PIPELINE NEWS
Chicago Tribune: Line 5 returns to service after 1.3 million-gallon spill in Wisconsin, but scrutiny of Great Lakes pipeline plan intensifies
WTMJ: Enbridge Line 5 spill prompts calls for state disaster declaration
Santa Barbara Independent: Sable Offshore Digging Up 12 Spots of Pipeline for Corrosion
Press release: Rep. Laurel Lee Introduces the Unleash American Pipelines Act to Reform Natural Gas Pipeline Judicial Review
Louisiana Illuminator: Livingston Parish residents worry about CO2 pipeline proximity
WTEN: Indigenous grandmas, Mark Ruffalo launch 108-mile Women’s Water Walk against proposed Constitution Pipeline
The Orchard: Fossil fuel execs met by protestors at carbon capture conference
Derbyshire Times: Derbyshire campaigners organise ‘solidarity’ walk against Peak Cluster carbon capture scheme
North Dakota Monitor: Protests didn’t stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. A decade later, tribal leaders still see an impact.
KCHA: IUC Proposing Hearings on Carbon Pipeline Involving Floyd County
MassLive: Eversource Springfield-area pipeline project remains in limbo as required report not yet filed
Toledo Blade: Ohio gas pipeline safety penalties among lowest in nation, audit finds
Briefs Finance: Canada’s Trans Mountain pitches Asian buyers as pipeline flows ramp up
Natural Gas Intelligence: US Natural Gas Pipeline Buildout Pace Not Matching AI, LNG Demand Growth
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Politico: Senate roadblock sparks new competition over data center bills
Politico: Permitting talks reach ‘final’ stages
STATE UPDATES
Billings Gazette: ExxonMobil sues Montana Department of Transportation over not paying for environmental cleanup
Texas Farm Bureau: Carbon storage, produced water focus of interim hearing
EXTRACTION
Press release: Energy Demand Growth Will Limit More-Ambitious Climate Goals, S&P Global Energy Study Finds
ExxonMobil: CO₂ emissions fall 20% by 2050, but more progress is needed
Edmonton Journal: An alternative to treat and release? Alberta to approve $4.6 million grant for tailings ponds water treatment research
Reuters: Google agrees biggest carbon-removal deal yet, aims to scale new model
Press release: INEOS opens the first full-scale CO₂ storage site in the EU
World Oil: Asia Pacific CCUS market could reach $255 billion by 2035, Xodus says
OPINION
Motley Fool: Prediction: ExxonMobil’s Low-Carbon Bets Finally Show Up in Guidance by 2027
PIPELINE NEWS
Chicago Tribune: Line 5 returns to service after 1.3 million-gallon spill in Wisconsin, but scrutiny of Great Lakes pipeline plan intensifies
Adriana Pérez, 9/18/26
“Almost three weeks after at least 1.3 million gallons of hazardous natural gas liquids spilled from an aging oil pipeline in northern Wisconsin, grinding service to a halt, fossil fuels once again began gushing through it last weekend,” the Chicago Tribune reports. “But cleanup in the area continues, and members of the Bad River Band of Chippewa Indians — whose reservation the pipeline cuts across — warn that it’s just a matter of time before it happens again, there or somewhere else, with even more catastrophic consequences… “In light of the decision, and pointing to years of back-and-forth litigation and a history of spills, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week urged the oil company, Canada-based Enbridge, to find alternatives to the tunnel and its old dual pipelines, which she said are “just one accident away from disaster.” “...But environmental activists and Indigenous groups don’t want a new tunnel or a reroute. They want Line 5 fully decommissioned, arguing its vulnerability to future leaks poses a risk to the livelihood of tribes in the region and the drinking water of millions of Great Lakes residents, including in and around the Chicago area… “What happened up there in Saxon, (Wisconsin),” Joe Bates, tribal elder of the Bad River Band, told the Tribune, referring to the recent spill, “is what’s going to happen in another section of Line 5 somewhere else. It just so happens that now it was our turn — this close. And yes, it hasn’t happened on the reservation, but you know it’s still just a matter of time.” “...There’s just a growing consensus, it seems like, that having these existing pipelines in the straits is a bad idea, and the tunnel project is not looking like the solution — and we certainly don’t think it’s the solution,” David Scott, from the Chicago-based Environmental Law and Policy Center, and one of the lead attorneys in the case brought to the Michigan Supreme Court, told the Tribune. “Oil shouldn’t be running through the Great Lakes. It’s just a terrible idea.”
WTMJ: Enbridge Line 5 spill prompts calls for state disaster declaration
Jessica Gatzow, 9/17/26
“A gas pipeline spill that was likely the largest in recent state history has prompted calls from tribal nations and environmental groups for Gov. Tony Evers to make a state disaster declaration,” WTMJ reports. “...It’s in the largest five [highly volatile liquid spills] in the entire country in those 40 years. . . and it’s in the top 15 of any kind of hazardous liquid pipeline spill in that 40 years,” Bill Caram, Executive Director of the Pipeline Safety Trust, an independent watchdog on the pipeline industry, said during a virtual press conference. The spill site is just a few miles from the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation. Chairwoman Elizabeth Arbuckle said the Bad River Band would be officially declaring the spill a disaster, and wants Gov. Evers to do the same… “Dozens of environmental organizations and tribal nations are calling for both a state disaster declaration and a revocation of state permits to trigger a complete work stoppage on the Line 5 reroute. “We need a thorough independent investigation into the root cause of the rupture,” Sierra Club Campaign Coordinator Jadine Sonoda told WTMJ. “We’re also calling on the agency to make public all notices of non-compliance, drilling spill reports and other any other incidents where Enbridge puts making money off of Line 5 above our health, water, lands and safety.”
Santa Barbara Independent: Sable Offshore Digging Up 12 Spots of Pipeline for Corrosion
Nick Welsh, 9/17/26
“Six months after Sable Offshore Oil relaunched oil production at its Las Flores Canyon Plant in Santa Barbara County — after a 10-year shutdown resulting from a major oil spill caused by pipeline corrosion in 2015 — company attorneys notified county officials that they need county clearance to dig up 12 lengths of pipeline to determine whether they’re as corroded as a federally mandated tests indicated they were. Should the 12 “anomalies” — as these corrosion hot spots are known — eat into the wall of the steel pipeline by 40 percent or more, the company would be required to repair that portion of pipe,” the Santa Barbara Independent reports. “Although the county counsel’s office has not yet decided whether to issue the Houston-based oil company such a clearance — or even what the county’s jurisdictional authority is — Sable work crews have been out digging up pipeline since September 8… “According to Buttita, Sable told the county that pipeline excavation and repair can be conducted “live,” meaning that pumping need not stop for the work to get done… “Given the viscosity of the crude oil pumped from Sable’s three offshore platforms, the heat required to move that thick oil up our steep mountain slopes, and the condensation that accumulates along the lower half of the pipeline as a result of that heat, Sable’s pipeline is unusually susceptible to corrosion. Making the matter more charged, traditional industry best practices for corrosion control have demonstrated they are simply not up to the challenge here… “Linda Krop, chief counsel for the Environmental Defense Center and one of Sable’s most dogged opponents, expressed legal and operational safety concerns about the news that Sable is digging “validation” sites along the coast and back country. “According to Sable and the Trump Administration, this pipeline was supposed to be totally safe. But just six months after starting, they are already finding so-called anomalies, which are defects that are serious enough that they require excavations and potential repairs.”
Press release: Rep. Laurel Lee Introduces the Unleash American Pipelines Act to Reform Natural Gas Pipeline Judicial Review
9/17/26
“Today, Congresswoman Laurel Lee, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, introduced the Unleash American Pipelines Act, legislation to reform the judicial review process for natural gas pipeline certificates of public convenience and necessity issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The legislation would provide greater certainty for federally approved pipeline projects by limiting legal challenges to parties that can dictate direct and irreparable economic harm, establishing a clear and convincing evidence standard for overturning FERC’s expert determinations, and consolidating challenges in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit… “When a pipeline has undergone extensive federal review and received approval from FERC, outside groups should not be able to use endless litigation to delay critical energy infrastructure indefinitely,” said Rep. Lee… “Third-party organizations that are not landowners or otherwise directly economically affected by a project can challenge a certificate in federal court, potentially adding years of litigation after the federal review process has already concluded… “Standing Reform: Limits legal challenges to parties who have suffered direct and irreparable economic harm from the specific pipeline certificate at issue. Organizations may only bring claims if every individual member independently satisfies that standard, ensuring judicial review is available to those who are genuinely affected. Heightened Standard of Review: Requires courts to apply a clear and convincing evidence standard before overturning FERC’s expert determinations, reflecting the depth and rigor of the Commission’s review process and preserving the appropriate role of agency expertise. Exclusive D.C. Circuit Jurisdiction: Consolidates all pipeline certificate challenges in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, eliminating forum shopping and creating a single, predictable appellate forum for all parties. This legislation is supported by Duke Energy, TECO, and Florida Power and Light.”
Louisiana Illuminator: Livingston Parish residents worry about CO2 pipeline proximity
Elise Plunk, 9/17/26
“Residents are speaking out against the construction of a carbon dioxide pipeline they say will bring risks right up to their backyards and near community schools,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “ Property owners near the planned CF Industries CO2 pipeline voiced their opposition to the project and displeasure with the lack of information from public officials about details including safety plans. The proposed line will stretch 50 miles from Ascension Parish to Livingston Parish, crossing through a cypress swamp as well as near schools and residential areas. Residents shared their concerns Wednesday during a tour the environmental justice group Louisiana Bucket Brigade conducted. The group led reporters to homes near the proposed pipeline to speak to community members about their thoughts on the project. “It just gives me anxiety of something potentially dangerous right behind my property line, and since it’s not on the acreage that I own, I have no say,” Gabrielle Settoon, whose family, including three elementary-aged children, live in Satsuma about 30 yards away from where the pipeline is planned, told the Illuminator. Settoon learned the pipeline would be near her home at a community meeting on carbon capture projects and told the Illuminator it’s odd that local officials aren’t talking more to residents about the project… “Residents on the Bucket Brigade tour referenced the 2020 CO2 pipeline rupture in Sartoria, Mississippi, which hospitalized 45 people. The colorless, odorless gas leak caused people nearby to pass out from lack of oxygen and stopped internal combustion engines from working, hindering evacuation and emergency response… “Some residents said they feel disillusioned by the silence from political figures or their outward support for carbon capture and sequestration.”
WTEN: Indigenous grandmas, Mark Ruffalo launch 108-mile Women’s Water Walk against proposed Constitution Pipeline
Johan Sheridan, 9/17/26
“A once-long-dormant proposal to build the 124-mile Constitution Pipeline is back, inspiring a 108-mile walk from environmentalists and Indigenous leaders in protest,” WTEN reports. “...On Thursday afternoon, activists like long-time environmentalist Mark Ruffalo got involved in the clash between the state and federal governments and the gas industry over resurrecting the project. In the video above, from the virtual press conference, he compared those the pipeline infrastructure to a zombie attack and urged Governor Kathy Hochul to prioritize clean energy technology over fossil fuels… “But in 2025, the Williams Company and the administration of President Donald Trump started pushing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to revive it. That’s why green advocates like Ruffalo joined a coalition—including the Waterfall Unity Alliance, the Center for Earth Ethics, Frack Action, Riverkeeper, and Food and Water Watch—for the press conference launching the Women’s Water Walk. The 16-day march starts on Saturday, September 19 at Oquaga Creek State Park in Bainbridge and ends on October 4 in Schoharie. Organizers plan to gather daily to talk solutions… “The walk routes through the ancestral territories of the Lenape, Susquehannock, and Haudenosaunee Peoples. Indigenous grandmothers are leading the march, describing it as a prayer for the water. Organizers frame the walk as a religious movement, noting that Pope Leo XIV announced his September prayer intention is for “the care of water.” They say they want to turn the pipeline’s path into a “songline of remembrance.”
The Orchard: Fossil fuel execs met by protestors at carbon capture conference
Jeremy Appel, 9/17/26
“Fossil fuel executives making their way into this year’s Carbon Capture Canada conference were greeted by protestors outside the Edmonton Convention Centre on Tuesday,” The Orchard reports. “The group of protestors, representing a coalition of rural landowners, environmentalists and First Nations, was small, but this year’s conference was also far more sparsely attended than in previous years. Prime Minister Mark Carney, we’re told, has prioritized the $20-billion Pathways Plus carbon capture and storage project, with its 400-km network of pipelines to transfer CO2 from tar sands mines to a storage hub near Cold Lake, as a condition for supporting a new million barrel a day bitumen pipeline to the B.C. coast… “But these numbers don’t capture the environmental and public health risks of creating a sprawling network of CO2 pipelines underground, which the provincial government has exempted from environmental oversight with the feds’ blessing. “CO2 is toxic and an asphyxiant, so it puts land, life and water at risk. It’s going to be the proposed largest proposed pipeline in the world and there’s no environmental impact assessment,” said Dr. Amil Shapka, one of the protestors gathered outside the convention centre on the crisp September morning… “The retired physician in the County of St. Paul was a founding member of No CO2 Pipelines Alberta — an “alliance of cowboys and Indians,” per Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam, that launched in March to prevent CO2 pipelines from going through their land… “Adama Bundu is the national youth president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) of Canada, which passed a resolution in 2024 opposing the large-scale deployment of carbon capture “to extend the social license of fossil fuel corporations to continue with their ‘business-as-usual’ operations.” She said the NFU’s opposition to carbon pipelines is a natural extension of its work “in the belly of this beast of abandoned oil infrastructure,” raising the concerns of farmers who have inactive wells on their property, which impacts their ability to grow crops.”
Derbyshire Times: Derbyshire campaigners organise ‘solidarity’ walk against Peak Cluster carbon capture scheme
Jon Cooper, 9/18/26
“Derbyshire High Peak campaigners opposed to the controversial Peak Cluster carbon capture scheme are urging people to join sections of a ‘solidarity’ relay walk along the estimated 200km route of the proposed project’s underground pipeline,” the Derbyshire Times reports. “...The proposed scheme, which is in its pre-application stage, aims to take CO2 from the connecting cement and lime plants and quarries to the proposed Morecambe Net Zero carbon storage site beneath the Irish Sea after passing through Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Merseyside to help secure the industry and reduce carbon emissions. But Action Against Carbon Capture Storage (AACCS) is organising The Great Pipeline Walk or ‘Pipewalk’ as a community relay on Sunday, September 27, from the High Peak to the Wirral with a choice of adjoining High Peak walks for people to join between three and six miles long… “But AACCS has raised concerns about disruption and the feared threat to farmland, biodiversity and countryside bordering on the National Park and damage to the Wirral coastline particularly from the planned large Above Ground Installations needed to transport the CO2 with two proposed for Dove Holes and Chapel-en-le-Frith. They have are also raised concerns about public safety, emergency planning and the long-term risks of transporting and storing of CO2. AACCS Director Laura Beveridge-Muircroft argued the walk is not a protest but a show of solidarity to demonstrate the scale of the land and environment that could be affected if the scheme goes ahead.”
North Dakota Monitor: Protests didn’t stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. A decade later, tribal leaders still see an impact.
Jack Dura, 9/17/26
“Protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline left a ripple effect for Indigenous people to stand up for their communities, Standing Rock Sioux tribal leaders said Thursday at a renewable energy event that included reflections on the demonstrations a decade ago,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “Indigenized Energy hosted the first People of the Sun event at the Prairie Knights Casino on the Standing Rock Reservation… “The oil is still flowing. The pipeline hasn’t been shut down, but there’s something really powerful that has happened, even more powerful than that, is of course the world has been awoken,” Nola Taken Alive, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council representative-at-large, told the audience… “Indigenized Energy founder and CEO Cody Two Bears said he wanted the first event to be held in a “frontline community that has been through the atrocities of extraction, the atrocities of dealing with people that have come in and devastated our lands, our water, our earth.” “...Thursday’s event also recognized tribal citizens with awards for advancing renewable energy projects, and included a tribal energy issues panel moderated by actor Shailene Woodley. She participated in the protests a decade ago and was arrested… “The bigger lesson from the protests is worldwide awareness of “the injustices that are happening with our environment” and the history of the federal government’s treatment of Native people, she said.”
KCHA: IUC Proposing Hearings on Carbon Pipeline Involving Floyd County
Mark Pitz, 9/17/26
“The Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) Monday (Sept. 14) proposed hearings next February and March to decide whether to grant two pipeline permits to S-C-S Carbon Transport, one of which would involve Floyd County,” KCHA reports. “ The two proposed pipelines would connect POET Bioprocessing in Ida County and Valero Renewables in Floyd County to Summit Carbon Solutions larger pipeline network, which faces legal hurdles and has not been built. S-C-S attorney, Brant Leonard, asked for a shorter timeline. Pipeline opponents like Deborah Main said the hearings should not be set unless the first phase of the project moves forward… “Still, a branch of Summit’s main line, starting with the Homeland Energy Solutions ethanol plant near Lawler, would cross Floyd County from east to west.”
MassLive: Eversource Springfield-area pipeline project remains in limbo as required report not yet filed
Greta Jochem, 9/17/26
“Three years after the state told Eversource it needed to provide more justification of its controversial plan to add another gas line between Springfield and Longmeadow, the company has yet to do so and the project remains in limbo,” MassLive reports. “Eversource has long wanted to build a 5.3-mile, 16-inch diameter gas pipeline from Longmeadow into Springfield to serve as a backup for its current line. In 2023, state Energy Secretary Rebecca L. Tepper said that Eversource’s draft environmental impact statement did not comply with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act, or MEPA. She ordered Eversource to submit a supplemental report detailing why the project is necessary. There’s no specific deadline for the report, and the company has not yet filed it, putting the regulatory process for the project in a holding pattern… “Eversource now estimates that it will submit its report by the end of 2026… “The Eversource project would need additional approvals, including from the Energy Facilities Siting Board… “Last summer, Eversource held a public hearing on the project which drew about 80 people. Attendees pointed out worries that Springfield has a high rate of asthma and that the project would go through areas considered environmental justice communities… “Climate activists in the region have long opposed the project.”
Toledo Blade: Ohio gas pipeline safety penalties among lowest in nation, audit finds
Danny Eldredge, 9/17/26
“Ohio’s civil penalties for gas pipeline safety violations are among the lowest in the nation, according to a state performance audit of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio,” the Toledo Blade reports. “The state could lose regulatory autonomy over gas pipeline safety if the Ohio General Assembly fails to increase the penalties soon, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber’s office said… “Auditors were able to find information on gas pipeline safety violation penalties for 40 states, and 24 of them had amounts lower than the federal maximum. However, most of those states have amounts that are above the federal minimum — the average being $1.6 million for the maximum aggregate penalty… “Mr. Faber’s office suggested the following options to the state legislature: Ensure that Ohio’s pipeline safety maximum forfeiture amounts automatically update in accordance with federal regulations; Increase the maximum forfeiture amounts to at least the peer state average; Have the fines tied to an inflationary measure, such as the consumer price index… “State Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D., Toledo) said she wasn’t surprised that Ohio’s penalties are among the lowest in the nation. “I’ve always thought that Ohio has been very lenient to the utility companies,” Ms. Hicks-Hudson told the Blade. “I do think it’s a wakeup call for us to be a little bit more proactive.”
Briefs Finance: Canada’s Trans Mountain pitches Asian buyers as pipeline flows ramp up
Jackson Moreland, 9/16/26
“Trans Mountain Corp., owned by Canada, is working the room in Asia to avoid overreliance on any single buyer,” Briefs Finance reports. “Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Pierce said the aim is “not being dependent on one country over another,” highlighting “opportunity to expand to Korea and Japan and Thailand and Malaysia and Vietnam,” which she described as “middle powers.” She spoke Wednesday at the Oil Sands Expo in Fort McMurray, Alberta, after returning last weekend from meetings with customers in China, Korea and Japan, and with prospective buyers in India, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand and Vietnam… “China, the largest buyer from the pipeline, has recently pared back Canadian purchases amid a broader pullback in its imports. Pierce said the marine terminal should reach its ceiling of 34 tanker loadings a month by year end… “Pierce said the company is pursuing an additional 300,000 barrels a day of capacity, targeted for completion in under two years, and noted that the first phase is expected to be operating by the start of next year. She added that drag‑reducing agents should enable nearly another 100,000 barrels a day of exports off Vancouver.”
Natural Gas Intelligence: US Natural Gas Pipeline Buildout Pace Not Matching AI, LNG Demand Growth
9/17/26
“Click here to listen to the latest episode of NGI’s Hub & Flow featuring Interstate Natural Gas Association (INGAA) CEO Amy Andryszak who outlines the hurdles midstreamers are facing in their race to stabilize infrastructure in key markets amid rapid US demand growth,” Natural Gas Intelligence reports. “Artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, power generation, reshoring manufacturers and global LNG exports are pushing North America’s energy needs to record heights, and midstream infrastructure in the United States is hitting a critical wall. While INGAA estimates show that even in a low-carbon scenario there is a need for about 25,000 miles of new natural gas pipelines by 2050, long-standing regulatory hurdles, litigation and supply chain delays threaten to constrain critical markets, which in turn creates price volatility. In this episode of Hub & Flow, NGI’s Christopher Lenton and Andryszak dissect the key drivers and obstacles shaping the future of North American energy transport. From legislative changes and regulatory reform, to navigating steel tariffs and intense competition for natural gas turbines, the discussion outlines what it would take to build the infrastructure required to fuel the continent.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Politico: Senate roadblock sparks new competition over data center bills
Nico Portuondo, Amelia Davidson and Pavan Acharya, 9/28/26
“A House-passed bill aimed at shielding Americans from rising energy costs from data centers has been put on ice for now in the Senate — and lawmakers are already jockeying to push their own alternative measures on the hot button issue,” Politico reports. “Supporters had hoped the Ratepayer Protection Act — a bipartisan measure passed by the House Wednesday to pressure states to require tech companies to pay for new power infrastructure for data centers — would reach President Donald Trump’s desk quickly. But those hopes were dashed Thursday after Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) objected to Sen. Jon Husted’s (R-Ohio) unanimous consent request. Now, data-center focused senators are seeing that failure as an opening. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) pitched their GRID Act in a Thursday letter to Energy and Natural Resources leaders, shared exclusively with Politico… “Republicans, however, are hoping to turn the tables on Democrats for not supporting the only data center bill that could pass Congress before the election… “Somebody who’s been so pro-data centers suddenly coming out with a landmark, ‘We’re going to stop them in their tracks’ — I think that’s problematic,” Hickenlooper told Politico, referencing Husted’s push.”
Politico: Permitting talks reach ‘final’ stages
Josh Siegel, 9/17/26
“Senators say they are at the final stages of negotiating long-elusive legislation to ease permitting approvals for energy projects as they race to lock in a floor vote before the November elections,” Politico reports. “Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a key negotiator in the talks, told Politico Thursday as senators left town for the week that a deal is “very close.” EPW ranking member Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) told Politico Thursday negotiations are “in final wrap up, but some of the most difficult issues are the last ones resolved.” Capito stressed she would “love” to have a permitting bill on the floor next week, but she conceded that a resolution “may drag” into the third and final week of their work session before they take off for election campaigning in October — which would be a delay from the timeline she and Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) laid out this week… “A compromise deal would likely include measures sought by Republicans to limit states’ authority to reject projects under the Clean Water Act.”
STATE UPDATES
Billings Gazette: ExxonMobil sues Montana Department of Transportation over not paying for environmental cleanup
Alex Mitchell, 9/16/26
“The Montana Department of Transportation is failing to pay its fair share for an ongoing environmental cleanup, and, in the process, violating Montanans’ right to a clean and healthful environment, a lawsuit by natural gas company ExxonMobil alleges,” the Billings Gazette reports. “Cleanup on an east Billings site contaminated by petroleum spills from activity decades ago began in 2011. During the past 15 years, the lawsuit states, Exxon has exclusively paid more than $10 million for the cleanup on property that once housed a Yale Oil refinery. According to the case filed in Yellowstone County District Court on Sept. 9, Exxon believes the Montana Department of Transportation should be responsible for some of the cleanup costs… “Exxon’s lawsuit also suggests MDT might be responsible for some of the contamination at the site… “The company concluded by saying MDT unjustly benefited from Exxon’s cleanup actions and Yellowstone County District Court should order that the state agency pay compensation to Exxon for the ongoing cleanup.”
Texas Farm Bureau: Carbon storage, produced water focus of interim hearing
Julie Tomascik, 9/17/26
“Protecting private property rights and identifying additional water sources for agriculture were among Texas Farm Bureau’s priorities outlined before state lawmakers this week,” according to the Texas Farm Bureau. “The Texas House Committee on Energy Resources considered carbon capture and the potential use of produced water during an interim hearing Sept. 14… “That pore space, TFB Associate Legislative Director Blake Roach told lawmakers, belongs to the surface estate owner, and an agreement with the landowner is needed to use it for carbon storage. TFB supports voluntary carbon storage projects that allow landowners to decide whether to participate. “We don’t oppose carbon storage projects, but our policy is clear that these projects must respect private property rights and maintain the right of a landowner to hold the entity responsible for any negative impacts from storing the carbon,” Roach said. TFB also supports protecting the rights of mineral owners to produce oil and gas that may underlie pore space used for carbon storage. The organization calls for permitting authority to remain with the Railroad Commission and environmental oversight with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.”
EXTRACTION
Press release: Energy Demand Growth Will Limit More-Ambitious Climate Goals, S&P Global Energy Study Finds
9/17/26
“The global economy is on the cusp of a major shift where most of future global energy demand growth will come from emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). The new realities of meeting this demand alongside the need for energy security, resilience and affordability render more-ambitious climate goals infeasible, even with exponential growth of renewables and rapid electrification, according to a new S&P Global Energy study. The study, Multidimensional Global Energy Pathways finds energy demand from EMDEs could rise by over 60% by 2060, adding the equivalent of another China (155 EJ) to global primary energy demand. By contrast, demand from advanced economies and China is expected to be broadly flat over the longer term (despite the rise of AI and data centers) as final energy consumption rises only slowly with more electrification and improvements in energy efficiency, the study finds. As a result, most advanced economies will focus on transforming existing energy systems while EMDEs will be driven to greatly expand their systems to meet increasing demand. A large share of new low-carbon supply will be deployed in addition to – rather than in place of – existing fossil fuel sources… “The study finds that the most ambitious climate targets, such as limiting global temperature rise to 1.5oC, are not reachable under any plausible trajectory; and globally reaching net-zero emissions before the end of the century is unlikely. While some advanced economies may achieve or come close to carbon neutrality by 2060, most EMDEs will not achieve the goal until late century at the earliest, the study says.”
ExxonMobil: CO₂ emissions fall 20% by 2050, but more progress is needed
9/18/26
“For the first time in modern history, emissions are projected to peak and begin a sustained decline this decade even as economies expand and living standards improve. By 2050, we project global CO2 emissions to decline by 20% from current levels. This happens because efficiency will improve, and the world will use more lower-emissions technologies, including renewables, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, and biofuels while reducing use of coal,” according to ExxonMobil. “...The IPCC and our Outlook see the need for both established and emerging technologies to progress faster, in some cases at an unprecedented buildout… “However, carbon capture and storage needs to grow at more than 30% per year through 2050 to meet the IPCC’s Likely Below 2°C scenarios. CCS is not the only technology that will need to be accelerated on an immense scale. Low-carbon hydrogen and biofuels will need to play a much larger role as well. Our Outlook projects that CCS, H2, and biofuels will increase ~60x, 30x, and 2x, respectively by 2050 vs. current levels; however, this is still below the level required in the IPCC Likely Below 2°C scenarios due primarily to a lack of policy support… “CCS and low-carbon hydrogen are essential technologies in all projections and scenarios, but they have not yet seen widespread deployment due to lack of policy support and market willingness to pay.”
Edmonton Journal: An alternative to treat and release? Alberta to approve $4.6 million grant for tailings ponds water treatment research
Itoro Umanah, 9/17/26
“A conditional approval of $4.6 million has been offered to Tũ Nipi Water Solutions from Emissions Reduction Alberta to fund Indigenous-led research and development of water-treatment solutions to tailings ponds in the oilsands region,” the Edmonton Journal reports. “...The committee provided nine recommendations to develop and test treatment technologies, which the Government of Alberta accepted… “Ron Quintal, Tũ Nipi’s Chief Executive Officer and former Fort McKay Métis Nation president, told the Journal the venture is looking to implement proactive approaches to address water safety concerns for Indigenous communities, bringing what the organization calls “advanced water treatment technology and science” from the cleantech provider… “Quintal told the Journal the First-Nations company met with multiple cleantech organizations before establishing the partnership with BioLargo Canada, explaining the provider boasts of proven technology in several different fields apart from water treatment.”
Reuters: Google agrees biggest carbon-removal deal yet, aims to scale new model
Simon Jessop, 9/16/26
“Google has agreed its biggest carbon-removal deal yet, backing a project in Brazil run by developer Terradot that aims to both cut methane emissions from rice farming and capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, executives told Reuters. Spanning more than 200,000 hectares in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, it is the largest enhanced rock-weathering project to date, aiming to accelerate a natural process where certain rocks absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. The initiative, which Google said it hopes will serve as a template for future projects, is the first at such a scale to combine methane abatement and carbon removal, Randy Spock, the company’s head of carbon removal, told Reuters… “Google and Terradot did not disclose the price of the credits, but a publicly disclosed 2024 deal for 90,000 tons of carbon removal from Terradot implied a price of roughly $300 a ton — some way above the $100 a ton threshold many developers are targeting to stimulate broader demand.”
Press release: INEOS opens the first full-scale CO₂ storage site in the EU
9/18/26
“On 18 September, His Majesty King Frederik X of Denmark officially opened the first full-scale CO₂ storage site in the EU. The Greensand CO₂ storage facility is led by INEOS Energy, with partners Harbour Energy and the Danish North Sea Fund (Nordsøfonden)... “Greensand expects to store up to 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually in this first commercial phase, scaling toward a potential of up to 4–8 million tonnes annually at full capacity. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS said “Europe will not achieve net zero by closing factories and exporting its jobs. We need solutions that allow industry to remain competitive while reducing emissions. Greensand proves it can be done. This is not a pilot project, a concept or a political ambition. It is a fully operational carbon storage business. The technology works. The storage is ready. The challenge now is creating the right conditions for carbon capture to grow quickly at scale across Europe.” European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen said: “Today marks an important milestone for Europe… “The project, which is led by INEOS Energy alongside Harbour Energy and Nordsøfonden, demonstrates that carbon capture and storage is no longer a future ambition. It is now a reality. INEOS will source CO₂ primarily from Danish biomethane plants. This enables the full CCS value chain to be established and operated using CO₂ volumes that are readily available, while capture projects across industry continue to develop and scale. Once captured, CO₂ is liquefied, delivered by truck to a dedicated CO₂ terminal at Port Esbjerg, shipped aboard Carbon Destroyer 1 - the EU’s first purpose-built CO₂ carrier - and injected into the Nini West reservoir, a depleted oil field some 250 kilometres offshore, approximately 1,800 metres beneath the seabed.”
World Oil: Asia Pacific CCUS market could reach $255 billion by 2035, Xodus says
9/17/26
“The Asia Pacific carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) market could grow to as much as £187.8 billion ($255 billion) by 2035 under an accelerated deployment scenario, according to a new regional assessment by energy consultancy Xodus,” World Oil reports. “...However, Xodus said regulatory, commercial and technical barriers must be addressed for projects to advance. A geographic mismatch between major emissions sources and available storage capacity is expected to drive development of cross-border CO₂ transportation networks. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are expected initially to focus on validating domestic storage while also developing capabilities to capture and export CO₂. Malaysia and Indonesia, meanwhile, could emerge as major storage locations for both domestic and imported CO₂. Australia and New Zealand also have significant geological storage potential, although longer transportation distances could affect the economics of importing CO₂ from Northeast Asia. Under Xodus’ more ambitious deployment scenario, seven countries could export approximately 83 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030. That could increase to nine exporting countries and 145 million tonnes per year by 2035.”
OPINION
Motley Fool: Prediction: ExxonMobil’s Low-Carbon Bets Finally Show Up in Guidance by 2027
Jeff Siegel, 9/17/26
“... ExxonMobil already has contracts covering roughly 9 million metric tons of CO2 annually from industrial customers, and its first commercial CCS projects are now operating. By 2027, that should give management enough commercial activity to give investors better visibility into what CCS can actually contribute financially,” Jeff Siegel writes for Motley Fool. “To be sure, carbon capture is not a particularly compelling long-term solution to the world’s carbon problem… “None of this means oil demand disappears anytime soon… “Truth is, we’re probably at least 10 to 15 years away from low-carbon technologies becoming widespread enough to seriously challenge fossil fuels across many of those applications. And that’s why carbon capture could still prove quite valuable to ExxonMobil. It doesn’t need to be a 50-year business. If companies continue to consume enormous amounts of fossil fuels while facing increasing pressure to reduce emissions, ExxonMobil could make plenty of money by transporting and storing this CO2 during the transition. There’s also an artificial intelligence angle. ExxonMobil is developing CCS-enabled data center projects that would use natural gas to generate electricity while capturing the resulting emissions. That’s not trivial… “That’s my prediction: 2027 is when ExxonMobil’s low-carbon investments start showing up more clearly in guidance. While carbon capture probably isn’t the endgame for low-carbon energy, over the next 10 to 15 years, it could still be a very profitable bridge to whatever comes next.”