Big Oil Not Keen on Obama’s Green Lead

The Obama administration wants to reduce oil consumption, increase renewable energy supplies and cut carbon dioxide emissions in the most ambitious transformation of energy policy in a generation.

But the world’s oil giants are not convinced that it will work. Many of the oil companies are staying on the sidelines, balking at investing in new technologies favored by the president, or even straying from commitments they had already made.

“In my view, nothing has really changed,” Rex W. Tillerson, the chief executive of Exxon Mobil, said after the election of President Obama.

Indeed.

“We don’t oppose alternative energy sources and the development of those. But to hang the future of the country’s energy on those alternatives alone belies reality of their size and scale”

Spoken like a true Big Oil executive.

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Utilities Prepare to Use Biogas in Natural Gas Pipes

A recent story on on Enbridge Gas Distribution and its early investigation of biogas-injection into its natural gas pipelines. It’s already being done in several European countries and some U.S. states, and is even mandated in countries such as Germany. Enbridge, and Terasen Gas in British Columbia, are among a number of gas utilities in North America that are trying to prepare themselves for the day when “bio-methane” will become a common component of natural gas pipeline infrastructure. Will the biogas quality affect the pipeline? Can it be used in all natural gas appliances without problem? How much does it cost to scrub out impurities? What’s the best source: landfills, sewage treatment plants, biodigesters? All questions that are being asked and answered. Indeed, the Gas Technology Institute is in the middle of a $1.6 million (U.S.) study aimed as answering these questions.

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True Blue Natural Gas Blog

A useful blog (quite regularly updated) on natural gas

Natural Gas Intelligence Press

Intelligence Press - Excellent news site , regularly updated, for natural gas - link

Natural Gas discussion @ 2009 Energy Conference

Rick Smead of the American Clean Skies Foundation spoke of the benefits of natural gas in keeping the air clean. He noted that the opportunities provided by the production from gas shale give a step change to the supply available and that it is just a case of going out and working out how to get it.

Jim Simpson of BENTEK who provide real time supply data and modeling. He seemed to think that it is more likely that it will stay below or at $4.

Brian Jeffries of the Wyoming Pipeline Authority talked of the conditions (93% of Wyoming’s energy is exported) that led to the creation of the authority.

Christine Tezak had, until the recent debacle, been working for the Stanford Group and brought up some of the problems that might face the growth of the industry.

John Strom of Haddington Ventures talked a little on bulk energy storage and particularly wind energy with its need to even out the supply load.

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Indiana Clean Coal Project with Synthetic Natural Gas Technology

Indiana solidified its place as a leader in homegrown clean energy production after Gov. Daniels signed into law today a bill to bring Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) technology to the state, billions in energy savings and new jobs.

Senate Enrolled Act 423 was the first bill the governor signed into law for the 2009 legislative session.

Authored by Sen. Brandt Hershman (R-Wheatfield) the new law allows the Indiana Finance Authority to purchase SNG directly from power plants and sell the gas to utilities dollar for dollar under a 30-year contract. Hershman said through the state’s new contract, Hoosiers may see a significant reduction in their energy bills.
From left to right: Sen. Jim Merritt (R-Indianapolis), co-author of SEA 423, and Sen. Brandt Hershman (R-Wheatfield), author of SEA 423, join Gov. Daniels as he signs the first bill of the legislative session into law which extends Indiana’s leadership in clean coal.

Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) is created when coal is put through a gasification process which safely removes the vast majority of unwanted pollutants, leaving a clean burning pipeline-quality gas that can be transported and used just as natural gas is used to heat many Hoosier homes. Synthetic Natural Gas is produced with 99 percent fewer emissions than a traditional coal power plant.

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Separating CO2 from Natural Gas - Royal Dutch Shell, PT Pertamina

As state run oil and gas firm PT Pertamina is selecting partners for the development of the Natuna D-Alpha gas block, the Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell Plc is promoting its technology which it claims is applicable to gas fields contaminated with high levels of CO2. PT Shell Indonesia's president director, said the company had been developing a combined technology to separate CO2 from natural gas. It is expected this combined technology will be able to deal with CO2 contaminated fields with the degree of contamination up to 90 percent.

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