February | 2025 | Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE)

Archive for February, 2025

German elections: Strong showing by the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland), but significant change seems unlikely

Posted in energy policy, Uncategorized, tagged AfD, CDU, coalition, eastern Germany, energy policy, fracking, German elections, nuclear energy, renewable energy on February 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The nominally conservative CDU has vowed not to form a coalition with the “far-right” (actually conservative libertarian) AfD, and will thus have to join hands with the left-leaning SPD and Greens. This doesn’t bode well for the significant changes many believe are needed.

On the plus side for AfD supporters, the party’s growth in just 8 years has been most impressive:

2017: AfD – 0 seats (4%)
2021: AfD – 94 seats (12%)
2025: AfD – 150+ seats (20%)

AfD was dominant in the East which fears a return of the Marxism they experienced prior to the “Wende.”

AfD’s energy policy (p.77) seems pretty sensible given the supply and cost challenges facing Germany. A few highlights:

The AfD supports “Protection of the Environment”, but not the “German Climate Protection Policy” and plans for “decarbonization” and the “Transformation of Society”. They want to end the perception of CO² as an exclusively harmful substance and stop Germany’s maverick policy in the reduction of CO² emissions.
Because the average output is so variable, renewable energy generators are not viable replacements for conventional large power stations.
Renewable sources necessitate a massive expansion of the electric grid systems and jeopardize grid stability.
Fracking: Explore Opportunities and Risks, Involve Citizens
Nuclear Energy: Explore Alternatives, Grant Lifetime Extensions in the Interim

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Letter requesting the withdraw of wind project permits

Posted in energy policy, Offshore Wind, tagged Atlantic wind, CFACT, incidental takes, letter to Burgum, withdraw wind permits on February 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Groups and individuals opposing Atlantic wind projects sent the attached letter to Interior Secretary Doug Bergum asking for the withdraw of wind permits.

The groups cite serious problems with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Letters of Authorization (LOA) for Incidental Take of endangered and threatened species. The LOAs authorized cumulative Takes of 548 individuals from a population of around 338.

The groups’ “no list” (project analysis deficiencies):

No EIS for the NMFS Incidental Take Authorization
No consideration of the impact of harassment in the Biological Opinion including cumulative impacts
No harassment authorization for the turbine installation ship
No consideration of using suction caissons instead of pile driving
No consideration of sediment plumes from ocean currents flowing through wind facilities
No assessment of a project’s contribution to the overall effects of multiple wind projects
No consideration of continuous operating noise
No consideration of physical presence-based harassment

CFACT-Letter-to-Secretary-Burgum-1 Download

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Nantucket Board is not pleased

Posted in energy policy, Offshore Wind, tagged environmental impacts, Nantucket, Select Board displeasure, turbine lights, Vineyard Wind on February 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

**“Nantucket LIghts” – view of turbines from the south shore**

From the Nantucket Current on X.

We “feel misled” Nantucket Select Board member Dawn Hill Holdgate gives State Rep Thomas Moakley and State Sen. Julian Cyr an earful on Vineyard Wind.

“We as a board, and the community at large even more vehemently, really feel misled by the representations we were given back in 2020…”

“The visual simulations we were given were not accurate.”

“The promises on the lighting, they have been fully lit for quite a long time now. That never should have happened.”

“The safety and the environmental impacts on the sea life are just far greater than the information we were provided when we were offered a financial settlement based on just the visual impact on our historic landmark, which is far more impactful than the simulations we were shown.”

“Like, WTF” pic.twitter.com/kaBr1XLNRp
— Nantucket Current (@ACKCurrent) February 20, 2025

Blade replacement update: “They’ve removed four complete sets to date,” Nantucket Select Board chair Brooke Mohr said tonight. That would mean 12 of the 66 compromised blades Vineyard Wind is required to remove have been taken down.

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Pemex confirms attack on Bay of Campeche platform

Posted in Offshore Energy - General, Mexico, tagged Bay of Campeche, Ku-Maloob-Zaap complex, Mexican offshore production, Pemex, pirates, platform security, platforms attacked on February 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Mexico’s state-owned oil company, Pétroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), has confirmed an attack on a platform in the Ku-Maloob-Zaap (KMZ) oil complex located off the coast of Campeche state.

From the Pemex statement:

On the night of 13 February, eight unauthorised individuals boarded the Zaap-D platform in the KMZ.
The intruders stole radio equipment, various tools, and breathing apparatus.
No employees were physically harmed, although two workers were evacuated due to stress-related concerns.
In response, the company has strengthened security, deploying additional security personnel and coordinating with the navy ministry (Semar). (Question: What security measures were in place prior to the incidents?)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that the navy was “supporting Pemex in monitoring and responding to any assault on offshore platforms.” (Question: Did they apprehend the perpetrators?)

Not mentioned by Pemex, but reported elsewhere:

Two platforms, Ku-H and Zaap Delta, were attacked
The pirates were armed
There were at least 5 gunmen
Oil platforms in Campeche and Tabasco, 12 cargo ships, five fishing boats and ten smaller vessels accounted for 56 robberies in 2022.

The Ku Maloob Zaap complex accounts for nearly 40% of PEMEX’s production
The field became the Mexico’s primary oil asset in 2009, reaching a production peak of 874.731Mb/d in 2018.
By October 2023, production dropped 246Mb/d, reaching 616.2Mb/d.
PEMEX’s overall oil production has fallen by 12.1%, decreasing from 1.81MMb/d in 2018 to 1.59MMb/d in 2023.

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Sable Offshore sues the California Coastal Commission!

Posted in California, energy policy, pipelines, tagged California Coastal Commission, Fifth Amendment, law suit, pipeline repairs, Sable Offshore, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Unit on February 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

John Smith forwarded Sable’s court filing (attached) and highlighted important text.

The Coastal Commission has asserted that anomaly repair work on Sable’s onshore pipeline, which was required by the California Fire Marshall and approved by Santa Barbara County, constitutes a violation of the Coastal Act.

Santa Barbara County had confirmed in writing that Sable’s repair work is authorized by the pipeline’s existing coastal development permits and, consistent with the County’s past practices, no new or separate Coastal Act authorization is required.

John and I believe Sable has a strong case, but you can be the judge. For the Commission and County to have such divergent opinions is rather surprising.

Among other assertions, Sable argues (par. 115) that the Coastal Commission violated the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as incorporated by the Fourteenth Amendment, which prohibits the temporary or permanent taking of private property for public use without prior, just compensation. This could lead to significant liability costs for the State.

Much more on Sable’s Santa Ynez Unit challenges.

Sable Suite CCC 021825 highlighted Download

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Chexit? Chevron says adios to California after nearly 150 years

Posted in California, decommissioning, energy policy, tagged California, Chevron, Chexit, divorce on February 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Remember that Chevron was once Standard Oil of California. The attached WSJ article discusses the ugly divorce after all these years.

Chevron tired of California’s attempts to dictate corporate strategy. Per Chevron CEO Mike Wirth:

“Putting bureaucrats in charge of centrally planning key segments of the economy hasn’t worked in other socialist states,” Wirth said in a Nov. 1 call with investors. “I doubt it will be any different in California.”

California wanted Chevron to commit to the State’s energy agenda:

“Chevron has a future in clean energy in California. They can join us in our steady, long-term transition to a state powered by clean energy,” said Daniel Villaseñor, a spokesman for the governor’s office.

California wanted the interests of shareholders to be subordinate to the State’s carbon goals:

Newsom said Wirth had invested far more in shareholder payouts than in developing low-carbon energy.

Other State actions that contributed to the divorce:

accused Chevron and other companies of price gouging
accused Chevron, as a fossil fuel producer, of indirectly causing tragic fires
banning the sale of gasoline-powered cars by 2035
rules that increased gasoline prices
lawsuit alleging climate change deception

Not mentioned in the article are the costly challenges Chevron and others are experiencing in decommissioning offshore platforms.

Chevron CA Divorce 020925 Download

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Saturday marked the 43rd anniversary of the Ocean Ranger tragedy. Newfoundland remembers, so should we.

Posted in accidents, Canada, Offshore Energy - General, tagged 84 fatalities, Grand Banks, Hibernia, Newfoundland, Ocean Ranger, tragedy on February 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Details on the Ocean Ranger disaster, 15 Feb 1982

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Sable cleared to repair pipeline, Santa Ynez Unit production one step closer but still a steep climb

Posted in California, energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, pipelines, tagged permitting, Sable Offshore, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Unit on February 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Sable’s stock soared on Thursday following a favorable Santa Barbara County decision (letter pasted below).

Sable’s path is still rocky. Decommissioning specialist John Smith notes that “Sable faces a number of permitting obstacles not to mention litigation by the Environmental Defense Center and others who are committed to trying to stop the SYU restart. The next hurdle will be a Feb 25 Santa Barbara County hearing on an appeal of the ownership transfer from XOM to Sable. And we should not overlook the OCS related litigation on ownership transfer, SYU Development and Production Plan updates, and Court ordered prohibition on fracking absent a Fracking EIS and consultation.”