Category Archives: fossil fuels

energy policy, fossil fuels

Reuters: Former Florida Senator Bob Graham in Cuba for environmental talks

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/cuba-usa-idUSL2N0KQ21Y20140116

Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:44pm EST

* Talks center on offshore oil drilling
* Embargo supporter favors some cooperation

By Marc Frank
HAVANA, Jan 16 (Reuters) – A former democratic senator and governor from Florida, Bob Graham, visited Cuba this week to discuss oil spill prevention and preparedness during a trip that has caused a stir among exiles and Cuba watchers due to his traditional support for tough sanctions against the Communist-ruled Caribbean island.

Cuba and its partners drilled three exploratory wells off Cuba’s northern coast in recent years that came up dry, but more such wells are expected in the future in search of billions of barrels of oil thought to be below its Gulf of Mexico waters.

Graham’s first ever visit to Cuba follows President Barack Obama’s recent call, while visiting Miami, for “modernizing” relations with Cuba, as well as his famous handshake with Cuban President Raul Castro while attending Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in South Africa last month.

The strained relationship between the long-time foes has eased since Obama began his second term in office. Recently, State Department and Cuban officials told Reuters that contacts have been pragmatic and cordial, without the traditional rhetoric from both sides.

The two countries do not have diplomatic relations and Cuba has faced a U.S. embargo for more than half a century.

Graham, 77, told Reuters on Thursday that his visit was consistent with Obama’s policy of “taking on specific areas where there is a common interest and arriving at an approach on how to manage certain issues.”

The former presidential candidate is part of a larger group of environmentalists and disaster experts on a 5-day visit organized by the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations to discuss “environmental risks in the Gulf of Mexico related to natural disasters and offshore drilling,” according to a press release issued upon its arrival on Monday.

Graham, a former chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, also co-chaired the National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling established by Obama after the BP oil spill in the Gulf in 2010. The commission’s other co-chair, William K. Reilly, a former EPA administrator, is also part of the group.

“We became interested in cooperation among Gulf countries doing drilling while on the commission,” Graham said as he and Reilly ate lunch in the restored colonial district of Havana before a meeting with officials from the state oil monopoly.

“We are here to learn as much as we can about things of interest to us, such as safety standards and the capacity to respond to an oil spill,” he said.

The trip has come under fire by supporters of the embargo.

The director of the Cuban-American lobby group, Cuba Democracy Advocates, questioned the visit in an interview with Diario las Americas.

“It is completely illogical and comes close to ridiculous,” Mauricio Claver-Carone said.
Graham said he understood the criticism but was not concerned.

Graham said he still supports sanctions on Cuba, “but I also support a process that will try to move us toward normalization. I don’t think it is going to happen in one strike, but through working on issues of common interest such as offshore oil drilling where a spill could prove disastrous for Florida,” he said.

Graham said that at a reception Wednesday evening, he had talked with foreign ministry officials about human rights and the fate of jailed U.S. contractor Alan Gross, sentenced in 2011 to 15 years in prison for setting up Internet links that bypassed local government control as part of a U.S. project Cuba considers subversive.

“We have had conversations over a number of areas, such as the recent migration talks and biotechnology,” Graham said.

“I think there are a series of issues that are not ideological issues, pragmatic issues that are forming the agenda of discussions between the United States and Cuba where both sides will benefit by an intelligent resolution.”

(Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Special thanks to Richard Charter

fossil fuels, marine pollution, offshore oil, oil pollution

Huffington Post: Trinidad Oil Spills Leave State-Owned Energy Company Scrambling To Clean Up

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/trinidad-oil-spill-petrotrin-energy-company_n_4596696.html

The Huffington Post | By Nick Visser
Posted: 01/14/2014 3:38 pm EST | Updated: 01/14/2014 4:14 pm EST

At least 11 oil spills have crippled parts of Trinidad and Tobago, coating miles of beach with crude as the state-owned energy company scrambles to control what’s being called one of the country’s worst environmental disasters.

Petrotrin, Trinidad’s state-owned oil company, first responded to an oil spill near La Brea on Dec. 17, according to a report from the Trinidad Guardian. Over the past month, the company has confirmed at least 11 spills and was slapped with a $3.1 million fine from the country’s Environmental Management Authority last week, which the company’s president, Khalid Hassanali, called “harsh.”

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Here’s where it gets weird.

The pipeline responsible for the first of the leaks at Petrotrin’s Point-a-Pierre facility, which resulted in an initial spill of more than 7,000 barrels, may not have undergone any inspections for the past 17 years, according to a confidential report commissioned by the company and obtained by the Trinidad Guardian. Of the other 10 leaks, Petrotrin has accused saboteurs of causing at least 2 while releasing a series of media releases praising what they describe as “significant progress” during clean-up efforts, saying the beaches would be clean one to two weeks after the spill.

Petrotrin did not return requests for comment in time for publication.

However, local officials have accused the company of trying to downplay the extent and size of the spill, according to the Trinidad Express. Two former energy ministers also came forward earlier this month, saying Petrotrin did know about the state of its aging infrastructure after a government audit was ordered in 2010.

“There was no question of sabotage, it was all a question of bad operations on the part of Petrotrin,” MP Paula Gopee-Scoon said. “It was a cover-up from day one.”

Petrotrin has since used the controversial dispersant Corexit 9500 to control the spill, used in record quantities by BP during 2010’s Gulf oil spill. Many scientists have said the chemical becomes far more toxic than oil alone when the two are mixed, harming marine life, but Petrotrin’s president has defended the use of the dispersant, saying “all the chemicals we are using are approved chemicals and we are using them in the approved manner.”

Petrotrin’s chairman denied the occurrence of any more spills in the region this week and insisted claims that oil had spread to neighboring Venezuela were false. But government officials have demanded the Minister of Energy commission an independent investigation into the cause of the spill “by people who don’t have anything to protect and no rear end to cover.”

Trinidad’s energy department approved a new national oil spill contingency plan in January 2013.

Special thanks to Richard Charter

fossil fuels, fracking, tar sands

Common Dreams: Californians Submit 100,000 Public Comments Opposing Gov. Brown’s Dangerous Fracking Regulations

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http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/01/14-8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 14, 2014 4:51 PM

CONTACT: Environmental Groups
Alec Saslow: Alec@FitzGibbonmedia.com, (720) 319-4948
Sarah Lane, sarahlane@credoaction.com

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – January 14 – In the wake of the driest recorded year in California’s history, concerned Californians submitted more than 100,000 public comments today denouncing Governor Brown’s proposed fracking regulations and urged him to ban the water-intensive drilling activity. At today’s event, Californians Against Fracking delivered boxes filled with tens of thousands of public comments to DOGGR while chanting, “Climate leaders don’t frack,” a clear message to Gov. Brown, whose legacy as a climate leader is on the line as he green-lights a massive expansion of fracking in the state.

“As California faces a massive drought, the last thing Gov. Brown should be doing is letting oil companies frack our state and contaminate our drinking water,” said Zack Malitz, CREDO’s Campaign Manager. “The only way to protect Californians is with a ban on fracking, not weak regulations that will only encourage more drilling.”

“In order to protect our water, farms, and public health from toxic contamination Governor Brown should ban fracking now,” said Adam Scow, California Director of Food & Water Watch.

“The days of Big Oil calling the shots in Sacramento are over. Californians are rising up in record numbers to say no to these dangerous oil extraction techniques,” said Ross Hammond, Senior Campaigner, Friends of the Earth.

“Governor Brown needs to make a choice. He can stand with thousands of Californians for a safe climate future and stop fracking up our state, or he can stand with Big Oil and for more droughts, wildfires and threatened communities,” said David Turnbull, Campaigns Director at Oil Change International.

“The tide of history is quickly turning against Governor Brown on fracking,” said Hollin Kretzmann, a staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. “The question is whether he’ll be remembered as the governor who unleashed fracking’s nightmare on California or the man who stood with his fellow Californians and protected the places we all love.”

“We’re told this is a record-breaking number of comments on environmental and health policy in the state,” said Victoria Kaplan, MoveOn.org Civic Action Campaign Director. “Governor Brown can listen to the voters and ban fracking, or he can be remembered as the governor who paved the way for more climate change and drought.”

“If Governor Brown wants California to continue to hold its reputation as national leader in environmental standards, banning fracking should be a no brainer,” said Democracy for America Chair Jim Dean.

“The Central Valley has some of the most impacted communities in California, who are a key part of the movement to stop fracking. Today, we’re showing our grassroots power,” says Valley Resident Juan Flores Organizer at Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment.

“2013 was the driest year in California’s history, and opening the state to fracking will only make the problem worse. If Governor Brown wants to get serious about stopping climate change, he should listen to the thousands of Californians calling for a ban on fracking, and stand up to big oil,” said Linda Capato, Fracking Campaigner at 350.org

Californians Against Fracking is a coalition of environmental, business, health, agriculture, climate, labor, environmental justice and political organizations working to win a statewide ban on fracking in California. Groups that participated in today’s delivery include CREDO, Food & Water Watch, Center for Biological Diversity, MoveOn.org Civic Action, Friends of the Earth, Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, 350.org, Oil Change International, Greenpeace, Democracy for America, and 350 Bay Area.

energy policy, fossil fuels, offshore oil

Newstalk NZ: Anti oil drilling protesters gather in Dunedin & Drilling protestors accused of hypocrisy

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http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbnat/1553899118-anti-oil-drilling-protesters-gather-in-dunedin

Newstalk NZ

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Weekdays 5am-6am
TUE, 14 JAN 2014, 05:21
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By: Adam Walker, and Sophia Duckor-Jones, | New Zealand News | Sunday January 12 2014 15:52

UPDATED 4:34pm: Diabolical weather conditions haven’t dampened the spirits of anti deep sea oil drilling protesters in Dunedin.
While summer has failed to come to the party, a protest flotilla has gathered at the back beach jetty at Port Chalmers, near the Port of Otago. Heavy rain and strong wind hasn’t stopped hundreds of people turning up to vent their frustrations at the offshore drilling by Shell and Anadarko. The protest flotilla will attempt to spread itself across from Goat Island to Quarantine Island, a channel used by commercial shipping vessels. Oil Free Otago says the strong turn out in the freezing conditions shows Dunedinites don’t want offshore drilling in their backyard.

Shell’s plans to drill offshore in the Great South Basin in December 2016. Oil Free Otago’s Rosemary Penwarden says it’s a dying industry. “There’s a really quite long timeline before we would even get to full production. If it’s gas, 35 years.
“We’re talking quite long term. And we have not got that amount of time.”

Ms Penwarden has a firm message to the oil giants. “I’ve just listened to a day of people telling me that we have a far better future ahead of us if we say no to the likes of Anadarko and Shell down here.”

Meanwhile, a Pro Oil and Gas Otago Facebook page has attracted more than 400 ‘likes,’ in two days.

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Photo: Offshore oil rig (Stock.xchng)

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http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbnat/1905189514-drilling-protestors-accused-of-hypocrisy

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Weekdays 5am-6am
TUE, 14 JAN 2014, 04:57
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Drilling protestors accused of hypocrisy
By: Emily Murphy, | New Zealand News | Monday January 13 2014 5:04

Related Video
Anti oil drilling protesters gather in Dunedin

UPDATED 6:30am: A Dunedin City Councillor says the city needs to welcome deep sea oil drilling, not fight against it.

Hundreds of people joined in a protest at Port Chalmers yesterday, to vent their frustrations at the offshore drilling by Shell and Anadarko.

But councillor Hilary Calvert says that kind of opposition is hypocritical.

“Until they personally run their own lives without fossil fuels I’m not prepared to consider their position about not extracting fossil fuels.”

MS Calvert says the drilling could create jobs, while giving the city a more diverse economy.

“Our life is about managing risks. Everything that has an upside has a downside and it’s important to manage those risks but living life without risk is not possible.”

Shell plans to drill offshore in the Great South Basin in December 2016.

Special thanks to Richard Charter

energy policy, fossil fuels, national ocean politics, offshore oil

Naples News: Former U.S. Sen., Fla. Gov. Bob Graham part of Cuba oil drilling mission

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http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2014/jan/11/former-us-sen-gov-bob-graham-part-of-oil-mission/?CID=happeningnow

Naples News: Former U.S. Sen., Fla. Gov. Bob Graham part of Cuba oil drilling mission
By RYAN MILLS
Posted January 11, 2014 at 10:59 p.m.

Former Sen. Bob Graham

Former U.S. Senator and Florida Gov. Bob Graham is part of an American contingent traveling to Cuba on Monday to explore the communist nation’s oil drilling plans.

Graham, the keynote speaker at the Everglades Coalition conference at the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club on Saturday evening, said he will be joining about a dozen others, including prominent offshore oil industry experts, for the trip, which is being coordinated by the Council on Foreign Relations.

At least four exploratory wells drilled off Cuba’s northern shore over the last two years have come up dry, but the island nation’s goal is to attain energy self-sufficiency by tapping into the 4.6 billion to 9.3 billion barrels of oil believed to be offshore.

“It’s very important for the nation, and particularly important for Florida that any drilling done in that area be done at a very high standard of safety and with the capability to respond if there is an accident,” Graham said Saturday afternoon, while relaxing at the hotel’s beachfront restaurant.

“The reason for the trip,” he said, “is to talk to the Cubans, try to better understand what their plans are, what their capabilities are, and, frankly, how the international community … can cooperate in a way to ensure that Cuba drills at the highest level of international safety standards.”

Graham was co-chair of the National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling established by President Barack Obama after the April 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The commission’s other co-chair, William K. Reilly, a former EPA administrator, is also part of Monday’s trip, Graham said.

The trip is being coordinated by Julia E. Sweig, a senior fellow at the CFR, Graham said. They are expected to return to the U.S. on Friday.

The U.S. has a two-pronged policy on Cuba – an economic embargo and diplomatic isolation. Graham, a supporter of the embargo, said he knows there are those who feel any contact with Cuba is tacit support for the country’s communist regime. But ensuring Cuba’s oil drilling is done safely is in the best interest of the U.S., he said. “The consequences of failure are not going to be on Havana, but are going to be on South Florida. The nature of the currents are going to carry the oil to the northeast and then to the north,” he said.

Graham said he had not seen an itinerary for the trip, and didn’t know exactly who in the Cuban government they will be meeting with. “I’m confident that they’re not sending us down there to meet with people who don’t have some ability to affect the decisions” of the government or private sector, he said.

Conversations about Cuba’s human rights abuses would likely be “sidebar discussions,” said Graham, who said he hoped to experience the flavor of the island during his first trip there. “I went to the Soviet Union before the end of the Cold War, and I’ve been in China, a lot of sensitive places,” he said, “and I feel I’m sophisticated enough to know when I might be propagandized.”

During his speech at the Everglades conference, Graham said 2013 was the year that Floridians became aware of how serious the state’s water problems are.

“Now we’re transitioning from awareness to action; what should we be doing about it,” he said.

Included in his prescription: developing a state water plan; restricting activities that lead to pollution, including over-fertilizing lawns; and focusing on water consumption.

Special thanks to Richard Charter.