The California Air Resources Board will hold a hearing Thursday, Dec. 18, at 9 a.m. to provide a status update on the ARB staff’s Technology and Fuels Assessment.
The assessment is being conducted as part of the agency’s Sustainable Freight Strategy and Future State Implementation Plans.
Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) announced that it has completed the spin-off of its subsidiary California Resources Corporation (NYSE:CRC) as an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company operating exclusively in California.
“We spent more than 15 years building a California company, and we expect it to provide significant value to California Resources Corporation stockholders,” said Stephen I. Chazen, President and Chief Executive Officer.
With the 2014 elections over, it appears that GOP House Republicans may be ready to take up debate on reversing the four-decade ban on exports of US crude oil.
U.S. Representative Joe Barton, a Texas Republican, today (Dec. 9) introduced H.R. 5814, aimed at removing all restrictions on the export of crude from the United States.
The bill would also establish a National Policy that “no official of the Federal Government shall impose or enforce any restriction on the export of crude oil.”’
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) invites the public to participate in a workshop Tuesday, December 9, on a proposed ARB regulation to reduce methane emissions from oil and natural gas production, processing, compressor stations and storage operations.
ARB staff will present regulatory approaches, cost impacts and emission estimates. They will also discuss plans for an environmental analysis of the proposed regulation, and will seek input on economic impacts and possible alternatives.
A proposal for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in Los Angeles, approved by the City Council in February, hit a roadblock when the City’s Planning Department advised that implementing the ban was not in the City’s best interest. The Department also said it lacked staff with the required expertise to draft the required regulations regarding oil and gas operations.
Even if it hired staff with the necessary skills, the agency said in a 67-page report to the Council, any restrictions imposed by the City would probably be preempted by federal, state and county regulations.
Local jurisdictions do have the power to regulate the location of oil and gas activity through zoning and land use regulations, the report noted. But, it adds, it is the position of the energy industry that “local jurisdictions have no authority to regulate how oil and gas extraction occurs.”
Javier Estrada has been added as a featured speaker at the Mexico Energy Summit.
Javier Estrada
The Mexico Energy Summit, to be held January 27 in Los Angeles. will bring together internationally recognized industry leaders, investors, and executives from the energy, infrastructure, transportation and finance industries.
Mr. Estrada is Managing Partner of Analítica Energética, a Mexico City consulting firm serving clients working in the petroleum and electrical power sectors.
Previously he was Director General for Energy Planning and Information with Mexico’s Ministry of Energy, and was a Commissioner of Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) and the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH).
