Texas, Alaska viewpoints stress growth and innovation at final day of CERAWeek
Kurt Abraham, Editor-in-Chief , World Oil, March 17, 2019
Common themes of bountiful resources and expanding oil and gas production were sounded by a Texas senator and the Alaskan governor on the final day, Friday March 15, of the five-day CERAWeek conference in Houston. Sen. John Cornyn (Rep. – Texas) and Gov. Mike Dunleavy (Rep. – Alaska) expressed similar sentiments that their respective states can expand output and boost their economies while doing it in an environmentally sustainable manner that includes reducing emissions. For his part, Dunleavy said that he believes Alaska is on the verge of an oil and gas production “renaissance.” “It started several years ago,” observed Dunleavy. “We were fortunate to have several corporations up in Alaska, like ExxonMobil, BP, Eni and ConocoPhillips. We also have had some smaller operators, like Bill Armstrong, who has had some vision in exploration. So, there is a renaissance up there, and there’s still millions of barrels of oil still yet to be produced.”
The US Oil and Gas Industry is Laser-Focused on Cutting Methane Emissions
Erik Milito, Real Clear Energy, March 15, 2019
The oil and natural gas industry is laser-focused on reducing methane emissions from production for two very important reasons. First, the risks of climate change are real, requiring real solutions. Our industry takes these risks seriously, and we are driving solutions-evident in our innovation and technical work and in our long working relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Second, our members are in the business of providing natural gas, of which methane is the chief component, for clean electricity generation, to heat Americans’ homes and supply manufacturers and other businesses that have realized billions in cost savings as a result.
Our Take: “The results speak for themselves. While natural gas production increased more than 50 percent from 1990-2017, methane emissions from natural gas systems decreased 14 percent.”
Amid climate row, Arctic Council heads toward biennial meeting on a down note
Kevin McGwin, Arctic Today, March 15, 2019
Disagreement about the impact of rising global temperatures means that preparations for the Arctic Council’s biennial meeting on May 6-7 have ended without an agreement on the wording of a declaration that cabinet officials from the eight member countries will sign when they gather in Rovaniemi, Finland. However, the council was unable to come to terms on the declaration ministers will sign, due to “differences of opinion about the urgency of addressing climate change,” Harkönën said. The split, he explained, was between countries that wanted to speed up the work of addressing a changing climate, and countries that were satisfied with current efforts.
