** The Biden administration on Friday said it would resume plans for oil and gas development on federal lands following a court ruling this week that temporarily restored a measure meant to factor the cost of global warming into federal decision-making.
** White House press secretary Jen Psaki urged operators of gasoline stations to pass on the recent retreat in oil prices to Americans. “Retail gasoline prices are updated at least daily, and if gas retailers’ costs are going down, they need to immediately pass those savings on to consumers,” she told reporters during a briefing.
** Houston’s Ranger Energy Services reported a 51% increase in 4th quarter earnings. Net income of $24.4 million increased $33.5 million from a net loss of $9.1 million in Q3. Net income growth was driven by a $37.2 million bargain purchase gain related to the Basic Energy Asset Acquisition.
** Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced legislation that would ban U.S. imports of Russian uranium as the Biden administration considers similar sanctions on Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom, a global supplier to power plants.
** The Tennessee Valley Authority, which is the largest federally owned utility in the United States, plans to invest more than $3.5 billion into new gas-burning plants to replace coal-fired generators, in a move that contradicts the Biden administration’s effort to push the power sector toward renewable energy sources.
** The EPA adds 8 more Superfund sites in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
World
** The head of Gazprom called on the gas giant’s 500,000 employees to rally around Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to preserve Russia as a great power in the face of foreign attempts to break her, according to a letter published on Thursday.
** Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido on Thursday called on energy companies with joint ventures in the country to stick to democracy, amid talks over the possibility of the United States easing oil sanctions on the OPEC member nation.
** Exxon Mobil Corp and BHP Group said on Thursday they will go ahead with a project to boost gas output from their Gippsland Basin Kipper field off southeast Australia, which would help fill a looming gas shortage in the local market.
** Swiss Re, the world’s second biggest reinsurer said it would no longer insure most new oil and gas projects following mounting pressure on big business to do more to help the world cap global warming.
** As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine curtails energy supplies, the International Energy Agency released a plan for its 31 member nations that calls for changes to reduce oil use, including lower speed limits, remote working, car-free days in urban areas, cheaper public transportation and carpooling.
