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Posts Tagged ‘Repsol’

Don’t expect to see OCS carbon disposal regulations prior to the election or perhaps for a long time after (regardless of who wins)

Posted in CCS, climate, energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Regulation, tagged , , , , , , on October 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

199 oil and gas leases were wrongfully acquired at Sales 257, 259, and 261 with the intent of developing these leases for carbon disposal purposes. Repsol was the sole bidder at Sale 261 for 36 nearshore Texas tracts in the Mustang Island and Matagorda Island areas (red blocks at the western end of the map above). Exxon acquired 163 nearshore Texas tracts (blue in map above) at Sales 257 (94) and 259 (69).

Despite false starts by Exxon and Repsol (see above summary), no carbon sequestration (disposal) leases may be issued or developed until implementing regulations have been promulgated. In that regard, no news is good news for those who are less than enamored with CO2 disposal in the Gulf of Mexico.

The implementing regulations will be controversial. Most operating companies prioritize GoM production over GoM disposal. Most environmental organizations are strongly opposed to CO2 disposal schemes that sustain fossil fuel production and benefit fossil fuel producers. Taxpayers are leery of subsidizing these projects and absorbing increased costs for energy and consumer goods.

The Administration is, of course, well aware of this opposition and will not be publishing implementing regulations prior to the election. The next Administration, regardless of the election outcome, will no doubt take a hard look at these issues before proposing regulations.

The few oil and gas producers that are rather cynically hoping to cash in on CO2 disposal in the GoM will therefore have to wait, perhaps for a long time.

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Gulf of Mexico carbon disposal: No news is good news!

Posted in CCS, climate, energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , , , on June 18, 2024| Leave a Comment »

At Sale 261, Repsol was the sole bidder for 36 nearshore Texas tracts in the Mustang Island and Matagorda Island areas (red blocks at the western end of the map above). Exxon acquired 163 nearshore Texas tracts (blue in map above) at Sales 257 (94) and 259 (69).
  • The 199 oil and gas leases that were wrongfully acquired for carbon disposal purposes remain idle with the government collecting rental payments at the rate of $10/acre/yr ($7 for Sale 257 leases). Collectively, this amounts to approximately $10 million/yr.
  • Presumably, the lessees cannot claim CCS tax credits for their bonus and rental payments.
  • The primary term for these leases is only 5 years, and the clock is ticking. The 94 oil and gas leases acquired by Exxon at Sale 257 for carbon disposal purposes are approaching the end of their second year. They would be almost a year older if litigation hadn’t delayed the issuance of Sale 257 leases (break for Exxon?).
  • No exploration plans have been filed for any of these leases. Presumably Exxon and Repsol do not intend to drill any wells unless the leases are converted to authorize carbon disposal.
  • The “Infrastructure Bill,” signed 2 days before Sale 257, required the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate regulations not later than one year after the date of enactment (11/15/2021). That deadline has long passed.
  • The delay in the regulations is understandable given the complex lease management, operational, and environmental issues.
  • Like the practices and operations they are intended to enable, the regulations are certain to be divisive. Neither the offshore industry nor the environmental community are of one mind on these issues, particularly with regard to the acquisition of oil and gas leases for carbon disposal purposes.
  • Energy Intelligence suggests that final carbon disposal regulations will be promulgated this year. This is highly unlikely, given that a proposed rule must first be published for public comment.
  • Interior could seek to demonstrate “good cause” for a direct final or interim final rule. However, such an attempt at corner-cutting is unlikely, especially given the controversy associated with carbon disposal.
  • Publication of a proposed rule prior to the election is unlikely – too controversial.
  • Presumably, the regulations will establish a competitive process for the conversion of any oil and gas leases.
  • The leases that were wrongfully acquired at Sales 257, 259, and 261 should not be extended for any period of time, even if their expiration date approaches before a competitive process is established.

Closing comment: “Sequestration” is a euphemism that is being incorrectly applied to soften the reality of disposing carbon beneath the Gulf of Mexico. Sequestration implies storage for later use and that is clearly not the intent. Because carbon disposal is arguably dumping, a special exemption from the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries (Ocean Dumping) Act of 1972 had to be added to the Infrastructure Bill.

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All 36 of Repsol’s carbon disposal bids at Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261 were accepted by BOEM!

Posted in CCS, energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation, tagged , , , , , on January 31, 2024| Leave a Comment »

At Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261, Repsol was the sole bidder for 36 nearshore Texas tracts in the Mustang Island and Matagorda Island areas (red blocks at the western end of the map above). Exxon acquired 163 nearshore Texas tracts (blue in map above) at Sales 257 and 259. All 36 of the Repsol bids have now been accepted.

As previously posted here and here, carbon disposal bidding at the last 3 oil and gas lease sales has made a mockery of the leasing process and the regulations that guide it.

Hopefully, the carbon sequestration regulations that are under development will preclude conversion of leases acquired at Sales 257, 259, and 261. At a minimum, these regulations should require a competitive process for converting any oil and gas leases.

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Sale 261: Repsol’s nearshore Texas bids should be rejected without delay

Posted in CCS, climate, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , on January 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The above map shows the offshore carbon disposal leases acquired by Repsol from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the adjacent Federal tracts Repsol bid on at OCS Lease Sale 261. There should be absolutely no confusion regarding Repsol intentions at Sale 261. They plan to develop a large CO2 disposal hub offshore Corpus Christi and bid improperly at an OCS oil and gas lease sale to support that objective.

Perhaps blinded by visions of “a stream of U.S. government grants, followed by generous tax credits for every ton of carbon stored,” Repsol (Sale 261) and Exxon (Sales 257 and 259) have made a mockery of the OCS leasing process and the regulations that guide it. The Repsol bids should be promptly rejected.

So what about the Exxon nearshore Texas leases that have already been issued? Given that Exxon misled the Federal government and improperly acquired carbon disposal leases at an oil and gas lease sale, those bids should be cancelled pursuant to 30 CFR § 556.1102:

(c) BOEM may cancel your lease if it determines that the lease was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation. You will have notice and an opportunity to be heard before BOEM cancels your lease.

While Exxon’s oil production increases in the Permian Basin and offshore Guyana are impressive, is it not hypocritical for Exxon and other major producers to capitalize on the capture and disposal of emissions associated with the consumption of their products? Is it not just a bit unsavory for oil companies to cash in on (and virtue signal about) carbon collection and disposal at the public’s expense? Perhaps companies that believe oil and gas production is harmful to society should be reducing production rather than engaging in enterprises intended to sustain it.

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Sale 261: Will the carbon disposal bids be accepted?

Posted in CCS, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , on January 9, 2024| Leave a Comment »

At Sale 261, Repsol was the sole bidder for 36 nearshore Texas tracts in the Mustang Island and Matagorda Island areas (red blocks at the western end of the map above). Exxon acquired 163 nearshore Texas tracts (blue in map above) at Sales 257 and 259.

Why Repsol’s carbon disposal bids should be rejected (as Exxon’s Sale 257 and 259 bids should have been):

  • Sale 261 was an oil and gas lease sale. The Notice of Sale said nothing about carbon sequestration and did not offer the opportunity to acquire leases for that purpose. Therefore, the public notice requirements in 30 CFR § 556.308 were not fulfilled.
  • Because there was no draft or final Notice of Sale for sequestration (carbon disposal) leasing, interested parties did not have the opportunity to comment on tract exclusions, stipulations, bidding parameters, rental fees, royalties, and other factors pertinent to any OCS lease sale.
  • 30 CFR § 556.308 requires publication of a lease form. No carbon sequestration lease form has been posted or published for comment.
  • Carbon sequestration operations were not considered in the environmental assessments conducted prior to this or any other OCS lease sale.
  • No evaluation criteria for carbon sequestration bids have been published.

Hopefully, the carbon sequestration regulations that are under development will preclude conversion of leases acquired at Sales 257, 259, and 261. At a minimum, these regulations should require a competitive process for converting any oil and gas leases.

The difference between the conversion of the Exxon and Repsol leases and the conversion of other existing oil and gas leases is that the Exxon and Repsol leases were acquired solely for the purpose of carbon disposal with no intention of oil and gas exploration and production. Also, they can conduct geophysical surveys on their extensive (arguably monopolistic) nearshore Texas lease holdings, which gives them an unfair competitive advantage should a carbon sequestration lease sale be held.

To their credit, Repsol bid legitimately on 9 oil and gas leases at Sale 261. Exxon did not participate in Sale 261, and their only participation in Sales 257 and 259 was for carbon disposal purposes. Prior to Sale 257, the company had not acquired an OCS lease since 2008.

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Indicted former Congressman once charged BSEE with finding ways to “bleed” Repsol

Posted in cuba, energy policy, Regulation, Uncategorized, tagged , , on January 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »

“Former U.S. Rep. David Rivera, a well-connected Florida Republican, has been arrested on federal charges that include failing to register as a foreign agent. The case centers on Rivera’s signing of a $50 million contract with Venezuela’s government in early 2017, and his subsequent attempts to thaw Venezuela’s icy relationship with the U.S.”

NPR

Perhaps Mr Rivera’s conduct at a 2012 hearing on Cuban offshore drilling was a hint of things to come. Mr. Rivera inappropriately pressed BSEE, represented by Lars Herbst, to find ways to “bleed” Repsol should there be an incident while they were drilling in Cuban waters.

“So, we need to figure out what we can do to inflict maximum pain, maximum punishment, to bleed Repsol of whatever resources they may have if there is a potential for a spill that will affect the U.S. coast. So, I hope you will look into that and verify that for us.”

Congressman David Rivera, 2012 Hearing on Cuban offshore drilling

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Cuba drilling to begin in March?

Posted in cuba, drilling, offshore, tagged , , , , , , on January 5, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Well, well. In early March, Cuba will commence with deep water drilling under contract with Repsol and Statoil ASA, using an older rig that was recently rehabbed by the Chinese. Reports indicate that it has fewer safety features than the BP’s infamous Deepwater Horizon. The site is located a scant sixty miles southeast of Key West, Florida. Benzinga.com

There are some  errors and unsupported opinions in this article, so I would take the March spud date with a grain of salt.  As confirmed by Rigzone, the Saipem Scarabeo 9 is a new rig, not a rebuild. It was built in China and commissioned in Singapore. The inflammatory comment about the rig having fewer safety features than the Deepwater Horizon is also without substance. Everything about the Scarabeo 9 appears to be state-of-the-art.

While a projected 2011 spud date has been reported and appears likely, Cuba’s deepwater drilling program has been marked by repeated delays. BOE has seen no confirmation that the rig has arrived or is en route to Cuba. We would appreciate any updates that others might be able to provide.

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Cuba Watch – Add Petronas to the drilling lineup

Posted in cuba, tagged , , , , , , , on November 19, 2010| Leave a Comment »

According to CubaStandard.com, we can add Petronas, with Gazprom as a major partner, to the list of companies that will be drilling offshore Cuba next year.  So, as best we can determine, beginning in 2011 the following companies will be using Saipen’s Scarabeo 9 to drill wells offshore Cuba:

  1. Repsol (Spain) with Statoil (Norway) and ONGC (India) each holding a 30% interest
  2. PdVSA (Venezuela)
  3. Petronas (Malaysia ) with Gazprom (Russia) holding a 30% interest

Contrary to our energy, economic, and environmental interests, the US continues to prohibit governmental consultations on these important issues and participation by US companies in any aspect of Cuban offshore operations.

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