WASHINGTON – The House today postponed any action on an energy bill, to enable Texas lawmakers to return home ahead of Hurricane Ike. “I expect to consider a comprehensive energy bill early next week,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. — David Ivanovich, Washington Bureau  More »

How much oil is really in those tanks? The Wall Street Journal reported today that regulators may be looking at whether energy marketers have been reporting false crude oil data in order to “influence perceptions about crude-oil supply and demand.” “Among other things, regulators are concerned that companies may be reporting inventory levels that benefit [...]  More »

Just a few of the major transmission lines down in Louisiana. (Entergy photo). The reports on Gustav-related damage to the energy infrastructure continue to trickle in and they don’t seem catastrophic. The Minerals Management Service said that production is slowly starting to creep back: From the operators’ reports, it is estimated that approximately 95.8 % [...]  More »

Items on Chron.com and elsewhere related to two timely topics, today: the aftermath of Gustav and the Alaska’s Natural Gas Pipeline (renewed interest due largely to Sarah Palin for VP): Gustav • Checkpoints, power outages frustrate Gustav evacuees • Energy industry looks to restart: Gustav damage appears minor, but closings and outages persist • All [...]  More »

(Update 5:15 p.m.) The official word from the Department of Energy on the Citgo request: On Tuesday, September 2, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy received a formal request from Citgo’s Lake Charles, Louisiana refinery for 250,000 barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The oil is needed because of the closure of Louisiana’s [...]  More »

UPDATED 2 P.M.: The federal government’s daily report on Gulf of Mexico evacuations and shut-ins has just come out, and as of late this morning, the basin is a virtual ghost town. The Minerals Management Service, which regulates offshore Gulf oil and gas activity, says personnel have been evacuated from 518, or more than 72 [...]  More »

UPDATED 2:30 p.m.: Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operators are finishing efforts to evacuate workers and shut down production. The federal government said that as of 11:30 a.m. today, personnel have been whisked to shore from 223 platforms, or about one-third of the Gulf’s 717 manned installations. Workers from 45 drilling rigs, or 37 [...]  More »

Valero update (2 p.m.) “Valero continues to closely monitor the track and strength of Tropical Storm Gustav. Our Gulf Coast refineries from Houston to St. Charles, La. remain on alert and at this time are operating at planned rates. We have taken preliminary precautions to secure equipment and have lined up emergency supplies if they’re [...]  More »

ConocoPhillips update (Friday Aug. 29, 9:30 a.m.) “The projected path of Gustav is still highly dependent on the status of high pressure over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but several computer models continue to predict the storm will make landfall between the Alabama and East Texas coast, likely on Tuesday. Given the projected path for [...]  More »

Exxon Refinery in Beaumont was flooded after Hurricane Rita, late Sept. 2005. The storm shut down a fifth of the nation’s refining capacity. (Mayra Beltran/Chronicle) The Gulf oil and gas industry continues to prepare for a possible hit on its facilities from Hurricane Gustav. <a href=" Here is the latest from Shell: “Today, Shell plans [...]  More »

It’s a common refrain from readers whenever we write about electricity in Texas: “This whole game of trying to figure out which electric provider to place your bet on is one I don’t feel electric users should have to play. Let’s go back to a regulated power supply.” This reader isn’t alone: “Yes, you can [...]  More »

A few of the energy related items on Chron.com and elsewhere around the Web: • REX work row gets messier, producers call operator myopic: To delay maintenance or not on Rockies line? • Telecommunications needs being met in Gulf: Improving grid benefits energy industry and others. • State makes push for clarity on power plans: [...]  More »