US finds endangered Gulf of Mexico Whale threatened by oil and Gas Vessel Strikes
The Trump administration released a long-awaited assessment of environmental impact on Tuesday. It found that vessel strikes relating to oil and natural gas drilling in Gulf of Mexico will likely threaten the existence of endangered Rice's Whale. The biological opinion is an analysis that determines how to protect endangered marine species from oil and gas operations in the Gulf of America, renamed by President Donald Trump. According to the analysis, there are 51 Rice's Whales in the Gulf.
Industry leaders claim that despite volatility, US Gulf oil production could reach 2.4 millions bpd.
Leaders in the oil and gas sector said that the U.S. Gulf of Mexico could continue to grow oil production despite geopolitical instability not seen for decades. Since last month, U.S. President Donald Trump’s global tariff announcements contributed to a drop in oil prices, and fears of a recession, making it harder for oil producers who follow his "drill baby, drill" call. "We have never experienced such geopolitical instability," said Occidental Petroleum's CEO Vicki Hollub during a Monday panel discussion at Offshore Technology Conference.
Trump's order to stop NY wind project shocks offshore industry and threatens other projects
The Trump administration’s decision late Wednesday to halt the construction of Equinor’s Empire Wind 1 off the coasts of New York sent shockwaves throughout the offshore wind industry. It raised concerns that fully permitted developments worth billions of dollars are not secure. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, had promised during his campaign to put an end to offshore wind energy. He argued that it was too expensive and harmful for whales and birds. On his first day as president…
Trump's order to stop NY wind project shocks offshore industry and threatens other projects
The Trump administration's late Wednesday decision to stop construction of Equinor’s Empire Wind 1 off the coasts of New York sent shockwaves throughout the offshore wind industry. It raised concerns that developments with full permits, representing billions of dollars in investment, aren't secure. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, had promised during his campaign to put an end to offshore wind energy. He argued that it was too expensive and harmful for whales and birds.
Biden's DoE LNG Export Study Tepid on New Permits
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden released a long-awaited study on the economic and environmental impacts of liquefied natural gas exports on Tuesday, saying the results underscored the need for a cautious approach to new permits.Biden in January had paused the Department of Energy's approvals of U.S. LNG exports to big consumers in Asia and Europe so that his administration could conduct the review, triggering complaints from the oil and gas industry."The main takeaway is that a business-as-usual approach is neither sustainable nor advisable…
NOIA Reacts as BOEM Announces Next Steps for GoM Oil & Gas
National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito issued the following statement after the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico:"We are pleased to see BOEM finally moving forward with the next step toward the first Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale of the 2024-2029 offshore leasing program. This is not just about securing a lease sale in 2025…
NOIA: U.S. Offshore Drilling Ban Would Crush Jobs, Govt Revenues
A U.S. ban on new offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, which presidential hopeful Joe Biden promised to enact if elected, would lead to hundreds of thousands of job losses and billions in lost government revenue over 20 years, an offshore drilling industry group said on Tuesday.The report by the Washington-based National Ocean Industries Association comes as Biden and other Democrats hoping to unseat Republican President Donald Trump in November's election…
NOIA Elects Cobb, McCarroll to Board Leadership Roles
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) Board of Directors has elected Galen Cobb, Vice President of Industry Relations of Halliburton, as Chairman and Matt McCarroll, President & CEO of Fieldwood Energy, as Vice Chairman for the 2020-21 term. Cobb and McCarroll were confirmed in their positions during a virtual Board Meeting today.NOIA President Erik Milito said, “As the offshore industry continues to navigate unprecedented energy uncertainty…
U.S. Offshore Oil Lease Sale Weakest Since 2016
A major sale of oil and gas leases in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday generated $93 million in high bids, the lowest total for any U.S. offshore auction since 2016, reflecting caution in the drilling industry amid a steep slide in oil prices.Firing up offshore drilling is a crucial part of U.S. President Donald Trump's "energy dominance" agenda to maximize domestic production of crude oil, natural gas, and coal. But the energy industry is in crisis…
Vineyard Wind to Miss Startup Target Over Permit Delay
Vineyard Wind, the developer of the first major U.S. offshore wind farm, said on Tuesday it will miss its target to start sending power to Massachusetts by 2022 due to lengthy federal permitting delays.The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, part of the U.S. Department of Interior, posted a revised permitting timeline on its website on Tuesday that said it will issue a final decision on the project by Dec. 18, more than a year after its previous target of August 2019."While we need to analyze what a longer permitting timeline will mean for beginning construction…
OP/ED: Offshore Wind
Set to Soar, Taking Offshore Support Industry With it.Offshore energy development is opening a new front in the United States -- the Atlantic seaboard, with strong winds, a shallow continental shelf and a proximity to dense population centers is driving strong interest in offshore wind development. The offshore oil and gas supply chain stands to benefit in a big way from billions in coming investment. In fact, it is already playing a role. Companies in the Gulf of Mexico…
Milito Named NOIA President
Veteran energy industry association executive Erik Milito has been named as the new president of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) and will to take the helm of the offshore energy association effective November 1, 2019.“Erik is a strong leader and an effective communicator, qualities that make him a great fit for NOIA President and will serve our membership well. I am confident in his ability to inspire the NOIA membership and convey to the public the important role that offshore energy plays in America and beyond…
NOIA Weighs in on The COASTAL Act
National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) Vice President for Government and Political Affairs Tim Charters issued the following statement after the introduction of the Conservation of America’s Shoreline Terrain and Aquatic Life (COASTAL) Act:“It is vital that American offshore energy production promote equity for the states immediately adjacent to these offshore areas. By amending GOMESA and establishing a revenue sharing program for Alaska, the COASTAL…
Luthi Steps Down as NOIA Head
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) announced that Randall Luthi will leave the organization next month, after serving as the group’s president for nearly 10 years. Luthi will return to his home state of Wyoming to serve as Chief Energy Advisor to Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.The offshore energy group NOIA represents more than 250 companies involved in the exploration and development of offshore energy, including oil and gas as well as renewables.
NOIA Applauds Confirmation of Interior Secretary
National Ocean Industries Association President Randall Luthi has issued the following statement on the Senate confirmation of David Bernhardt as Secretary of the Interior:“I congratulate David Bernhardt on his confirmation as Secretary of the Department of the Interior. Highlighted through his bipartisan confirmation, his unparalleled depth of experience at the Department and knowledge of energy and conservation policies will serve our nation’s public lands and resources well.
NOIA Statement on Trump’s SOTU Address
Increase Access to All Offshore Energy Sources for American Energy Greatness.National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Randall Luthi issued this statement following President Trump’s State of the Union address:“In his second State of the Union address, President Trump reiterated his bold vision for American energy dominance in conjunction with facilitating new energy infrastructure. NOIA applauds the Administration’s efforts to date toward…
Shutdown Risks Delays to US Energy Initiatives
The partial government shutdown is increasing the chances of delays in U.S. energy initiatives from the release of President Donald Trump's proposed offshore drilling plan to allowing higher levels of ethanol in gasoline during summer months, energy industry groups said on Friday.The U.S. Department of Interior had been expected to release its highly anticipated 2019 to 2024 offshore oil and gas drilling plan in early January.The Trump administration has made opening up greater areas to offshore drilling…
NOIA Calls for Offshore Wind Territories Act
National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) said that U.S. territories need the Offshore Wind for Territories Act.The U.S. has five permanently inhabited 'Territories' in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands which are directly overseen by the United States Federal Government.NOIA President Randall Luthi issued this statement: “The House passage of H.R. 6665 is welcome news for many Americans this holiday season. Too often, Americans in the U.S.
Smarter Energy Policy Will Broaden Offshore Recovery
For the past few years, depressed commodity prices, stricter regulatory requirements and competition from onshore development at home and from other countries offering attractive offshore lease and royalty terms have had severe impacts on new exploration in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Thankfully, the tide appears to finally be turning.In August, Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 251 drew increased competition for offerings and $178 million in high bids, $53 million more than previous sale held in March.
Signs of Recovery in the US Gulf of Mexico
Today's U.S. auction of Gulf of Mexico exploration leases drew tepid response from oil companies, but marked notable progress for an industry still in a state of recovery.“While not a barn burner, Lease Sale 251 tops the previous Gulf sale in terms of increased participation, increased competition for offerings, and bid amounts,” said Randall Luthi, president of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA). “In addition, bidding activity demonstrates both continued interest in deepwater tracts and renewed interest in shallow water tracts.”Luthi continued…