December 16, 2022 archive

Disposal of EV batteries—how big of a challenge is it?

  The headline on the Cowboy State Daily published in Wyoming asked the question—“Where Do Electric Vehicle Batteries Go to Die?” Good question, according to EV critics. The article pointed out that over the next 20 years, million s of batteries from EVs are going to come to the end of their life, a life …

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New Mexico Gas Co. seeks approval for new storage site

  Saying it wants to strengthen its natural gas storage system in the event of a repeat of severe winter weather like in 2021, the New Mexico Gas Co. wants approval to build a $180 million liquid natural gas storage facility. The company filed the request Friday with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission reported …

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Permian Basin rattled by another strong earthquake

  The Permian Basin was rattled Friday night by yet another significant earthquake following action last week by regulators to control wastewater disposal wells. A 5.4 magnitude quake was recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey around 5:35 p.m. with an epicenter nearly 14 miles northwest of Midland, Texas. The quake that prompted the Texas Railroad …

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Controversial pipeline wins approval in Missouri and Illinois

  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission signed off on a natural gas pipeline in Missouri and Illinois, giving Spire Inc. permission to begin construction. The approval came after a lawsuit had been filed by an environmental group that opposed the Spire STL Pipeline reported the Associated Press. Click here for Associated Press  

US begins buyback to replace oil in Strategic Petroleum Reserve

  After selling 180 million barrels of oil from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the Biden administration says it is replacing it. The Energy Department announced Friday it will begin the buyback in February when it purchases 3 million barrels of crude oil reported Reuters. Click here for Reuters  

Icahn busy buying up Southwest Gas after bitter fight

  This week’s $1.5 billion Williams Cos. acquisition of MountainWest Pipelines Holding Co. revealed how activist investor Carl Icahn can play the game. Last year, he was embroiled in a bitter fight with Southwest Gas Holdings, the firm that sold its pipeline operations to Williams. Southwest didn’t reach a deal with Icahn, the man who …

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Is Texas power grid ready to handle Siberian blast of frigid weather?

  Less than two years after Texas was hit with brutally cold weather that left much of the state without power, grid operators are wondering what the coming week’s wintry blast will do. Temperatures in central Oklahoma are expected to fall to day-time highs in the teens and in Texas, they’ll be into the low …

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Keystone pipeline leak cleanup presents major challenge

  The recent leak of 14,000 barrels of crude oil from the Keystone pipeline in northern Kansas wasn’t your ordinary oil pipeline leak—if there can be such a thing. This spill involved tar sands oil from Canada and because of that, the cleanup will be more than difficult than spills of your typical crude oil …

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