Energy Tomorrow RSS Feeds: Recent News Items

Murdock: Offshore rig offers energy alternative - 4/17/2009 12:00:00 AM

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Scripps Howard News Service
By Deroy Murdock
April 16, 2009

When you last showered, two percent of the natural gas that heated your water likely emerged from this bright-yellow platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Painted like a lemon, to ward off errant ships and aircraft, this leading-edge installation proves that America can produce far more of our own energy -- innovatively, safely, and cleanly -- if we just stop scaring ourselves into paralysis.

The Independence Hub, or I-Hub, is a joint venture of Anadarko Petroleum and Enterprise Products Partners. I toured their $2 billion facility on Tuesday on a trip sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute.

Oil drilling will stimulate our state economy - 4/15/2009 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

San Francisco Chronicle
Tom Tanton
April 15, 2009

On Thursday, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will hold a public hearing in San Francisco on the future of expanded development of America's vast energy resources. At stake will be whether continued, or expanded, offshore petroleum production will be allowed. While the topic can be made complex, it affords perhaps the simplest stimulus to our ailing economy.

Windy talks vs. oil needs - 4/14/2009 12:00:00 AM

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The Baton Rouge Advocate
April 12, 2009

Wind power has never been so nearly a national energy source than when high-powered politicians talk about it. And talk about it. And talk about it.

This is not a criticism of wind power, which is certainly part of America’s energy future; in parts of Texas, it’s a huge addition to clean energy production already.

Nor is President Barack Obama’s new head of the U.S. Department of Energy, Ken Salazar, wrong to tout the virtues of wind power in a series of hearings aimed at developing policy on energy development in the Outer Continental Shelf.

Let's Get Real About Renewable Energy - 3/6/2009 12:00:00 AM

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The Wall Street Journal
by Robert Bryce

During his address to Congress last week, President Barack Obama declared, "We will double this nation's supply of renewable energy in the next three years."

While that statement -- along with his pledge to impose a "cap on carbon pollution" -- drew applause, let's slow down for a moment and get realistic about this country's energy future. Consider two factors that are too-often overlooked: George W. Bush's record on renewables, and the problem of scale.

read more (subscription may be required)

A Compromise Energy Policy Is Within Reach - 2/27/2009 12:00:00 AM

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The Wall Street Journal
by Tony Hayward

Every U.S. president since Richard Nixon has expressed concern about America's growing dependence on imported oil. But effective action has proved elusive: Oil imports have more than doubled in the past 35 years -- from 30% at the time of the first oil shock in 1973 to around 65% today.

Yet the collapse in world energy demand and the fall of energy prices present a rare, once-in-a-generation opportunity. Congress and the Obama administration can work with energy producers to craft an energy policy that creates jobs, expands and diversifies the nation's energy supply, generates government revenue, and protects the environment.

read more (subscription may be required)

Drill Like Brazil - 1/29/2009 12:00:00 AM

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Investor's Business Daily

Stimulus: Brazil, a leader in the use of biofuels such as ethanol and in the face of falling oil prices, still plans to spend huge sums to expand its offshore oil resources. Drilling rigs are infrastructure too.

Bountiful Untapped Energy - 12/17/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

The Washington Times

Americans have become open to anything that would lower the cost of soaring energy and oil prices. Energy independence and the impact of foreign energy supplies on American security have become a major policy concern. Now, President-elect Barack Obama has nominated Steven Chu as energy secretary, Lisa P. Jackson as head of the EPA and Carol Browner in a new position as his energy "czar..."

We believe the new appointees should be focused on making use of domestic oil supplies and other natural resources already present to keep America energy independent.
read more

Petroleum Industry Needs Access to Resources to Help Get America Back to Work - 12/15/2008 12:00:00 AM

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

The Houston Chronicle
By Jack N. Gerard

America's oil and natural gas industry is prepared to be part of the solution with thousands of new jobs and billions more in government revenue — while providing the energy necessary to expand the economy. However, to be able to do that, the industry must be assured of expanded access to the country's much-needed oil and natural gas resources, both onshore and offshore.
read more

Top Oil Lobbyist Doubts Reduced-Use Promises - 11/26/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

The Washington Times
By Tom LoBianco

The U.S. oil and natural-gas industry's new lead lobbyist said Tuesday he doubted that President-elect Barack Obama would be able to deliver on his campaign promise to reduce American oil consumption by 10 million barrels a day by 2030, but endorsed efforts to create more "green" jobs, many of which, he said, would be situated at oil companies.
read more

API CEO Gerard Talks about New Administration, Climate Legislation Prospects - 11/12/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

OnPoint

How will an Obama administration handle key energy policy issues like offshore drilling, oil company tax breaks and alternative fuels? During today's OnPoint, Jack Gerard, the new president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, gives his take on the effect President-elect Obama will have on the oil and gas industries. He also discusses next year's climate change talks, expressing uncertainty about a cap-and-trade bill.
Watch the interview on E&ETV

Punitive Taxation of Profitable Oil Industry Won't Break Dependence on Foreign Crude - 11/11/2008 12:00:00 AM

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Investor's Business Daily
By Mark J. Perry

New taxes on oil companies would drastically cut capital that otherwise could be invested in emerging energy technologies and the expansion of refinery capacity. Taxes would negatively impact domestic energy production, reducing revenues. And they would tilt the playing field against U.S. companies that compete globally.
read more

Don't overturn 'Drill, baby, drill' - 10/14/2008 12:00:00 AM

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The News & Observer
By Robert L. Bradley Jr.

Inaction to let the ban expire was a very good thing. Now, the public must watch Congress carefully to ensure that work begins to tap our enormous resources, resources whose time has surely come for beleaguered consumers.

Don't Let Cheaper Gas Lull U.S. Into Inaction - 10/14/2008 12:00:00 AM

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Albuquerque Journal

The recent oil price drop has given us a little breathing room. Americans should use it to demand comprehensive action on the full range of energy initiatives.

YES It would reduce America's reliance on foreign oil and help boost the state's economy - 10/5/2008 12:00:00 AM

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Richmond Times-Dispatch
By Bill Geroux

Drilling for oil off Virginia's coast could help reduce America's crippling reliance on foreign fuel and bring jobs and revenue to the state, while posing no significant threat to the environment or tourist industry, proponents say.

Drill, Maybe Drill - 10/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Washington Post

In a world of skyrocketing demand for energy, it is becoming untenable for the United States to consume 20 percent of the world's oil...while doing nothing to explore its own shores for resources.

A Democratic-Backed House Bill Doesn’t Allow for a Sufficient Expansion of Offshore Drilling - 9/19/2008 12:00:00 AM

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Drilling should be allowed closer to shore to tap big oil and gas deposits in the Outer Continental Shelf. Annual U.S. oil production is about 1.8 billion barrels. The Interior Department has estimated that up to 10 times that amount is potentially recoverable in offshore areas currently off-limits to drillers.

Democrats' Offshore Drilling Plan Would Give States Nothing - 9/13/2008 12:00:00 AM

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Virginian-Pilot by Dale Eisman

"With no financial incentive, no state will choose to 'opt in,' " House Republican leader John A. Boehner of Ohio told reporters, "and this bill will result in little or no new American energy production."

Voters Want Everything on Energy - 8/21/2008 12:00:00 AM

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Wall Street Journal by Stephen Power

"Voters are telling us they want everything," said Neil Newhouse, a Republican who conducts the poll with Democrat Peter D. Hart. "What these voters are saying is that there needs to be a whole new way of looking at our problems, and that they don't want the same old fights and the same old divisions," Mr. Hart said.

Drill Already - 8/20/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

National Review by The Editors

Putting a bunch of new oil on the market is a lot more likely to lower prices than is throwing billions of dollars at phantom technologies, as the New ERA plan calls for doing, or slapping oil producers with punitive new taxes.

Let Go of the Past and Allow Offshore Oil Drilling - 8/18/2008 12:00:00 AM

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Los Angeles Times by George Skelton

The important thing is to produce the fuel ourselves, not be shaping our foreign policy to assure a steady supply from shifty overseas sellers.

Snake Oil - Debunking Three 'Truths' about Offshore Drilling - 8/12/2008 12:00:00 AM

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Washington Post

The United States can no longer afford to turn its back on finding all the sources of fuel necessary to maintain its economy and its standard of living. What's required is a long-term, comprehensive plan that includes wind, solar, geothermal, biofuels and nuclear -- and that acknowledges that oil and gas will be instrumental to the U.S. economy for many years to come.

Drill Now - 8/10/2008 12:00:00 AM

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Of course it takes time to develop new oil fields. That is all the more reason to get started right away. Drill here. Drill now.

Congress's Unsound Fury Over Big Oil - 8/7/2008 12:00:00 AM

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Christian Science Monitor by Justin Danhof

Every time gas prices increase, liberal lawmakers direct the Federal Trade Commission to investigate oil industry price gouging. To their chagrin, the FTC has never found oil industry price manipulation.

What evidence does congress use to back their price gouging claims? Try none.

No Drilling, No Vote - 7/25/2008 12:00:00 AM

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Washington Post

Why not have a vote on offshore drilling? There's a serious debate to be had over whether Congress should lift the ban on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf that has been in place since 1981.

Getting a Lease for Oil Drilling Just the Start - 7/21/2008 12:00:00 AM

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Associated Press by John Porretto

The national debate over opening more offshore areas to oil and gas exploration has begged the question: Just what are the companies doing with the tens of millions of acres they're already leasing from the federal government?

Chief Says Exxon Will Keep Doing What It's Doing - 7/19/2008 12:00:00 AM

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The New York Times by Rad Mouawad

In an interview, Rex W. Tillerson, the chief executive of Exxon Mobil, shared his views on oil prices, the role of Western companies in a world increasingly dominated by state-owned energy giants and the future for alternative fuels in a fossil fuel world.

Poll Finds Growing Support in U.S. for Oil Exploration - 7/2/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Associated Press by H. Josef Hebert

High gasoline prices have changed Americans' views on energy and the environment, with more people now viewing oil drilling and new power plants as a greater priority than energy conservation than they did five months ago, according to a new survey.

Oil's Perspective on What's Behind the Energy Crisis - 6/21/2008 12:00:00 AM

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The New York Times by Jad Mouawad

Before heading to Saudi Arabia for an emergency energy summit this weekend, David J. O’Reilly, the chairman and chief executive of Chevron, spoke about why Congress should allow more access to offshore drilling in the United States and offered his explanation of why oil prices have jumped to record levels in recent months.

The 'Idle' Oil Field Fallacy - 6/20/2008 12:00:00 AM

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Wall Street Journal by Red Cavaney

A bill introduced in Congress this week would "compel" oil and natural gas companies to produce from federal lands they are leasing. If only it were that easy to find and produce oil. Imagine, an act of Congress that could do what geology could not.

Drill Here, Drill Safely, Drill Now - 6/19/2008 12:00:00 AM

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Orlando Sentinel by U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon

Yes, we need conservation and development of geothermal, solar and wind sources. But these sources currently supply only 7 percent of our power needs. Ignoring the supply side of this crisis is a dangerous gamble with America's future. It's time to tell Congress: Drill here, drill safely, drill now.

The Gas Prices We Deserve - 6/5/2008 12:00:00 AM

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Washington Post By George F. Will

The U.S. Minerals Management Service says that restricted area [ANWR] contains perhaps 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas -- 10 times as much oil and 20 times as much natural gas as Americans use in a year.
read more

No Profits, No Oil - 6/4/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Boston Globe By Jeff Jacoby

So who's the real "profiteer" - Big Oil or Big Brother? And who is likelier to keep energy abundant - the profit-seeking entrepreneurs who pull it from the ground, or the politicians who demonize them when they succeed?
read more

Creating More Barriers Won't Solve Energy Woes - 5/31/2008 12:00:00 AM

Sat, 31 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Kansas City Star By E. Thomas McClanahan

In the capital last week, top officials said they plan to exempt about 30 oil-and-gas fields from certain taxes in a bid to encourage more output.
read more

Bashing Big Oil - 5/30/2008 12:00:00 AM

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Charlotte Observer

Political inaction has left the U.S. economy dependent on a single energy source found in large part in countries that are either politically unstable or at odds with U.S. policy and interests. And members of Congress are wagging their fingers at oil executives.
read more [reposted]

Energy Need Rises - 5/12/2008 12:00:00 AM

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Washington Times opinion by Wendell Cox

As the global race for energy becomes more competitive, the good news is that America has made tremendous strides in energy efficiency. read more

Oil Industry Officials Speak At Capitol About Gas Price Effects - 5/8/2008 12:00:00 AM

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Channel 3000 News

This price hike comes right as national and state petroleum councils meet for an Energy Education Day at the state Capitol. Experts said that the high local price reflects the high price and increasing demand around the world. read more

Big Government Profits Most from Gasoline - 5/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500

from Inside ALEC - by Jonathan Williams

Whenever high gasoline prices are in the headlines, various commentators and politicians immediately jump on the “price gouging” bandwagon, while others renew calls for a “windfall profits tax” on energy companies. read more

Start Drilling - 4/30/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Washington Post opinion by Robert Samuelson

The truth is that we're almost powerless to influence today's prices. We are because we didn't take sensible actions 10 or 20 years ago. If we persist, we will be even worse off in a decade or two. The first thing to do: Start drilling. read more