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Energy Policy Blog

While the industry and public have been focused on unconventional onshore production, offshore oil production has been steadily growing. Many offshore projects reflect long-term financial commitments made before the oil price collapse. They will continue to come online for at least the next couple of years.The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports eight GOM field startups in 2014 and expects eight more in 2015 and five in 2016. Global offshore production is also growing. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that the offshore could deliver 20 percent of global oil production by 2017.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

It is time for the debate to start on the FY 2017 appropriations, covering the period from October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. For FY 2017 the President proposes $152.3 billion for R&D, an increase of $6.2 billion, $4 billion of which will be mandatory spending. Mandatory spending is rarely used to fund R&D. It is not subject to budget caps but requires separate legislation and is subject to the pay-as-you-go rules — spending must be offset by cuts, or deficit neutral.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who authored the bill and shepherded it through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee last fall, describe the bill as building on recent technological breakthroughs. 'Its provisions will save energy, expand domestic production, facilitate investment in critical infrastructure, protect the electrical grid, boost energy trade, improve the performance of federal agencies, and reauthorize certain programs that have proven effective.”

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

In December 2015, the Committee on Offshore Science and Assessment held its inaugural meeting at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The committee, which was established by NAS’s Ocean Studies and Earth Sciences Boards, is sponsored by The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The primary purpose of this new committee is for NAS to assist BOEM by providing ongoing scientific feedback to most effectively manage the nation’s offshore energy resources in a way that is both environmentally and economically sound.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

On December 18, Congress passed the FY 2016 Omnibus spending bill—twelve appropriation bills rolled into one. It will boost funding for essentially all science agencies and offices. Especially noteworthy is the removal of cuts to the Geoscience Directorate of the National Science Foundation. The AAPG policy office, AAPG members and other geoscience associations contacted dozens of legislators to explain the benefits of geoscience research to the nation and advocate against the cuts. It clearly made a difference. The bill also will allow changes to the highly restrictive rules on travel by federal scientists. In addition, the tax package passed in parallel with the Omnibus makes permanent the industry R&D tax credit.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

Both the House and Senate have expressed interest in passing energy policy legislation this Congress, and they continue to move forward with the process. Another major step that occurred last week was the passage of the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act (HR 8). The legislation is significant because it is the first real attempt to overhaul U.S. energy laws since the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

Unconventional and conventional natural gas have the same chemical composition. It is their geologic setting that makes the difference. In 1976, unconventional gas contributed less than seven percent of the 19.95 trillion cubic feet (tcf) produced in the U.S. and the term “unconventional” appropriately referred to their rarity and the need for special technology for their recovery. Natural gas from unconventional formations now represents more than half of U.S. production.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

On October 28, 2015, the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel held a three day public meeting. The purpose of the meeting was for the SAB to peer review EPA’s draft assessment on the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water, which was released in June, 2015.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

The StatesFirst working group on induced seismicity just released its report,” Potential Injection-Induced Seismicity Associated with Oil & Gas Development: A Primer on Technical and Regulatory Considerations Informing Risk Management and Mitigation.” The report describes the causes of and ways to prevent induced earthquakes. It also looks at the interaction between regulators and the public, and the report includes case studies of how states have responded to instances of suspected induced seismicity in California, Oklahoma, Ohio, Illinois, and Colorado.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

In April 2015, the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), proposed an array of new regulations to protect human health and the environment from oil spills. One of these proposals included more stringent design requirements and operational procedures for critical well control equipment for offshore wells.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

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