Free Republic

BRUSSELS (AP) — The United States called on Europe to wean itself from a dangerous dependency on Russian gas, saying it was time to stand together and bring an end to the Kremlin's use of energy supplies as political leverage.

Low U.S. natural gas prices have helped increase domestic plastic production after a decline from the 2008 recession. Because many U.S. plastic manufacturers use natural gas as their primary fuel source and natural gas-sourced liquids as a feedstock, continued low prices for those resources could boost raw plastic exports, given higher foreign energy prices. The United States supplies raw plastics, sometimes called resins, to domestic makers of plastic products, such as food packaging and toys. Raw plastics are also exported. During the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009, U.S. production of plastic products declined further than raw plastic production, and...

On August 7, Norway’s Statoil announced its exit from the super-giant Shtokman gas field development in the Russian Arctic. The Norwegian company, majority state-owned, is writing off its investment into the Shtokman project, booking $335 million (apparently most of that investment) as financial expenses for the second quarter of 2012. Statoil’s executives have withdrawn from the project company’s board of directors. Declaratively at least, Statoil claims to be interested in re-negotiating the terms of the Shtokman project with Gazprom. But the Russian side has long failed to satisfy Statoil’s concerns (and probably also those of French Total, the other partner...

As a kid I always thought the pump jack in my Uncle Charlie’s backyard in Akron, Ohio was a little out of place. Sure, Akron was the center of the tire-making universe for a time, and Uncle Charlie was a chemist for one of the biggest firms. But when I thought of the oil wells, I thought of dry, hot Texas, not green, cool Ohio. Now it looks like Ohio is shaping up to be the Next Big Thing in oil and gas. Earlier this month Hess Corp. made two purchases of Utica acreage worth more than $1.2 billion. ExxonMobil...

PAWNEE, Ill. — Authorities said there was a massive natural gas pipeline explosion Sunday morning in a rural area near Springfield.

COQUILLE - Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. has made it official: The company intends to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on 170 acres of land on Coos Bay's North Spit. ?The LNG facility application has been submitted to (the Coos County Planning Department),? said Coos County Board Commissioner Nikki Whitty during an administrative work session Wednesday morning. The paperwork, filed on March 16, consisted of a county conditional use permit application that triggers a countdown to a long-awaited public hearing on the controversial project - and a thumbs-up, or thumbs-down from the Coos County Board of Commissioners. Less than...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Outgoing Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski said on Thursday he may sign a deal for a $20 billion North Slope natural gas pipeline even if state lawmakers fail to approve the measure, which has been criticized as too generous to oil companies. Murkowski leaves office on December 4 after losing a reelection bid in August. "We're looking at that as an alternative, but it's far too early to make a definitive determination," he said at a news conference. "We're going to continue to work on it. We might have a surprise before we leave," he said. Even...