

Posted in Guyana, Offshore Energy - General | Tagged Guyana Energy Brief 2023, offshore oil and gas | Leave a Comment »

While it’s highly unlikely that wind turbine siting activities are responsible for the alarming number of whale deaths, some of the vociferous wind industry defenders would have been among the first to point the finger at oil and gas operations if there were any in the US Atlantic.
Some quotes from a recent USA Today article followed by BOE comments:
“It’s just a cynical disinformation campaign,” said Greenpeace’s oceans director John Hocevar. “It doesn’t seem to worry them that it’s not based in any kind of evidence.” (Comment: World class chutzpah on the part of Greenpeace, the master of disinformation.)
Gib Brogan, a campaign director with Oceana, an international ocean advocacy group, said those opposed to wind power are using a spate of whale deaths in the area as an opportunity. (Comment: Does Oceana suddenly find this type of opportunism to be shocking?)
“Groups opposed to clean energy projects spread baseless misinformation that has been debunked by scientists and experts,” said JC Sandberg, chief advocacy officer with the American Clean Power Association, a renewable energy trade group. (Comments: Use of the term “clean energy” is clever advocacy that serves to discredit other forms of energy. All energy sources have pros and cons, environmentally and otherwise. Wind and solar have significant visual, space preemption, navigation, wildlife risk, and intermittency issues, and are heavily dependent on subsidies and mandates. When all issues are considered, one could argue, as we have, that offshore gas, particularly nonassociated gas, is perhaps the environmentally preferred energy alternative.)
Posted in climate, energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, Offshore Wind | Tagged Atlantic whale deaths, nonassociated gas, offshore oil and gas, Offshore Wind | Leave a Comment »
The corporate media is disinterested (which is a story by itself), but independent journalists like Briahna Joy Gray are coming to the fore.
Posted in energy policy, pipelines | Tagged Briahna Joy Gray, Nord Stream, Seymour Hersh, the Hill | Leave a Comment »

Per the LA Times, companies linked to the cargo ships accused of dragging anchors over Amplify Energy’s pipeline have agreed to pay $45 million to settle lawsuits. The ships were identified by Sky Truth (see above image) shortly after the spill (October 1, 2021).
Meanwhile, Amplify is suing the vessel owners for damaging the pipeline and failing to notify the authorities after the damage occurred. Amplify would seem to have a good case given that inspection reports indicate that the pipeline was in good shape prior to the anchor damage and that the Beta Unit platforms had a good safety and compliance record.
Finally, when will we see the investigation report for this spill? It has now been nearly 17 months since the incident.
Posted in accidents, California, Offshore Energy - General, pipelines | Tagged Amplify, Beta Unit, cargo ships, Huntington Beach, law suits, pipeline spill | Leave a Comment »

Last year, BOE featured 5 deepwater platforms that were under construction: Shell’s Vito and Whale, Murphy’s King’s Quay, bp’s Argos, and Chevron’s Anchor. These floating production units are noteworthy for their lighter, smaller designs. King’s Quay was the first to produce, beginning last April. The spotlight is now on Vito which began producing today. Vito’s peak production should reach 100,000 boe. The other 3 platforms are expected to begin production this year or next.
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General | Tagged Anchor, Argos, bp, Chevron, deepwater platform, King's Quay, Murphy, Shell, simpler safer greener, Vito, Whale | Leave a Comment »
From a Hersh interview with Fabian Scheidler of the Berliner Zeitung:
Below is a very good Jeffrey Sachs interview (new) with appropriate pushback from the host Freddie Sayers. Nothing really new, but both Sachs and Sayers are informed and articulate. Worth viewing.
Posted in energy policy, Norway, Offshore Energy - General, pipelines | Tagged Berliner Zeitung, Nord Stream, Seymour Hersh | Leave a Comment »
41 years ago today, 84 men lost their lives on the Ocean Ranger. BOE’s 40th anniversary posts can be viewed here and here. The excellent 40th anniversary tribute video is embedded below. Remember these heroes.
Posted in accidents, Canada, Offshore Energy - General | Tagged 41 years ago, Newfoundland, Ocean Ranger | Leave a Comment »
The Nord Stream sabotage likely released more methane than the complete lifecycle of a GoM lease sale (upstream and downstream). Also, the Nord Stream explosions may have released more methane than is emitted by all US offshore producers in an entire year. Here are the numbers:
| Source of Methane | CH4 emissions (1000s of tons) |
| Nord Stream (probable range) | 100-400 |
| Nord Stream (maximum) | 500 |
| Nord Stream – first 48 hrs (CAMS est) | 175 |
| all US offshore production in 2020 (EPA) | 193 |
| all US on- and offshore exploration in 2020 (EPA) | 12 |
| lifecycle upstream emissions from a typical GoM lease sale (BOEM) | 118 |
| lifecycle up- and downstream emissions from a typical GoM sale (BOEM) | 151 |
Finally, remember that offshore oil and gas leasing results in a net reduction in GHG emissions.
The No Leasing scenario results in roughly double the CO2e emissions for upstream activities compared to those of the Leasing scenario, given that, collectively, the substitute energy sources have higher GHG emissions per unit of production (also known as “GHG intensity”) compared to the forgone domestically produced OCS oil and natural gas of the Leasing scenario.
BOEM
Even when mid- and downstream emissions are included, leasing is preferable to no leasing. See the table below from the BOEM report:

Bottom line: we need more energy leasing and less military aggression!
Posted in climate, energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General | Tagged BOEM, GHG emissions, lease sales, methane, Nord Stream, OCS oil and gas program | Leave a Comment »
Posted in energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, pipelines | Tagged CIA, Judge Napolitano, Nord Stream, Phil Giraldi, Seymour Hersh | Leave a Comment »