Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
july 2014
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energy
July 7, 2014
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a field hearing on July 7 in Lafayette, Louisiana, to discuss opportunities for increasing oil and gas production, particularly on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) or submerged lands lying greater than three miles offshore of most of the United States.
Chairwoman Mary Landrieu (D-LA) affirmed her commitment to expanding offshore drilling to include federal waters off the East and West Coasts and Alaska. Currently, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management oversees OCS leasing for oil and gas development. These areas provide almost a quarter of domestic oil production and seven percent of domestic gas production.
Sen. Landrieu cited the small percentage of the OCS currently available for drilling—two percent—as evidence for the growth potential in this industry. Kent Saterlee III, Manager of Offshore Regulatory Policy at Shell Exploration and Production Company, claimed opening these waters to OCS production would create over 1 million new jobs by 2020.
Chairwoman Landrieu and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have introduced the Fixing America’s Inequities with Revenue (FAIR) Act (S. 1273), intended to increase oil and gas profits for states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The FAIR Act would remove revenue caps and increase revenue shares for Gulf States.
The hearing was the first in a series of field hearings the committee will be holding across the country.
Sources: The Advocate Newspaper, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, E&E News
Updated 8/8/2014
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management requests comment on Arctic oil and gas leases
July 29, 2014
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is requesting comments on the oil and gas potential of the Beaufort Sea Planning Area (BSPA) off the northern coast of Alaska. Under the Interior Department’s 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program, BOEM plans to lease more offshore areas of Alaska for oil and gas production.
Walter Cruickshank, Acting Director of BOEM, noted that although BSPA, a part of the Arctic Ocean, has significant energy production potential it is also ecologically and culturally significant to Alaskan Native communities. Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) praised the move as a step toward taking advantage of Arctic resources in Alaska. Critics, including the Alaska Wilderness League, have called for President Obama to forbid drilling in the Arctic, citing the severity of the weather and lack of scientific knowledge of the region.
BOEM’s request for input also extends to environmental risk factors, archaeological sites that could be affected, and multiple uses of the BSPA, including navigation and fisheries.
The comment period runs until September 12, 2014.
Sources: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, E&E News, Federal Register
Updated 8/8/14
Geoscience-Energy Consortium holds briefing on carbon capture and storage
July 18, 2014
The Geoscience-Energy Consortium, which includes the American Geosciences Institute (AGI), hosted a briefing on July 18 titled “Geologic Carbon Storage: Feasibility, Technology, and Challenges.” The briefing was the last in the current Energy from the Earth briefing series.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS), which serves as a method of managing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, involves the injection of carbon dioxide from emission sources, such as fossil fuel power plants, into underground geologic formations. This method has gained particular attention as an effective way to reduce carbon emissions since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its Clean Power Plan, requiring states to lower their emissions levels.
Speakers at the briefing examined the requirements for CCS, the results of a USGS assessment of carbon dioxide storage sources, and potential monitoring plans. They also explored various current applications of this technology, including enhanced oil recovery. Presenters spoke about potential risk factors associated with CCS, including induced seismicity, drinking water impacts, and leakage into the atmosphere.
The Energy from the Earth briefing series focuses on geoscience topics and critical information intended to assist policy makers dealing with energy issues.
Updated 8/8/14