Category Archives: Energy markets

Plastic Watch: Congress Considers Bill to Impose Extended Producer Responsibility, AKA ‘You Break It, You Buy It’

The Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act would impose extended producer responsibility.

Believe It or Not, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Was Even Worse Than Previously Thought

he legacy of Deepwater Horizon lives on, and not in a good way.

Trump Drops Antitrust Probe of Four Automakers Which Adopted Tougher Cal Tailpipe Emissions Standards

Trump drops antitrust investigation of emissions agreeemt between four automakers and state California.

EU Plans to Measure True Climate Impacts of LNG Imports From US Fracked Gas

With climate impacts comparable to coal, the European Commission is planning to study methane reductions emission, with implications for fracked gas US producers.

The Race For Arctic Oil Is Heating Up

Despite climate concerns and environmentalist backlash against exploration for oil and gas in pristine sensitive regions of the Arctic, companies continue to explore for hydrocarbon resources in the Arctic Circle, in Russia and Norway in particular.

This Philadelphia Refinery Is the Country’s Worst Benzene Polluter. Trump Wants To Keep It Open

Trump-aided behind-the-scenes shenanigans may keep a horrifically toxic refinery in business.

Iraq Is on the Brink of an Energy Crisis

A case study of the struggle for influence in Iraq.

‘Uninsurable and Unhedgeable’: Central Banks Warn of Financial Crisis from Climate Change

The world’s most powerful financial institutions are sounding the alarm that “a new global financial crisis triggered by climate change would render central banks and financial supervisors powerless.”

The War in Libya Will Never End

Looking at the gap between posturing and positions in Libya

This Problem With Fracked Oil and Gas Wells Is Occurring ‘at an Alarming Rate’

Well casing failures are a growing problem for an industry chasing profitability by cutting corners for its shale gas fracking operations.

Local Climate Policy Run Amok, Bellingham Edition

Bellingham, Washington tries to take on climate change….and their well-intentioned plan misses an elephant in the room.

Wolf Richter: The Great American Shale Oil & Gas Bust: Fracking Gushes Bankruptcies, Defaulted Debt, and Worthless Shares

A surge in frcking bankruptcies is fueled by collapsing prices for oil and natural gas; no end to the pain is in sight.

US Still at Risk of Iran Retaliation on Oil and Other Fronts

Why the US is vulnerable to Iran disrupting Middle East energy supplies or targeting critical non-oil infrastructure.

Oil and Gas Emissions Are Reversing Progress from Coal’s Decline

More grim emissions news….

The Real Reason the U.S. Is Interested in Iran

An Iran backgrounder that attempts to explain America’s obsession.