** Two oilfield workers were killed this past week while working at a rig site near San Augustine, Texas. A loose hydraulic line exploded when workers attempted to restart.
** Ford sent out an email to retirement-eligible salaried employees in September with a warning and a bit of advice about retiring this year to maximize a lump sum pension payment. The company confirmed Wednesday that approximately 1,000 employees elected to retire by the Dec. 1 deadline.
** Vanguard Group Inc.’s decision to leave the world’s largest climate-finance coalition was slammed by former US Vice President Al Gore, who said the move was out of step with the growing awareness among business leaders that they can no longer afford to ignore global warming.
** Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry warned Thursday that the global transition to green energy isn’t taking place fast enough.
** The United States will increase exports of liquefied natural gas to Britain under a new agreement calling for the two countries to work together to boost energy security and drive down prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
** ExxonMobil announced it is increasing its current buyback program to $50 billion over three years to 2024.
World
** The European Union, South Korea and Japan are pressing President Joe Biden to weaken America-first manufacturing rules in his signature climate bill ahead of Jan. 1, when only electric vehicles assembled in North America will be eligible for rebates to consumers.
** Russia may cut its oil production in response to the G-7 cap on the price of its crude, President Vladimir Putin said.
A decision on Moscow’s response will be announced in a presidential decree within the next several days, Putin told reporters in comments broadcast on state Rossiya 24 TV, providing no further details.
** Turkey emerged as a critical stumbling block to a complex international plan to deprive Russia of wartime oil revenues as the number of tankers waiting to exit the Black Sea through Turkish straits continued to rise on Friday.
** Uzbekistan has rejected the idea of creating a so-called “natural gas union” with Russia and Kazakhstan that was proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, a sign of the growing divide between Moscow and former Soviet republics over the war against Ukraine.
** The European Union announced a ninth package of sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on access to drones, chemicals and technologies used for military purposes.
** Germany expects a decision next week on how the Schwedt refinery will be supplied as a ban on Russian oil takes effect, the Economy Ministry said late on Thursday. Berlin aims to eliminate imports of oil from Russia by the end of the year.
** French energy giant TotalEnergies said Friday that it will walk away from its stake in Russian natural gas producer Novatek and take a $3.7 billion loss.