The Complex Carbon Conversation Continues
Lori Hinz, news reporter for BEK News, gives an update from the research on her carbon pipeline feature named Capturing America’s Heartland: CO2 Pipeline, which airs on BEK TV.
A recent public meeting in North Dakota sparked concern on whether publicly paid regulators should be allowed to politicize expert testimony and pass it along as fact on record.
Hinz reported that Lynn Helms, the North Dakota Director of Mineral Resources director gave testimony and cited NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) as the reason Bismarck and Burleigh County was protesting against the carbon pipeline and Summit Carbon Solutions’ ruthless business tactics.
“Lynn Helms criticized Burleigh County and the setback ordinance of Burleigh County as being what's called NIMBY N-I-M-B-Y, those people who've ever heard that before know that that means not in my backyard. And 100% of (North Dakota Governor Doug) Burgum's and Helms' presentation were all about money, nothing addressing citizens' concerns.”
Click here for entire interview
Photo Quote: Thomas Haden Church (Merle Luskey), “I signed on in July 2021, and by that time we only had three months until filming began. I immediately went down to a couple of different drill sites to visit some locals I knew and began to research the industry even more [than] what I remember growing up [and working in the oil field as a teenager]. We really strove for authenticity.” Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
This Accidental Texan Has Wings and Understands the Matrix
When Abilene, Texas, author Cole Thompson wrote his debut novel, Chocolate Lizards (a reference to the dark brown lizard skinned boots his protagonist, Merle Luskey, a down on his luck oil and gas operator, eventually bestows upon his protégé, Erwin Vandeveer, a Harvard educated actor turned newly minted roughneck (landman in the movie version), he never could have envisioned that the film adaptation would hit the big screen on the 25th anniversary of the book’s publication. In a serendipitous turn of events, it coincides with the release of Thompson’s second literary endeavor, The Freudian Cowboy, described as a ballad-verse “memoir” by Texas bronc rider Hitch Givens. Warning: The book comes with a content warning due to Givens’ predilection for recounting his life experiences – “and often does so with rustic vulgarity.”
But, before there was Hitch Givens, there was Merle Luskey, who is being brought to life on the movie screen by Texas’ own (by way of California) Thomas Haden Church in the film adaptation titled Accidental Texan.
The filmmakers generously offered to let U.S. Energy Media Editor in Chief Rebecca Ponton; Copy Editor Shannon West, and independent photographer Marc Morrison spend a day on the set in November 2021 when the cast and crew were filming rig scenes in Bartlett, Texas, northeast of Austin. Producer Koen Wooten told Ponton, “The movie is a love letter to Texas and to the oil industry,” something movie goers will be able to experience for themselves when the film opens across the U.S. on March 8, 2024.
Accidental Texan (formerly titled Chocolate Lizards) is a 2023 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Lambert Bristol, and starring Thomas Haden Church, Rudy Pankow, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Bruce Dern.
How Women Play a Role in the Energy Transition
As the world grapples with the urgent need for a sustainable future, the contributions of women in energy are becoming increasingly vital. From innovators to policymakers, women are not only participating in the energy transition but are also leading the charge.
Their involvement is critical in empowering women across the globe and bolstering efforts to combat climate change. But how exactly are these roles shaping the industry, and what challenges do they face? The answers may surprise you, igniting a conversation about the untapped potential that lies ahead.
Empowering women within the energy sector is not just about equity; it’s about leveraging diverse perspectives to foster innovative solutions. As stewards of change, women are uniquely positioned to drive the energy transition forward.
Yet, their potential remains only partially tapped, hinting at the transformative impact that awaits when gender inclusivity is fully realized in the quest for a greener world. The narrative is evolving, and the next chapter promises a twist that could revolutionize our approach to sustainable energy.
EMERGING ENERGIES: The Future of Carbon Management is Here.. Now
Jared Walker joined The Crude Life to discuss carbon storage and management. Walker is the Director of Project Development for Carbonvert.
“I've been in the carbon world in some form or fashion for two decades now,” Walker said. “My first project at a very small pace was in 2003 in Australia. I was part of the Barrow Island LNG plant project there.”
Walker has 20+ years of experience in CCUS as well as in the oilfield, including the Barrow Island project in Australia. The Gorgon Joint Venture was with Chevron Australia, ExxonMobil, Shell, Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas and Chubu Electric.
“It's an island off the coast of Australia where they have a LNG plant, and they are currently sequestering their CO2 from that LNG plant,” Walker said. “In the early stages, I was part of the characterization team who went out there and helped them drill their characterization well when I was with Schlumberger.”
PETRO PROFILE: Robert Bryce is Juiced Up on Power, Politics and the Grid
Energy expert, author and public speaker Robert Bryce joins The Crude Life founder Jason Spiess and The Word Merchant Stephen Heins to discuss his new docuseries Juice, nuclear energy, corporate greed and how the environment impacts energy.
Last week, Bryce released a new docuseries that highlights how bad energy policy decisions are making the United States and other countries more vulnerable to power shortages and blackouts.
Bryce and colleague Tyson Culver decided to launch the project following the Texas blackout associated with Winter Storm Uri in February 2021. Millions of people were without electricity for days, and several hundred deaths were attributed to exposure or other causes.
“That blackout and the fact that the ERCOT grid (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) nearly collapsed, convinced us that we had to do another film,” Bryce said. “And now, three years later, we accomplished what we set out to do.”
The five-part docuseries, Juice: Power, Politics & The Grid, is now available for free on YouTube. Rather than make a feature-length film, Bryce said they decided to make the content as user-friendly as possible, so broke it into five episodes, each lasting about 20 minutes.
The series features 34 interviews that were shot in Texas, Japan, Vermont, Oklahoma, Colorado, California, Washington D.C., Illinois, Egypt, and England. The cast of characters includes many of the world’s top thought leaders on energy, including political scientist Roger Pielke Jr., Grid Brief editor Emmet Penney, civil rights leader Jennifer Hernandez, author Michael Shellenberger, Canadian nuclear activist Chris Keefer, author Meredith Angwin, former IEA director Nobuo Tanaka, World Nuclear Association director Sama Bilbao, Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal founder Madi Hilly, and many others.
Click here for entire interview
SHARE YOUR SUSTAINABLE STORY: Jeff Kummer, CEO, Meriden Carbon talks about their Wyoming Project
Jeff Kummer founded Meriden Carbon to partner directly with landowners to build a unique carbon storage asset, spanning over 100,000 acres, in the northern DJ Basin of Wyoming.
The asset will be unitized in one symmetric, consolidated block and will be known as the “Steamboat Carbon Storage Hub”.
“Based on our business model we have line of sight to significantly increase the size of our footprint (and associated carbon storage capacity) upon securing a source of CO2. Meriden Carbon was formed by technical experts, all with beginnings at the Colorado School of Mines, who decided to team up and take decades of knowledge from the oil and gas industry and apply it to developing carbon storage assets in the Rocky Mountain region with the goal of making a meaningful impact on the energy transition,” Kummer said.
Kummer joined Townsquare Media’s Talk of the Town with Steve Bakken and guest co-host Jason Spiess to discuss the carbon capture and sequestration market.
Click here for entire interview
TODAY IN ENERGY NEWS BRIEFS
Gas prices in Michigan hit 2024 high, could spike again with escalating Mideast tension
Gas prices in Michigan hit a high Saturday for 2024 with an average of $3.70 a gallon as the cost of oil goes up. Gasoline prices came down slightly, Sunday — by a penny — but are still 15 cents more than just a week ago.
"Michigan motorists are seeing higher pump prices, with the state average setting a new 2024 high," said Adrienne Woodland, a spokeswoman for AAA. "If crude oil prices continue to rise, alongside tight supply, then gas prices will likely follow suit."
Moreover, some speculate that heightened tension in the Middle East, with Iran this weekend launching hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, could cause gas prices to rise even more. Most of the missiles were intercepted, and it is unclear whether the attack will escalate violence.
Brazilian State Water Firm Partners German Company to Produce Green Hydrogen
Sanepar, the public water utility in Paraná state, signed an MOU with German hydrogen technology company Graforce to produce green hydrogen.
The partnership between the two companies is aimed at developing technology for producing green hydrogen from biomethane generated in Sanepar's sewage treatment plants in the southern Brazilian state.
In addition to allowing production of green hydrogen, the technology will also make it possible to obtain pure carbon, a solid material with a high market value that can be used for making biofertilizers, Sanepar said in a statement.
The MOU was signed in Kremsmünste, Austria, where Graforce installed the world's first large-scale plant to generate hydrogen through plasma pyrolysis of methane in natural gas.
Op/ED: Get Out of the U.N. Now! It Is A Elitist Tool and Nothing More!
Here's how he started out, pronouncing his words in the most lofty, patronizing manner he could muster:
So, two years to save the world. Good afternoon, Some of you may think the title of today's event is overly dramatic, melodramatic even, so let me start by explaining why the next two years are so essential in saving the planet.
He then made a series of declarations that included:
Click here for the entire Op/Ed
WEN is thrilled to announce its 30th anniversary celebration during the 2024 WEN Conference, April 28-30, 2024, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, where we will collectively explore the theme “Envision What’s Next”. This milestone event is not just about looking back on our past achievements but rather about embracing the future of the energy sector with enthusiasm and foresight.
Join us as we delve into innovative ideas, emerging technologies, and strategic initiatives that will shape the landscape of the industry in the years to come. Let’s come together to envision what’s next and pave the way for a brighter and more sustainable energy future.
Click here for more information
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Today In Energy: An Accidental Texan, Biden's New Policy and a Complex Carbon Conversation