New Microbe Discovery Turns Crude Oil Into Methane
Scientists have discovered a microbe that has the potential to transform long-chain hydrocarbons found in crude oil into methane gas, according to a study published Tuesday.
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Oil and gas
Jury to Decide Tubbs Fire Claims Against PG&E
A state court jury will decide if Pacific Gas and Electric should be held liable for the 2017 Tubbs Fire that killed 22 people and caused $6.2 billion in damage, a federal judge ruled Friday.
Read moreNatural Resources
Siding with the Western Organization of Resource Councils, a federal judge enjoined the secretary of the interior from relying on recommendations of his Royalty Policy Committee, as it “operates in secret and works to advance the goals of only one interest: the extractive industries that profit from the development of public gas, oil, and coal.”
Read moreUS ‘Piracy’ Attempt Failed, Iran Says After Court Orders Tanker Release
Iran’s top diplomat said a U.S. attempt at “piracy” had failed after a Gibraltar court on Thursday ordered the release of a tanker carrying Iranian oil despite a U.S. detention request.
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US Halts Release of Iranian Tanker Held in Gibraltar
The United States moved on Thursday to halt the release of an Iranian supertanker detained in Gibraltar for breaching EU sanctions on oil shipments to Syria, thwarting efforts by authorities in London and the British overseas territory to defuse tensions with Tehran.
Read moreTrump to Promote Turning Natural Gas Into Plastics in Pa.
Trying to hold support in the manufacturing towns that helped him win the White House in 2016, President Donald Trump is showcasing growing efforts to capitalize on western Pennsylvania’s natural gas deposits by turning gas into plastics.
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North Korea Steals Millions in Worldwide Cyberattacks
United Nations experts say they are investigating at least 35 instances in 17 countries of North Koreans using cyberattacks to raise money illegally for weapons of mass destruction programs — and they are calling for sanctions against ships providing gasoline and diesel to the country.
Read moreInflation Still Tame as Wholesale Prices Rise Just 0.2%
U.S. wholesale prices increased by only 0.2% in July, another indication of the mild inflation pressures that drove the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates last week.
Read moreExxonMobil
Texas sued ExxonMobil for a July 31 explosion at its Baytown chemical plant, whose toxic smoke forced residents to shelter in place and contaminated a creek, bay and the Houston Ship Channel.
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Community Groups Clash With LA Officials Over Oil Well Buffer Zones
A report released Wednesday recommends that Los Angeles establish buffer zones between communities and oil and gas wells, but community residents say the proposed distance would still expose residents to harmful toxins.
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Third Circuit: Crystallex Can Seize Venezuela’s Citgo Shares
A Third Circuit judge affirmed a federal court ruling Monday that legally attaches Venezuela to shares in a U.S.-based subsidiary of its state-owned oil company, which owns Citgo.
Read moreRussia-Owned Pipeline Operator Challenges EU Gas Rules
The company building a new gas pipeline from Russia to Germany is asking a European Union court to annul changes made this year to an EU gas directive on the grounds that they discriminate against the project.
Read moreWisconsin Tribe Sues to Remove Pipeline From Reservation
A Native American tribe in northern Wisconsin claims in court that Enbridge Energy refuses to remove an oil and natural gas pipeline from its protected lands despite a demand to pack up and leave.
Read moreBritain Holds Emergency Session on Seized Tanker
British Prime Minister Theresa May will chair an emergency security session on Monday to discuss how to respond to Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
Read moreIran Says Seizure of British Ship a ‘Reciprocal’ Move
Officials from Iran said Saturday that the seizure of a British oil tanker was a ‘reciprocal’ move in response to Britain’s detainment of an Iranian supertanker earlier this month.
Read moreIran Says It Seized British Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
Iran said Friday it seized a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a fresh escalation in confrontations in the strategic waterway that has become a flashpoint in tensions between Tehran and the West.
Read moreCamp Fire Victims Outraged at PG&E’s Proposed Rate Hike
Not a single one of the nearly 100 people who spoke Thursday at a utility regulator’s public workshop about Pacific Gas & Electric’s intended rate hike spoke in favor.
Read moreIran Admits It Seized a Foreign Tanker and Crew
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard forces have seized a foreign oil tanker accused of smuggling oil with a crew of 12, Iran’s state TV reported Thursday, days after an oil tanker based in the United Arab Emirates disappeared from trackers in Iranian territorial waters.
Read moreUS Says Iran Seized a Tanker in the Strait of Hormuz
A small oil tanker from the United Arab Emirates traveling through the Strait of Hormuz entered Iranian waters and turned off its tracker three days ago, leading the United States to suspect Iran seized the vessel amid heightened tensions in the region.
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