Oil Drilling News

THE GULF

Oyster Population Plummets in Louisiana After BP Spill, Floods
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/oyster-population-plummets-louisiana/story?id=14404214
"...oyster producers east of the Mississippi River are now also investigating a mysterious substance growing on the shells oyster larvae attach to (commonly referred to as "cultch"). He believes it's due to the lack of harvesting in the area after the BP oil spill."

Oil Slicks Sighted Yesterday 16 Miles from BP / Deepwater Horizon Spill Site
http://blog.skytruth.org/2011/08/oil-slicks-sighted-yesterday-16-miles.html

MAINE

Offshore oil drilling doesn't add up for Maine (LTE)
http://portlanddailysun.me/node/28022/

ALTERNATIVES TO OIL

Global biofuels production up 17% in 2010 to hit all-time high of 105 billion liters
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/08/wwi-20110831.html

South Korea touts tidal power plant
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2011/08/30/South-Korea-touts-tidal-power-plant/UPI-95391314716170/
Visit http://www.nottheanswer.org for Surfrider's perspective on offshore drilling and the ongoing disaster in the Gulf.

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Oil Drilling News

THE GULF

Dispersants Used in BP Gulf Oil Spill Linked to Cancer

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2011/2011-08-26-092.html

"Five of the 57 ingredients in dispersants approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on oil spills are linked to cancer, finds a new research report based on data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by environmental groups on the Gulf of Mexico."  

CALIFORNIA

Keep state's oil spill response program afloat

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/30/3870715/keep-states-oil-spill-response.html

Also see: Oil spill showdown looms in California legislature

ALTERNATIVES TO OIL

Solar May Produce Most of World's Power by 2060, IEA Says

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-29/solar-may-produce-most-of-world-s-power-by-2060-iea-says.html

The next wave of energy from the sea

http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/next-wave-of-energy-from-the-sea

"A recent study by the Carbon Trust predicts that by 2050 wave energy could yield as much as 190 gigawatts of electricity or more than 3 times today's total electric output in the UK. As the industry begins to scale up, more than 100 companies are developing novel devices to harvest energy from the seas."

Oil Drilling News

THE GULF

Big Oil?s ?Open The Gulf? Campaign Uses Violins And Lies To Promote Offshore Drilling
http://thinkprogress.org/green/2011/08/26/305278/big-oils-open-the-gulf-campaign-uses-violins-and-lies-to-promote-offshore-drilling/
"MYTH: Opening the gulf to new drilling will lower gas prices.
Even the non-partisan Energy Information Agency found that whether we dramatically expand offshore drilling or stop selling offshore leases entirely, it will have virtually no effect on gas prices ? ever.
MYTH: The Obama administration is not issuing offshore drilling permits or leases.
For deepwater permits requiring subsea containment, they have approved 112 permits for 34 unique wells, with 19 permits pending, and 21 permits returned to the operator with requests for additional information, particularly information regarding containment. And perhaps the team at CEA missed last week?s announcement that the administration has scheduled a massive sale of offshore leases in the Gulf of Mexico ? an auction that encompasses more than 20 million acres in the western gulf.
MYTH: The economic potential of offshore oil and gas is worth the risk of another blowout.
An NRDC report found that the Gulf of Mexico saw a 39 percent decline in commercial fishing catches overall between 2009 and 2010, representing a $62 million loss in dockside sales. To date, the oil giant has paid out $5 billion in economic damages to individuals and businesses in the region ? with 61,558 new claims received in the past three months ? and faces billions more in Clean Water Act fines and NRDA liabilities. After their top execs admitted just one year ago that they weren?t prepared to handle a major offshore spill, CEA?s Big Oil backers might want to reevaluate whether that?s a risk they?re willing to take."

ALASKA

Are We Really Ready to Expose Our Arctic Waters to the Threat of a Major Oil Spill? (Ocean Conservancy)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dennis-takahashikelso/arctic-oil_b_935674.html
Visit http://www.nottheanswer.org for Surfrider's perspective on offshore drilling and the ongoing disaster in the Gulf.

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Oil Drilling News

THE GULF

Deepwater trouble on the horizon: oil discovered floating near source of Gulf of Mexico spill (Photo gallery, video)

http://blog.al.com/live/2011/08/deepwater_trouble_on_the_horiz.html

HURRICANE IRENE

East Coast oil refineries brace for Hurricane Irene

http://www.futuresmag.com/News/2011/8/Pages/East-Coast-oil-refineries-brace-for-Hurricane-Irene.aspx

US Atlantic Coast oil terminals eyeing approaching Hurricane Irene

http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/Oil/6408460

What would happen in a situation like this if there were oil platforms along the East coast?

 

Oil Drilling News

THE GULF

The Chaos Of Clean-Up (Earthjustice report)

http://earthjustice.org/features/the-chaos-of-clean-up

"The report, The Chaos Of Clean-Up, was prepared in response to widespread public concern among Gulf Coast communities about the safety of chemicals, known as dispersants, that were poured into the Gulf of Mexico to disperse oil during the Deepwater Horizon disaster. This report presents findings from a literature review of scientific research on each of 57 chemical ingredients that are found in dispersants that were eligible for use at the time of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The ingredients and formulas for various dispersants on the market typically are not available, and it is not fully known which chemical ingredients among the 57 are found in which dispersant. The review demonstrates the wide range of potential impacts from exposure to the chemicals found in dispersants. From carcinogens, to endocrine disruptors, to chemicals that are toxic to aquatic organisms, some of the ingredients in oil dispersants are indeed potential hazards." 

ALASKA

Investigation Finds Shell Has Dreadful Safety Record in North Sea. Now It Wants to Drill in Arctic.

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/24/302474/oil-investigation-shell-has-dreadful-safety-record-in-north-sea-now-it-wants-to-drill-in-arctic/

ALTERNATIVES TO OIL

Company turning algae into fuel

http://www.kplctv.com/story/15319305/company-turning-algae-into-fuel

Stanford Introduces New Solar Car (video)

http://www.youtube.com/user/StanfordUniversity#p/u/0/2ljf6LHicH0

Not exactly practical at this point, but pretty cool!

Oil Drilling News

THE GULF

The "Friday Syndrome" and Gulf Oil Drilling (Oceana)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackie-savitz/gulf-oil-leases_b_933284.html

"You might think that before they went back to selling leases they would assess the possible environmental impacts of another spill in the Gulf. To do that they would have to wait for ongoing studies of the last spill to finish -- which they didn't. So the government's effort to decide whether to offer new leases ignores possible impacts of the largest oil spill ever to hit U.S. waters. How sound is that science? And before they auction off any more rights to drill in our Gulf, wouldn't we want them to make sure the companies have a plan for how to prevent and respond to the next spill? Did BOEMRE do that? Only if you trust that one year after we watched in suspense for 87 days, as BP tried week after week to stop the fountain of oil gushing into the ocean, somehow, if it happened today the companies could stop such a problem much more quickly. Unfortunately, that pipe dream is probably not reality."

ALASKA

Proposed oil drilling off Alaska coast prompts studies of environmental impact

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/proposed-oil-drilling-off-alaska-coast-prompts-studies-of-environmental-impact/2011/08/02/gIQAO6vsWJ_story.html

"[Shell] faces three daunting issues: Is there a way to drill here without hurting sea life? How can the company build a pipeline that can withstand the ice and shifting shoreline? And if there were a spill, where would the water currents carry the oil? Environmental groups and many Alaska Natives believe that Shell can't provide satisfactory answers to those questions. They argue that there is a lack of data needed for the type of science-based decisions that the Obama administration has vowed to pursue."

ALTERNATIVES TO OIL

Pike forecasts cumulative plug-in vehicle sales to reach 5.2M units worldwide by 2017

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/08/pike-20110822.html

Oil Drilling News

THE GULF

BP's Denial Upended: Gulf Flyover Surveillance Reveals Large Amount of Surface Oil at Deepwater Horizon Site

http://readersupportednews.org/off-site-news-section/49-49/7123-flyover-surveillance-reveals-large-amount-of-surface-oil-at-deepwater-horizon-site

"They spotted oil – lots of it. So we now have damning photos of oil in the water at the "exact location" of the Deepwater Horizon. Clearly, BP has some explaining to do."

This has yet to be verified, but still, it's disturbing.

Department Of Justice Investigates BP For Faulty Oil Spill Estimates (VIDEO)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/21/bp-flow-rate-estimates-un_n_932425.html

"What is clear is that BP failed, throughout the event, to produce an accurate estimate of the size of the leak to the federal government or the public. Also readily apparent is the company's strong vested interest in downplaying the size of the spill: federal pollution laws stipulate fines as high as $4,300 for every barrel of oil unlawfully discharged into U.S. waters."

 

U.S. to Offer Oil Leases in the Gulf

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/20/business/energy-environment/us-plans-first-sale-of-offshore-oil-leases-since-gulf-disaster.html

"Making good on a promise, the Interior Department announced Friday that it had scheduled its first sale of offshore oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon disaster last year. But it is changing some of the rules to ensure that leased parcels are actually drilled and not hoarded."

More Drilling in the Gulf, The Death of a Thousand Cuts

http://cleantechnica.com/2011/08/21/more-drilling-in-the-gulf-the-death-of-a-thousand-cuts/

The push for drilling in ever more difficult and risky climes and conditions is making it ever more probable that the BP oil disaster will be repeated and likely surpassed in its catastrophic effects in the future. The Shell spill in the North Sea last week, a mere 55,000 gallons, barely got a mention in the media.

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/135nV)

The push for drilling in ever more difficult and risky climes and conditions is making it ever more probable that the BP oil disaster will be repeated and likely surpassed in its catastrophic effects in the future. The Shell spill in the North Sea last week, a mere 55,000 gallons, barely got a mention in the media.

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/135nV)

VIRGINIA

Off Virginia's shore

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/08/virginias-shore

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich argues for approval of legislation that would force a lease sale for oil and gas development off Virginia's coast.

ALTERNATIVES TO OIL

VW up! minicar to launch in December with 3-cylinder gasoline engines; natural gas engine to follow

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/08/up-20110821.html

VW to unveil single-seat electric car

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/07090e56-cc00-11e0-9176-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=rss#axzz1VmD4w0GZ

107 MPG Prius Plug-In to Debut at Frankfurt Auto Show

http://gas2.org/2011/08/16/107-mpg-prius-plug-in-to-debut-at-frankfurt-auto-show/

Oil Drilling News

NORTH SEA OIL SPILL

Shell admits risk of further North Sea oil spill
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2102863/shell-admits-risk-north-sea-oil-spill

Over 600 tonnes of oil at risk in North Sea spill
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Over-600-tonnes-of-oil.6820635.jp
"A total of 660 tonnes of toxic oil remains trapped inside the leaking system - and there are fears of a sudden and catastrophic release if plans to use divers to close a leaking valve go wrong."

Oil spill exposes Shell's ticking timebomb
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/17/oil-spill-shell-timebomb

THE GULF

BP Investigates New Oil Sheen Near Green Canyon Block In Gulf Of Mexico
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/18/bp-sheen-gulf-mexico_n_930156.html
"Some oil naturally seeps from the floor of the Gulf, and the AP has reported that at least 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in the Gulf are not routinely inspected when plugged or subsequently monitored for leaks."

ALASKA

No to Arctic Drilling (NRDC Op-Ed)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/opinion/dont-allow-oil-drilling-off-alaskas-coast.html?_r=1

Pondering impact of drilling off remote northwest Alaska
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/pondering-impact-of-drilling-off-remote-northwest-alaska/2011/07/21/gIQAvup6JJ_story.html

VIRGINIA

On a clear day you may soon see a rig off Virginia
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/16/us-virginia-drilling-idUSTRE77F6RN20110816
"Environmentalists say the industry is using Virginia as the wedge to get drilling going along the entire eastern seaboard."
Visit http://www.nottheanswer.org for Surfrider's perspective on offshore drilling and the ongoing disaster in the Gulf.

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Oil Drilling News

SHELL'S NORTH SEA OIL SPILL

Shell North Sea oil spill - live blog

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/aug/16/shell-north-sea-oil-spill-live

Shell admits there's a second leak.

UK Regulators Step Up Pressure On Shell Over Oil Spill

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110816-711851.html

Shell's reputation hit by North Sea oil spill

http://www.ajc.com/business/shells-reputation-hit-by-1112955.html

THE ARCTIC

Shell's Arctic Drilling Plan: Another Disaster Waiting to Happen

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/shells-arctic-drilling-plan-another-disaster-waiting-to-happen-20110808

Coast Guard Soon Will Require More Resources in Arctic, Commandant Says

http://www.hstoday.us/industry-news/general/single-article/coast-guard-soon-will-require-more-resources-in-arctic-commandant-says/393d0f0333b42a27c88fcfb9681f38c3.html

What If An Oil Spill Happened in the Arctic? (Oceana video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2dL3RGwpBaI

5 Reasons Shell Should Not Be Drilling in the Arctic

http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/08/15/5-reasons-shell-should-not-be-drilling-in-the-arctic

Oil Drilling News

NORTH SEA OIL SPILL

Shell: 54,600 gallons of oil spilled in North Sea
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/15/3838880/uk-100s-of-tons-of-oil-leaked.html
"The British government said the leak was small compared to the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year - which dumped 206 million gallons of oil into the Gulf - but said it was still substantial for the U.K.'s continental shelf."
So now nearly every company (well, maybe not BP) involved in an oil spill can use that line - "It was small compared to the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico."

Somebody Stop Me Before I Spill Again! (NWF)
http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/2011/08/somebody-stop-me-before-i-spill-again/
Great blog post from Peter LaFontaine.

ANOTHER 'DID THE GULF OIL SPILL EVER HAPPEN?' ARTICLE

Transocean To Buy Aker Drilling For $1.4 Billion
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201108151233dowjonesdjonline000130&title=3rd-updatetransocean-to-buy-aker-drilling-for-$1.4-billion
"The move shows Transocean is shrugging off recent doubts about the strength of the oil industry amid a faltering economy, and is also willing to dip into its cash reserves despite unresolved liabilities for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill."
Visit http://www.nottheanswer.org for Surfrider's perspective on offshore drilling and the ongoing disaster in the Gulf.

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Oil Drilling News

WHAT GULF OIL SPILL?

U.S. Energy Adviser Says Some Amnesia Regarding Macondo Oil Leak
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201108100353dowjonesdjonline000129&title=us-energy-adviser-says-some-amnesia-regarding-macondo-oil-leak

Oil on the Islands
http://www.sunherald.com/2011/08/09/3338038/oil-on-the-islands.html
Yes, it did happen and, no, it's not over.

OIL SPILLS AROUND THE WORLD

Mumbai hit by 60,000-tonne oil spill, India by over 113,000
http://maritimeprofessional.net/Blogs/Mumbai-hit-by-60,000-tonne-oil-spill,-India-by-ove/August-2011/Mumbai-hit-by-60,000-tonne-oil-spill,-India-by-ove.aspx
Also see: http://blog.skytruth.org/2011/08/oil-spill-off-mumbai-india.html

Experts warn of fragile sea environment (China)
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2011-08/12/content_13097245.htm

Shell Fighting Oil Spill At North Sea Platform
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201108121238dowjonesdjonline000321&title=update-shell-fighting-oil-spill-at-north-sea-platform
Just think what it would be like trying to deal with this off the coast of Alaska in the winter.
Also see: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904006104576504572754151598.html
and
http://blog.skytruth.org/2011/08/oil-spill-at-shell-platform-in-north.html
Visit http://www.nottheanswer.org for Surfrider's perspective on offshore drilling and the ongoing disaster in the Gulf.

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Oil Drilling News

DEEPWATER HORIZON DISASTER

Deepwater Horizon: A Preliminary Bibliography of Published Research and Expert Commentary

http://www.lib.noaa.gov/researchtools/subjectguides/dwh.html

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY

BP funds push for more offshore drilling in oil-soaked Louisiana

http://www.grist.org/oil/2011-08-05-bp-funds-push-offshore-drilling-louisiana-gulf-of-mexico

"ALEC has pushed hard to fight any limits on offshore drilling, claiming "more energy-efficient drilling and production methods practically eliminate spills from offshore platforms." "

ALASKA

Alaska weakens oil spill prevention, response

http://juneauempire.com/local/2011-08-04/alaska-weakens-oil-spill-prevention-response#.TkAPGb_uc9Y

"The change is due to the elimination of the Alaska's Coastal Management program, under which it could require drilling and other activities in the outer continental shelf meet tougher standards than the federal minimums. Alaska has no jurisdiction in federal waters outside the state's 3-mile limit. "We are going to see a weakening of standards in the OCS with the loss of the Coastal Management program," said Marilyn Heiman, director of the U.S. Arctic Program for The Pew Environmental Group and a former Alaska legislative staffer."

WIDE WORLD OF OIL SPILLS

Blue crabs threatened by oil spills in Venezuela

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/05/us-venezuela-crabs-idUSTRE7743D520110805

"Pollution in Lake Maracaibo has been a problem for decades. In recent weeks the area has been blighted by several leaks from tangled pipes, corroding pumps and other oil installations that crisscross the lake."

India Assessing Mumbai Oil Spill Damage

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904007304576495352472149760.html

ConocoPhillips blasted for slow action on oil leaks (China)

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2011-08/06/content_13063769.htm

Shell faces $410M payout over Nigeria oil spills

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/08/04/shell.nigeria.ft/index.html

ALTERNATIVES TO OIL

Wind Power Gains as Gear Improves

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/08/business/energy-environment/wind-power-gains-as-gear-improves.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1

The bright future of solar powered factories

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/07/solar-powered-factories.html

Belfer Center discussion paper explores potential for electric vehicles to transform US market

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/08/belfer-20110805.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+greencarcongress%2FTrBK+%28Green+Car+Congress%29

Oil Drilling News

OIL SPILL RESPONSE AND CLEANUP

If An Oil Spill Happens In Icy Arctic Waters, We Have No Way To Really Clean It Up (Video)

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/08/oil-spill-arctic-waters-we-have-no-way-clean-up-video.php

WHOI study reports microbes consumed oil in Gulf slick at unexpected rates

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-08-whoi-microbes-consumed-oil-gulf.html

"[Researchers] found that bacterial microbes inside the slick degraded the oil at a rate five times faster than microbes outside the slick—accounting in large part for the disappearance of the slick some three weeks after Deepwater Horizon's Macondo well was shut off. At the same time, the researchers observed no increase in the number of microbes inside the slick—something that would be expected as a byproduct of increased consumption, or respiration, of the oil. In this process, respiration combines food (oil in this case) and oxygen to create carbon dioxide and energy."

OIL INDUSTRY TRENDS

U.S. dependence on petroleum imports is falling

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/01/3051001/us-dependence-on-petroleum-imports.html

"The country recently stopped being a net importer of petroleum products for the first time since at least 1973, as the country's refiners sold more gasoline and other end products to other countries. A second factor is simply lower demand for petroleum products, in large part a result of the sour economy, but also helped by more efficient cars."

Oil Drilling News

GULF DRILLING AND HURRICANES

Gulf of Mexico production and hurricanes

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/8201

"The lessons of this vulnerability were, perhaps, more than most years, evident in 2005. The first sign of problems came with the arrival of Hurricane Dennis in July. It was a storm which severely damaged the BP deep water Thunder Horse drilling platform.

As that season wore on, the vulnerability of the platforms in the Gulf and the refineries that border it, were exposed in more intensity with the passage of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These threats and their analysis were one of the factors that helped, in that formative year, to bring an audience to the pages of The Oil Drum. The Gulf is now home to thousands of wells which, as the evidence from the Deepwater Horizon disaster last year reminded us, has moved further and further away from shore. That vulnerability is perhaps illustrated by a map showing the path of Hurricane Rita through the oil platforms off the Texas and Louisiana coasts."

OIL/ENERGY POLICY

Era of cheap oil gone, says Shell's Voser

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/articles/newsdisplay/1467045077.html?cmpid=EnlDailyPetroAugust12011

" "It is the end of easy oil," said Peter Voser. "We are going into a world where finding the oil and gas is more complex and it needs more money, it needs more investment. That needs higher oil and gas prices." Shell believes energy prices will rise in coming years as a result of oil being found in more remote locations and being harder to produce, allied to surging global demand driven by "emerging nations" such as China and India."

ALASKA

Arctic oil spill cleanup impossible one day in five, energy board report finds

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/arctic-oil-spill-cleanup-impossible-one-day-in-five-energy-board-report-finds/article2116242/

A newly released report commissioned by Canada's energy regulator has concluded that clean-up efforts for an offshore oil spill in the Arctic could be impossible at least one day in five because of bad weather or sea ice. And a spokesman for one environmental group said that a recent U.S. study suggests even that figure could be underestimating the risk.