FuelFix Newslinks |06.20.11|

California solar firm to build Australian power plant

Posted on June 21, 2011 at 12:30 am by San Francisco Chronicle in Solar

A consortium led by Areva Solar of Mountain View, Calif., will build the first big solar-thermal power plant in Australia as the country tries to amp up its use of renewable power. More »

FTC probe of gasoline prices has eye on refiners

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 5:27 pm by McClatchy Tribune in Refining, Social

The Federal Trade Commission confirmed Monday that it’s opened a broad investigation into the companies that turn crude oil into gasoline, looking into whether they have engaged in anti-competitive practices or manipulation to drive up prices at the pump. More »

San Antonio coal plant will be first in Texas to close

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 4:46 pm by Associated Press in Coal, Electricity

The move by San Antonio’s community-owned gas and electric company, CPS Energy, comes as many coal-fired plants nationwide face the prospect of stringent federal regulations on mercury and other emissions. The move could put pressure on other energy suppliers to take similar steps. More »

BP, Weatherford reach oil spill agreement

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 3:49 pm by Tom Fowler in Accidents, Crude oil, Gulf oil spill, Legal issues, Offshore

Weatherford will pay BP $75 million to settle claims the oil major may have against the firm related to the Gulf oil spill. More »

Oil steady as worries about Europe continue

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 2:50 pm by Associated Press in Crude oil

The July contract expires on Tuesday, and most of the trading switched to the August contract, which added 23 cents to settle at $93.63 per barrel. More »

Supreme Court blocks states’ climate change lawsuit

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:24 pm by Associated Press in Legal issues, Social

The high court unanimously ruled out a federal lawsuit Monday by states and conservation groups trying to force cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, saying the authority to seek reductions in emissions rests with the Environmental Protection Agency, not the courts. More »

Fictional dinosaur teaches kids about natural gas drilling

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 1:13 pm by Jennifer A. Dlouhy in Environment, Hydraulic fracturing, Natural gas, Social

The oil and gas industry’s latest ambassador is Fracosaurus “Talisman Terry.” The hardhat-clad dinosaur is featured in a Talisman Energy coloring book on natural gas drilling. More »

Houston firm raises $100M from midstream equity fund

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 12:52 pm by Simone Sebastian in Natural gas, Pipelines

US Infrastructure Holdings plans grow its natural gas gathering and processing business, focusing on the Haynesville and Marcellus shale plays. More »

Texas becomes first state to require frac fluid disclosure

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 11:48 am by Associated Press in Hydraulic fracturing, Natural gas, Politics/Policy, Social

The new law will require drillers to publicly post the chemicals used in their hydraulic fracturing operations beginning in July 2012. Several other state agencies have passed regulations forcing some disclosure, but none have made it a law. More »

Special report: Nuclear regulators weakened safety rules

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 11:07 am by Associated Press in Nuclear, Social

Federal regulators have been working closely with the nuclear power industry to keep the nation’s aging reactors operating within safety standards by repeatedly weakening those standards, or simply failing to enforce them, an extensive investigation finds. More »

Anadarko settles royalty under-payment charges

Posted on June 20, 2011 at 10:47 am by Tom Fowler in Legal issues, Natural gas, Social

The Woodlands-based company will pay $17 million to settle allegations it didn’t pay enough in royalties for natural gas production on federal land and Indian reservations. More »