Posted in Offshore Energy - General, Uncategorized, tagged 2024, BOE, Happy New Year on December 31, 2024| Leave a Comment »
Happy New Year! 2025 is sure to be an exciting year for offshore energy operations and policy. Thanks for joining the parade!
Remember that energy and prosperity are not zero-sum games!
BOE is an independent, unsponsored, ad-free blog that is dedicated to offshore safety, pollution prevention, energy production, effective regulation, and responsible energy policy.
Posted in energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, tagged Jimmy Carter, OCS oil and gas program, offshore drilling on December 30, 2024| Leave a Comment »
In honor of President Carter:
Opinions on Jimmy Carter’s presidency vary, but he merits praise for his administration of the OCS program from 1/1977 to 1/1981. Carter oversaw an active leasing program in all OCS regions. On the operations side, he appointed Don Kash to head the Conservation Division of the US Geological Survey, the OCS regulator at the time. Dr. Kash was an outstanding leader and a gifted communicator and program manager.
Some of the Carter administration’s impressive accomplishments during his 4 year term:
Thank you Jimmy. RIP.
Posted in energy policy, Offshore Wind, tagged Ack for Whales, endangered species, Nantucket, Supreme Court on December 30, 2024| Leave a Comment »
The response by the Nantucket group’s attorneys is attached. Key excerpt:
“NMFS absurdly argues that agency officials, in preparing a biological opinion for a project, must ignore information about impacts on endangered species from other offshore wind turbine projects that are planned and in various stages of development and governmental review. Perhaps even more bizarrely, NMFS contends that, in preparing a biological opinion for a project, it must consider the cumulative impacts of planned state and local projects but ignore the impacts of planned federal projects.“
Background:
Posted in energy policy, natural gas, tagged economic benefits, LNG, LNG export pause, LNG exports, S&P Global on December 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »
This important S&P Global study is particularly breathtaking for those of us who remember when Gulf of Mexico LNG import facilities were in the advanced planning stages. The shale gas pioneers completely reversed the scenario!
“The LNG industry is critical to serving the world’s energy needs and has rapidly become an integral contributor to the US economy.”
Let’s not repeat the harmful pause in the construction of LNG export facilities. Per S&P Global:
“The impact of an ‘extended halt’ in new US LNG development due to legal and regulatory risks is striking. In this scenario, more than $250 billion in lost contribution to GDP and an average of >100,000 US jobs are at risk. Gas price savings in an ‘extended halt’ are minimal for domestic consumers, with less than 1% gas cost impact per household. Furthermore, 85% of the energy gap from lost US LNG is expected to be filled by fossil fuels from non-US sources.”
Posted in energy policy, natural gas, tagged AfD, energy policy, germany, new elections, Scholz, Weidel on December 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »
With the collapse of Bundeskanzler Scholz’s governing coalition, elections set for 23 Feb, and the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party gaining support, perhaps there is a chance for more rational German energy policy.
The AfD, led by Alice Weidel, supports coal, natural gas, and nuclear power generation. The AfD also argues that Germany should be compensated for the damage to the Nord Stream pipelines.
Posted in climate, energy policy, natural gas, tagged democracy, Initiative 2066, natural gas, Seattle Times, will of voters on December 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »
Seattle Times: “Don’t block the will of voters on natural gas”
“Nearly 2 million residents voted to approve Initiative 2066, which aims to protect the use of natural gas as an energy source in state law and within Washington’s building codes. This month, climate advocates, joined by King County and the City of Seattle, filed suit in court to block the will of those voters.“
“While the courts will have final say, Gov. Jay Inslee and Democratic legislative leaders support killing off what they see as a misguided and overly broad initiative. Their view brushes aside the concerns of the majority of state voters. Those leaders fail to see a genuine fear that, during the clean energy transition, the fundamental supply of energy to homes and businesses — the basic ability to stay warm, cook food and bathe — is under threat.”
Kudos to the Seattle Times for their common sense editorial. In addition to noting the economic and social necessity of natural gas, it would have been nice if the editorial board had also acknowledged natural gas’s environmental benefits. However, that would have probably been a bridge too far in Seattle.
The reasons for transitioning to natural gas are arguably clearer and better substantiated than the reasons for transitioning from natural gas.
Posted in decommissioning, energy policy, Offshore Wind, Wind Energy, tagged BOEM, financial assurance, Forbes, increased taxpayer risks, wind decommissioning on December 26, 2024| 1 Comment »
Forbes: “As is often the case when new technologies come to market, unintended downstream consequences are not always immediately obvious to the players. Enthusiasm for clean energy initially pushed the first wind turbines into existence in the U.S. without considering the environmental and monetary costs that would be involved in either upgrading or bringing projects to a close later in their life cycle. “
Similarly, BOEM’s enthusiasm for offshore wind projects has increased decommissioning financial assurance risks for power customers and taxpayers. Their “Rule to Streamline and Modernize Offshore Renewable Energy Development” is intended to “make offshore renewable energy development more efficient, [and] save billions of dollars.” The savings associated with relaxed financial assurance requirements come at the expense of transferring decommissioning risks to those who have received little or no financial benefit from the projects.
Related story: “Osage Tribe Wins Again, Federal Judge Orders “Ejectment” Of 84 Wind Turbines By Next December”
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Merry Christmas, offshore Christmas, Peace on Earth on December 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »
Merry Christmas to those who observe the holiday, and best wishes to all BOE readers in the US and internationally!
Posted in energy policy, Offshore Wind, tagged Executive Order, Jeff Van Drew, Offshore Wind, pause in construction on December 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »
From the Protect Our Coast – NJ Facebook page:
From the Protect Our Coast – NJ Facebook page: “During his interview with Radio Host Dom Giordano on Monday, December 23, NJ Congressman Jeff VanDrew (pictured), stated an executive order, to be signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025 will place a 6 months pause on further construction of Offshore Wind Turbines while our new administration reviews all aspects of these highly controversial structures in our ocean.“
We’ll see what transpires, and if this post is accurate, await clarification and reactions.
Posted in energy policy, Offshore Wind, tagged Ack for Whales, Dept. of Justice, endangered species, RIght Whale, Supreme Court on December 23, 2024| Leave a Comment »
The Dept. of Justice (DOJ) has responded (attached) to the ACK for Whales petition (ACK is the FAA abbreviation for Nantucket) to the Supreme Court to review the First Circuit’s ruling on the Vineyard Wind project. (Also see the amicus brief filed by the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head).
The question before the Supreme Court:
Excerpt from the DOJ filing:
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 