went ahead because the proponent used the money for his lavish personal lifestyle,” the Australian Financial Review reports. “Woodside has accused American entrepreneur Charles Fridge III of fraudulent conduct in a United States court, saying he diverted project funds to pay for his divorce and then a destination wedding to a second woman, among a slew of personal expenses. Woodside’s demand for Fridge to repay millions of dollars adds to doubts over the future of Woodside’s “new energy” division after the oil and gas giant announced last week it would no longer spend $US5 billion ($6.98 billion) on low carbon hydrogen and ammonia projects by 2030. The $US5 billion spend on “new energy” projects was announced in December 2021 as one of then Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill’s first acts. O’Neill told investors at the time that “new energy” projects posed less risk to shareholders because they were cheaper than oil and gas projects.”
Carbon Herald: Open Letter To UK Government Advocates Carbon Storage Mandates For Fossil Fuel Producers
Violet George, 8/31/26
“An open letter signed by 160 academics, civil society leaders, and environmental professionals has been submitted to UK Energy Department Secretary of State Miatta Fahnbulleh, proposing binding geological carbon storage mandates for the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields,” the Carbon Herald reports. “Organized by prominent academics from the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and University College London, the letter does not endorse field developments directly. Instead, it outlines policy conditions necessary to align future North Sea oil and gas extraction with the UK’s statutory 2050 net-zero emissions target… “To prevent ongoing extraction from worsening global warming, the group argues that licensing approvals must be explicitly linked to a producer obligation to capture, remove, and permanently store an equivalent volume of carbon dioxide in geological formations. The letter notes that relying heavily on nature-based carbon removals is inadequate to offset continued fossil fuel combustion, making permanent geological storage an essential prerequisite for ongoing production.”
Agence France-Presse: Finland defends shores against oil spill risk
8/27/26
“On a lush island in the Gulf of Finland, workers are toiling to protect the coastline from oil-spills -- a risk heightened by Russian shadow fleet shipments and Ukrainian drone attacks,” Agence France-Presse reports. “Special bolts were drilled in the ancient cliffs off the city of Kotka, less then a hundred kilometres (62 miles) from the Russian border, on one of thousands of islands scattered along Finland’s Baltic coastline. They will create a permanent attachment system for oil containment booms, which can be installed in the event of a spill, to help prevent the oil from reaching the shoreline and its sensitive ecosystems… “Jukka-Pekka Lumilahti, Director of Rescue Services at the Gulf of Finland Coastguard and head of Maritime Environmental Protection in the Kotka district, warned the risk of an oil spill accident was “very high at the moment”. “Between five and ten of these big crude oil tankers” are on the move every day, loaded with around 100,000 cubic metres of crude oil each, he told AFP… “A big spill would have devastating effects on marine and coastal ecosystems, Rosenstrom told AFP.”
Guardian Nigeria: Oil Spill: Ogoni communities count losses, demand urgent action
Ann Godwin, 8/28/26
“Across the sprawling farmland in Yola Oilfield, Ogoniland, Rivers State, the remains of a massive oil spill tell a grim story of environmental destruction and human suffering,” Guardian Nigeria reports. “Cassava farms that should have been approaching harvest have been rendered useless. Mangroves, palm trees and other vegetation have been coated and destroyed by crude oil, while nearby creeks and waterways remain polluted. The scene, according to environmental activist and Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, resembles a war front. Bassey, speaking with The Guardian at the scene of the spill, said, “This looks like a scene of fire,” Bassey said during a visit to the affected community. “All this destruction of mangroves, palm trees, mangoes and the rest were just damaged by the spill itself.” The spill occurred at the Yola Oilfield in the Kpean community, in Khana Local Government Area of Ogoniland last year. For residents, however, the tragedy is not merely about another oil spill. It is a reminder of decades of environmental degradation and what they describe as government neglect, even as moves intensify towards possible resumption of oil production in the area… “For Bassey, the unfolding crisis should serve as a warning against any hurried resumption of oil production in Ogoniland. He questioned how oil infrastructure abandoned since production stopped in 1993 could still be responsible for such a massive environmental disaster decades later… “According to the traditional ruler, the Yola Oilfield contains between 17 and 18 wellheads, many of which have reportedly remained without adequate maintenance for decades. He said residents had repeatedly raised concerns about the condition of the facilities, but little had been done.”
OPINION
NWIowa.com: Iowa voters must elect candidates who prioritize property rights
Bonnie Ewoldt is a Crawford County landowner on Summit’s route, 8/27/26
“Five years ago, Summit Carbon Solutions rolled out its plan for the Midwest Carbon Express, a 2,000-mile pipeline designed to transport carbon dioxide collected from ethanol plants in five states and sequester it underground in North Dakota. The project has met fierce opposition across the multi-state route, resulting in Summit’s complete overhaul of the route and changing the intended purpose of the project,” Bonnie Ewoldt writes for NWIowa.com. “...Landowners who were targeted for eminent domain by the decision filed an appeal in district court where the judge ruled that the case be remanded back to the IUC. The commission has yet to respond, and the permitting process for Summit’s CO2 pipeline is stalled. With all the setbacks and delays, Summit has dropped over two hundred miles from the trunk line and stopped pursuing easements with four hundred landowners. The company is also entangled in litigation after being sued by international pipeline and valve manufacturing companies for failing to pay multi-million dollar contracts. At this point, Summit is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule. Its reputation is tarnished, and investors are watching. Iowa voters should be watching, also. As the upcoming midterm elections approach, voters must ask candidates if they will defend property rights and whether they are prepared to pass legislation that protects landowners from eminent domain abuse… “We must elect candidates who prioritize property rights over corporate greed and will not hesitate to pass a commonsense law that ends the misuse of eminent domain for risky carbon dioxide pipelines in Iowa.”
The Orcasonian: Council letter to community | Increased oil tanker traffic in the Salish Sea
Kari McVeigh, District 1; Justin Paulsen, District 2, County Council Chair; Jane Fuller, District 3, 8/28/26
“From Lime Kiln Park on the west side of San Juan Island, you can often spot the tall black fins of our resident Orcas. Increasingly, those remarkable animals are silhouetted against a large oil tanker. Like the Orca, the tankers come from Canada then pass through the narrow channels of the Salish Sea on their way to the ocean,” Kari McVeigh, Justin Paulsen and Jane Fuller write for The Orcasonian. “The San Juan County Council is concerned about increased oil tanker traffic and the heightened risk of oil spills. Canada is building pipelines and shipping terminals to deliver tar sands oil to global markets. It has already expanded its Transmountain Pipeline, including its extension to US refineries near Bellingham, and deepened its harbor shipping channels to accommodate more heavily loaded ships. These expansions have tripled the number of tanker transits since 2016. On July 1, Mark Carney, Premier of Canada and the Governor of Alberta, announced that Canada plans to build an entirely new pipeline in the existing corridor. The new proposed pipeline will terminate at Roberts Bank, seven miles from the US border. If the pipeline is built, seven times the number of tankers will pass through the narrow shipping lanes west of San Juan Island by 2034… “Our shorelines, kelp beds and seagrass meadows, fisheries and cetaceans including the endangered southern resident orcas, and our tourist-dependent economies are all on the line, on both sides of the border. A catastrophic oil spill could ruin the biologically rich ecosystem that we all benefit from and enjoy. Without the best available protection, the risk is not limited to our county; other communities that border the Salish Sea are also exposed and vulnerable. Protecting our shared environment is critical not just to the iconic Orea but to our entire way of life.”
Fortune: Who pays for a shadow fleet oil spill? No one
Charles Edward Gehrke, 8/28/26
“In March, I wrote in Fortune that the shadow fleet exists because the rules of the sea are fundamentally voluntary. Ships can opt out. They can switch off transponders, fly flags bought from registries that never inspected anything, and hold insurance nobody can trace. I noted that when one of them has an accident, there may be no one standing behind the policy. Which is happening right now off the coast of Oman,” Charles Edward Gehrke writes for Fortune. “The dark fleet vessel in question is the Caroline Bezengi: a Suezmax built in 2001 carrying roughly 800,000 barrels of Russian Urals crude… “Adding insult to injury, she now sits — leaking oil — inside a 667-square-kilometer marine reserve Sultan Haitham had created by royal decree nearly eight months before, to protect an endangered population of Arabian Sea humpbacks… “Dimitris Maniatis, who runs the maritime risk firm Marisks, told Bloomberg Television that cleanup alone could run $200 million to $500 million. Nobody is going to pay it… “The ship had no publicly identified insurer. That isn’t supposed to be possible. So, no insurer is going to pay. Fortunately, there is a longstanding international safety net. It isn’t going to help… “It’s not going to pay Oman. A spokesperson for the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund told Reuters in August that it would not be involved in cleanup costs because the incident “was being treated as an act of war,” a category the convention excludes.”