Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, says the U.S. may have violated sanctions against Iran by selling 4 million barrels of its stockpiled oil to the Dutch-Swiss energy trading company Vitol. Recent reports indicate Vitol is resuming business with Iran.  More »

Energy producers have been working hard to convince lawmakers, power utilities and manufacturers that natural gas is both inexpensive and abundant. But lawmakers and would-be industrial consumers still aren’t buying.  More »

Oil and gas companies will have a shot at snapping up new drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico this December, when the government plans to hold the first offshore lease sale since the Deepwater Horizon disaster.  More »

Republicans eager to undo regulatory burdens they say are hindering economic growth have advanced a series of proposals designed to rein in the power of the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies. But now there are signs the July 1 Yellowstone River oil spill is changing that dynamic.  More »

A dispute over whether to give coastal states a greater share of federal royalties for offshore drilling near their shores is expected to flare up during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s debate on the bill next Thursday.  More »

Rep. Jeff Landry, R-La., said a government plan to punish oil and gas contractors that behave egregiously would upset the traditional offshore chain of command, which now puts operators at the very top.  More »

House Democrats unveiled legislation that would give the government the power to impose new fees for inspecting offshore oil and gas facilities. Federal officials said their plans to hire 50 new inspectors and 20 offshore permitting staffers are in jeopardy under a spending bill advancing in the House that rejects such proposed fees.  More »

Rep. Michael Burgess’ amendment to the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, denies funding to the Department of Energy for the implementation of the 2007 law requiring incandescent light bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient by 2012.  More »

BP today vowed it would take new steps to safeguard all of its oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters as part of a bid to reassure federal regulators the company can prevent a repeat of the lethal blowout at its Macondo well last year.  More »

A dispute over whether to give coastal states a greater share of federal royalties for offshore drilling near their shores is expected to flare up during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s debate on the bill next Thursday.  More »

Rep. Michael Burgess’ amendment that would halt a ban on incandescent light bulbs passed this morning in the House.  More »

A House panel today advanced legislation that would force the government to sell leases in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve and speed up permitting of roads, pipelines and other essential infrastructure in that remote area.  More »