Jun
25

Brazil to Auction Rights to Largest Oil Prospect

By JEFF FICK

RIO DE JANEIRO—Brazil plans to auction off its largest-ever offshore oil discovery in October, selling exploration and production rights for a single prospect that is estimated to hold between eight billion and 12 billion barrels of recoverable crude oil at the country’s first presalt-bid round, regulators said Thursday.

The presalt region lies in deep Atlantic Ocean waters off Brazil’s southeast coast, with large deposits of oil trapped beneath a salt layer several miles below the surface.

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Jun
19

Call for Action on Seismic

The Norwood Group has published a call for action by everyone interested in saving oil and gas seismic off the coast of Australia. The Group believes that third parties, including environmental NGOs, the Greens and even the fishing industry, are mounting a campaign of misinformation against seismic. The Group writes:

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Jun
19

Fact Sheet on Need for Seismic Surveys in U.S. Atlantic OCS

The American Petroleum Institute, the International Association of Geophysical Contractors, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, and the National Ocean Industries Association have published a fact sheet on why seismic surveys for oil and gas are needed in the United States’ Atlantic Ocean Outer Continental Shelf.  There is some political opposition to seismic surveys in this area. The fact sheet explains that “the last surveys of the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) were conducted 30 years ago. Due to technological advances, existing estimates of the available energy are out-of-date.”  The fact sheet emphasizes that “[e]xisting resource estimates for the Atlantic OCS are: … 3.3 billion barrels of oil … 31.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.” Read the entire fact sheet by clicking here.

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Jun
18

Why we should speed U.S. gas exports (Washington Post)

From: Washington Post

By: Sen. John Barrasso

John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, is a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

When President Obama meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Group of Eight meeting this week, there should be a spotlight on our two nations’ drastically different approaches to natural gas exports. While Russia continues to export natural gas and dominate the European market, the United States continues to slow-walk approval for natural gas exports. Our slow and sluggish process is affecting U.S. economic and national security.

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Jun
05

The American Petroleum Institute on Seismic Surveys and Marine Mammals

 The American Petroleum Institute has prepared a summary statement on seismic surveys and marine mammals.

 Topics covered include: 

WHY ARE SEISMIC SURVEYS NEEDED IN THE ATLANTIC OCS?

 HOW ARE SEISMIC SURVEYS PERFORMED?

 WHAT PRECAUTIONS DOES THE INDUSTRY TAKE TO PROTECT MARINE ANIMALS?

 WHAT IS THE CURRENTSTATE OF SCIENCE AND RESEARCH?

 Of particular significance is API’s statement on the safety of seismic surveys:

 “Based on both available scientific knowledge and operational experience, there is no evidence to suggest that the sound produced during an oil and gas industry seismic survey has resulted in any physical or auditory injury to a marine mammal.”

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Jun
05

CRE Comments on the Welsh Government Action Plan for Pollinators

CRE Comments to the Welsh Government on Pollinator Action Plan

Members of the Biodiversity Team:

The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness appreciates the opportunity to participate in the activities of the Welsh Government to develop an Action Plan for Pollinators.

Our comments are based upon two recently completed landmark studies conducted in the United States:

(1)  A United States Government state of the science report on bee health prepared jointly by the US Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency titled Report on the National Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee Health; and

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