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UT Austin to lead $58M study of methane hydrate in Gulf of Mexico; $41M from DOE

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A research team led by The University of Texas at Austin has been awarded approximately $58 million to analyze methane hydrate deposits under the Gulf of Mexico. Post-cruise analyses will determine the in situ concentrations, the physical properties, the lithology, and the thermodynamic state of methane hydrate bearing sand reservoirs.

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Chevron announces successful test well at deepwater St. Malo in Gulf of Mexico

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Malo PS003 well in the prolific Lower Tertiary trend in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Oil flow rates, though limited by testing equipment constraints, exceeded 13,000 barrels of oil per day. The facility is planned to have a design capacity of 177,000 barrels of oil-equivalent per day to accommodate production from the Jack/St.

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BP announces significant resource extension of Mad Dog Field in deepwater Gulf Of Mexico; total hydrocarbons estimated at up to 4B barrels of oil equivalent

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BP announced today the drilling of a successful appraisal well in a previously untested northern segment of the Mad Dog field in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico. The well encountered about 166 net feet (50 meters) of hydrocarbons in the objective Miocene hydrocarbon-bearing sands and discovered an oil column of more than 300 feet (91 meters).

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Study finds plausibly high volumes of Canadian oil sands crudes in US refineries in 2025 would lead to modest increases in refinery CO2 emissions

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An analysis of the US refining sector, based on linear programming (LP) modeling, finds that refining plausibly high volumes of Canadian oil sands crudes in US refineries in 2025 would lead to a modest increase in refinery CO 2 emissions (ranging between 5.4% to 9.3%) from a 2010 baseline, depending upon the supply scenario.

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State Department releases final environmental impact statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Project; analysis of GHG emissions

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Comparison of the percent differential for WTW (well-to-wheel) GHGs from gasoline produced from WCSB oil sands using different production processes relative to gasoline produced from reference crudes. The proposed Project is not likely to impact the amount of crude oil produced from the oil sands. Click to enlarge.

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Perspective: Drive Star Conversion Program Could Cut US Oil Use in Half by 2020

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In a pre-response to that speech, having successfully advocated for plug-in hybrids like the forthcoming Chevy Volt, we propose that the President follow that speech up with a “realistic and conservative” roadmap to halve our oil use in 10 years. Oil is holding us all hostage, economically and physically. Finally, it’s time to begin.

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NRC report concludes hydraulic fracturing poses low risk for causing earthquakes, but risks are higher for wastewater injection wells; CCS impact undetermined

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Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) extracts natural gas by injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals in short bursts at high pressure into deep underground wells. CCS, due to the large net volumes of injected fluids, may have potential for inducing larger seismic events. —“Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies”.

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