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Not too good to be true

Some of the latest research on U.S. petroleum reserves paints a refreshingly optimistic picture of our future capacity – not just in shale gas which is often touted as the fuel of the future, but for oil as well.

One study from the National Petroleum Council found that the United States and Canada, combined, could be producing 22.5 million barrels per day by the year 2035, an amount about equal to current domestic demand today. The report finds that the same technologies — such as hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling — that have helped producers access more shale gas, could also unlock large volumes of so-called tight oil which has long been considered inaccessible. This trend of increased production, the report finds, would lead to job creation not just in the oil and gas industry, but also in the petrochemicals sector, which relies on oil and gas as key feedstocks.

The National Petroleum Council’s report follows another recent study from Goldman Sachs finding that the U.S. – currently the world’s third largest oil producer behind Saudi Arabia and Russia – could become the largest later this decade.

Such numbers are good, but definitely not too good to be true. In a recent Wall Street Journal piece, Daniel Yergin takes an in-depth look at the history of the peak oil discussion and explains why the doomsayers have repeatedly underestimated the United States’ oil-producing potential. Take as just one example, the Bakken formation in North Dakota. Just eight years ago, it was producing about 10,000 barrels per day, but today that has risen to more than 400,000 bpd, and North Dakota is the fourth largest oil-producing state in the country, thanks largely to that “tight oil” that the National Petroleum Council references in its report.

SMU Study: “Proposed EPA Electric Utility Air Quality Rules: Weakening the Nation’s Economic Recovery and Putting America’s Most Competitive Manufacturing Industries at Risk ”

SMU Study: “Proposed EPA Electric Utility Air Quality Rules: Weakening the Nation’s Economic Recovery and Putting America’s Most Competitive Manufacturing Industries at Risk ”

“The outcome of the EPA Rules is predictable – higher electricity and natural gas costs reduce manufacturing competitiveness, jobs and exports.” Paul Cicio, President of the Industrial Energy Consumers of America 
Implementation of the proposed EPA Electric Utility CrossState Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) and the Utility Maximum Achievable Control Technology Rule (MACT) have grave consequences for the global competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in general but especially for the energy intensive industries. Together, studies show that on a regional basis, electric rates covering 24 states would increase 12.1 to 23.5 percent in 2016. And, coal to natural gas fuel switching would increase natural gas prices by 17 percent by 2016.

The manufacturing sector has lost 5.7 million jobs or 33 percent since 2000. That is an average annual rate of 574,000 job losses per year. A tragedy. Despite this, the manufacturing sector is currently the only sector of the economy that is showing signs of a rebound as illustrated in output and in export growth. Higher electricity and natural gas costs threaten the continued renaissance of US manufacturing.

Globally competitive energy is an essential ingredient to manufacturing growth and exports. The reason is that energy intensive products like iron and steel, chemicals, pulp and paper, glass, cement, aluminum, lime, gypsum, nonmetallics,
clay, refractories and textile products are the basic inputs for the production of “all” finished manufactured goods.

We urge the EPA to work with industry to implement a cost effective rule that will not raise electricity and natural gas costs. If energy intensive manufacturing industries are globally competitive, more and more of the downstream manufacturing industries will prosper as well. More manufacturing products will be produced in the United States versus imported and exports would grow accordingly. This bodes well for greater economic growth and jobs.

Proposed EPA Power-Sector Air Rules: Weakening Economic Recovery and Putting America’s Most Competitive Manufacturing Industries at Risk

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Do you know how many miles per gallon you’re getting?

If you’re like many consumers, you have no idea of your car’s mileage per gallon. You probably took note of the number when you acquired the car, but soon enough dismissed it as a rather meaningless figure that had little bearing on real world driving conditions.

What’s more, you probably give little thought to some of the other details of your daily commute, such as your style for breaking when approaching a red light, or accelerating on green. And aside from complaining about the bad traffic, you probably have little idea just how much time you spend actually idling in traffic.

But there’s a school of thought that says you should care about all these things because they can make a real difference in the amount you spend on fuel. The movement is known as hypermiling and the basic theory is that, with a few basic tweaks to your driving style, you can get a lot more mileage out of the fuel in your tank.

Here are some of the basics: When driving around town, stopping suddenly and accelerating quickly consume more gas than cruising slowly toward and away from a stop light. In highway driving conditions, setting your car on cruise control can help you avoid that lead foot on the gas and the brakes, which adds up at the pump. And, because you as the driver have more power over the gas you consume than you probably realize, it’s important to track you car’s mileage per gallon after every trip, so you can track your progress.

This may all sound rather silly: Even here at CEA where we encourage consumers to conserve energy whenever possible, we understand that some extreme energy saving techniques can be penny wise but pound foolish. Sparing the air conditioner can save fuel, until you factor in all the extra drag on the car produced by open windows. Likewise, we wouldn’t recommend slowly cruising all the way to your office, unless it’s only a block away.

On the other hand, some of the research around hypermiling suggests that a few simple changes can produce significant savings. They may also make you realize that you’ve been driving a lot more aggressively than you thought. And who knows, they may translate into a more pleasant, peaceful commute. Consider this video about the way drivers typically approach red lights.

You be the judge. Like extreme couponing, hypermiling is not for everyone. But for the extremely dedicated and disciplined, it could prove well worth the effort. No one ever said conserving energy had to be easy.

 

CEA Welcomes New Member Ohio Chamber of Commerce

CEA Welcomes New Member Ohio Chamber of Commerce

CHICAGO – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is pleased to welcome the Ohio Chamber of Commerce as its newest affiliate member.

With 6,000 members ranging from small town businesses to international corporations, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce represents Ohio’s business voice. Founded in 1893, the Ohio Chamber is one of the state’s oldest business organizations. The Ohio Chamber is led by a volunteer board of directors that consists of 66 business leaders from all over the state.  With a staff of 20 people including lobbyists, political experts, membership specialists and knowledgeable support staff, the Ohio Chamber promotes a pro-business agenda with Ohio’s elected officials and provides services that help members run their businesses.

“The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce its new partnership with CEA.  Energy policy greatly affects our entire membership and we believe it is essential that energy policy remains at the forefront of the discussion by our elected officials.  By joining CEA, the Chamber will leverage CEA’s knowledge of national energy issues,” said Jennifer Klein, Director of Energy and Environment for the Ohio Chamber.

“Consumer Energy Alliance is pleased to work closely with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce on energy issues at a state, regional and national level,” said CEA Midwest Executive Director Ryan Scott. “The primary goal of CEA is to unite energy consumers and producers in an effort to build a pragmatic energy policy.  The Ohio Chamber accomplishes this by bringing together its member organizations and pursuing energy legislation that will benefit all consumers.  CEA looks forward to working closely with the Ohio Chamber to provide its membership with credible energy information and to learn first-hand the concerns that their members have about federal and state energy policies.  In an unpredictable business climate, energy policy that creates certainty for businesses and consumers while providing reliable and affordable energy is more important than ever.  CEA Midwest is very pleased to welcome the Ohio Chamber of Commerce in promoting such policies.”

One single industry: Many ways to create jobs (a recap)

This past Monday marked yet another downbeat Labor Day, with too many people who ought to have been taking a break from work, lacking work altogether. This week there are new signs that Washington is finally looking at the nation’s unemployment problem for what it is: a serious crisis in need of immediate attention.

This renewed focus on job creation is overdue, and we welcome any sound ideas that President Obama and other lawmakers have to offer. We also need to note that while the jobs crisis has been persistent, job creation does not always have to be a perplexing puzzle. Right now, the oil and gas industry has the ability to create tens of thousands of well-paying jobs, if only Washington would get out of the way. We’ve noted several times before on this blog that restrictive drilling policies in the Gulf of Mexico have damaged not just the local economy, but have cost jobs around the country. Now, as lawmakers take a closer look at ways to create jobs, we offer a recap of some of the best job-creating strategies that we’ve highlighted on this blog in the past.

  • Lift hurdles to drilling in the Gulf. Policies that encourage oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico are not only essential to our energy security but, as a recent report from the Gulf Economic Survival Team showed, some 230,000 jobs around the country could be created just by returning the Gulf to production levels seen before last year’s deepwater drilling moratorium. Never mind that the moratorium has been lifted, the rate of drilling there is still down. News last month that the Interior Department is planning its first sale of offshore leases in the Gulf in more than a year left us encouraged, but lease sales off Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic remain suspended, despite overwhelming bipartisan support from the Commonwealth’s leaders, and development of Alaska’s abundant offshore resources in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas remains in prolonged bureaucratic limbo.
  • Approve the proposed Keystone XL pipeline connecting oil producers in Canada and the upper Midwestern region of the U.S. to refiners in the Gulf. Keystone is the sort of large-scale infrastructure project that lawmakers commonly cite for being able to create large numbers of well-paying jobs in the ailing construction sector. A ruling on the $7 billion project is expected around year-end. Your support of this important project is needed now.
  • Support responsible development of shale gas. The combined use of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling to access vast gas reserves long considered off limits has been a bright spot in the domestic energy sector in recent years. This activity has not only opened up a major new source of domestic energy, but also created several pockets of robust economic activity – some say boom towns – from Pennsylvania to Colorado to Texas. The decline in economic activity in the Gulf should serve as a warning about how overly restrictive policies can kill jobs, even in established industries. Now, as lawmakers continue to consider the best ways to regulate this fairly new industry, they must keep in mind how many jobs are at stake and adopt policies that support the responsible development of this important natural resource.

 

Myths and Realities about Energy Production in the Gulf

There has been much discussion — and spin — recently on the state of responsible American energy production, the most contentious of which has developed around producing oil offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Despite a clear slowdown in permitting since last year’s moratorium, and the very real economic hardship this has imposed on businesses and consumers across the nation, many have chosen either to deny there is a problem or simply blamed those impacted by the federal government’s decision to significantly slowdown development of our offshore energy resources. Given the state of our economy and the economic benefits that await us if we resume normal operations in the Gulf, it’s important that Americans are armed with the facts about the stark reality of declining Gulf energy production.

Below are five common myths being pushed about domestic oil production, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, accompanied by a description of what’s happening in reality.

Myth: The Gulf of Mexico has returned to normal production levels and there is no “permitting freeze” in place. Reality: It would be nice if this was reality, but this simply isn’t the case. The permitting freeze is real and Americans are suffering every day as a result, a fact that can be seen simply by reviewing historical data. Between 2005 and 2010, the annual average number of offshore permits approved sat comfortably at 545. Since May 2010, only 113 permits have been approved. But upon even closer inspection, you find that these 113 permits are actually for only 34 wells since each well requires multiple permits resulting in multiple regulatory hurdles.  Only by denying this reality could one conclude there is no dramatic slowdown in permitting. While it is true that the Gulf of Mexico is still producing oil, it is doing so at a much lower rate. According to the U.S. government’s Energy Information Administration, Gulf production is expected to decline to 1.39 million barrels per day in 2012, or 400,000 barrels per day below the average production rate in 2009 (1.7 million barrels per day). Some have suggested that total U.S. production has increased, so the impact on the Gulf must be overstated. But that’s clearly not the case, as the EIA data clearly shows.

Myth: Rigs aren’t leaving the Gulf of Mexico, so our production base there will be fine. Reality: To date, nearly a dozen rigs have left the Gulf since the White House imposed its moratorium last spring, each taking with them hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in economic potential. In a capital intensive industry like energy production, companies need a predictable permitting process with a commensurately predictable level of permitting. Each day a rig sits idle, that’s millions of dollars in lost revenue. Absent a predictable investment climate, energy companies will move elsewhere, which ultimately means we will import more energy. The fact that more rigs haven’t left doesn’t mean they won’t; it just means they haven’t left yet. Imagine owning a business and paying rent for the space you have in the building, but the local government tells you that you can’t open your doors. You may wait awhile to see what happens, but eventually you’ll find a different location that will allow you to operate and generate revenue so you can pay your bills. And you won’t likely consider the prospect of ever going back, even if the original location changes its rules. Why take the risk of getting shut down again?

Myth: We should be focusing on creating new jobs in alternative energy and stop producing oil. Reality: Indeed, as we have long advocated here, America does need a sensible long-term all of the above energy policy that seeks to expand production from all sources, from renewable to traditional sources like oil and gas. But America also desperately needs jobs, and we need them now. Renewables should be encouraged starting today, with the recognition that they are years away from being able to supply our country with the affordable energy it needs. A recent IHS-CERA report entitled “Restarting the Engine” shows that just by resuming production in the Gulf to its pre-moratorium levels could create 230,000 jobs in 2012 and an additional 199,000 jobs in 2013. Look no further than North Dakota and Oklahoma to see how responsible oil and gas production can create jobs: North Dakota’s unemployment rate is a resoundingly low 3.3% and Oklahoma’s is 5.5%, both well below the national unemployment rate that has been stuck above 9% for more than two years.

Myth: We need to wait until the federal government “gets it right” on safety in the Gulf before we resume drilling. Reality: No one is calling for abolishing safety standards, but those standards need to be feasible and applied in a consistent and timely manner. Companies in the Gulf – not just production companies but also the countless workers in countless jobs who support the offshore industry or need reliable oil and gas to conduct business or manufacture products – have been forced to burn through what little cash reserves they have, lay off employees, reduce benefits, and even tap into retirement savings, all because the current permitting approval process is broken. How is the government protecting the Gulf by imposing such avoidable economic pain? Moreover, if the government needs to “get it right” on a regulatory structure, it’s interesting to note that 5 of the 7 scientists hired by the federal government to make safety recommendations after the Macondo accident last year never recommended or supported a moratorium, and a federal judge declared the moratorium “arbitrary and capricious.” The idea that the current slowdown is a means of “getting it right” not only defies common sense, but also scientific and legal expertise. To get an idea of just how much pain the permitting slowdown is inflicting on hardworking Americans – along the Gulf Coast and indeed throughout the country – just visit OpenTheGulf.org.

Myth: We should expand renewables to reduce our reliance on unstable regimes for our energy. Reality: We absolutely need to expand our renewable energy capacity, as well as energy efficiency technologies and conservation. But the inescapable fact is we’re also going to be using oil for decades to come, and its better that we produce that oil here at home instead of sending our money elsewhere.  Already in 2011, the US has sent almost $250 billion overseas to meet our national oil needs as we report in our Imported Oil Counter on www.moreenergynow.org.  IHS-CERA estimates that resuming full permitting would allow the United States to produce 150 million more barrels of oil in 2012, each barrel of which is one more barrel we don’t have to buy from overseas. This comes out to America reducing the amount of money that it sends foreign governments for energy by $15 billion. And this considerable strengthening of energy security could be realized if the Administration simply resumed permitting to what it was before the costly moratorium was imposed.

Resuming responsible energy production in the Gulf of Mexico is needed now more than ever. We need to create more jobs, increase available energy supplies, and help end the needless pain being felt along the Gulf Coast. By discarding the spin and getting back to reality, it’s clear that we can achieve these goals and finally move forward. Again, for more information on the real impacts of this slowdown, we suggest readers check out the compelling stories posted at OpenTheGulf.org.

Consumer Energy Alliance Welcomes New Member Reliable Renewables, LLC

Consumer Energy Alliance Welcomes New Member Reliable Renewables, LLC

HOUSTON – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is pleased to welcome Reliable Renewables, LLC as its newest affiliate member.

Reliable Renewables, LLC develops, owns, and operates modular biomass gasification power plants of 2-5 megawatts.  The power plants are fueled by agricultural waste, pulp & paper waste, energy crops, and refuse-derived fuel.  These power plants operate around-the-clock providing a consistent, sustainable flow of renewable energy.  The biogas produced can be utilized to produce electricity in a GE Jenbacher, or a similar engine.  Alternatively, the biogas produced can be used to fuel incumbent processes such as kilns, fractionation towers, or existing engines and turbines.  Fuel cost is reduced or eliminated as the gasification plants are small enough to be located adjacent to biomass supplies.

“Consumer Energy Alliance is pleased to work closely with Reliable Renewables on energy issues at a regional and national level,” said CEA Executive Vice-President Andrew Browning. “One fundamental goal of CEA is to unite consumers and producers of energy in an effort to seek rational energy policy that helps lower fuel costs for everyone. Reliable Renewables accomplishes this by providing its customers with biomass energy supply that is cost efficient.  CEA looks forward to working closely with Reliable Renewables to provide consumers with credible energy information and learning first-hand some of the concerns consumers have about federal and state energy policies.”

“Reliable Renewables, LLC is pleased to join the efforts of CEA to help develop energy policies that will encourage utilization of America’s vast biomass resources bringing lower cost, reliable electric power and biogas to US consumers,” said Zach Scott, Managing Partner of Reliable Renewables, LLC.

September 2011 Newsletter

September 2011 CEA Newsletter
Issue 54


In recent months we’ve often discussed energy from the perspective of some basic consumer issues like the cost of air conditioning and the pain at the gas pump that puts a damper on otherwise carefree road trips. These issues are anything but trivial, as we recently noted when citing the large number of heat-related deaths during July. But as summer passes, we are shifting our focus to some of the broader ways that the cost of energy and our access to it affects all consumers. The fact is, we are all paying for the limits that our policymakers have imposed on domestic oil production, even if we don’t pay at the pump.

To better illustrate the ways that policies covering the Gulf of Mexico affect businesses and consumers all around the country, CEA recently launched the Open the Gulf campaign, a series of ads featuring working people and small businesses discussing the economic hit they’ve taken as a result of the deepwater drilling moratorium that was imposed in the Gulf last year – and the de facto restrictions that have remained even after the moratorium was lifted. Tugboat operators in the area have seen their main source of business evaporate, and many other businesses thousands of miles from the Gulf — from small family farms to independent truckers — are also feeling the squeeze of higher oil prices.

We hope you will take a moment to watch these ads at http://openthegulf.org. You’ll hear from a farmer who complains that fuel costs have expanded to more than a third of his budget, and from a struggling tugboat operator who explains that his business buys equipment from suppliers all over the country, who are now suffering lost business. And if that phrase “lost business” once sounded like an abstract term, now more than ever we know that it means jobs lost and hiring delayed.

Likewise, it’s critical that we appreciate how the policies covering the oil sector in the Gulf have a pretty direct impact on all of us, even if we work in an entirely different industry in another part of the country. The Gulf of Mexico accounts for about 30 percent of U.S. oil production and 11 percent of natural gas production. But in the wake of last year’s deepwater drilling moratorium, we’ve seen a steep drop in the number of drilling permits issued in the Gulf.

And speaking of other areas of the country, a different policy debate brewing far to the north of the Gulf offers another reminder of the power of domestic energy to unite us all around common goals. Washington has been dragging its feet over the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, a large-scale infrastructure project that would connect oil producers in Canada and the upper Midwestern region of the U.S. to refiners in the Gulf. Besides ensuring a steady flow of North American oil that would make us less dependent on producers oceans away, the pipeline would create thousands of jobs.

While support is strong in all the states like Montana, Nebraska and Oklahoma, through which the pipeline would travel, its approval has been held up by regulators in Washington. We can only conclude that those who object to the project are not focusing on the tangible economic benefits it would produce. As Nebraska Congressman Lee Terry recently noted in The Hill, the newspaper covering the U.S. Congress, “(The project) will produce American jobs and income while stimulating our country’s economy…. This is a shot in the arm that our struggling economy needs right now.”

As of this writing, I’m encouraged to see that a major barrier holding up this long-delayed project has been lifted, with the State Department finding that construction of the pipeline would not have a significant environmental impact. That is good news, but it is not the final word, so we need to continue to remind policymakers how critical this project would be to our economy and our energy security.

David Holt

 


Echo Your Support For North American Energy – Secure, Homegrown Resources

In the face of high prices at the fuel pump and global events that threaten oil supply, the United States has the opportunity to actually do something about it.  The Keystone XL pipeline, which will carry 700,000 barrels of oil per day from our ally, Canada, as well as from the Dakotas, Montana, and Oklahoma to Gulf Coast refineries, will mean greater national security, a stable fuel supply, and economic growth in the US.

Before this vital project can proceed, the Department of State must issue a Presidential Permit to allow the pipeline to cross from Canada into the United States.  After years of environment review, the Department of State concluded that no significant issues exist that should prohibit this project from moving forward.  Now, the Department needs to hear why this project is in the nation’s best interest – the final step in the permit’s review process.

Take Action: Please write Secretary Clinton and tell her that increased energy security and economic growth are clearly good things for this country.  The Administration must grant the President Permit as expeditiously as possible so Americans can realize these tremendous benefits.

Take Action Now!

 

Energy Day 2011 Updates

We are only 45 days away from the first annual Energy Day Festival.  On October 15, 2011 75 sponsors and partners, over 80 exhibitors and the people of Houston, TX will make Energy Day 2011 a can’t-miss event.  On September 1st, CEA will conduct a conference call on which all sponsors, partners and exhibitors will be invited to participate.  We had over 60 participants for the hour and a half call that featured a lively discussion pertaining to exactly what will take place in Downtown Houston on October 15.

Here is the list of confirmed Energy Day sponsors:

ABC-13/KTRK-TV, Air Transport Association, American Public Power Association, Anadarko, Apache, ASES Houston Solar Tour, Bug Ware, Inc., Caterpillar, CenterPoint Energy, Children’s Museum of Houston, City of Houston, ConocoPhillips, Consumer Energy Alliance, Consumer Energy Education Foundation, Cooperative for After-School Enrichment (CASE), CSTEM Teacher & Student Support Services, Earth Quest Institute, Eco-Holdings Engineering, El Paso Corporation, Energy People Connect, Environmentally Friendly Drilling Program, eVgo, Foundation for Energy Education, Geophysical Society of Houston, German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern US, Inc., Greater Houston Partnership, Halliburton, Harris County Department of Education, Hess Corporation, Houston Advanced Research Center, Houston Area Land Rover Centers, Houston Community College-Northeast Energy Institute, Houston Geological Society, Houston Independent School District, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Wiess Energy Hall, Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce – Energize! Houston, Houston Renewable Energy Group, Houston Renewable Energy Network, Houston Technology Center, HoustonWorks USA, Ignite Solar, Independent Natural Resources, International Power | GDF Suez, KBR, Inc., Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), Lone Star College System, Momentum Luxury Group , NASA-Johnson Space Center, National Algae Association, NRG Energy | Reliant Energy, Offshore Energy Center, Purestream, Inc., San Jacinto College – Energy Venture Camp, Schlumberger, Science & Engineering Fair of Houston, Shell, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Society of Women Engineers – Houston Area Section, 60 Plus Association, Statoil, Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering, Texas Sol Renewable, Texas Southern University, Jesse H. Jones School of Business, Texas TicKids, The Wind Alliance, TransCanada, TXU Energy, United Airlines, University of Houston, University of Texas, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for 21st Century Energy, U.S. DOE Gulf Coast Clean Energy Application Center, Waste Management, Western Energy Alliance, YES Prep Public School

We need your participation and involvement to make this an outstanding event! Please email Kathleen at KKoehler@consumerenergyalliance.org for details.

All sponsors have begun to give us their exhibit ideas and designs, all of which will be very exciting for the youth of Houston.    Here are a few confirmed exhibits:

  • Combined heat and power system; 8 x 22 Kawasaki engine
  • Natural gas vehicle
  • Solar panels and wind turbines
  • Mobile Offshore Learning Unit
  • Interactive iPad games and applications
  • eVgo is bringing the Freedom Station (electric vehicle charging station) and 1 or two electric vehicles
  • and plenty more….

The Energy Day Academic Awards Program (ECAP) is beginning to come to its conclusion.  The year-round program that awards Houston-area students for their efforts in local, energy related, academic competitions will end in front of City Hall at Energy Day on October 15, 2011.

Energy Day Academic Awards Program – Upcoming Events

There are still three events on going and they do not conclude until the end of September.  There is still plenty of time for area students to submit their entries.  The three events, an art competition, an essay competition and a video competition, are the result of a partnership between CEA, The Houston Geological Society and the Houston Museum of Natural Science- Weiss Energy Hall.

The art competition, entitled “Picturing our Ever Changing Earth” is open to all students grades K-5.  The second competition, an essay competition entitled “How Change Shapes our Planet,” is open to those students currently in grades 6-9.  Our final competition, a media/video competition entitled “A World of Change in My Community,” is open to all students regardless of class.

For more details on the Energy Capital Academic Program or the remaining ECAP events please go to www.energyday2011.org and click on the Academic Awards tab or email Craig at CKoshkin@consumerenergyalliance.org.

Energy Day Exhibitor’s Spotlight

With Energy Day only 45 days away, we wanted to give you an inside look at exactly what will be on display.  For the months of September and October, you will get a look at a few of the exhibitors that will be on hand at Energy Day and what they hope to accomplish.

Shell

Shell is a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology and one of America’s leading oil and natural gas producers, gasoline and natural gas marketers and petrochemical manufacturers. We operate in 50 states and employ more than 22,000 people delivering energy in technically innovative ways.

At Energy Day, Shell will be displaying the following:

Interactive Oil & Gas Display: Shell has partnered with the University of Texas GEO-FORCE students to demonstrate how hydrocarbons are safely extracted from the ground. The demonstrations will be hands-on and will provide a safe, fun way for young students to become excited about the industry.

Eco-Marathon Display: Two Eco-Marathon cars will be on display to showcase Shell’s involvement with renewables, the company’s commitment to innovation and promote next year’s Houston Eco-Marathon.

TAME Trailer Display (bonus space): Shell has also partnered with the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering.  TAME will be providing their educational  trailblazer trailer that will be located across from the Shell exhibit. The trailer will have hands-on educational science and math activities for children and their families.

 

Statoil

Statoil is an international energy company with operations in 34 countries. Building on more than 35 years of experience from oil and gas production on the Norwegian continental shelf, a quarter of our production is now derived from international assets. We are committed to accommodating the world’s energy needs in a responsible manner, applying technology and creating innovative business solutions. Statoil is headquartered in Norway with 20,000 employees worldwide, and is listed on the New York and Oslo stock exchanges. For more information on Statoil please visit www.statoil.com.

The Statoil display will include interactive STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) demonstrations meant to engage and impassion the next generation of technical professionals.  The exhibit will also include components that showcase our Heroes of Tomorrow initiative through our partnerships with First LEGO League and the Houston Dynamo.

 

Houston Museum of Natural Science Wiess Energy Hall

The Wiess Energy Hall is a permanent exhibit in the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It explores the application of scientific concepts and advanced technology in the energy industry. The hall incorporates dynamic interactive learning methods including computer graphics, touch screens, holographic video displays, and virtual reality. The Energy Conservation Club, sponsored by Marathon Oil Corporation, is a web portal to help children learn about energy and how to conserve our natural resources.

The goal of the Wiess Energy Hall Energy Conservation Club at Energy Day is to demonstrate concepts of energy transformation and generation through interactive activities. Participants will experience the generation of electricity by turning a hand cranked generator and observing how their energy transforms into light and sound. The relationship of magnetism to electricity generation will come alive as participants operate the Generator Simulator which illustrates the movement of electrons through a conductor. The variety of fuels including fossil fuels and renewables needed to generate electricity will be demonstrated through interactive activities.

 

Houston Renewable Energy Group

HREG believes we have a choice to live in a responsible and sustainable manner, achievable through renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency measures and proper planning of our cities and communities. The purpose of HREG is to further the development of renewable energy and related arts, sciences, and technologies with concern for the ecological, social and economic fabric of our community and state. This is accomplished through the exchange of ideas and information by means of meetings, publications and public displays. HREG serves to inform public, institutional and governmental bodies and seek to raise the level of public and government awareness of its purpose.

During Energy Day, participants will learn about solar energy systems, energy efficiency and sustainable building technologies by visiting residences and businesses in the Houston area that use these technologies in real world applications and through the Green Energy Fair being conducted at Tranquility Park as part of Energy Day. Participants will have the opportunity to visit over twenty varieties of existing solar solutions, from commercial installations and residential projects to solar thermal hot water and pool heaters.

 

University of Houston

The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, is ranked by the Carnegie Foundation as a Top Tier university and by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the “Great Colleges to Work for”. UH stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 37,000 students.

The University of Houston will be exhibiting its research and development efforts in renewable/alternative energies and energy sustainability. These include programs in ultra-high efficiency solar cells; wind power generation, architectural integration of alternative energies; clean fuel cell energy; superconductivity and energy savings, clean diesel technology; balloon launch air quality studies; advanced subsurface analysis of hydrocarbon deposits; and sustainability through energy and materials conservation.

Standby Power

Did you know that many electrical products use energy when plugged in, even if turned off? As you read this, many of your own household appliances and conveniences are using “standby power” – the term for using energy when plugged in, yet not in use.

Standby Power is costly to consumers – about 10 percent of household electricity use is due to standby-powered electronics. At any time, the average home in the United States has 40 products constantly using power without the homeowner realizing it.

To save on home electricity bills and reduce wasteful standby power use, try these tips from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:

  • Unplug devices that aren’t being used
  • Use power strips to cut power to groups of electronics at one time
  • Purchase low-use standby products

Using tips such as these – and more found here – may save you up to 30 percent of the wasted energy being used in your home.

 

 

 

News from the Gulf Economic Survival Team (GEST)

BOEMRE/Industry Workshop Provides Greater Clarity to Permitting Process

Energy operators and staff from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) met today in New Orleans for a full-day workshop aimed at resolving permitting hurdles that are preventing a full return of drilling activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

Attended by more than 200 industry and government representatives, the workshop marks an important milestone in the Gulf Economic Survival Team’s work since the end of the moratorium in October 2010 to help this nation get back to work with American energy.   GEST was invited to attend the meeting as a result of their continued efforts to facilitate discussions between industry and BOEMRE. In fact, BOEMRE Director Michael Bromwich agreed to host today’s workshop during a meeting with GEST representatives, LA DNR Secretary Scott Angelle, and the Back to Work Coalition on July 26 in New Orleans.

“GEST requested that the agency host this workshop to provide a greater level of transparency, clarity and efficiency to the permitting process. We are very appreciative that Director Bromwich was able to fulfill our request, and are pleased with the productive dialogue that we have had today,” says GEST Executive Director Lori LeBlanc.

A final economic report issued by IHS this month indicated that the total number of exploration and development plans pending approval at BOEMRE has increased by more than 90 percent compared to pre-moratorium levels, with pending deepwater plans in particular up 250 percent. Approvals of shallow and deepwater exploration and drilling plans and actual drilling permits are down by more than 85 and 65 percent, respectively.  Deepwater permits alone are down by 80 percent.

The IHS study concludes that a more proactive approach for issuing plan and permit approvals would result in 230,000 new or retained American jobs, more than $44 billion in US GDP, nearly $12 billion in tax and royalty revenues, and a reduction of $15 billion in America’s bill for imported oil, all in 2012 alone. One third of jobs created would be outside of the Gulf region, in states like California, Illinois and New York.

“Helping operators better understand and implement new drilling requirements will hopefully reduce permit application return rates and increase permit approvals, benefitting the strained federal agency, America’s energy supply, and the national economy,” explains LeBlanc. “We owe it to our country to continue to give this issue the attention it deserves when you consider the significance in revitalizing our national economy.”

In preparation for today’s workshop, GEST collected questions and concerns from operators and submitted this list to BOEMRE officials. The questions and concerns focused on issues such as the permitting process itself and new permitting requirements, subsea containment, and the new well screening tool being utilized by the federal agency. An afternoon session at the workshop featured a panel of industry representatives discussing best management practices.

BOEMRE also announced today implementation of a new online resource with guidance documents and fact sheets to help operators improve the accuracy of any submittals, as well as a new online permit tracking system. GEST had suggested the development of both of these new tools during ongoing discussions with Director Bromwich over the past few months. With the leadership of Secretary Angelle, GEST representatives have met with Director Bromwich eleven times since January in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans.

“While there is still work to be done to streamline the pace of permitting, we are hopeful that today’s workshop and BOEMRE’s new online tools will reduce the number of times applications are recycled back between the agency and operators,” LeBlanc explained. “GEST will continue to monitor the progress of permit approvals and facilitate discussions between industry and BOEMRE in order to get this nation back to work with American energy.”

Full news release is available at www.GulfEconomicSurvival.org

 

CEA Praises U.S. State Department Release of Final Environmental Impact Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline

CEA Praises U.S. State Department Release of Final Environmental Impact Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline
EIS Supports Earlier Findings that Pipeline will have Limited Adverse Environmental Impacts

WASHINGTON DC- The State Department today released its final environmental impact statement (EIS) on the Keystone XL pipeline.  The EIS, which supports the department’s initial finding that the Keystone XL pipeline will have limited adverse environmental impacts, is a victory for American consumers.

Michael Whatley, executive vice president of the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), praised the announcement and released the following statement:

“We are glad that the State Department has issued this favorable final statement and that the process of approving the pipeline is moving forward.  The Keystone XL pipeline is being built in a way that is safer and steadier than any other in the country.  This is a huge win for American consumers.  The pipeline will not only help lower fuel prices but it will create 20,000 much needed high-wage jobs in America’s heartland,  generate more than $20 billion in economic growth, and significantly reduce our dependence on oil from unstable regimes.”

Rich Moskowitz, vice president and regulatory affairs council at the American Trucking Association and chairman of CEA stated: “The Keystone XL will significantly lower diesel prices by allowing the addition of 700,000 barrels of product per day into the US markets.  This will have a positive impact on truckers and the U.S. economy as a whole.”

The 1,700-mile proposed pipeline would deliver 700,000 barrels of U.S. and Canadian crude oil per day to the U.S.  Keystone XL received approval from Canada’s National Energy Board in 2010, but the project also requires a Presidential Permit from the U.S. Department of State because it crosses an international border.

In June, Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) delivered more than 62,000 public comments supporting the project to the U.S. Department of State, all of which came from people living in the six states through which the proposed pipeline will travel: Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

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