PIPELINE NEWS

• Enbridge: Enbridge responds to Line 5 Natural Gas Liquids release in Wisconsin

• Toronto Star: New report casts doubt on whether oil industry needs Alberta’s proposed pipeline

• Law360: DC Circ. Sides With FERC On Pipeline Project Approval

• WIVT: Federal govt. pushes ahead for Constitution pipeline

• KNOE: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asks for comments on Franklin Farms Project

• Des Moines Register: Ex-chair Erik Helland resigning from Iowa Utilities Commission

• Forbes: America’s Gas Boom Has Two Buyers, One Pipeline

• Carlsbad Current-Argus: Carlsbad Council Approves Oilfield Wastewater Pipeline Through Airport

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Reuters: Experts, lawyers puzzled over US-Venezuela oil deal, call for contract transparency

• Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Venezuelan Oil Company Plans Massive Drilling Push

• Utility Dive: California sues Trump administration over offshore wind ‘extortion racket’

• Reuters: Trump says U.S. will refill Strategic Petroleum Reserve using Venezuelan oil

• Nevada Public Radio: Environmentalists want more time for public comment on feds’ plan to rescind Roadless Rule

STATE UPDATES

• Reuters: New York cannot enforce $75 billion climate ‘superfund’ law, US judge rules

• Grist: The fossil fuel industry is spending record amounts to keep California from regulating it

• Politico: A ‘sleeper issue’ in red states this fall: Diesel prices

• Law360: Texas Court Sends Oxy Carbon Capture Claims To Arbitration

• Colorado Sun: BLM will offer parcels near Aurora Reservoir for oil and gas drilling

• KJZZ: Report warns of environmental impacts from proposed oil and gas lease near Grand Canyon

• Monticello News: County officials decide how to divvy up $14M in oil spill money

• Equation Campaign: Join the special film screening of vs. GOLIATH: Greater Chaco

EXTRACTION

• Politico: Is electricity the new oil?

• Harvard Media: Energy minister says Ottawa focused on getting oilsands projects built

• EnergyNow: Oil Sands GDP Could Receive an Additional $110 Billion Boost Over Next Decade by Remaining in a Renewed Canada

• Corporate Europe Observatory: A deadly alliance of Big Tech and Big Oil

• Journal of Petroleum Technology: Why Scaling CO₂-EOR Remains Difficult

• Reuters: ONEOK to buy Brazos Midstream’s Permian Midland Basin assets for $4.43 billion

• The Sun Nigeria: Panic as oil spill pollutes Nembe Creek in Bayelsa

OPINION

• National Post: The economic fantasies of Carney and Trump

• Reuters: The Americas’ oil bonanza will outlast the Iran conflict
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Enbridge: Enbridge responds to Line 5 Natural Gas Liquids release in Wisconsin
8/31/26

“Today Enbridge crews continued to use a combination of nitrogen and trailer-mounted flare stacks to safely evacuate and burn off remaining vapors in the isolated one-mile section of Line 5 near a site impacted by a third-party line strike in northern Wisconsin. Extensive air monitoring at the flare site, the incident site, and in the surrounding area continues to show safe air quality outside of the evacuation zone and where crews are working. However, the exclusion zone remains around the active incident site, and the “no-fly” zone continues over the site issued by the Iron County Sheriff. On Tuesday, Aug. 25, a parked and unoccupied third-party subcontractor flatbed truck delivering equipment to the site rolled forward into an open excavation at a Line 5 valve project, striking the pipe and releasing natural gas liquids (NGLs), mainly propane and butane. NGLs are transported by pipeline as liquids, but when exposed to normal outdoor conditions, rapidly vaporize into gases. No one was injured. As a precaution, a nearby rural home was evacuated. The affected section of pipe was immediately isolated, and Line 5 remains shut down. Enbridge continues to progress towards the goal of safely restoring service to the pipeline by Sept. 5.”

Toronto Star: New report casts doubt on whether oil industry needs Alberta’s proposed pipeline
Ryan Tumilty, 9/1/26

“With one month to go before the federal government must decide whether to fast-track Alberta’s proposed West Coast pipeline, a new report is questioning whether the oil industry even needs the new million-barrel-per-day project,” the Toronto Star reports. “The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a global energy think tank, released its assessment on Tuesday, arguing that existing pipelines and cheaper expansion projects that are already proposed can handle Canada’s expected oil-production growth. The proposed pipeline “is unlikely to be needed to meet capacity needs in the future,” the report states… “But given the new pipeline’s price tag is estimated to be between $35 and $43 billion, the IEEFA report argues using it could be even harder for companies to justify… “As of the end of last year, Alberta produced 4.8 million barrels per day. In its study, IEEFA used growth estimates from the Canada Energy Regulator which forecast in its most ambitious scenario that Alberta would produce 6.7 million barrels per day. However, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she wants to see the industry produce eight million barrels per day… “Heather Exner-Pirot, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, told the Star the industry is likely waiting for the fall federal budget and will be looking for tax breaks letting them write off their capital costs faster… “They’re not in a hurry to announce greenfield projects ahead of the budget because they’re negotiating to get as sweet of a deal from the federal government in the budget as possible,” she told the Star. She told the Star capital-cost tax breaks helped the oilsands expand in the past, and in a global market might be necessary… “You don’t start at the pipeline and then see if you can fill it. There’s a commercial case to building a pipeline that’s driven by an increase in production and a demand for that production so this is a bit backwards,” George Vegh, senior fellow at the Munk School and former chair of the Canada Energy Regulator, told the Star.”

Law360: DC Circ. Sides With FERC On Pipeline Project Approval
Nadia Dreid, 8/31/26

“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission made no mistake when it greenlit a project to improve the East Tennessee Natural Gas pipeline and to allow the energy company to push the cost of those improvements along to customers, the D.C. Circuit has ruled,” Law360 reports.

WIVT: Federal govt. pushes ahead for Constitution pipeline
Benjamin Yeargin, 8/31/26

“A longtime pipeline proposal that would stretch from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, to close to Albany has taken a step toward becoming a reality,” WIVT reports. “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has completed an environmental assessment for the Constitution Pipeline and the Wright Interconnect Project… “The E-A found that the pipeline would not significantly impact the quality of the environment for people. This is in stark contrast to the findings of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which previously refused to grant permits for the pipeline, citing potential threats to waterways that the pipeline would cross. New York has also been objecting to new natural gas infrastructure as it pursues its ambitious carbon reduction goals… “Public comments are welcome and encouraged about the potential environmental effects and solutions to lessen or avoid the impacts.”

KNOE: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asks for comments on Franklin Farms Project
CJ Sartor, 8/31/26

“The staff at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is asking for comments on a proposed natural gas pipeline that will run through Richland Parish. It’s called the Franklin Farms Project,” KNOE reports. “The pipeline will be built and run by ETC Tiger Pipeline, LLC. The company plans to run it through around 15 miles in the Franklin Farms, Bee Bayou, and Trio Farm area. Entergy’s new power generating plant in Richland Parish will receive the natural gas. It will deliver power to the Meta Hyperion Data Center.”

Des Moines Register: Ex-chair Erik Helland resigning from Iowa Utilities Commission
Donnelle Eller, 8/31/26

“The former chair of the Iowa Utilities Commission, who led the state agency through the controversial approval of Summit Carbon Solutions’ $9 billion carbon capture pipeline, is stepping down early,” the Des Moines Register reports. “The Iowa Utilities Commission announced Commissioner Erik Helland will resign effective Friday, Sept. 4, nearly three years before his term ends… “In 2025, Gov. Kim Reynolds replaced Helland with Commissioner Sarah Martz as the commission chair about a year after Helland, Martz and Commissioner Joshua Brynes agreed to Summit’s request for a permit to build a carbon capture pipeline across about 30 Iowa counties. The commission also agreed to allow the Ames-based company to use eminent domain to force unwilling landowners to sell access to their property for the pipeline. Ensuing controversy sparked Republican lawmakers to propose legislation curbing the use of eminent domain for carbon capture and other hazardous liquid pipelines… “Reynolds, who appointed Helland, Martz and Brynes, vetoed a bill in June 2025 that would have restricted the use of eminent domain for pipelines, saying the legislation was too broad and could damage economic development in Iowa.”

Forbes: America’s Gas Boom Has Two Buyers, One Pipeline
Ken Silverstein, 9/1/26

“A $16 billion gas-fired power plant in Anderson County, Texas, backed by Japanese investment, highlights the intense competition for natural gas,” according to Forbes. “This facility, a partnership between Comstock Resources and NextEra Energy, aims to power burgeoning AI data centers and manufacturing. Simultaneously, international buyers like Japan’s Mitsui are securing long-term LNG contracts for their own AI infrastructure, creating dual pressure on U.S. gas supplies. While current production can meet both domestic and export demands, experts warn that this balance is precarious. The challenge lies in expanding gas production and pipeline capacity to keep pace with these rapidly growing sectors. Failure to do so by 2030 could lead to policy conflicts, higher domestic prices, and potential supply shortages, testing the nation’s ability to satisfy both domestic innovation and international energy commitments… “Rusty Braziel, executive chairman of RBN Energy, told Forbes data centers coming online through 2030 will add roughly 4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of incremental gas demand—real, but modest next to new LNG capacity, on track to pull an additional 11 to 12 Bcf/d by the same year. Dollar for dollar, $10 billion in LNG export infrastructure drives roughly 13 times more gas demand than the equivalent spend on data centers.”

Carlsbad Current-Argus: Carlsbad Council Approves Oilfield Wastewater Pipeline Through Airport
Adrian Hedden, 9/1/26

“A pipeline used to transport oilfield wastewater will cross through the Carlsbad airport,” the Carlsbad Current-Argus reports. “The Cavern City Air Terminal is located near the southern city limits on National Parks Highway, an area where oil and gas production continues to expand.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Reuters: Experts, lawyers puzzled over US-Venezuela oil deal, call for contract transparency
Marianna Parraga and Mayela Armas, 8/31/26

“A massive long-term oil deal expected to grant the U.S. access to a fifth of Venezuela’s crude reserves has energy experts and lawyers questioning its legality and eventual execution, while calling on both governments for contract transparency,” Reuters reports. “The unprecedented pact, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday and confirmed by Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez, will put a whopping 65 billion barrels of recoverable oil under Washington’s control, a volume that surpasses total U.S. proved oil reserves of 46 billion barrels. The agreement did not pass through a competitive process, and its negotiation remained a secret until last week, even amid a sweeping reform of Venezuela’s primary hydrocarbons law and the migration of dozens of joint ventures and contracts to new terms, which authorities and operators have not completed… “Experts have expressed doubts over the deal’s legality, especially since the U.S., not Venezuela, is set to select the model and companies to operate the fields. “Despite being formally recognized by the U.S., the agreement can be brought to court in the future,” Juan Carlos Apitz, head of Central University of Venezuela’s law faculty, told Reuters.”

Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Venezuelan Oil Company Plans Massive Drilling Push
Collin Eaton, 8/31/26

“The Venezuelan oil company run by businessman Alejandro Betancourt plans to dispatch more than 50 drilling rigs to the Latin American country over the next few years, a massive rollout meant to turbocharge the country’s anemic crude production,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Betancourt’s North American Blue Energy Partners, recently backed by the Trump administration, is aiming to move six drilling rigs into its Venezuelan oil fields by the end of 2026, according to an internal document viewed by The Wall Street Journal. Next year, it plans to deploy 12 more rigs and, in 2028 and beyond, an additional two rigs a month. The total is eventually expected to reach 52… “Under Trump’s plan, the U.S. would take a direct stake in NABEP, which plans to develop 17 Venezuelan oil fields that house some 65 billion barrels of oil, or one-fifth of the country’s reserves. NABEP aims to operate many of its fields independently, people familiar with the matter told the Journal.”

Utility Dive: California sues Trump administration over offshore wind ‘extortion racket’
Diana DiGangi, 8/31/26

“California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Energy Commission filed a lawsuit Friday against the Trump administration and the developer of Golden State Wind over the “buy back” agreement the two parties reached for an offshore wind lease off the state’s central coast,” Utility Dive reports. “...In April the developers reached an agreement with the Trump administration to receive $120 million in exchange for the lease being cancelled. The Trump administration has made similar deals with several offshore wind developers, starting with a March deal with TotalEnergies, a French multinational energy and petroleum company. Under that deal, TotalEnergies agreed to “relinquish” two offshore wind leases off the coasts of North Carolina and New York with a combined capacity of 4.2 GW in exchange for $928 million. “This ‘TotalEnergies model’ of buyout operates with the cynical logic of an extortion racket,” said California’s lawsuit filing. “The Trump administration first abuses its authority to make the offshore wind energy leases worth significantly less than what the developer paid at auction; then, offering the original bid amount in exchange for lease cancellation works as the proverbial unrefusable offer given these companies’ fiduciary responsibilities to their investors.” The lawsuit also criticized the deals the Trump administration has struck with these developers for the lease proceeds to be reinvested into other forms of energy generation — for instance, TotalEnergies agreed to invest the $928 million into U.S. oil, natural gas, and liqueified natural gas production.”

Reuters: Trump says U.S. will refill Strategic Petroleum Reserve using Venezuelan oil
David Thomas and Jarrett Renshaw, 8/30/26

“U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that oil from a recently struck deal with Venezuela will be used to replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which has been drawn down sharply in recent years to respond to global supply disruptions and high fuel prices,” Reuters reports. “...It is unclear how quickly the Venezuela deal could provide oil for the reserve or deliver any near-term benefit to U.S. motorists. The agreement Trump announced on Friday is aimed at reviving Venezuela’s battered oil industry, but it will require significant investment and infrastructure work before production can rise substantially. The reserve held about 290 million barrels as of August 21, near a 44-year low, after the United States drew down its stockpile under both the Biden and Trump administrations in response to global supply disruptions, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the conflict with Iran.”

Nevada Public Radio: Environmentalists want more time for public comment on feds’ plan to rescind Roadless Rule
Yvette Fernandez, 8/28/26

“With less than 30 days left, conservation groups are requesting the government extend the public comment period for its proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule,” Nevada Public Radio reports. “Earthjustice filed the request on behalf of several environmental groups, including the Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club and others. The nonprofit says rescinding the landmark rule affects 45 million acres of national forest land — largely in the West — across 38 states… “In its letter to the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Earthjustice requests extending the public comment period to at least 120 days to increase the opportunities for the public to weigh in on the proposed rescission… “When the public rises up and speaks out and tells the administration, hands off our public lands, sometimes the administration will listen. We have to stand up for our public lands and make our voices heard,” Aaron Bloom, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, told NPR.”

STATE UPDATES

Reuters: New York cannot enforce $75 billion climate ‘superfund’ law, US judge rules
Nate Raymond and Jonathan Stempel, 8/31/26

“A federal judge ‌ruled on Monday that New York cannot enforce a 2024 state law that sought to force fossil fuel companies to contribute $75 billion over 25 years into a fund to pay for damage caused by climate change,” Reuters reports. “Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes in Syracuse, New York sided with 22 Republican ​state attorneys general, as well as industry groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in finding the state ​measure preempted by federal law.” “...She said enforcing New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act risked upsetting the balance between preventing global ​warming, “a project that necessarily requires national standards and global participation,” and promoting economic growth, energy production, foreign policy interests and national security. “The Climate Act conflicts with the overriding need for a uniform rule of decision on matters influencing national energy and environmental policy, and basic interests of ​federalism,” she wrote.”

Grist: The fossil fuel industry is spending record amounts to keep California from regulating it
Joseph Winters, 8/27/26

“The fossil fuel industry isn’t just raking in record profits amid the war with Iran. In California, it’s also spending big to oppose climate and worker-safety legislation,” Grist reports. “According to analyses by a coalition of environmental groups called the Last Chance Alliance, oil and gas companies spent more than $17 million on California lobbying during the first half of 2026. That includes $10.3 million during the first quarter — a new record for the sector — and another $6.8 million during Q2. Much of the spending was directed against legislation proposing new costs and liabilities for the fossil fuel industry, like a state bill that would make companies pay for rebuilding following climate-intensified natural disasters. But other bills targeted were more milquetoast, seeking to clarify existing workplace-safety laws and ensure more thorough reporting of cleanup costs when oil companies want to decommission projects. Faraz Rizvi, campaign and policy director for the nonprofit Asian Pacific Environmental Network — a member of the Last Chance Alliance — criticized companies for “aggressively lobbying” against straightforward measures to protect communities and boost transparency. “They’re not actors that have consumers’ or communities’ interests at heart,” he told Grist.”

Politico: A ‘sleeper issue’ in red states this fall: Diesel prices
Mike Soraghan and Grace Yarrow, 9/1/26

“Republicans have been facing a problem with voters over high gasoline prices for months — but the economic pain from near-record diesel fuel prices looks set to hit at the worst possible time for them,” Politico reports. “...That matters for Republicans in particular because diesel prices hit first — and hardest — in rural areas and affect blue-collar businesses like farming and trucking before spreading to suburban dinner tables and the rest of the economy… “On Monday, the average price of a gallon of diesel was $5.60, up about $1 from early July and almost $2 higher than a year ago… “That shortage will be acutely felt by the farmers during the harvest, and so the inflationary consequences can be greater at harvest time,” Kevin Book, managing director at consulting firm ClearView Energy Partners, told Politico. At the same time, products will be on trucks headed to stores for the holidays, and many voters in places like Maine and Alaska will be preparing for winter by buying heating oil, which, like jet fuel, is similar to diesel… “Add to that a shortage of truck drivers, Dean Croke, principal analyst at DAT Freight & Analytics told Politico, and the combination could make diesel the “sleeper issue” of the nation’s energy inflation in the fall… “That squeeze suggests the affordability issue is going to get worse for Trump and congressional Republicans as they face inflation-weary voters in midterm elections.”

Law360: Texas Court Sends Oxy Carbon Capture Claims To Arbitration
Caroline Simson, 8/31/26

“A Texas appellate court has revived Occidental Petroleum’s attempt to arbitrate a multimillion-dollar dispute stemming from a project to deploy a technology aimed at reducing greenhouse gases in Australia, saying a tribunal in British Columbia must decide for itself whether it has jurisdiction,” Law360 reports.

Colorado Sun: BLM will offer parcels near Aurora Reservoir for oil and gas drilling
Mark Jaffe, 8/31/26

“Planned oil and gas development near the Aurora Reservoir — which has been vigorously opposed by local residents — is poised to grow as the federal government will auction off 600 acres of mineral leases west of the reservoir,” the Colorado Sun reports. “In its Sept. 8 auction, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is offering two parcels covering 600 acres adjacent to Colorado State Land Board property where Crestone Peak has been approved to develop 108 oil and gas wells… “A grassroots group — Save the Aurora Reservoir, or STAR — hired an attorney and expert witnesses to appear before the ECMC. The fight over the pad lasted eight months and culminated in a series of seven hearings. The commission approved the pad on a 3-2 vote. “STAR believes, as do most Americans, that our public lands are for the benefit of the public NOT for corporations to pillage for profit,” the group said in a statement. “Many of the parcels being leased under this version of the BLM are concerning and additive to the problems that Colorado is already seeing from rampant oil and gas development.”

KJZZ: Report warns of environmental impacts from proposed oil and gas lease near Grand Canyon
Greg Hahne, 8/28/26

“...About 80,000 acres north of the Grand Canyon could be sold later this year for oil and gas drilling, as part of the Trump administration’s focus on fossil fuels to achieve ‘energy dominance,” KJZZ reports. “The new report comes from environmental groups Rocky Mountain Wild and the Center for Western Priorities. It says the lands included in the Arizona proposal contain biological resources and have cultural importance to tribal nations and Indigenous communities.”

Monticello News: County officials decide how to divvy up $14M in oil spill money
Lazaro Aleman, 8/31/26

“The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners recently identified five key projects that they want to pursue, should the undertakings qualify for the $14 million or so in Restore Act funding that was allocated to the county several years ago as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf,” the Monticello News reports. “After much back-and-forth on the issue on Thursday morning, Aug. 6 – including input from School Superintendent Jackie Pons – the commission voted to distribute the $14 million as follows: $2.5 million for jail reconstruction; $1.5 million for courthouse renovation and the balance of the money to be divided equally for construction of a new Emergency Operation Center (EOC), expansion of broadband connectivity and for establishment of a trade school here in conjunction with the school district… “Gramling is this county’s representative on the Gulf Consortium, the public entity created after the 2010 oil spill to manage and distribute the billions of settlement dollars that resulted from the federal government’s lawsuit against the companies responsible for the environmental disaster. The consortium is made up of representatives from the 23 counties in Florida with coastlines on the Gulf, including Jefferson County.”

Equation Campaign: Join the special film screening of vs. GOLIATH: Greater Chaco
8/31/26

“Across the country, concerned community members of all stripes are standing up to the fossil fuel industry to fight for their land, their water, and their community’s future. Join us virtually tomorrow night, September 1st, from 8PM-9:15 ET / 5PM-6:15 PT for a special screening VS. GOLIATH: Greater Chaco, followed by a Q&A with frontline leaders featured in the episode and Dallas Goldtooth, moderated by Judith Le Blanc,” the Equation Campaign reports. “The sacred Greater Chaco region of New Mexico, ancestral homeland of the Pueblo and Diné (Navajo) peoples, is under siege from a relentless surge of oil and gas extraction. After a life-changing call to Standing Rock, young Sandia Pueblo leader Julia Bernal returns home to confront the same forces threatening her own community. Uniting with Diné elder Daniel Tso and an intergenerational coalition, they lead a powerful fight to defend tribal sovereignty and protect Chaco for future generations. The post-screening conversation will feature Diné elder Daniel Tso, Diné community organizer Mario Atencio, and Dakota/Diné activist, writer, and actor, Dallas Goldtooth, moderated by Judith Le Blanc, executive director of the Native Organizers Alliance.”

EXTRACTION

Politico: Is electricity the new oil?
Benjamin Storrow, 8/31/26

“Political fortunes once rose and fell with the price of gasoline. Today, they’re increasingly tied to the monthly electric bill,” Politico reports. “Politicians from Phoenix to London are scrambling to respond to voter angst over the cost of keeping the lights on… “And U.S. politicians of every stripe are turning against data centers, painting the energy-hungry facilities as the culprit behind rising utility bills in the run-up to November’s midterm elections… “Oil is still king of global energy markets — and politics — but its star may be dimming. Case in point: Oil prices have yet to hit analysts’ sky-high predictions as the Iran war pinches supply. “It’s a big macro market signal that oil is just not as geographically constrained or as essential as it used to be,” Eurasia Group chair Gerald Butts, who has served as an adviser to two Canadian prime ministers, including Mark Carney, told Politico. “Essentially, oil is not worth what it once was.” “...Paul Sankey, one of Wall Street’s top oil analysts, told Politico global transportation could be increasingly bifurcated, with America’s oil-reliant vehicles on one side, and China’s cheap EVs on the other. “The 20th century was the century of oil, and the 21st century will be the century of electricity.”

Harvard Media: Energy minister says Ottawa focused on getting oilsands projects built
Jon Tupper, 8/31/26

“Canada’s energy minister says Ottawa is moving to get major energy projects built while seeking new international customers for Canadian oil and gas as the country looks to reduce its dependence on the United States,” Harvard Media reports. “...We understand we are in a trade war,” federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said, according to Harvard. “Our very best cards are our energy and natural resources…As the prime minister has said, we need to sell our energy and natural resources to all of our allies, not just the one we share a border with.” “He said work is also underway to optimize the Trans Mountain pipeline system to add another 300,000 barrels of capacity. Hodgson said Ottawa is also working toward getting a proposed new one-million-barrel-per-day pipeline to the West Coast listed by Oct. 1… “Hodgson said Ottawa sees further oilsands development proceeding alongside efforts to reduce the industry’s environmental impact, including carbon capture, utilization and storage… “What this government is doing is it’s supporting the growth of the oil sands in an environmentally responsible way, and it’s bringing all of Canada along,” Hodgson said.”

EnergyNow: Oil Sands GDP Could Receive an Additional $110 Billion Boost Over Next Decade by Remaining in a Renewed Canada
Lennie Kaplan, 9/1/26

“New modeling reveals that Alberta oil sands gross domestic product (GDP) could be boosted by an additional $110 billion or 25% over the next decade though a new economic deal that keeps our province within a united Canada, rather than pursuing Alberta independence,” according to EnergyNow. “The modeling assumes an increase in Alberta’s oil production to around 7.5 million barrels per day (mb/d) by 2035 if Alberta remains within Canada, roughly aligned with the Alberta government’s roadmap target of 8 mb/d by 2035. The level of Alberta oil production achieved by remaining in Canada is assumed to result in expanded pipeline egress and incentivize an estimated 16 Mt in annual carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the oil sands sector by 2035, according to my modeling. While there are continuing economic questions on whether this level of oil production is in fact achievable by 2035, it appears that investments in such projects as the West Coast Oil Pipeline (WCOP), other announced pipeline expansions and optimizations, brownfield and greenfield oil sands projects, and the Pathways CCS project could all be jeopardized by the significant uncertainties associated with Alberta independence.”

Corporate Europe Observatory: A deadly alliance of Big Tech and Big Oil
8/31/26

“...This unholy alliance of Big Tech and Big Oil promises to capture, transport and store the emissions from these gas plants,” according to the Corporate Europe Observatory. “Carbon capture, however, is the ultimate moving goalpost: always promised but never here, despite billions in public subsidies. Exxon claims it is the “only realistic game in town” for low-emission data centres – but the oil giant’s actions tell a very different story. Carbon capture is a paper tiger: presented by big polluters as a strong solution, but flimsy and weak on closer inspection. At the end of a summer of deadly heatwaves and uncontrollable wildfires, make no mistake: new fossil gas to power data centres just means new emissions. Worsening the climate crisis, and amplifying its deadly impacts… “You can see the appeal for multi-billion euro polluting industries: forget about transforming or overhauling their business models, and instead picture a neat little CO2-catcher that siphons off the climate pollutant so it can be zipped away though pipelines, and stored safely away forever, climate change be gone!... “Practical problems with carbon capture have led to its repeated failure to materialise at scale, for decades. Projects consistently underperform or fail to emerge – and major proponents of the tech, fossil fuel companies like Equinor, keep scaling back… “Meanwhile, the injection of CO2 deep into the earth’s rock can trigger earthquakes, and there are very real risks of CO2 leaking from underground storage, and from the pipelines – or ships – carrying it there. This could be lethal for the climate, and for human and animal life… “Advised by fossil fuel lobbyists, the EU has fallen for the idea of creating a market for this hazardous waste gas, underpinned by a vast CO2 pipeline network. Yet the idea that CCS will decarbonise energy-intensive industries not only ignores how complex and costly this would be, it disregards the need to reduce production and consumption as part of a just transition to a more sustainable economy. Instead of asking what industry we need, or who it benefits, carbon capture offers a (largely imaginary and wholly inadequate) sticking plaster over the social and environmental harms inflicted by powerful, polluting corporations. A sticking plaster that is now being applied in the case of data centres. Don’t ask, what are they for? Who are they benefitting? What harm are they causing? No, just whack a new fossil gas power plant up and say you have plans to capture its emissions.”

Journal of Petroleum Technology: Why Scaling CO₂-EOR Remains Difficult
Trent Jacobs, 9/1/26

“...The Permian Basin facility, expected to be the world’s largest DAC plant with a nameplate capacity of 500,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, was initially targeted to begin operating in 2024. The startup date was later pushed to mid-2025, which ended up slipping once again,” the Journal of Petroleum Technology reports. “...The lengthy delay reflects not only the challenge of scaling emerging technologies such as DAC, but also serves as a general reminder of the often long and difficult process of integrating carbon capture, storage and utilization (CCUS) projects with oilfield operations. A point source for the emissions usually needs to be relatively close to the oil field to keep midstream costs manageable. Then there’s the cost of capturing technology, which can be expensive to install and maintain. In a low-price environment, justifying these added expenses can be too high a bar for management… “Occidental has outlined plans for three shale CO2-EOR projects, two in Texas and one in New Mexico, with additional developments hoped to come in the future. Early pilot results saw production gains of 40 to 50% above baseline levels, which represent a big enough carrot for the company to go after with new CO2 infrastructure… “The US supermajor has recently proposed a 900-mile “carbon superhighway” designed to transport captured shale CO2 from industrial facilities across Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to other locations for EOR, permanent storage, and commercial beverage manufacturing. ExxonMobil has said CO2 volumes and quality will be monitored as they enter and move through the system, likening the process to vehicles passing through toll booths… “ExxonMobil’s plan hinges on an existing network of several hundreds of miles of CO2 pipelines it bought from what was a pure play CO2-EOR operator. In other words, it did not sprout overnight. Also, almost no countries offer the kind of government incentives or generous tax breaks that the US and Canada do for this type of operation.”

Reuters: ONEOK to buy Brazos Midstream’s Permian Midland Basin assets for $4.43 billion
Sumedha Mukherjee, 8/30/26

“ONEOK said on Sunday it has agreed to buy Brazos Midstream’s Permian Midland Basin natural gas gathering and processing assets for around $4.43 billion, more than doubling the U.S. pipeline operator’s processing capacity in the region,” Reuters reports. “The acquisition comes as pipeline operators in the U.S. are benefiting from increased oil and gas output in the Permian Basin, and rising natural gas demand amid record LNG exports… “The acquired Brazos Midland assets will add to ONEOK’s existing Permian Basin platform, which is currently supported by 14 active drilling rigs from leading Permian producers including ExxonMobil, Diamondback Energy and Double Eagle. ONEOK, which transports natural gas, natural gas liquids, refined products and crude oil through its 60,000-mile-long network of pipelines, said Apollo will invest $9 billion in exchange for a Class B interest in a newly formed holding company, ONEOK Holdings, L.L.C.”

The Sun Nigeria: Panic as oil spill pollutes Nembe Creek in Bayelsa
Femi Folaranmi, 8/30/26

“There is panic in several fishing communities in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State following an oil spill from crude loading operations at Nembe Creek oilfield,” The Sun Nigeria reports. “The Nembe Creek oilfield within Oil Mining Lease 29 (OML) is operated by Nembe Exploration & Production Limited, formerly Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Limited. A field report by Environmental Conservation Agriculture and Rural Development (ECARD) stated that it observed crude oil along the creek and mangrove banks. Its Lead Field Monitor, Chief Alagoa Morris, said the pungent smell of crude oil became noticeable about two kilometres from Nembe Creek during the visit… “He said women from the affected communities later protested at the Aiteo facility, demanding relief materials, assessment of damages and compensation… “The women leader, Mrs Ebi Otokolo, said the pollution had made the river waters unusable for fishing, domestic activities and other livelihood purposes. She said residents had been forced to remain indoors because of the crude oil odour, while fishermen could no longer access their means of livelihood.”

OPINION

National Post: The economic fantasies of Carney and Trump
Margareta Dovgal, 8/31/26

“Economic illiteracy, on both sides of the Canada-U.S. negotiating table, is the biggest threat to continental security,” Margareta Dovgal writes for the National Post. “Let’s start with the Canadian side. His doctorate in economics notwithstanding, nothing so plainly illustrates Prime Minister Mark Carney’s economic deficiencies as Ottawa’s apparent treatment of the successor to the long-abandoned Keystone XL pipeline in recent trade negotiations… “But under Carney, building a pipeline that allows our most valuable trade commodity to get to market is seen as a great sacrifice. We know the U.S. wants and needs our oil, but Carney would have us believe that we would be doing the Americans a favour by giving them the privilege of buying our commodities… “So far we have a combination of anonymous American and Canadian sources talking to the media, and a vibrant online rumour mill filling in the blanks. Carney’s statements since the deal collapsed have been concerningly vague and light on details. Canadians deserve better. We shouldn’t accept without scrutiny the idea that pipelines are trade concessions, rather than a safe, necessary, common and obvious form of critical infrastructure for an energy-producing nation… “Canadian products need as much market access as we can get. It shouldn’t have taken a trade war to realize that we need westward and southward capacity for our most valuable commodity — energy. The United States, meanwhile, needs secure industrial inputs, making pipelines a win-win situation for both countries.”

Reuters: The Americas’ oil bonanza will outlast the Iran conflict
Ron Bousso, 9/1/26

“From Canada to Argentina, oil producers across the Americas have enjoyed a windfall during the Iran war by capturing market share lost by Middle Eastern exporters. The renewed focus on energy security globally could transform this emergency response into a lasting structural change,” Ron Bousso writes for Reuters. “Oil production in the Americas has become a viable alternative to the Middle East’s vast hydrocarbon resources since the outbreak of the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz six months ago, which disrupted roughly a fifth of global oil supplies. The shift is one of the most striking changes in the global energy landscape in decades. The Hormuz closure immediately triggered a scramble to replace lost Middle Eastern barrels, with the Americas emerging as the primary beneficiary. Crude exports from the region, stretching from Canada in the north to Argentina in the south, have risen to a record-high average of 11.7 million barrels per day (bpd) so far in 2026, up from 10.3 million bpd in 2025, and nearly double the volume a decade ago, according to Kpler data. The U.S. leads the pack with exports averaging 4.4 million bpd this year, followed by Brazil at 2.5 million bpd… “But the shock has exposed the risks of overdependence on Middle Eastern supplies. Given Asia’s wartime scars, the lesson may linger. Even if Gulf exports eventually recover, Asian importers will likely want to avoid becoming too reliant again on any single region – especially one with vulnerable maritime chokepoints and a high risk of conflict. Sourcing a larger share of crude from the Western Hemisphere is more expensive because Gulf crude retains a geographic advantage. But that cost may increasingly be seen as an insurance premium against future geopolitical disruption. This shift in global energy trade patterns was made possible by the remarkable growth in oil and gas production across the Americas over the past decade.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• WCMU: Enbridge says Line 5 tunnel facing ‘significant delay’ after court ruling

• KBJR: Enbridge says 31,000 barrels (1.3 million gallons) of propane, butane were released after rupture

• Michigan Advance: Whitmer attorneys dispute Enbridge argument that Michigan lacks authority to revoke Line 5 easement

• Reuters: Enbridge Says Line 5 In Wisconsin To Return To Service Between Aug 31 And Sept 5

• North Dakota Monitor: Summit forfeits two CO2 storage permits in North Dakota, continues legal fight over third

• Inside Climate News: Trump Administration Speeds Up Environmental Review for 800-Mile Alaska Oil Pipeline

• Reuters: Trans Mountain CEO says US trade rift adds urgency to Canada’s oil pipeline plan

• Canadian Press: Trans Mountain says Alberta-B.C. pipeline running almost full

• Mother Jones: Trump Intervened to Revive a Fraught Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline, But Why?

• Press release: Summit Midstream Corporation Announces Final Investment Decision on Double E Pipeline Mainline Compression Expansion

• Native News Online: Sean McCann Vows to Oppose Enbridge Line 5 if Elected to Congress

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Reuters: US to take 35% stake in Venezuelan mogul Betancourt’s oil venture, WSJ reports

• Axios: U.S. close to striking “massive” deal for Venezuelan oil fields

• Reuters: Depleted US oil stash loses potency as Iran war grinds on

• Reuters: Trump to meet refiners, fuel retailers as Iran war boosts gas prices ahead of midterms, sources say

• Heatmap: America’s Oil Refineries Are Going All Out

• Associated Press: Freedom Fuel owner didn’t pay for nearly $4 million in gas, lawsuit claims

• Associated Press: Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emission rules, study says

• E&E News: Federal judge upholds first state polluter pays recycling law

• Guardian: Trump rollback of US forest protections could accelerate extinction of 400 endangered species

• Reuters: US officials weigh plan to shield farmers from expansion of refinery biofuel waivers, sources say

• Washington Examiner: Trump’s head of offshore leasing leaving for oilfield services firm Halliburton

STATE UPDATES

• KCLU: California Legislature passes a bill that may help prevent new offshore oil drilling in the Tri-Counties

• Michigan Chamber of Commerce: Chamber backs new Michigan carbon capture legislation

• Chemical & Engineering News: Woodside blue ammonia plant stumbles, though CF moves ahead

• Louisiana Illuminator: Damage, questions linger a year after Smitty’s Supply disaster as company plans comeback

• Press release: IUC announces resignation of Commissioner Erik Helland

EXTRACTION

• Bloomberg: Venezuela Weighs OPEC Exit as US Discusses Oil Fields Stake

• Edmonton Journal: Oil and gas expert backs Smith, says using energy as tactic in US trade war could hurt Canadian oilsands

• CBC: Regulator upholds sanctions against oilsands operator ordered to abandon operations

• Australian Financial Review: Woodside paid for carbon capture, ‘footed wedding bills’ instead

• Carbon Herald: Open Letter To UK Government Advocates Carbon Storage Mandates For Fossil Fuel Producers

• Agence France-Presse: Finland defends shores against oil spill risk

• Guardian Nigeria: Oil Spill: Ogoni communities count losses, demand urgent action

OPINION

• NWIowa.com: Iowa voters must elect candidates who prioritize property rights

• The Orcasonian: Council letter to community | Increased oil tanker traffic in the Salish Sea

• Fortune: Who pays for a shadow fleet oil spill? No one
  

PIPELINE NEWS

WCMU: Enbridge says Line 5 tunnel facing ‘significant delay’ after court ruling
Alvin (AJ) Jones, 8/28/26

“Officials with Enbridge said Friday that a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision is delaying a controversial project to encase the Line 5 pipeline, which carries crude oil and natural gas liquids through the Straits of Mackinac, into a concrete tunnel,” WCMU reports. “...Late last month, the Michigan Supreme Court voted 6-1 to order the Michigan Public Service Commission, the state’s utility regulating agency, to redo a permit it gave Enbridge in 2023, a process that could take years to complete… “Anna Mooney is the government relations manager for Enbridge. She said the court decision “puts us in a significant delay event for the project.” The comments come after the project secured a key federal permit last week and just a few days after a section of Line 5 in northern Wisconsin leaked natural gas liquids. According to Enbridge, an unoccupied semi-truck rolled onto an excavation site Tuesday on a Line 5 valve project, hit a pipe and caused the leak. No one was injured an investigations into air quality are ongoing. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources have asked Enbridge to stop work on the project amid the leak. Enbridge temporarily shut the pipeline down, and said they will continue to “work on the response and restoration of service to the pipeline.” Members of the public spoke out against the project at the meeting in St. Ignace on Friday. Environmentalists and all 12 of Michigan’s federally recognized Native American tribes have opposed the project… “Bill Latka with Oil and Water Don’t Mix, an environmental group that opposes the tunnel project, said that the Wisconsin incident, along with a 2010 oil spill event near Kalamazoo on Enbridge’s Line 6B pipeline, which runs from Griffith, Indiana to Sarnia, Ontario, suggests Enbridge has a bad track record.

KBJR: Enbridge says 31,000 barrels (1.3 million gallons) of propane, butane were released after rupture
8/29/26

“Enbridge officials estimate that about 31,000 barrels [1.3 million gallons] of primarily propane and butane have vaporized and dispersed into the atmosphere,” KBJR reportws. “As of Saturday night, they estimate about 2,000 barrels (84,000 gallons) of liquid product are contained at the site within the excavation area. Bridge crews are also moving equipment into place, as they say they are moving a plan forward to safely remove remaining vapors from the impacted section of Line 5. They told KBJR they will use trailer-mounted flare stacks to safely burn excess hydrocarbon vapors in a controlled and planned manner in the coming days.”

Michigan Advance: Whitmer attorneys dispute Enbridge argument that Michigan lacks authority to revoke Line 5 easement
Kyle Davidson, 8/28/26

“After a federal court ruling found Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s move to terminate the easement to operate the Line 5 pipeline in the Great Lakes unenforceable, the governor and the head of the Department of Natural Resource challenged the decision, filing further arguments with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday,” the Michigan Advance reports. “In their initial brief filed in May, attorneys representing Whitmer and DNR Director Scott Bowen argued that Judge Robert Jonker of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan’s Southern Division had erred in siding with the pipeline’s operator, Enbridge, which argued that the Pipeline Safety Act of 1992 prevents states from imposing safety regulations on interstate pipelines… “In a statement to Michigan Advance, Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy said the state had fought for more than five years to shut down the pipeline due to “unsupported claims about its safety.” “...Tribal leaders and environmental advocates gathered in Lansing earlier this week to lay out the future of their fight against Line 5, with Liz Kirkwood, the executive director of Flow Water Advocates, urging attendees to push Whitmer to “finish the job” she started when she revoked Enbridge’s easement in 2020. David Holtz, coordinator of the Oil and Water Don’t Mix Coalition, remained skeptical, calling Whitmer’s Friday statement about protecting the Great Lakes “message management.” “We’d welcome a governor who actually opposes Line 5, full stop, with the Straits, tunnel, and the 645 miles in between,” Holtz told the Advance. “Today’s filing isn’t evidence of that.”

Reuters: Enbridge Says Line 5 In Wisconsin To Return To Service Between Aug 31 And Sept 5
8/27/26

“Enbridge Inc: Says it estimates return to service of Line 5 between Aug. 31 and Sept. 5 after a line strike in rural northern Iron County, Wisconsin. Says on Tuesday, Aug. 25, a parked, unoccupied semi-truck rolled into an open excavation site on a Line 5 valve project, striking the pipe and releasing natural gas liquids. Says the affected section of pipe was immediately isolated, and Line 5 remains safely shut down.”

North Dakota Monitor: Summit forfeits two CO2 storage permits in North Dakota, continues legal fight over third
Jacob Orledge and Jeff Beach, 8/31/26

“Summit Carbon Solutions is abandoning two-thirds of its planned project to store carbon dioxide underground in North Dakota,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “The company, which had been granted permits to store CO2 in three designated areas in central North Dakota, has requested permits for two of the areas to be canceled. “Summit #1 and Summit #2 have determined as a matter of business judgment that they will not proceed with development, construction, operation, or implementation of either proposed storage facility,” Summit said in a filing with the North Dakota Supreme Court. A North Dakota district court voided permits for all three areas earlier this year. Summit and the state are appealing that decision. But the company is now asking the Supreme Court to limit the appeal to one of the storage areas, known as Summit #3. The company’s decision to abandon two of its storage facility permits is a victory for many of the landowners opposing the project. Most of those landowners have objected to what they characterize as the company’s unwillingness to negotiate on matters of liability and compensation… “In an email last week, Summit said it is prioritizing Summit #3, where the company has about 98% of the storage rights secured.”

Inside Climate News: Trump Administration Speeds Up Environmental Review for 800-Mile Alaska Oil Pipeline
Lisa Sorg, 8/28/26

“The Trump administration is expediting an environmental review of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System that would reauthorize the project for another 30 years, including the pipeline, pump stations, access roads, bridges and a fuel gas line that lie within the right-of-way,” Inside Climate News reports. “The Bureau of Land Management is also shortening the public comment period for review of the project to 15 days. The federal government usually accepts public comment from 30 to 60 days, or even longer, depending on the complexity of the rules. BLM, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, was not scheduled to renew the right-of-way until 2034, the third renewal since 1974… “Critics told ICN the two events indicate the Trump administration “is seeking an early, quick renewal to preclude long overdue consideration of mounting economic and ecological concerns” about the pipeline, according to PEER, a watchdog group that works with current and former federal, state, local and tribal employees.”

Reuters: Trans Mountain CEO says US trade rift adds urgency to Canada’s oil pipeline plan
Amanda Stephenson, 8/28/26

“The collapse of trade talks with the United States has created urgency to plan a new oil pipeline to Canada’s west coast, the CEO of the government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline company said on Friday,” Reuters reports. “...The situation has highlighted the need for Canada to diversify its exports, something the west coast pipeline proposal would do by increasing Canadian oil shippers’ access to Asia, Maki told Reuters. “Events around us have made (the west coast pipeline) much more urgent, and I think that’s actually good. It’s helpful,” he told Reuters… “Project proponents want Ottawa to designate the pipeline as a project of national interest, which would allow for fast-tracked regulatory approval. Maki told Reuters Trans Mountain must move quickly to consult Indigenous communities and plan the route in order to file for regulatory approval early next year… “The company expects to make a final investment decision by the end of 2026 on building more pumping stations to add 210,000 bpd of capacity by the end of 2028.”

Canadian Press: Trans Mountain says Alberta-B.C. pipeline running almost full
8/28/26

“Trans Mountain Corp. says the pipeline that sends Alberta crude to the Vancouver area ran 94 per cent full during the second quarter,” the Canadian Press reports. “...During the three months ended June 30, the Trans Mountain pipeline carried an average of 840,000 barrels of oil per day, up from 703,000 during the same period a year earlier. Net income for the quarter was $138 million, down from $150 million, while revenues rose to $808 million from $719 million… “About two thirds of the oil moving on Trans Mountain heads to Asian markets via tanker, while some serves the U.S. Pacific Northwest and B.C. Lower Mainland.”

Mother Jones: Trump Intervened to Revive a Fraught Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline, But Why?
Macie Parker, 8/28/26

“...The fight revolves around Sable Offshore, a small Houston-based company that, on the order of the Department of Energy (DOE), recently resumed pumping oil through an offshore pipeline that had been out of service since a disastrous 2015 spill,” Mother Jones reports. “...The DOE justified its intervention as an effort to boost domestic energy production in the name of national security. Foes of the pipeline restart say it’s an attempt by the Trump administration to quash states’ rights and eviscerate environmental regulations, and maybe troll a blue state in the process… “What we have off California is a relative drop in the bucket and wouldn’t have a meaningful impact,” Pete Stauffer, senior ocean protection manager for Surfrider Foundation, which is involved in a state campaign to stop offshore drilling, told MJ. With so little oil at stake, Krop, EDC’s attorney, views Wright’s order as a shot across the bow of California, a state Trump openly disdains, and a wedge for other would-be oil drillers. “With Trump’s blessing, it sends a message to oil companies,” she told MJ, “that you can violate court orders, you can violate shutdown orders or cease-and-desist orders.” “...The prospect of the federal government auctioning it off for drilling is very unpopular, Charter told MJ. “This is a political football game for the entire coast of America,” he told MJ. “The Trump administration is underestimating how much people care.”

Press release: Summit Midstream Corporation Announces Final Investment Decision on Double E Pipeline Mainline Compression Expansion
8/31/26

“Summit Midstream Corporation announced today that Double E Pipeline, LLC (”Double E”) has concluded a successful open season and reached a final investment decision on its previously announced mainline compression expansion project, supported by a new long-term firm transportation agreement with an investment-grade shipper… “The expansion project consists of the installation of a bi-directional mainline compressor station on the Double E system, which will increase the pipeline’s forward haul capacity to Waha by approximately 900 MMcf/d. The compression project along with new plant connections and related infrastructure is expected to cost approximately $100 million net to Summit’s 70% interest and is expected to be placed in service by the fourth quarter of 2028.”

Native News Online: Sean McCann Vows to Oppose Enbridge Line 5 if Elected to Congress
Levi Rickert, 8/29/2/6

“The only Native American running for Congress in Michigan in this fall’s midterm election, State Sen. Sean McCann, the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, says he has opposed Enbridge Line 5 since day one,” Native News Online reports. “In my role in Congress, I think [my position] is going to be much less favorable to Enbridge and its operations than you might see from the president of the United States or his allies in Congress,” McCann said during a press gaggle on Tuesday immediately following a town hall at the Women’s Club in Saugatuck, Mich. Joining the town hall to lend support to McCann’s campaign were Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI). Scholten, who is serving her second term in Congress, represents the neighboring 3rd Congressional District, which includes Grand Rapids and Muskegon. McCann, a tribal citizen of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is running to unseat seven-term Congressman Bill Huizenga.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Reuters: US to take 35% stake in Venezuelan mogul Betancourt’s oil venture, WSJ reports
Sathvi G Bhat and Gnaneshwar Rajan, 8/29/26

“The U.S. government plans to take a 35% passive stake in Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt’s North American Blue Energy Partners, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing people involved in negotiating the deal,” according to Reuters. “The U.S. also plans to secure preferential rights to purchase 20% of the company’s production at cost, the WSJ reported. The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital plans to structure the investment through penny warrants that would yield the U.S. an equity ownership in the business without significant capital investment, the WSJ reported… “Responding to a Reuters request for comment, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told Reuters: “The Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) does not take equity stakes in private companies. Under its statutory authority, OSC’s role is strictly limited to providing capital assistance in the form of a loan, loan guarantee, or technical assistance (including transaction structuring for developing and financing investments).”

Axios: U.S. close to striking “massive” deal for Venezuelan oil fields
Marc Caputo, 8/27/26

“The Trump administration is in talks with Venezuela’s interim government about taking an ownership stake in the South American country’s enormous oil resources, two U.S. officials tell Axios. “The historic deal would more than double U.S. oil reserves by drawing from a country that has the world’s largest proven reserves… “Adding pressure to get the deal signed: the wars in Iran and Ukraine, which have disrupted global oil supplies and raised prices. The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is now at a 40-year low. Details are still being hammered out, but the discussions involve more than a dozen productive oil fields — not all of Venezuela’s 300 billion barrels of proven reserves. The fields in question, which have 90 billion barrels of proven reserves, used to be controlled by former Venezuelan insiders — including some who’ve been indicted — as well as interests once controlled by China, the official told Axios. In return for giving the U.S. an ownership stake, Venezuela’s government would benefit from private companies, including American firms, developing the fields and returning more oil revenue to that country.”

Reuters: Depleted US oil stash loses potency as Iran war grinds on
Timothy Gardner, Arathy Somasekhar and Anushree Ashish Mukherjee, 8/31/26

“Six months into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Washington may find it harder to calm jittery oil markets after U.S. ​presidents drained the aging Strategic Petroleum Reserve over the last five years,” Reuters reports. “The SPR, which Washington created after the oil crises of the 1970s, holds crude in a series of 60 underground salt ‌caverns along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. After years of releases by former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, the reserve is at its lowest level since 1982, holding just 289.7 million barrels. The level will drop to about 243 million if Trump releases a final batch of 39 million barrels from a March agreement with the International Energy Agency… “The water level rises as more oil is released, which can damage ​cavern walls and pipes and pumps that draw out the crude… “Siddharth Misra, a professor of petroleum ⁠engineering at Texas A&M University, told Reuters that while the absolute physical floor for the SPR is 70 million barrels, the practical minimum level for safe operations is close to 250 million barrels.”

Reuters: Trump to meet refiners, fuel retailers as Iran war boosts gas prices ahead of midterms, sources say
Jarrett Renshaw, 8/27/26

“President Donald Trump is expected to meet with U.S. refiners and fuel retailers next week to ​highlight efforts to lower gasoline prices, as his administration seeks to ‌ease pressure on consumers from the Iran war ahead of November’s congressional midterm elections, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. “Attendees of the meeting are expected to include refiners like Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N), opens new tab, Marathon Petroleum Corporation and PBF Energy Inc, along ​with major retailers, two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters. The ​biggest U.S. oil companies and refiners reported strong second-quarter earnings as the Iran war disrupted ‌global energy ⁠markets and tightened supplies of gasoline and other refined products. Those results have drawn criticism from Trump, who has argued that oil companies benefiting from higher prices should do more to bring down costs for consumers. Trump has ​publicly pressed major producers ​and refiners to ⁠lower prices.”

Heatmap: America’s Oil Refineries Are Going All Out
Matthew Zeitlin, 8/28/26

“It’s never been a better time to turn oil into gasoline and diesel, and the United States refining industry is processing every drop it can,” Heatmap reports. “America’s refineries are currently running at over 97% utilization, up slightly from the week prior, according to the Energy Information Administration, and at their highest rate since 2018. In the Gulf Coast refining complex specifically, refining capacity has been above 95% for 19 straight weeks, well surpassing the previous record of 15 weeks in 2022, according to Gulf Oil advisor Tom Kloza. Meanwhile, refiners are putting off whatever maintenance they can. But refineries may have to undertake the large-scale, prescheduled “turnaround” operations that happen in the fall, and can take facilities offline for months… “This is historically unprecedented,” Kloza told Heatmap, referring to both the continuously high levels of utilization for American refiners and the margins they’re receiving for running so continuously. “It’s insane.” “...The tightness of the market means that refineries are likely to be pushed near their limit. If any one goes off line — whether for maintenance or weather or anything else — it will likely mean a windfall for everyone else who can stay online.”

Associated Press: Freedom Fuel owner didn’t pay for nearly $4 million in gas, lawsuit claims
Brendan Brightman and Brian Slodysko, Michael Biesecker and Josh Boak, 8/29/26

“Freedom Fuel Network launched about 25 gas stations selling fuel for $3.47 a gallon in honor of President Donald Trump. But records linking the company to businessmen with legal troubles, a firm in which Trump previously held stock and unanswered questions about its White House access have drawn scrutiny,” the Associated Press reports. “The owner of several Freedom Fuel Network gas stations has been sued by a supplier who claims they are owed nearly $4 million, according to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania… “The lawsuit identifies the owner as KRSM, Inc., which is a foreign corporation with a principle business address in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, according to the lawsuit.”

Associated Press: Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emission rules, study says
Alexa St. John, 8/27/26

“The Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emissions standards this year, making errors in how it accounted for fuel savings, the price of technology and mileage, according to a new study by a group of economists,” the Associated Press reports. “Correcting those errors would negate the economic benefits that the administration said would come from eliminating greenhouse gas emission standards for cars and trucks, according to the paper published Thursday in the journal Science… “But the group of a dozen researchers who examined the EPA’s cost-benefit analysis said that correcting the administration’s errors would “overturn” its justification. The authors - who were from universities including Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania - found that eliminating the standards will actually cost Americans hundreds of billions of dollars. “This is deeper than just a discussion as to whether an administration should value greenhouse gas emissions reductions or not,” Antonio Bento, one of the analysis authors, and a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Southern California, told AP. Even setting aside the environmental debate, “the economic case for the rollback of the standards still falls apart.”

E&E News: Federal judge upholds first state polluter pays recycling law
Ellie Borst, 8/28/26

“A federal judge on Thursday upheld Oregon’s plastic pollution and recycling program, the first court ruling on the legality of state laws designed to hold producers responsible for the cost of dealing with their waste,” E&E News reports. “Judge Michael H. Simon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon rejected arguments from the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors in ruling that Oregon’s landmark extended producer responsibility, or EPR, program does not violate the Constitution… “The ruling marks the first judicial validation of an approach that Democrat-led states are increasingly turning to as a way of holding plastics producers accountable for their single-use plastic and other waste. Seven states — Oregon, California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington state — currently have EPR laws on their books… “Anja Brandon, the Ocean Conservancy’s director of plastics policy, told E&E she’ll “be celebrating” the win. “This decision affirms that states have every right to innovate to solve the plastic pollution crisis,” Brandon told E&E. “It is not only a victory in the fight to end plastic pollution, but a victory for our ocean and a great day to be an Oregonian.”

Guardian: Trump rollback of US forest protections could accelerate extinction of 400 endangered species
Maya Yang, 8/28/26

“More than 400 endangered animal and plant species could face accelerated extinction after the Donald Trump administration’s decision to rescind a rule that has protected old-growth forests for more than two decades,” the Guardian reports. “According to a new report from the Center for Biological Diversity, the rollback of the Bill Clinton-era ‘roadless rule’ could put 7.4m acres of endangered-species habitat and nearly 1,800 miles of protected rivers and streams at risk, while opening more than 45m acres of national forests to roads, drilling and logging. The Trump administration moved last week to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, citing “outdated restrictions [that] have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities”. Conservationists have criticized the decision… “At-risk species include grizzly bears and gray wolves in the Rocky Mountains, wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, Mexican spotted owls and Gila trout in the south-west, as well as rare butterflies and wildflowers nationwide, according to the report.”

Reuters: US officials weigh plan to shield farmers from expansion of refinery biofuel waivers, sources say
Jarrett Renshaw, 8/27/26

“President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials discussed on Wednesday a ​plan to shield the Farm Belt from an expected expansion of waivers of biofuel laws, which his administration is considering as a way to ‌lower gasoline prices during the Iran war, two people familiar with the meeting told Reuters. The administration is considering a plan that would increase biofuel quotas for the 2027 calendar year by roughly 500 million gallons to offset any damage caused by the soon-to-be-announced exemptions for smaller refineries, two separate sources told Reuters… “The debate revives one of the ​most contentious energy disputes of Trump’s first term, when broad refinery exemptions drew fierce opposition from Midwestern farmers and ethanol producers while benefiting and winning support ​from oil refiners. The issue has resurfaced at a time when the administration has sought to bring down fuel costs during the ⁠war with Iran while avoiding a backlash from rural voters ahead of November midterm elections… “A coalition of farm and biofuel groups urged Trump on Thursday to reject any waiver expansion, warning that a surge in ​exemptions for small refineries would hurt rural America by undercutting demand for crops and renewable fuels.”

Washington Examiner: Trump’s head of offshore leasing leaving for oilfield services firm Halliburton
Callie Patteson, 8/27/26

“The man in charge of President Donald Trump’s offshore lease sales for the oil and gas industry is leaving the administration and heading to the private sector,” the Washington Examiner reports. “Two industry sources close to the discussions confirmed to the Washington Examiner that acting director of the Marine Minerals Administration, Matt Giacona, is leaving his post at the start of next month, with his last day set for Sept. 4… “Giacona was also acting director of BOEM before the merger, overseeing all offshore lease sales for oil and gas drilling… “Her departure raised several ethical questions about how public officials interact with industries they regulate. The administration has said that Kelm did not work on ‘official’ matters with Sable while negotiating her new position and that she does not plan to work on ‘ongoing official matters’ between the company and the administration in the new role.”

STATE UPDATES

KCLU: California Legislature passes a bill that may help prevent new offshore oil drilling in the Tri-Counties
Lance Orozco, 8/28/26

“California is poised to take a major new step in its battle with the federal government over the Trump administration’s efforts to open the state’s coastline to new oil and gas drilling,” KCLU reports. “It’s in the form of a bill authored by a Santa Barbara assemblyman that received final approval by the legislature Thursday afternoon. “It’s very important, because the federal government has proposed new offshore leases to facilitate drilling off the California Coast,” Democratic State Assemblyman Gregg Hart of Santa Barbara told KCLU. “California has been a strong opponent of that for nearly four decades… ”Among other things, the measure prohibits the California Coastal Commission from signing leases for oil or gas extraction in protected marine areas or national marine sanctuaries. “There’s been a bipartisan consensus in California for a very long time that offshore oil drilling is a threat to our economy, the quality of life, the marine environment,” Hart told KCLU… “The state has jurisdiction over the ocean up to three miles from the coast, where it becomes federal jurisdiction. Coastal infrastructure is key to getting oil and gas from offshore platforms to onshore facilities. “This (legislation) is mainly focused on the threat from the Trump administration to open up the entire California Coast to new offshore oil and gas leasing,” Linda Krop, Chief Counsel with the Santa Barbara-based Environmental Defense Center, told KCLU.”

Michigan Chamber of Commerce: Chamber backs new Michigan carbon capture legislation
8/28/26

“Three members of the Michigan House Energy Committee this week introduced House Bills 6247, 6248 and 6249, a package aimed at creating a state-run permitting framework for carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Michigan,” according to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. “The legislation would begin the process of transferring oversight of specialized underground carbon storage wells from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). That step is necessary for Michigan to establish its own Class VI permitting program… “For Michigan, establishing a clear, state-based permitting framework could provide greater regulatory certainty while helping attract new investment and support the competitiveness of the state’s industrial and manufacturing sectors. Spearheaded by the Michigan Chamber, the MI SUCCESS coalition brings together business, labor and environmental leaders in support of responsible carbon capture development. CCS has received support across four presidential administrations and has been used in Michigan for approximately 20 years… “The Michigan Chamber, working through the MI SUCCESS coalition, will urge lawmakers to advance the legislation and establish a clear framework that protects Michigan’s environment while creating opportunities for investment and economic growth.”

Chemical & Engineering News: Woodside blue ammonia plant stumbles, though CF moves ahead
Alexander Tullo, 8/28/26

“In the latest setback for low-carbon ammonia, the Australian natural gas development company Woodside Energy is launching a strategic review—which may include a sale—for its newly acquired blue ammonia plant in Beaumont, Texas,” Chemical & Engineering News reports. “At the same time, a joint venture led by the US fertilizer maker CF Industries Holding has begun construction on a similar project in Louisiana with Japanese partners. The Texas plant was conceived by OCI Global, which began building it in 2022 at an estimated cost of $1 billion. Woodside purchased the plant in 2024, while it was still under construction, for $2.35 billion as part of a low-carbon investment push… “ExxonMobil signed on to capture and store the CO2 emissions… “This asset was acquired in a global environment with line of sight to a developing market for lower-carbon ammonia, including the international regulatory frameworks required to support that market,” Woodside CEO Liz Westcott said in an Aug. 26 conference call with analysts. “Significant changes in the global environment over the past 12 months have changed this underlying premise…We will explore all options to determine the best value for Woodside… “During the Joe Biden administration, low-carbon ammonia projects blossomed as firms eyed US government incentives to build plants and overseas markets clamored for the reduced-carbon chemical. But uncertainty over the incentives under the Donald J. Trump administration and ebbing interest from potential customers have cooled enthusiasm for low-carbon ammonia and resulted in a wave of cancellations.”

Louisiana Illuminator: Damage, questions linger a year after Smitty’s Supply disaster as company plans comeback
Wesley Muller, 8/27/26

“A year after the Smitty’s Supply explosion dispersed millions of gallons of oil and chemicals in Tangipahoa Parish, environmental officials are still investigating the disaster as the company continues cleanup efforts and seeks permission to rebuild and restart its operations,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “...The fire burned for nearly two weeks, causing aerosolized oil and soot to rain down on neighbors, animals and property for miles. Residents within a mile of the facility, as well as an elementary school, were ordered to evacuate while millions of gallons of petroleum products spilled into nearby waters. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sued Smitty’s alleging a long list of environmental violations, but are working to settle the case even as their investigation continues.. “In December, the EPA estimated cleanup crews had recovered over 11 million gallons of petroleum products that overflowed containment areas at the plant and poured into the Tangipahoa River… “In an email to the Illuminator last week, The Ehrhardt Group, the company’s public relations firm, said Smitty’s Supply has completed all cleanup tasks that the EPA required of it in an agreement the company signed under the federal Superfund law… “Roseland Mayor Van Showers told the Illuminator he’s angry over what he described as slow and incomplete cleanup efforts. He told the Illuminator oil sheens still repeatedly show up in the waters near the facility and blames the state and federal government for a lack of oversight. “The citizens have been left with a pile of crap,” Showers told the Illuminator.”

Press release: IUC announces resignation of Commissioner Erik Helland
8/28/26

“The Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) today announced the resignation of Commissioner Erik Helland, effective September 4, 2026. With a quorum of two commissioners, the IUC will retain its full authority to conduct business and issue orders until the vacancy is filled. Helland was appointed to the IUC on May 1, 2023, for a term that expires April 30, 2029. The Governor fills vacancies for the unexpired portion of a term in the same manner as full-term appointments are made. The appointment would then be subject to Senate confirmation.”

EXTRACTION

Bloomberg: Venezuela Weighs OPEC Exit as US Discusses Oil Fields Stake
Ben Bartenstein, Mie Dahl, Fabiola Zerpa, and Mitchell Ferman, 8/27/26

“Venezuela is considering whether it should quit OPEC, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg, potentially delivering a fresh blow to the oil cartel it helped create more than six decades ago. The idea of an exit has been a topic in conversations with US officials, and no final decision has been made, some of the people, asking not to be identified discussing private information, told Bloomberg. A decision to pull out of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would underline the sweeping political realignment in Caracas since President Donald Trump ousted the longtime leader Nicolás Maduro and took control of the nation’s oil sales. Washington’s growing influence is also reflected in US talks with Venezuelan leaders to take a large stake in the nation’s oil fields — a development that would have been unthinkable just two years ago… “Given its diminished production, Venezuela’s potential exit is unlikely to have much immediate effect on global oil markets, which are currently dominated by the shockwaves of the US war with Iran.

Edmonton Journal: Oil and gas expert backs Smith, says using energy as tactic in US trade war could hurt Canadian oilsands
Itoro Umanah, 8/28/26

“Talks about retaliatory measures from the Canadian government have taken shape over the past few days since the Trump administration levied 50 per-cent tariffs on $28 billion worth of Canadian goods,” the Edmonton Journal reports. “Prime Minister Carney, in a “dollar-for-dollar” move, announced counter-tariffs expected to cover $27.6 billion worth of imports from the U.S. earlier this week—while Ontario Premier, Doug Ford platformed the use of Canadian energy as leverage in the trade war between the two countries. “I cannot think of a more disastrous policy decision than cutting off or taxing Alberta’s oil to the United States,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in an address on Wednesday… “Smith said an even more unfavourable outcome of losing the United States as a customer, forever, would result in the industry having to cut “half a million jobs at minimum.” “...Oil and gas analyst at BMO Capital Markets, Jeremy McCrea, agreed, cautioning against the discussion of energy as a tactic in the trade war.”

CBC: Regulator upholds sanctions against oilsands operator ordered to abandon operations
Wallis Snowdon, 8/28/26

“Warped boilers on the brink of failure, leaking steam valves, fractured gas lines and decaying unpurged pipelines with leaks that went undetected for months. These are the conditions that cost Sunshine Oilsands Limited control of its flagship thermal oilsands project in northern Alberta,” the CBC reports. “Sanctions ordering Calgary-based Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. to shut down and permanently decommission its West Ells project — located 115 kilometres north of Fort McMurray — have been upheld on appeal. The operator had challenged a pair of orders issued by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) due to the company’s repeated failures to comply with its regulatory and environmental obligations. The AER ordered a suspension of operations two years ago. But hearing commissioners said in their decision they did not believe Sunshine Oilsands is capable of bringing the project into compliance. Lifting the orders poses an unacceptable risk to the public and the environment, the panel wrote… “The OWA’s latest annual report estimates total cleanup cost for all Alberta’s orphan sites reached a record $1.66 billion this July. De Pauw said the increase has been driven by a recent spike in insolvencies.”

Australian Financial Review: Woodside paid for carbon capture, ‘footed wedding bills’ instead
Peter Ker, 8/30/26

“Woodside’s struggling clean energy division claims it paid more than $5 million toward a sham carbon capture project that never went ahead because the proponent used the money for his lavish personal lifestyle,” the Australian Financial Review reports. “Woodside has accused American entrepreneur Charles Fridge III of fraudulent conduct in a United States court, saying he diverted project funds to pay for his divorce and then a destination wedding to a second woman, among a slew of personal expenses. Woodside’s demand for Fridge to repay millions of dollars adds to doubts over the future of Woodside’s “new energy” division after the oil and gas giant announced last week it would no longer spend $US5 billion ($6.98 billion) on low carbon hydrogen and ammonia projects by 2030. The $US5 billion spend on “new energy” projects was announced in December 2021 as one of then Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill’s first acts. O’Neill told investors at the time that “new energy” projects posed less risk to shareholders because they were cheaper than oil and gas projects.”

Carbon Herald: Open Letter To UK Government Advocates Carbon Storage Mandates For Fossil Fuel Producers
Violet George, 8/31/26

“An open letter signed by 160 academics, civil society leaders, and environmental professionals has been submitted to UK Energy Department Secretary of State Miatta Fahnbulleh, proposing binding geological carbon storage mandates for the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields,” the Carbon Herald reports. “Organized by prominent academics from the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and University College London, the letter does not endorse field developments directly. Instead, it outlines policy conditions necessary to align future North Sea oil and gas extraction with the UK’s statutory 2050 net-zero emissions target… “To prevent ongoing extraction from worsening global warming, the group argues that licensing approvals must be explicitly linked to a producer obligation to capture, remove, and permanently store an equivalent volume of carbon dioxide in geological formations. The letter notes that relying heavily on nature-based carbon removals is inadequate to offset continued fossil fuel combustion, making permanent geological storage an essential prerequisite for ongoing production.”

Agence France-Presse: Finland defends shores against oil spill risk
8/27/26

“On a lush island in the Gulf of Finland, workers are toiling to protect the coastline from oil-spills -- a risk heightened by Russian shadow fleet shipments and Ukrainian drone attacks,” Agence France-Presse reports. “Special bolts were drilled in the ancient cliffs off the city of Kotka, less then a hundred kilometres (62 miles) from the Russian border, on one of thousands of islands scattered along Finland’s Baltic coastline. They will create a permanent attachment system for oil containment booms, which can be installed in the event of a spill, to help prevent the oil from reaching the shoreline and its sensitive ecosystems… “Jukka-Pekka Lumilahti, Director of Rescue Services at the Gulf of Finland Coastguard and head of Maritime Environmental Protection in the Kotka district, warned the risk of an oil spill accident was “very high at the moment”. “Between five and ten of these big crude oil tankers” are on the move every day, loaded with around 100,000 cubic metres of crude oil each, he told AFP… “A big spill would have devastating effects on marine and coastal ecosystems, Rosenstrom told AFP.”

Guardian Nigeria: Oil Spill: Ogoni communities count losses, demand urgent action
Ann Godwin, 8/28/26

“Across the sprawling farmland in Yola Oilfield, Ogoniland, Rivers State, the remains of a massive oil spill tell a grim story of environmental destruction and human suffering,” Guardian Nigeria reports. “Cassava farms that should have been approaching harvest have been rendered useless. Mangroves, palm trees and other vegetation have been coated and destroyed by crude oil, while nearby creeks and waterways remain polluted. The scene, according to environmental activist and Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, resembles a war front. Bassey, speaking with The Guardian at the scene of the spill, said, “This looks like a scene of fire,” Bassey said during a visit to the affected community. “All this destruction of mangroves, palm trees, mangoes and the rest were just damaged by the spill itself.” The spill occurred at the Yola Oilfield in the Kpean community, in Khana Local Government Area of Ogoniland last year. For residents, however, the tragedy is not merely about another oil spill. It is a reminder of decades of environmental degradation and what they describe as government neglect, even as moves intensify towards possible resumption of oil production in the area… “For Bassey, the unfolding crisis should serve as a warning against any hurried resumption of oil production in Ogoniland. He questioned how oil infrastructure abandoned since production stopped in 1993 could still be responsible for such a massive environmental disaster decades later… “According to the traditional ruler, the Yola Oilfield contains between 17 and 18 wellheads, many of which have reportedly remained without adequate maintenance for decades. He said residents had repeatedly raised concerns about the condition of the facilities, but little had been done.”

OPINION

NWIowa.com: Iowa voters must elect candidates who prioritize property rights
Bonnie Ewoldt is a Crawford County landowner on Summit’s route, 8/27/26

“Five years ago, Summit Carbon Solutions rolled out its plan for the Midwest Carbon Express, a 2,000-mile pipeline designed to transport carbon dioxide collected from ethanol plants in five states and sequester it underground in North Dakota. The project has met fierce opposition across the multi-state route, resulting in Summit’s complete overhaul of the route and changing the intended purpose of the project,” Bonnie Ewoldt writes for NWIowa.com. “...Landowners who were targeted for eminent domain by the decision filed an appeal in district court where the judge ruled that the case be remanded back to the IUC. The commission has yet to respond, and the permitting process for Summit’s CO2 pipeline is stalled. With all the setbacks and delays, Summit has dropped over two hundred miles from the trunk line and stopped pursuing easements with four hundred landowners. The company is also entangled in litigation after being sued by international pipeline and valve manufacturing companies for failing to pay multi-million dollar contracts. At this point, Summit is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule. Its reputation is tarnished, and investors are watching. Iowa voters should be watching, also. As the upcoming midterm elections approach, voters must ask candidates if they will defend property rights and whether they are prepared to pass legislation that protects landowners from eminent domain abuse… “We must elect candidates who prioritize property rights over corporate greed and will not hesitate to pass a commonsense law that ends the misuse of eminent domain for risky carbon dioxide pipelines in Iowa.”

The Orcasonian: Council letter to community | Increased oil tanker traffic in the Salish Sea
Kari McVeigh, District 1; Justin Paulsen, District 2, County Council Chair; Jane Fuller, District 3, 8/28/26

“From Lime Kiln Park on the west side of San Juan Island, you can often spot the tall black fins of our resident Orcas. Increasingly, those remarkable animals are silhouetted against a large oil tanker. Like the Orca, the tankers come from Canada then pass through the narrow channels of the Salish Sea on their way to the ocean,” Kari McVeigh, Justin Paulsen and Jane Fuller write for The Orcasonian. “The San Juan County Council is concerned about increased oil tanker traffic and the heightened risk of oil spills. Canada is building pipelines and shipping terminals to deliver tar sands oil to global markets. It has already expanded its Transmountain Pipeline, including its extension to US refineries near Bellingham, and deepened its harbor shipping channels to accommodate more heavily loaded ships. These expansions have tripled the number of tanker transits since 2016. On July 1, Mark Carney, Premier of Canada and the Governor of Alberta, announced that Canada plans to build an entirely new pipeline in the existing corridor. The new proposed pipeline will terminate at Roberts Bank, seven miles from the US border. If the pipeline is built, seven times the number of tankers will pass through the narrow shipping lanes west of San Juan Island by 2034… “Our shorelines, kelp beds and seagrass meadows, fisheries and cetaceans including the endangered southern resident orcas, and our tourist-dependent economies are all on the line, on both sides of the border. A catastrophic oil spill could ruin the biologically rich ecosystem that we all benefit from and enjoy. Without the best available protection, the risk is not limited to our county; other communities that border the Salish Sea are also exposed and vulnerable. Protecting our shared environment is critical not just to the iconic Orea but to our entire way of life.”

Fortune: Who pays for a shadow fleet oil spill? No one
Charles Edward Gehrke, 8/28/26

“In March, I wrote in Fortune that the shadow fleet exists because the rules of the sea are fundamentally voluntary. Ships can opt out. They can switch off transponders, fly flags bought from registries that never inspected anything, and hold insurance nobody can trace. I noted that when one of them has an accident, there may be no one standing behind the policy. Which is happening right now off the coast of Oman,” Charles Edward Gehrke writes for Fortune. “The dark fleet vessel in question is the Caroline Bezengi: a Suezmax built in 2001 carrying roughly 800,000 barrels of Russian Urals crude… “Adding insult to injury, she now sits — leaking oil — inside a 667-square-kilometer marine reserve Sultan Haitham had created by royal decree nearly eight months before, to protect an endangered population of Arabian Sea humpbacks… “Dimitris Maniatis, who runs the maritime risk firm Marisks, told Bloomberg Television that cleanup alone could run $200 million to $500 million. Nobody is going to pay it… “The ship had no publicly identified insurer. That isn’t supposed to be possible. So, no insurer is going to pay. Fortunately, there is a longstanding international safety net. It isn’t going to help… “It’s not going to pay Oman. A spokesperson for the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund told Reuters in August that it would not be involved in cleanup costs because the incident “was being treated as an act of war,” a category the convention excludes.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers, Wisconsin DNR demand halt to Enbridge Line 5 work after spill

• KBJR: Crew of 150 responders work to remedy Line 5 rupture site

• Michigan Advance: Tribal leaders, clean water advocates rally in Lansing as Line 5 fight intensifies

• Durango Herald: Hickenlooper: Pipeline safety standard should be ‘zero accidents’

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Regulators investigate Black Hills Energy’s high number of pipeline safety violations

• KOTV: ONEOK: Contractor damaged pipeline near Berryhill campus

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Reuters: US preparing to ease environmental reviews for Alaska oil and gas drilling

• Bloomberg: Permitting Fixes, Energy Aid Top Democrats’ Affordability Agenda

• Washington Post: $900 million from a canceled wind deal will benefit a Trump donor

STATE UPDATES

• WAND: Christian County approves year-long restriction on data centers, carbon sequestration

• Energy Intelligence Group: Exxon’s Rose CCS Faces CO2 Storage Permit Delay as Challenge Reviewed

• Grist: On Louisiana’s disappearing coast, a natural gas terminal is poised to become the largest in the US

• Odessa American: Big oil companies’ CEOs face perplexing questions

• Planet Detroit: DTE will seek approval for 2 natural gas plants as coal phases out, data centers go online

• KTUU: Sheen vanishes, mystery remains after pilot reports oil slick near Cook Inlet platform

• KDLL: Hilcorp to inspect lines near oily sheen in Cook Inlet

EXTRACTION

• Canadian Press: N.B. to review ban on fracking amid U.S. tariffs, premier says

• Energy Intelligence Group: Oil Sands Players Soft Pedal Growth-Capex Commitments

• Clean Energy Wire: German draft export credit rules leave fossil gas loopholes open, NGOs say

• Press release: Hemisphere Energy Responds to Incident at Atlee Buffalo Oil Battery

OPINION

• Forbes: Canada/USA Standoff Highlights Enbridge Line 5 Importance
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers, Wisconsin DNR demand halt to Enbridge Line 5 work after spill
Laura Schulte, Caitlin Looby, 8/27/26

“State officials are demanding the halt of construction on a controversial pipeline through Wisconsin’s Northwoods, following a natural gas spill in Iron County,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. “In an Aug. 27 letter to Enbridge, Department of Natural Resources Secretary Karen Hyun asked the company to halt construction on the Line 5 reroute while it investigates the Aug. 25 natural-gas spill near Sitan Road outside Saxon and implements measures to prevent future incidents. “The agency is deeply concerned about this spill and immensely frustrated by other recent noncompliance events and has several outstanding questions of Enbridge and would appreciate written responses as expeditiously as possible,” Hyun said in the letter obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “The department requests that you halt work on the pipeline re-routing project until this event on the existing pipeline is sufficiently resolved and Enbridge has demonstrated that measures are in place to prevent future spill events related to all pipeline work.” “...According to the DNR, at around 10 a.m., an Enbridge vehicle rolled into an open excavation on Sitan Road striking a natural-gas transmission line and causing a release… “The department requested more information about the Saxon spill, including how much natural gas was released, and the rate of release of vapors that may have escaped during the event, in addition to what control measures are in place to mitigate the release of vapors… “Hyun also shared concerns about public health, and asked Enbridge to communicate with the state Department of Health Services, in addition to local Tribal Nations.”

KBJR: Crew of 150 responders work to remedy Line 5 rupture site
Leslie Krebs, 8/27/26

“Emergency crews remain on scene two days after a valve on the Line 5 pipeline ruptured near Saxon, causing a natural gas liquids leak,” KBJR reports. “In an update Thursday evening from Enbridge, about 150 people are working at the scene… “Superior Fire Chief Camron Vollbrecht told KBJR natural gas liquids are mostly propane and butane, and should not be confused with natural gas… “Vollbrecht told KBJR residents should stay away from the spill site to prevent health issues, explaining the reason for the evacuations. “They’re not extremely toxic but it’s not something that you’ll wanna be inhaling.”

Michigan Advance: Tribal leaders, clean water advocates rally in Lansing as Line 5 fight intensifies
Kyle Davidson, 8/27/26

“Following a flurry of developments surrounding Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel project, tribal citizens and environmental advocates gathered in Lansing to share concerns about the project and lay out the next steps in their yearslong fight to have the pipeline decommissioned,” the Michigan Advance reports. “...Organized by the Anishinaabe Friendship Center, Wednesday’s rally welcomed leaders from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, along with environmentalists and state officials calling for Line 5 to be shut down. “This is not just a Native issue, and let me repeat that: it’s not just a Native issue,” said Winnay Wemigwase, the chairperson of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. “It is not just an environmental issue. It is a Michigan issue. It is a human issue.”

Durango Herald: Hickenlooper: Pipeline safety standard should be ‘zero accidents’
Jessie Bowman, 8/28/26

“U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper said he’s not sure if the federal pipeline regulatory agency has failed to adequately protect residents and investigate pipeline failures like the one that occurred nearly two years ago south of Durango – but he intends to find out,” the Durango Herald reports. “It has been 20 months since an Enterprise Products pipeline ruptured and released an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 gallons of gasoline into the ground within the boundaries of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. On Wednesday, the senator toured the site of the ongoing cleanup alongside about 30 other people… “The cleanup has been marked by disagreements between the tribe and Enterprise about the volume of gasoline released and how the contamination should be addressed. Additionally, it has included larger critiques that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration – the regulatory agency responsible for investigating pipeline failures – has been ineffective. PHMSA’s slow response has been a point of contention for La Plata County commissioners who, for months, have expressed frustration about the lack of clarity regarding pipeline oversight, operator enforcement and potential deficiencies in other parts of the pipeline that might be at risk of failing again. If this is PHMSA’s normal pace, “they’re not meeting their standard” and that’s unacceptable, Hickenlooper told The Durango Herald after Wednesday’s tour… “Like aviation, the standard for pipelines should be “zero accidents,” or as close to zero as possible, Hickenlooper said.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Regulators investigate Black Hills Energy’s high number of pipeline safety violations
Cami Koons, 8/27/26

“The Iowa Utilities Commission is evaluating potential penalties and corrective action for Black Hills Energy following a hearing Thursday on an investigation into the gas company’s safety and management practices in Iowa,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “Routine inspections from IUC revealed Black Hills Energy had disproportionally more instances of probable violations than the other top gas providers in Iowa over the past several years. The IUC also flagged that Black Hills has significantly longer correction times for probable violations than the other major gas providers… “In June 2025, IUC submitted a routine inspection report on Black Hills’ Spencer Unit in northwest Iowa that had more than 100 safety issues in 16 violation categories. IUC said that while the violations didn’t pose and immediate threat to the public, the high volume was cause for an investigation. As IUC reviewed additional data with other Black Hills operations in the state, it “became increasingly concerned” about potential “company-wide safety issues” across Black Hills’ operations in the state, according to a news release from IUC. While IUC can levy civil penalties to utilities that commit violations, the commission decided to defer its final decision on civil penalties for Black Hills until it could evaluate compliance standards through the rest of the utility’s systems in Iowa.”

KOTV: ONEOK: Contractor damaged pipeline near Berryhill campus
Brian Smallwood, 8/27/26

“Emergency and utility crews responded near Berryhill’s campus Thursday morning after a reported gas leak that officials later determined was an off-campus fuel leak,” KOTV reports. “...ONEOK said a contractor damaged a refined products pipeline while mowing on the company’s right-of-way Thursday morning… “ONEOK will remain on site throughout the day because of the possibility that the substance could enter a creek running through campus… “Earlier this morning, a contractor damaged a refined products pipeline while mowing on our right-of-way. Employees quickly isolated the affected area…”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Reuters: US preparing to ease environmental reviews for Alaska oil and gas drilling
Nichola Groom, 8/26/26

“The U.S. Interior Department is preparing to ease environmental review requirements for some oil and gas exploration activities in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve as part of the Trump administration’s push to speed energy development in the Arctic, an Interior spokesperson said on Wednesday,” Reuters reports. “The agency is working on a proposed “categorical exclusion” that would accelerate permitting for winter oil and gas exploration activities, including seismic surveys and exploratory drilling operations in the reserve, the spokesperson told Reuters. The proposal would be based on findings from dozens of prior environmental reviews showing that winter exploration activities conducted under established operating procedures and mitigation measures have no significant impacts, the spokesperson told Reuters.”

Bloomberg: Permitting Fixes, Energy Aid Top Democrats’ Affordability Agenda
Kellie Lunney, 8/27/26

“House Democrats looking to win back the majority in November are prepping proposals ranging from faster permitting for energy projects to expanding a federal heating and cooling assistance program to rein in the cost of living for everyday Americans,” Bloomberg reports. “...Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), who is in a safe Democratic district, leads a working group of House Democrats responsible for crafting proposals to tackle high energy prices… “A permitting overhaul must happen to help ease energy prices for consumers, and generating more energy and updating the electric grid — two goals of an expedited permitting process — would bring down energy costs for average Americans, Budzinski told Bloomberg… “Budzinski and Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) lead the gas and utilities group, which has solicited input from other members of Congress, as well as lobbyists in Washington, and voters… “Budzinski told Bloomberg her group will give Jeffries recommendations on lowering the cost of energy sometime in September… “Senate negotiators left for August recess without a bipartisan agreement to improve permitting but hope to release a plan when they return in September.”

Washington Post: $900 million from a canceled wind deal will benefit a Trump donor
Evan Halper, 8/27/26

“The Trump administration’s latest deal to cancel offshore wind projects and boost fossil fuel energy development instead is generating a huge payday for one of the president’s million-dollar donors,” the Washington Post reports. “Behind the windfall is a settlement stipulating that German energy giant RWE will receive $1.2 billion from a federal fund on the condition that it gives up its offshore wind leases in New York, California and Louisiana and invests in unspecified oil, gas or nuclear “conventional energy” projects. Most of the payout — $900 million — will be spent by RWE to buy a stake in a massive Louisiana liquefied natural gas project, according to statements from RWE and Woodside Energy, the majority owner of the gas project. What hasn’t been previously reported is that the stake is being purchased from a private equity fund run by Australian billionaire Michael Dorrell, who owns a mansion on a private island near Mar-a-Lago and has boasted of socializing with President Donald Trump’s inner circle at the club. Dorrell personally gave $926,300 to the Trump Vance Inaugural Committee two weeks after Trump was elected for a second term in late 2024 and another $73,700 a few weeks later, according to federal filings. (The Australia native also has U.S. citizenship.)”

STATE UPDATES

WAND: Christian County approves year-long restriction on data centers, carbon sequestration
La’Miya Starnes, 8/27/26

“Many people in Christian County are breathing a sigh of relief after the county board approved a year-long restriction on data centers and carbon sequestration,” WAND reports. “Thank you for looking at a resolution that will slow things down and allow the time to put in regulations that will protect the town,” said one resident. Some people feel carbon capture is not a reliable process after learning about a CO2 leak at ADM in Decatur. “The theory is that it will be contained under a hard rock, but the APM project indicator has proved to us quite well that it doesn’t necessarily stay where you put it,” said a second resident. “...“I’m also pleased that they have shown interest in allowing a group of us to work with them and with the zoning board on developing ordinances that we feel will really protect our constituents, our neighbors and our friends,” said resident Debbie Webber.”

Energy Intelligence Group: Exxon’s Rose CCS Faces CO2 Storage Permit Delay as Challenge Reviewed
Isaac Windes, 8/27/26

“Texas oil and gas regulators have postponed a vote on whether to approve so-called “Class VI” CO2 sequestration well permits for Exxon Mobil’s Rose carbon capture and storage (CCS) project by at least a month, marking the first major test of the state’s newly granted authority to govern its own Class VI permitting program,” Energy Intelligence Group reports.

Grist: On Louisiana’s disappearing coast, a natural gas terminal is poised to become the largest in the US
Tristan Baurick, 8/27/26

“Less than two years after opening, a liquefied natural gas terminal near New Orleans is seeking a multibillion-dollar expansion under the Trump administration’s new “emergency” permitting process that cuts regulatory review and could put nearby wetlands and waterways at greater risk,” Grist reports. “Earlier this summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted Plaquemines LNG fast-tracked permitting under a “national energy emergency” that President Donald Trump declared last year. The agency cut the public comment period from the typical 30 days to 10, and is expected to move quickly to approve the expansion, a step that would allow the terminal to more than double in size, growing from nearly 590 acres along the Mississippi River to about 1,220. That would make the facility the largest LNG export terminal in North America, according to its owner, Virginia-based Venture Global. Environmentalists warn that the expedited review will mean less scrutiny of dredging, in-water construction, and the filling of marshlands in a region rapidly losing land… “Louisiana is already dealing with a coastal crisis,” Matt Rota, a senior policy director with Healthy Gulf, a New Orleans-based environmental group, told Grist. “Destroying 400 more acres in Plaquemines Parish is ridiculous. I don’t know how many acres they have left, but it’s not that much.”

Odessa American: Big oil companies’ CEOs face perplexing questions
Bob Campbell, 8/27/26

“The major oil companies have been making big profits since the Strait of Hormuz was constricted, but that is a great distance from being the whole story,” according to the Odessa American. “Long-term planning has become harder as the CEOs face a panoply of problems each day with some having commonality with other such companies and others being unique to his or her company as they pursue various initiatives and projects. Waco economist Ray Perryman and Odessa oilman Kirk Edwards told OA the majors’ leaders earn every dollar… “The planning process is certainly complicated by geopolitical tensions but also by the ongoing energy transition to lower carbon options that must occur while recognizing that fossil fuels produced and used in a cleaner manner will be needed in increasing quantities in the future,” Perryman told OA… “Perryman told OA companies must perpetually decide how much to invest in drilling programs and replacement supplies while simultaneously weighing other options like optimal investments, carbon capture and reduction, hydrogen or biofuels… “So yes, the integrated majors that own both producing assets and refineries are making tremendous money in this environment.” But he told OA he would be very reluctant to criticize them for earning those profits.”

Planet Detroit: DTE will seek approval for 2 natural gas plants as coal phases out, data centers go online
Brian Allnutt, 8/27/26

“DTE Energy is seeking approval for two natural gas plants — 700 megawatts and 1,400 megawatts — in its upcoming Integrated Resource Plan filing, Planet Detroi reports. “... Each additional 1-gigawatt data center could necessitate a new natural gas plant, DTE CEO Joi Harris said last year… “The utility is considering multiple baseload generation sources, including nuclear energy and natural gas with carbon capture and storage, to help replace its Monroe coal plant and serve new demand from data centers, spokesperson Ryan Lowry told Planet Detroit in April.”

KTUU: Sheen vanishes, mystery remains after pilot reports oil slick near Cook Inlet platform
Lars Hanson, 8/26/26

“Four consecutive aerial surveys of Cook Inlet have turned up no visible trace of an oily sheen first reported near a long-dormant oil platform, state officials said Wednesday, as the source, cause and total scope of the spill remain unconfirmed three days after it was first spotted,” KTUU reports. “The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said in its latest situation report that overflights conducted three times Tuesday and again Wednesday morning found no sheen on the water near the Spark Platform, an inactive Hilcorp Alaska structure in North Trading Bay, roughly 50 to 60 miles southwest of Anchorage. The update, issued Wednesday afternoon, marks the second situation report since a pilot’s sighting triggered the multi-agency response… “As a precaution, all oil and gas lines in the area were shut in Monday. Hilcorp is now developing plans to inspect and test those lines, and the company’s oil spill response contractor, Alaska Response Corporation, will be on scene when officials move to bring the lines back online, the report states.”

KDLL: Hilcorp to inspect lines near oily sheen in Cook Inlet
Ashlyn O’Hara, 8/26/26

“State officials say they still cannot trace an oily sheen observed in western Cook Inlet on Monday to a nearby oil platform,” KDLL reports. “...The state says Hilcorp investigated the platform Tuesday and Wednesday and did not find evidence of an oil spill, or a possible source of the sheen… “The state says Trading Bay is home to all five species of salmon, as well as endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales, sea and river otters, harbor seals, sea lions and a handful of migratory birds and waterfowl. The sheen prompted outcry from environmental groups, including the Homer-based nonprofit Cook Inletkeeper. In a press release, the group says the sheen demonstrates the risks of leaving aging oil and gas structure in Alaska waters indefinitely. “This is one more reminder of why having oil and gas in our backyard is a liability to the marine ecosystems we rely on for our livelihoods and wellbeing,” Clean Water Lead Satchel Pondolfino said in the statement. “Enough is enough; we have to start holding operators accountable for dismantling retired infrastructure.”

EXTRACTION

Canadian Press: N.B. to review ban on fracking amid U.S. tariffs, premier says
Eli Ridder, 8/26/26

“New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says her government is launching a review of the province’s long-standing ban on hydraulic fracturing,” the Canadian Press reports. “The Liberal premier says the review of the 2014 ban on fracking is part of her government’s work to explore ways it can strengthen the provincial economy. Officials told CP the Liberal provincial government will consult First Nations communities, local governments, industry stakeholders and regular New Brunswickers. Holt backed the ban as recently as last year, but told CP the review of the moratorium doesn’t guarantee a return of widespread drilling. She told CP Canada’s escalating trade war with the United States in recent days has strengthened her belief the province needs to invest in ways to bring about more economic stability.”

Energy Intelligence Group: Oil Sands Players Soft Pedal Growth-Capex Commitments
Luke Johnson, 8/27/26

“As the world contemplates longer-term energy security needs in the wake of the Mideast war, now entering its seventh month, Canada’s oil sands would seem to be hitting their stride at an opportune time,” Energy Intelligence Group reports. “While the North American producer will hardly lead the charge on non-Opec supply growth in the coming years — combined oil sands and conventional oil growth is set to tally 245,000 barrels per day between 2025 and 2030, according to the Canada Energy Regulator’s (CER) base-case forecast — its ability to deliver year after year of record output this decade despite continued capital discipline is gaining attention. At the same time, oil sands giants have noted a clear change in sentiment within the industry, with fresh hope that a newly supportive federal government could pave the way for more growth. Oil sands producers have been coming off a banner year in 2025, with production rising by nearly 4% last year to a record above 3.59 million b/d, pushing total Canadian oil production toward a record 5.6 million b/d, according to the CER. This year’s production could rise even higher, with companies like Cenovus Energy and Canadian Natural Resources reporting their highest quarterly output on record in the second quarter… “Production is reaching new peaks and set to keep growing as more optimization and expansion projects continue to come on line,” Mark Oberstoetter, Woodmac’s vice president of upstream, told EIG.”

Clean Energy Wire: German draft export credit rules leave fossil gas loopholes open, NGOs say
Benjamin Wehrmann, 8/28/26

“Environmental groups have criticised a government proposal on climate guidelines for German export credit guarantees, arguing that the changes would make it easier for companies to secure state-backed support for fossil and nuclear power projects abroad,” Clean Energy Wire reports. “...The NGOs said that the proposal by the economy ministry would continue to allow for the support of natural gas plants under the condition of making them ready for later use with hydrogen and if they are equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS/CCU) technology. According to DUH and urgewald, this opens the door to more general support for fossil gas infrastructure, including maintenance work on existing plants and new construction in developing countries. “Also the exploration, extraction, transport and storage of fossil gas remain eligible for support under certain conditions,” the groups said.

Press release: Hemisphere Energy Responds to Incident at Atlee Buffalo Oil Battery
8/26/26

“Vancouver, British Columbia-based Hemisphere Energy Corporation reports that a fire incident occurred overnight at the Company’s largest oil battery at its Atlee Buffalo property (southeast Alberta). Emergency protocols were activated immediately, and the fire has since been extinguished with all damage contained within the Company’s lease. There are no injuries reported. The incident resulted in the loss of all three treaters at the battery and is expected to cause significant downtime at the facility while clean-up, assessment, and rebuild activities are completed. The affected oil battery accounts for up to 2,650 boe/d (99% heavy oil), or approximately 75% of the Company’s production.”

OPINION

Forbes: Canada/USA Standoff Highlights Enbridge Line 5 Importance
Daniel Markind, 8/27/26

“The decision last Friday night by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to walk away from bilateral trade talks with the United States, and the subsequent “tit-for-tat” sanctions imposed by each nation against the other, have only magnified the significance of the oil and gas infrastructure that runs through and/or affects both countries,” Daniel Markind writes for Forbes. “Among that infrastructure is the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, which moves Canadian oil through the United States back into Canada, where it can be processed at the refineries of Sarnia, Ontario, for ultimate consumption… “Another potential threat to United States interests raised by Canadian officials lies with oil and gas. Canada supplies nearly four million barrels of crude oil per day to the United States, and Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford has proposed either taxing that product or holding it back from the United States entirely. Two can play at that game, however, and the continuing issues surrounding Enbridge Line 5 would only be magnified by a trade standoff between the two countries… “Getting into an ill-advised trade standoff now with by far its largest trading partner would seem like the worst thing that Canada could do to improve its economy.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• The Current: Federal court rejects petition against Cameron Parish LNG facility

• Wisconsin Public Radio: Air monitoring shows no hazardous levels of gases after leak on Enbridge’s Line 5

• Indian Country Today: Collision causes pipeline leak near Bad River Reservation, shuts down Line 5

• WILX: Michigan Supreme Court ruling reignites Line 5 pipeline debate

• WAFF: Proposed North Alabama pipeline raises concerns among landowners

• East Texas Banner: Low Turnout at Deweyville Carbon Capture Meeting

• Bloomberg: Alaska Pipeline Aims to Renew Land Rights Early Under Trump

• U.S. Energy Information Administration: Eight petroleum liquids pipeline projects have been completed since the start of 2025

• Reuters: Enbridge, KKR form $1.95 billion JV to fund Westcoast gas pipeline expansions

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Canadian Press: The president says the U.S. doesn’t need anything from Canada. Exports say otherwise.

• E&E News: Power plant endangerment repeal enters White House review

• Utility Dive: Trump’s energy policy could cost US 540 GW of renewables, says NRDC

• Center for Western Priorities: Commenters overwhelmingly oppose BLM’s rollback of oil and gas rule, analysis finds

• Press release: Putting Drinking Water First: Weakening Clean Water Act Limits on Oil and Gas Wastewater Pollution Threatens Drinking Water

STATE UPDATES

• Politico: California’s emissions authority is cracking

• Alaska Beacon: Alaska officials respond to mystery spill near idled Cook Inlet oil platform

EXTRACTION

• Inside Climate News: The Biggest Carbon Polluters Are to Blame for Half of U.S. Western Water Lost to Climate Change, ‘Groundbreaking’ Paper Says

• Carbon Credits: Alberta Carbon Price Barely Raises Oil Sands Costs, Study Finds

OPINION

• EnergyNow: Is it Time for an Industry Rebrand of “Oil Sands”?
  

PIPELINE NEWS

The Current: Federal court rejects petition against Cameron Parish LNG facility
Natalie McLendon, 8/27/26

“A federal appeals court has upheld the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of a major liquid natural gas project in Cameron Parish,” The Current reports. “On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected a consolidated lawsuit brought by environmental groups and local commercial fishermen, led by For a Better Bayou, denying their petitions for review of the commission’s approval. The plaintiffs argued that FERC didn’t sufficiently account for the impact the facility, which is already under construction, would have on the local environment and the commercial seafood industry that depends on it. “FERC is required to evaluate the full scope of the potential harm from a project, and they failed to do that here,” Roddy Hughes, Sierra Club Campaign Organizing Strategist, told the Current. “Construction of the CP2 export facility has already been an unmitigated disaster for the health and livelihoods of the local community.” “...The court, however, ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission acted lawfully when it approved Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass 2 LNG terminal and CP Express pipeline in Louisiana, and agreed with FERC that the project “would have a ‘moderate, but not significant impact on commercial fishing.’” “...This decision is a blow for the climate and the communities surrounding this project,” Gillian Giannetti, senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council said in a press release.”

Wisconsin Public Radio: Air monitoring shows no hazardous levels of gases after leak on Enbridge’s Line 5
Danielle Kaeding, 8/26/26

“Haz-mat teams and emergency response crews are still monitoring a gas leak that began Tuesday morning on Enbridge’s Line 5 oil and gas pipeline in northern Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Public Radio reports. “...Enbridge has said a parked, unoccupied semi truck rolled into an open excavation site on a Line 5 valve project, striking the pipe and releasing natural gas liquids… “No one was injured. As a precaution, a nearby rural home was evacuated. The section of pipe was immediately isolated. Local emergency response crews remain on site. Line 5 is shut down as the response continues,” Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner told WPR. Ashland Fire Chief Stuart Matthias told WPR Iron County asked the department’s haz-mat team to assist with the response. The team conducted air quality monitoring in a one-mile radius around Enbridge’s site. Matthias told WPR they collected readings using a five-gas meter that detects levels of oxygen, combustible gases, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compounds. “The monitoring that we did today did not show any hazardous gases or anything within a flammable limit outside of the incident area,” Matthias told WPR. Matthias told WPR minuscule readings of a volatile organic compound were observed about a mile downwind, but nothing at levels of concern for human health… “Enbridge did not respond Wednesday when asked to confirm whether the pipe is still leaking.”

Indian Country Today: Collision causes pipeline leak near Bad River Reservation, shuts down Line 5
Amelia Schafer, 8/26/26

“Construction on a controversial oil-pipeline in northern Wisconsin resulted in a leak of natural gas liquids Tuesday less than five miles east of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Reservation,” Indian Country Today reports. “Drone footage shared on social media by a Bad River tribal member depicted large white plumes of smoke emitting from the rupture, which required the 600-mile-long pipeline to be shut down. Line 5 remained shut down Wednesday afternoon as a result of the incident, according to a spokesperson for Enbridge, the Canadian energy company operating the pipeline. It is unclear when the pipeline will begin to operate again.”

WILX: Michigan Supreme Court ruling reignites Line 5 pipeline debate
Jaden Hawkins, 8/26/26

“Protesters gathered on the state Capitol steps Wednesday amid renewed debate over the 70-year-old Line 5 oil pipeline. Organizers said a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision has given new momentum to opposition efforts,” WILX reports. “Members of the Indigenous community and environmental advocates attended the rally to raise concerns about the Line 5 twin oil pipelines and the proposed Great Lakes tunnel. “The water that we have on the earth is the only water we have. We cannot make or grow more water. And, so to threaten that, threatens our very existence,” said Winnay Wemigwase, of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians… “Brian O’Mara, an environmental consultant with Agate Harbor Advisors LLC who has worked on tunnel projects before, said oil does not belong in them. “I’ve seen what can go wrong on these tunnels; they do flood, they do collapse. I’ve seen fires, I’ve seen explosions and I’ve seen people get killed in them, because engineers made mistakes, and shortcuts were taken by contractors,” O’Mara said… “They are urging people to pressure state lawmakers to take action against the project.”

WAFF: Proposed North Alabama pipeline raises concerns among landowners
Anjolina Fantaroni, 8/26/26

“A planned natural gas pipeline through North Alabama is raising concerns among landowners along its proposed route, which would run from north of Florence east to Hollywood,” WAFF reports. “More than 50 people attended a meeting Wednesday night to learn more about the proposed project and what it could mean for their property. Officials say surveys and environmental studies could continue for the next three years, and no construction schedule has been set. Madison County landowner Lynn Hardiman, whose farm has been in her family for 206 years, said she is concerned about the proposed route. “It’s just concerning because it looks like we’re being penalized for not selling and developing our land because it looks like it’s the easiest route for them to take,” Hardiman said. Hardiman said she does not want a 44-inch natural gas pipeline running through her property. “They’ll mess up the integrity of our property. And I kept thinking about my grandparents and how their whole goal for our property was ‘keep it in the family. Keep it undisturbed,’” Hardiman said.”

East Texas Banner: Low Turnout at Deweyville Carbon Capture Meeting
Jay Sharp, 8/27/26

“Attendance was sparse Tuesday night at a highly publicized public meeting on carbon capture and sequestration held at Deweyville School. ExxonMobil and the Gulf Coast CCS Alliance hosted the event, which featured informational booths intended to explain the proposed carbon capture process to area residents,” the East Texas Banner reports. “More than 20 ExxonMobil representatives, along with representatives from the Texas Oil and Gas Association, Lamar Institute of Technology, the University of Texas and other organizations and companies, were on hand to answer questions… “The company also conducted a demonstration in the school parking lot showing a simulated carbon dioxide pipeline leak. The display produced a large cloud from a mock pipeline section, and volunteers were allowed to test air quality near the release and throughout the cloud. During the demonstration, an ExxonMobil representative said it is safe to work near a carbon dioxide pipeline leak measuring up to 4,000 parts per million for 8 hours without additional safety gear.”

Bloomberg: Alaska Pipeline Aims to Renew Land Rights Early Under Trump
Jennifer A Dlouhy, 8/26/26

“The owners of the 800-mile Trans Alaska Pipeline System are seeking to renew its federal land authorization more than seven years before it expires, a move that could capitalize on President Donald Trump’s enthusiasm for US oil production,” Bloomberg reports. “At stake are essential rights-of-way that would enable three decades of additional operation for the pipeline that’s a vital conduit for North Slope crude. The early maneuver could ensure the Trump administration will make that determination rather than the president’s successor in the White House. The US Interior Department on Wednesday said it is launching a formal review of the reauthorization application from Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., which operates TAPS, on behalf of owners Hilcorp Energy Co., ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. The process will begin with an environmental review, as the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management gives the public 15 days to weigh in on the scope of the government’s analysis. If Alyeska’s bid is successful, it would result in 30 more years of federal land authorizations, offering more certainty for a critical piece of US oil infrastructure… “Environmentalists have petitioned the Interior Department for a fresh analysis of TAPS’ effects on the environment and climate change, arguing the warming world demands its decommissioning.”

U.S. Energy Information Administration: Eight petroleum liquids pipeline projects have been completed since the start of 2025
8/26/26

“In the 2026 release of our Liquids Pipeline Projects Database, we tracked the completion of 8 liquid fuels pipeline projects since the start of 2025, and an additional 14 new projects have been announced,” according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Between January 2025 and June 2026, the following projects were completed: Bahia Pipeline: Enterprise’s 550-mile, 600,000 barrel per day (b/d) natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline originates in West Texas from the Delaware and Midland basins and connects to Enterprise’s fractionation complex in Chambers County in Texas. Coastal Bend NGL Pipeline Expansion 1 (former EPIC Y-grade pipeline): EPIC expanded its Y-grade pipeline by 50,000 b/d for total pipeline capacity of 225,000 b/d. The pipeline carries Y-grade from West Texas to Corpus Christi. Hiland Express Project: Kinder Morgan converted the Double H Pipeline system from crude oil to NGL. MPLX—BANGL Expansion 1: The project expanded the total pipeline capacity to 250,000 b/d. The pipeline carries Y-grade that connects the Delaware and Midland basins to a fractionator in Sweeny, Texas. Santa Fe Pacific East Line Expansion 1: Kinder Morgan expanded the pipeline, which runs from El Paso, Texas, to Tucson, Arizona, to move additional volumes of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Santa Ynez Pipeline System (former California 901R & 903R restart): Sable Offshore Corporation (Pacific Pipeline Company) restarted the existing-but-idle 901 and 903 pipelines. Seahawk pipeline—Thunderdome Lateral, Gray Oak Louise: The company converted an existing 16-inch natural gas pipeline to a crude oil pipeline. The pipeline goes from the Gray Oak Louise terminal to the Edna terminal, with ultimate deliveries to the Seahawk terminal, all in Texas. Seminole Red Pipeline (Midland-to-Echo 2): Enterprise converted the Seminole Red back to an NGL pipeline (originally an NGL pipeline that was converted to a crude oil pipeline) while it built the Bahia pipeline. The newly announced projects are: Bahia Pipeline Expansion; Bayou Bridge Pipeline Expansion; Bridger Pipeline Expansion; Coastal Bend NGL Pipeline Expansion 2; Enbridge Mainline Optimization Phase 1; Enbridge Mainline Optimization Phase 2; Flanagan South Pipeline Expansion; Puget Sound Pipeline Optimization; Santa Fe Pacific Pipeline East Line Expansion 2; Southern Illinois Connector; Sun Belt Connector; Western Gateway Pipeline; Western Markets Pipeline Expansion Phase 1; Western Markets Pipeline Expansion Phase 2.”

Reuters: Enbridge, KKR form $1.95 billion JV to fund Westcoast gas pipeline expansions
Vallari Srivastava, 8/27/26

“Canadian energy company Enbridge said on Thursday it had agreed to ​form a joint venture with KKR and Apollo to invest ‌about C$2.7 billion ($1.95 billion) in expansions of its Westcoast natural gas pipeline system in British Columbia,” Reuters reports. “Asset managers are increasingly investing in generation and pipeline assets as demand ​for natural gas infrastructure grows rapidly amid rising LNG ​exports and the proliferation of data centers… “Under the agreement, KKR and Apollo will fund the Aspen Point and Sunrise expansion projects, while Enbridge will receive C$700 million in cash at closing and ​retain majority ownership and operational control of the pipeline. The Westcoast natural ​gas pipeline system stretches 2,900 kilometers (1,802 miles) from northeast British Columbia to the ‌Canada-U.S. ⁠border, with a current capacity of 3.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/d).”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Canadian Press: The president says the U.S. doesn’t need anything from Canada. Exports say otherwise.
Sarah Ritchie, 8/26/26

“WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!” U.S. President Donald Trump’s social media post this week was a continuation on a theme he’s maintained throughout the trade war: that his country doesn’t need anything from Canada. Experts — and exports — say that’s not the case,” the Canadian Press reports. “Ontario Premier Doug Ford has urged the federal government to use some exports as leverage at the negotiating table — and after Trump’s latest escalation, he called on Prime Minister Mark Carney to cut off the supply of things like oil and gas, potash and critical minerals… “Those wider tariffs were later paused after Canada threatened to retaliate — but the administration had made it plain that it didn’t want the cost of Canadian energy to rise by 25 per cent. Pipelines carry more than four million barrels of Canadian crude into the United States each day, representing about 90 per cent of all Canadian oil exports worth some $126 billion in 2025. That makes up around 63 per cent of American crude imports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration… “Nearly all of Canada’s $12.5-billion worth of natural gas exports in 2025 were also sent stateside… “Despite Ford’s tough talk, the notion of imposing export taxes or reducing exports to the Americans hasn’t gained widespread support among premiers.”

E&E News: Power plant endangerment repeal enters White House review
Jean Chemnick, 8/26/26

“The White House is reviewing a new proposal to permanently end EPA’s regulation of power plants’ carbon emissions,” E&E News reports. “The supplemental proposal entered White House review on Monday, according to the Office of Management and Budget’s website. It is expected to be released along with another rule to undo 2024 standards that required coal-fired and some new gas-fired power plants to capture and store most of their greenhouse gas emissions. The draft would repeal not only the Biden-era rules, but EPA’s broader authority to regulate climate pollution from the power sector via the Clean Air Act. The power industry is the largest industrial source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. The proposal is expected to mirror EPA’s repeal of the so-called endangerment finding. But it could also complicate arguments the oil industry and the Justice Department are making in a landmark case before the Supreme Court this fall that the Clean Air Act makes EPA the “primary regulator” of industrial greenhouse gas emissions.”

Utility Dive: Trump’s energy policy could cost US 540 GW of renewables, says NRDC
Diana DiGangi, 8/26/26

“Aspects of the Trump administration’s energy policy — such as the rollback of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, the introduction of new tariffs and offshore wind lease buybacks — could cause the U.S to lose between 390 GW and 540 GW of new wind, solar and energy storage capacity over the next decade, according to projections from the Natural Resources Defense Council,” Utility Dive reports. “Crucially, these lost projects are not actually replaced with other sources of new power,” the NRDC said in a Wednesday report. “At most, only 9 GW of additional gas capacity is added with Trump’s policies in place.” The report cited near-term supply chain bottlenecks for gas turbines, volatile fuel prices, “and the general cost-competitiveness of new renewables relative to gas” as reasons for the NRDC’s low estimate for new additional gas investment… “By 2035, average household electricity rates are projected to increase by an additional 4.2% to 5.5% nationwide, relative to the January 2025 Snapshot case,” the NRDC’s report said.”

Center for Western Priorities: Commenters overwhelmingly oppose BLM’s rollback of oil and gas rule, analysis finds
8/25/26

“An analysis released today by the Center for Western Priorities finds overwhelming opposition to the Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to roll back its 2024 oil and gas leasing rule. CWP’s analysis found that of 15,822 comments posted to the docket for this rule on regulations.gov, 99.5 percent opposed the rollback, most commonly on the grounds that weaker bonding requirements would leave taxpayers to cover cleanup costs companies walk away from. Just 43 comments, or 0.27 percent, supported it, and 42 comments were unclear… “The true scale of public engagement is likely even larger; fourteen of the filings in the docket are bundles of signatures collected by advocacy groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Climate Hawks Vote Civic Action, and the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund. Each bundle counts as a single comment in the docket, but together they represent an estimated 120,000 additional people who submitted a comment via a form letter rather than submitting an individual comment. BLM’s proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on June 24, 2026, would undo key provisions of the 2024 Oil and Gas Leasing Rule, which strengthened bonding requirements, raised royalty rates, and gave the public more say in lease sales on public lands.”

Press release: Putting Drinking Water First: Weakening Clean Water Act Limits on Oil and Gas Wastewater Pollution Threatens Drinking Water
8/26/26

“This paper examines how weakening Clean Water Act oil and gas wastewater pollution limits would threaten drinking water. It outlines the known risks associated with this harmful wastewater, highlights impacts to downstream drinking water, and identifies the significant knowledge gaps that remain. Overall, EPA should be strengthening, not weakening, wastewater discharge standards for the oil and gas industry to better protect drinking water sources and surrounding communities… “As exploration and production activities continue to soar, the oil and gas industry is seeking easier and cheaper ways to dispose of its toxic wastewater by pushing for regulatory changes under the Clean Water Act. In most cases, the Clean Water Act prohibits the direct discharge of wastewater from oil and gas facilities. However, the Clean Water Act includes an unnecessary exception that allows the harmful wastewater generated from oil and gas drilling (known as produced water) to be reused in limited ways in the west for certain agricultural uses, like watering of livestock and crop irrigation, or wildlife propagation… “To uphold its mission to protect public health and the environment, EPA must hold the oil and gas industry accountable for its toxic wastewater stream and close the current loopholes that allow for the discharge of produced water in the west. EPA has no justification for expanding the discharge of oil and gas produced water in more areas of the country. Doing so would increase harmful pollution, putting the safety of nearby communities and our drinking water sources at risk.”

STATE UPDATES

Politico: California’s emissions authority is cracking
Alex Nieves, 8/26/26

“Republicans have steadily picked away at California’s authority to slash vehicle emissions since President Donald Trump returned to office,” Politico reports. “Democrats are now afraid they’ve finally found a way to undermine it for good. When the House returns from its summer recess on Thursday, conservative lawmakers will have the chance to move a half-dozen resolutions that would revoke EPA waivers granted to California under the Biden and Obama administrations (those waivers are the magic ticket that allows the state to enforce stricter-than-federal emissions standards for cars, trucks, and ships). The Republicans’ bevy of resolutions is part of a larger effort to use the Congressional Review Act — a 1996 law that gives Congress the power to revoke agency rules — to undermine Democrats’ policy agendas… “Without the power to set its own emissions standards, California’s ambitious climate goals will realistically be out of reach… “Legal thinkers on both sides of the partisan spectrum say Republicans’ larger strategy is to make it harder for state regulators to use Section 209 of the Clean Air Act, a carveout in the nearly 60-year-old federal law that allows California — which routinely has the nation’s worst air quality — to enforce stricter emissions standards. That’s because the Congressional Review Act bars agencies from instituting new rules that are “substantially the same” as those that have already been revoked… “Even if Republicans are unlikely to have the votes to amend the Clean Air Act itself, the threat that any rule California comes up with in the future will eventually be “CRA-d” could force state regulators back to the drawing board.”

Alaska Beacon: Alaska officials respond to mystery spill near idled Cook Inlet oil platform
Yereth Rosen, 8/25/26

“State and industry officials and the U.S. Coast Guard were responding on Tuesday to an unexplained oil spill roughly 60 miles southwest of Anchorage in Southcentral Alaska’s Cook Inlet,” the Alaska Beacon reports. “The spill, which produced a long oil sheen on the water near the Trading Bay area on the western side of the inlet, was first spotted by a pilot on Monday. His report prompted a multiagency response… “The sheen was seen near the idled Spark platform, one of 17 oil and gas platforms in the inlet… “As of Tuesday afternoon, however, the ongoing investigation has not pinpointed a source of the spill, its size or even the substance, DEC officials said… “Fish could be potentially at risk, the situation report said. All five species of Pacific salmon swim in the affected waters, and coho and sockeye salmon were migrating through the area at the time the spill was reported, the situation report said. Representatives of area environmental groups said Tuesday that the event was a warning about risks to the inlet. Satchel Pondolfino, the clean water lead for Cook Inletkeeper, told the Beacon she and others are concerned about the apparent association with the idled but still-standing Spark platform. “It’s just another reason why it’s so important that Alaska use its authority to hold Hilcorp and every other operator accountable for dismantling the infrastructure,” she told the Beacon.”

EXTRACTION

Inside Climate News: The Biggest Carbon Polluters Are to Blame for Half of U.S. Western Water Lost to Climate Change, ‘Groundbreaking’ Paper Says
Jake Bolster, 8/25/26

“Some of the largest fossil fuel companies on Earth are disproportionately responsible for the water crisis in the American West, according to a first-of-its-kind study published Tuesday,” Inside Climate News reports. “From 2014 to 2024, climate change sapped over a third of the region’s typical annual snowpack and decreased streamflows by about 13 percent, the authors found in the paper, which appeared in Nature’s Communications Earth and Environment journal. About half of those losses are attributable to emissions from “carbon majors,” 122 fossil fuel companies and cement producers, the study concluded. That carbon-major pollution has drained the West of trillions of gallons of water, about the full capacity of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., the study found. “There are millions of people that rely on these water resources,” Carly Phillips, a senior research scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists and one of the study’s co-authors, told ICN. “The consequences of these changes are really evident for people on the ground.” “...Dozens of states and cities across the U.S. have sued large oil and gas companies for environmental damages associated with emissions from their products. Phillips told ICN this study supports plaintiffs’ position in those cases as they seek to put a price tag on climate change for fossil fuel companies.”

Carbon Credits: Alberta Carbon Price Barely Raises Oil Sands Costs, Study Finds
8/26/26

“Alberta’s industrial carbon price has had only a small effect on the cost of producing oil sands crude, according to a new study from the C.D. Howe Institute,” Carbon Credits reports. “The report, published by economist G. Kent Fellows, finds that Alberta’s Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) system added an average of just C$0.70 per barrel to oil sands marginal production costs in 2023. On a production-weighted basis, the increase was even smaller at C$0.34 per barrel. The findings come as Canada and Alberta prepare to raise the industrial carbon price over the next decade. Under their May 2026 agreement, Alberta’s headline TIER price will rise from C$95 per tonne in 2026 to C$115 in 2030, C$130 in 2035 and C$140 in 2040. Despite those higher headline prices, the study finds that most oil sands projects should continue to face relatively modest carbon costs… “Some major projects, including Horizon Mine, Jackpine Mine, Muskeg River Mine, Kearl and Peace River, actually received a net benefit from TIER on a per-barrel basis… “Fellows projects that no oil sands facility analyzed would face carbon pricing costs above C$5 per barrel through 2050 under the updated Canada-Alberta pricing and emissions-intensity schedules.”

OPINION

EnergyNow: Is it Time for an Industry Rebrand of “Oil Sands”?
Terry Winnitoy, 8/27/26

“...Has the oil sands reached its “best before date”. I’m not talking about the amount of oil reserves in the ground. Rather, how one of Canada’s greatest resources, the oil sands, should be perceived and marketed today,” Terry Winnitoy writes for EnergyNow. “...So, why not look at the words “oil sands”... “In a section of that article called “Oil Sands? Branding Gone Bad…”, McCall noted Doomberg’s argument that calling Canada’s massive bitumen resource the oil sands is in itself poor branding and only marginally better than the term tar sands, which became the preferred description of groups determined to stop their development. Doomberg’s alternative? Energy Sands!... “Beginning in the 2000s, environmental organizations deliberately embraced the term tar sands as part of campaigns against Alberta’s energy industry. By 2008, an organized North American Tar Sands Campaign brought together advocacy organizations in Canada, the United States and Europe with the stated objective of slowing expansion… “Eventually, governments, industry and most mainstream media adopted the technically more accurate term oil sands but many activists still use it… “Because what ultimately comes from those vast deposits beneath northern Alberta isn’t tar. And it isn’t simply oil. It is gasoline. Diesel. Jet fuel. Petrochemical feedstocks. Industrial products. Export revenues. Jobs. Royalties. Economic activity. Energy security and ultimately the energy that keeps modern economies functioning… “Oil sands was better branding than tar sands. Energy sands is better branding than oil sands.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• McCook Gazette: Commissioners explain moratorium on pipeline project

• N.J. Spotlight: Operator of leaky pipeline blocked inspectors, regulator says

• Edmonton Journal: Canada imposing 50 per cent tariffs on oil and gas pipeline steel from the U.S.

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Truck accident causes gas leak to Enbridge Line 5 in northeast Wisconsin

• KBJR: Pipeline break releases natural gas liquids, prompts evacuations in Iron County

• The Center Square: Green Chile gas pipeline to Project Jupiter delayed to 2027

• North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota approves loans for carbon capture at coal plant

• Interior Journal: Seven years later, Lincoln County remembers deadly pipeline explosion

• WCHS: Family says pipeline work leading to graves being flooded in Mingo Co.

• KCII: MidAmerican Energy to Install New Pipeline South of Riverside on Friday

• Reuters: Enbridge to buy Salt Creek Midstream crude gathering assets for $600 million

• Daily News Egypt: Egypt contains oil spill after pipeline leak off South Sinai coast

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• New York Times: E.P.A. Moves to Curb Public Input on Data Centers

• High Country News: Arctic drilling in Alaska won’t get environmental review in new proposal.

• E&E News: DC Circuit upholds FERC approval of Louisiana LNG terminal

STATE UPDATES

• Bloomberg: Oil Lobby Sues to Block New York’s Emissions Reporting Program

• Inside Climate News: Texas Oil and Gas Regulators Will No Longer Have to Accept Public Comment at Open Meetings

• Canary Media: As Ohio grapples with fake comments on clean energy, some want crackdown

• Louisiana Illuminator: Wildlife groups warn not waive protections to accommodate Louisiana SpaceX site

• StateImpact Oklahoma: Kiowa Tribe receives $1M to find and clean up abandoned oil wells

• KTUU: Cook Inlet oil spill prompts multi-agency response

EXTRACTION

• Wall Street Journal: Europe Chastised Trump’s Climate Rollback. Now It’s Delaying Its Own Green Goals.

• Sustainability Online: Oil and gas companies among the key adopters of CCUS

• Press release: Climeworks Solutions calls for carbon removal in AI buildout

• Carbon Herald: In A New Whitepaper, Climeworks Solutions Calls For CDR Integration In AI Infrastructure

• BBC: Rail companies sued for £5m over oil spill caused by derailment

OPINION

• Stillwater Associates: Pancakes, Politics, and Pipelines: The Political Winds Supporting the Development of Canadian Crude Oil Pipelines
  

PIPELINE NEWS

McCook Gazette: Commissioners explain moratorium on pipeline project
Janet Hepp, 8/25/26

“During the three-hour, discussion-filled meeting of the Red Willow County Commissioner’s meeting Monday, more facts concerning the proposed buried CO2 pipeline project were shared by Brent Neise of Summit Carbon Solutions Company with the Commissioners and general public in attendance,” the McCook Gazette reports. “The construction company was concerned about the proposed moratorium for a year on the project. Commissioner Randy Dean explained that, yes, the moratorium was for a year, but it was also possible to end it earlier. The moratorium will allow West Central time to complete the Comprehensive Planning and Zoning process, as well as allowing commissioners time to add new language to their zoning regulations regarding data centers and pipelines crossing Red Willow County… “Dean McCoy requested the county officials to do their own due diligence on the safety measures in place and possible emergency management procedures. Brad Randel, present at the meeting, also expressed a concern about the possibility of potential interruptions or emergencies with the buried pipeline… “Summit Carbon Solutions will donate to Red Willow County emergency funds, a one-time payment of $50,000, plus an additional $1,000 per mile for 32 miles, equaling a total of $82,000 which would go to the county’s emergency manager, Dalton Downing, to be used at his discretion… “According to Niese, the oil wells only pump out 80% of the available oil, but an injection of CO2 into the well will enable recovery of the last 20%... “In Summit Carbon Solutions’ search for property owners to buy into the buried pipeline project, there have been some refusals, causing the company to restructure its proposed path across northern Red Willow County.”

N.J. Spotlight: Operator of leaky pipeline blocked inspectors, regulator says
Benjamin J. Hulac, 8/26/26

“The operator of a pipeline that bisects New Jersey, carrying jet fuel, diesel and gasoline from suburban Philadelphia to a terminal in Newark, last year denied federal safety inspectors access to documents following a leak, a “probable violation” of federal law and regulations,” N.J. Spotlight reports. “An official of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration leveled the accusations at Energy Transfer in an official “warning letter” in September 2025. Officials carried out the inspections following a fuel leak that has polluted wealthy semirural Upper Makefield Township… “Dallas-based Energy Transfer — a $73 billion company that is one of the world’s largest exporters of natural gas liquid — said it and its subsidiaries “intend to vigorously defend these claims,” according to its latest annual report… “The failure of a section of the pipeline in Upper Makefield Township that released petroleum into the groundwater, poisoning local water supplies, should be the red flag that shut down the line so that it could be fully assessed and, if possible, repaired,” the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, an environmental group that tracks the area’s watershed, told Spotlight… “In its own letter, Sunoco said federal pipeline inspection rules give no authority for the pipeline administration “to go on a fishing expedition and obtain any and all documents an inspector desires.”

Edmonton Journal: Canada imposing 50 per cent tariffs on oil and gas pipeline steel from the U.S.
Graison Foster, Steven Wilhelm, 8/26/26

“Canada is not fighting a trade war with the United States by taxing or withholding energy, but it is putting a 50 percent tariff on some of the steel that oil and gas pipelines are built from,” the Edmonton Journal reports. “...Steel and aluminum tariffs double to 50 per cent to match what Washington has already imposed, alongside duties on American dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics… “Canada is not imposing any duties on its oil and gas exports, which Ontario Premier Doug Ford had suggested… “Only two percent comes from the United States, according to Statistics Canada… “Alberta’s pipeline builders now have to choose between American line pipe, now tariffed on the Canadian side, or sourcing farther afield at higher shipping costs… “The tariffs land as Alberta and Ottawa are trying to get more pipeline capacity built, not less, including a proposed West Coast pipeline that Carney and Premier Danielle Smith announced in July. Richard Masson, a long-time oilpatch observer and a former chief executive of the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, told the Journal that push predates this week’s escalation and isn’t going away because of it. “It is the whole reason why we’re trying to build it in the first place, which is to diversify our markets, because the U.S. is no longer a reliable partner,” Masson told the Journal.”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Truck accident causes gas leak to Enbridge Line 5 in northeast Wisconsin
Caitlin Looby, 8/25/26

“Enbridge’s Line 5, the most controversial pipeline in the Great Lakes region, was damaged and leaked natural gas on Aug. 25 in far northeastern Wisconsin,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. “Joe Bates, an environment activist and member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, told the Journal Sentinel he first heard reports of the leak on social media shortly after 10 a.m., and immediately went to the area to capture drone footage. “This morning a parked, unoccupied semi-truck rolled into an open excavation site on a Line 5 valve project in rural northern Iron County, Wisconsin, striking the pipe and releasing Natural Gas Liquids,” Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner told the Journal Sentinel. “No one was injured. As a precaution, nearby rural homes have been evacuated. The section of pipe was immediately isolated, and local emergency response crews are on site.” Earlier in the day, the Iron County Sheriff’s Department declined to confirm which pipeline was involved or provide any public health information to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also would not confirm the source of the leak, but did provide GPS coordinates that – along with federal pipeline mapping – landed on the site of Enbridge’s Lakehead System Line 5.”

KBJR: Pipeline break releases natural gas liquids, prompts evacuations in Iron County
Marisa Ornat, 8/25/26

“Multiple homes were evacuated Tuesday afternoon in Iron County after a break in Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline,” KBJR reports. “According to officials at Enbridge, a parked, unoccupied semi-truck rolled into an open excavation site on a Line 5 valve project in rural northern Iron County, Wisconsin, striking a pipe and releasing natural gas liquids, or NGLs… “Nearby homes have been evacuated as a precaution, though it is unclear at this time how many homes were evacuated… “A temporary no-fly zone has also been established in the area. Due to safety concerns, power in the affected area has been shut down, and arrangements are being made to assist those affected by the outage. The public is asked to avoid the area and follow emergency personnel’s instructions.”

The Center Square: Green Chile gas pipeline to Project Jupiter delayed to 2027
Alton Wallace, 8/25/26

“A proposed pipeline that would supply natural gas to a data center now under construction for Oracle and OpenAI in southern New Mexico has been delayed until at least early next year, according to a recent federal regulatory filing,” The Center Square reports. “In a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulatory filing on Friday, Dallas-based midstream giant Energy Transfer revised the 17.7-mile-long Green Chile pipeline’s targeted in-service date from August 2026 to early 2027. The Green Chile Pipeline would cross federal, private, and state trust lands in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, to provide gas to a new power plant for “Project Jupiter,” a 2.5-Gigawatt data center that would be located just south of Las Cruces. The proposed pipeline project lost its expedited federal status last month following challenges by the Sierra Club and other environmental advocacy groups. Energy Transfer had initially sought an approval for the pipeline under a federal “blanket certificate” program. This fast-tracked regulatory process allows pipeline developers to bypass case-by-case review for minor infrastructure projects without the extensive public comment windows or multi-year environmental impact reviews required of major interstate pipelines. The formal challenges by environmental watchdogs forced the commission to remove the Green Chile project’s fast-track status, triggering a longer, more detailed federal review process.”

North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota approves loans for carbon capture at coal plant
Jeff Beach, 8/25/26

“The North Dakota Industrial Commission on Tuesday approved $205 million in loans for a project that aims to capture carbon emissions from a coal-fired power plant,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “Minnkota Power Cooperative recently partnered with Reliant Carbon Capture & Storage to operate the carbon capture and CO2 delivery system. The companies will split the loans, $45 million for Minnkota and $160 million for Reliant, which will be issued through the state-owned Bank of North Dakota… “The science has gotten better, the technology has gotten better,” since early versions of the project, Gov. Kelly Armstrong, who chairs the three-member Industrial Commission, told the Monitor… “The project also puts more emphasis on the potential for using CO2 in North Dakota’s oil fields, pumping the gas underground to make oil wells more productive… “Project Tundra aims to capture about 5 million tons of carbon per year, worth $425 million in tax credits annually. The loan application letter from the companies says they are engaged with partnership discussions with oil companies that would use the CO2. The application says any pipeline needed to get CO2 to an oil field site would be funded separately.”

Interior Journal: Seven years later, Lincoln County remembers deadly pipeline explosion
Casey Roberts, 8/25/26

“Seven years ago this month, a natural gas pipeline ruptured in the darkness of an August morning, killing one Lincoln County woman, injuring six people and leaving a neighborhood devastated,” the Interior Journal reports. “...Lisa Denise Derringer, 58, of Stanford, was killed. Six others were hospitalized. More than 75 people were evacuated. Five residences were destroyed and 14 others sustained damage… “The section of Line 15 involved in the accident was made of carbon steel manufactured in 1957 and installed in 1958… “Investigators determined that the rupture began at what is known as a hard spot, a manufacturing defect in the steel that had existed since the pipe was produced. The NTSB concluded that the combination of the pre-existing manufacturing defect, degraded protective coating and ineffective corrosion protection following a 2014 gas flow reversal project led to hydrogen-induced cracking on the pipeline’s outer surface. The cracking eventually caused the pipeline to fail. Investigators also concluded that the 2014 project, which allowed gas to flow in the opposite direction through the system, contributed to increased external corrosion and hydrogen production… “A year after the explosion, Derringer’s family and friends returned to the location where her home once stood. They gathered in her memory and released white and pink balloons, colors her daughter, Candy Ellis, said her mother often favored.”

WCHS: Family says pipeline work leading to graves being flooded in Mingo Co.
Joseph Cadotte, 8/25/26

“A community below a graveyard in Baisden say they’re on edge, worried and even scared about what could happen to several homes and their family graveyard the next time it rains hard there,” WCHS reports. “The New graveyard is above several homes in Baisden where the family of the people buried there say they have worries about the situation after they said a company working on gas lines on the mountain above the area have diverted the earth so that when water runs off the mountain, it floods directly into the graveyard… “The graveyard was flooded twice earlier in August… “The first time it happened it worried us and it scared us,” Tyler New told WCHS. “...They came up here and fixed it, well, cleaned it, I’m not going to say fixed it. TC Energy came up here and talked about what we could do to try and help fix this.” “...Thompson told WCHS they had to bury a loved one outside the graveyard a week and a half ago because of the situation… “WCHS reached out to both the companies that New said were working in the area. Neither company gave us a statement as of late Tuesday night.”

KCII: MidAmerican Energy to Install New Pipeline South of Riverside on Friday
Jennifer Wilkerson, 8/26/26

“Installation of a pipeline will impact travel on 175th street between Underwood Avenue and Highway 218 beginning Friday,” KCII reports. “The work is happening approximately 7.5 miles south of Riverside. Starting at 7 a.m. this Friday, August 28th, MidAmerican Energy Company will have a contractor, Michels Pipeline, Inc, begin work to install a new pipeline.”

Reuters: Enbridge to buy Salt Creek Midstream crude gathering assets for $600 million
Varun Sahay, 8/26/26

“Pipeline operator Enbridge said on Wednesday it would acquire Salt Creek Midstream’s crude oil gathering business ​for $600 million in cash, expanding its presence in ‌the crude-rich Permian Basin,” Reuters reports. “The Permian Basin, the largest oil-producing region in the United States, continues to attract investment in gathering ​systems and pipeline networks as companies work ​to transport crude volumes through export terminals on ⁠the U.S. Gulf Coast. Enbridge said ​the acquisition will provide a direct link between Permian ​crude production and its Ingleside Energy Center, North America’s largest crude export terminal. The deal includes full ownership of the Orla and Wink North ​gathering systems and a 50% stake in the Delaware Crossing ​system, adding about 500 miles of crude oil gathering infrastructure in ‌the ⁠heart of the Delaware Basin.”

Daily News Egypt: Egypt contains oil spill after pipeline leak off South Sinai coast
Manal Awad, 8/26/26

“Egypt’s Ministry of Local Development and Environment said it had contained an oil spill that stretched for around three kilometres off Ras Badran near Abu Redis in South Sinai and reached parts of the public beach, after authorities identified the source as a crude oil production pipeline and repaired the leak,” Daily News Egypt reports. “Local Development and Environment Minister Manal Awad said pollution-control teams and divers were continuing clean-up operations and collecting contaminated materials, while environmental monitoring remained underway to assess the impact and ensure that no new traces of oil appeared.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

New York Times: E.P.A. Moves to Curb Public Input on Data Centers
Maxine Joselow, 8/25/26

“The Trump administration is moving to make it harder for communities to weigh in on proposed data centers, even as a backlash against the behemoth projects grows across the country,” the New York Times reports. “The Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate a federal requirement that states publicize and solicit public input on applications for air pollution permits for a range of industrial facilities, including new data centers and the power plants needed to run them. The move could prevent residents from raising concerns about — or even learning about — data centers before permits are approved and construction starts. Nearly 200 advocacy groups and more than a dozen states have voiced opposition to the change, making it the latest flashpoint in the national debate over the data centers powering the artificial intelligence boom. “People need to have a chance to have a say before they see bulldozers,” Keri Powell, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit legal advocacy group, told the Times… “Carolyn Holran, an E.P.A. spokeswoman, told the Times that the proposal would “provide the state and local agencies most familiar with local issues the discretion to determine whether, when, and for how long to provide opportunities for public participation.” Ms. Holran told the Times the move was intended to “responsibly speed up permitting, supporting American economic development and energy dominance. Our proposal does not alter emission standards or weaken environmental protections.”

High Country News: Arctic drilling in Alaska won’t get environmental review in new proposal.
Adam Federman, 8/26/26

“On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order singling out the state of Alaska and its abundant stores of oil, gas and minerals. “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential” called for expanding oil and gas development across Alaska’s North Slope, including some of the largest tracts of public land in North America,” High Country News reports. “Now, according to two sources familiar with the process and documents reviewed by High Country News and Public Domain, Trump and his team are following through on their promise to fast-track drilling in the NPRA by allowing new winter exploration and drilling to move forward without any kind of environmental review. The Department of the Interior is set to publish a ‘categorical exclusion’ to the National Environmental Policy Act that would make it easier for the oil and gas industry to conduct seismic surveys, obtain rights of way and drill new exploration wells in the NPRA, an area that has become increasingly attractive to industry.”

E&E News: DC Circuit upholds FERC approval of Louisiana LNG terminal
Niina H. Farah, 8/25/26

“A federal appeals court has roundly rejected environmental groups’ challenge to the federal government’s approval of a massive liquefied natural gas export terminal and pipeline in Louisiana,” E&E News reports. “On Tuesday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission complied with federal law when it authorized construction of Venture Global’s CP2 LNG terminal and its associated 91-mile CP Express pipeline in 2025… “Environmental groups and local fishermen, led by For a Better Bayou, have been fighting for years to stop the proliferation of LNG facilities in Louisiana’s Calcasieu Ship Channel, citing concerns about the cumulative effects of the facilities on air quality, the climate and local fisheries. Commercial fishermen asked the court last year to halt construction of the CP2 project, claiming sediment was smothering shrimp, oysters and fish. The challengers also claimed in their consolidated suit that FERC failed to properly consider the harms of the project before finding the terminal was in the public interest… “Ginsburg noted that the Natural Gas Act sets a high bar for FERC to find that LNG terminals are not in the public interest… “The court also found that a recent Supreme Court ruling limiting the scope of NEPA reviews prevented the court from considering other factors the challengers raised.”

STATE UPDATES

Bloomberg: Oil Lobby Sues to Block New York’s Emissions Reporting Program
Allison Prang, 8/24/26

“Two oil and gas trade associations sued New York Monday over its greenhouse gas reporting program claiming it’s unconstitutional in part because it impacts activities outside of New York,” Bloomberg reports. “The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and American Petroleum Institute filed their complaint against New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton to block the program, which New York implemented as part of its climate law. The groups allege that the program violates the Dormant Commerce Clause, the Constitution’s prohibition on regulating activity outside of one’s bounds, the Supremacy Clause, and the First and Fourth …”

Inside Climate News: Texas Oil and Gas Regulators Will No Longer Have to Accept Public Comment at Open Meetings
Martha Pskowski, 8/21/26

“...People often travel hundreds of miles from South Texas, the Permian Basin and the Gulf Coast for the opportunity to speak directly to the officials who have the final say in oil and gas regulation in Texas,” Inside Climate News reports. “...The new policy will remove the public comment agenda item at monthly meetings. Going forward, commissioners can individually request a public comment agenda item. If no commissioner makes a request, there will be no guaranteed public comment… “Commissioner Christi Craddick voted against the new policy, saying she thought people should have the opportunity to speak at open meetings. The motion carried with votes from Commissioners Christian and Jim Wright. Virginia Palacios, executive director of the nonprofit watchdog Commission Shift, has provided public comment at almost every open meeting since 2021. Palacios registered to give comment on the proposed policy, but the commissioners did not call on her… “You just approved an agenda item on public participation without allowing public participation,” Palacios said… “The new policy expands opportunities for public participation by providing listening sessions at least once a month,” Commissioner Christian told Inside Climate News. “These sessions provide a more meaningful forum where Texans can ask questions, raise concerns, and engage directly with agency staff who can help get them answers or elevate issues when appropriate, rather than being constrained by the legal and procedural limitations of a formal open meeting.”

Canary Media: As Ohio grapples with fake comments on clean energy, some want crackdown
Kathiann M. Kowalski, 8/25/26

“A troubling trend has shown up in some communities around the U.S.: Public officials are being inundated with seemingly fake public feedback that aims to block renewable energy and promote fossil fuels,” Canary Media reports. “In Ohio, one of the states grappling with this issue, regulators have done little to crack down on the problem, sparking concern among advocates for clean energy and good government that agencies will continue to get public comments from people who didn’t authorize them or simply don’t exist. “If we don’t address it, we’re definitely not going to fix it,” Catherine Turcer, executive director for Common Cause Ohio, which works to strengthen public participation in U.S. democracy and hold officials accountable to citizens, told Canary. Fabricated comments corrupt public decision-making by diluting the impact of genuine people who take the time to share their views, Turcer explained. That’s especially true if officials focus on the numbers of pro and con comments versus their substance… “Even though the solar farm met all other legal requirements and the regulators acknowledged concerns about fake comments, they nonetheless concluded that ​“the project fails to serve the public interest” because of ​“consistent and substantial opposition” from local governments and nearby residents. The board did not ask the Ohio attorney general to investigate who was behind the fishy comments.”

Louisiana Illuminator: Wildlife groups warn not waive protections to accommodate Louisiana SpaceX site
Greg LaRose, 8/25/26

“SpaceX’s plans to launch thousands of rockets a year from coastal Southwest Louisiana will put habitat and hurricane protection at risk, according to three wildlife groups that oppose waivers to federal regulations aimed at expediting the development,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “The Louisiana Wildlife Federation, National Wildlife Federation and Pontchartrain Conservancy filed comments on proposed rule updates with the Federal Aviation Administration, just ahead of Gov. Jeff Landry announcing the $100 billion project Tuesday in Vermilion Parish… “The groups’ particular concerns center on potential threats to species, some of them endangered, that live in or migrate to the coastal wetlands as well as the loss of their habitat. The FAA posted its proposed changes to its commercial space licensing regulations July 30, with the stated intent to “streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden for applicants.” “This is precisely the setting in which project-level environmental review matters most,” the groups’ letter states.”

StateImpact Oklahoma: Kiowa Tribe receives $1M to find and clean up abandoned oil wells
Chloe Bennett-Steele, 8/25/26

“In western Oklahoma, the Kiowa Tribe is preparing to plug potentially dozens of abandoned oil and gas wells and remediate the surrounding sites. The tribe recently received $1 million in federal funds to help identify and assess the wells,” StateImpact Oklahoma reports. “...State regulators earlier this year said Oklahoma could have more than 61,000 undocumented wells. In 2025, researchers with Los Alamos National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy and McGill University published a study estimating Oklahoma could have about 309,462 undocumented orphaned wells… “The U.S. Department of the Interior awarded the tribe the second round of funding through a program allocated in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The first round of funding was given in 2023 for plugging… “Kelley told StateImpact he views orphaned well remediation as an opportunity to continue the tribe’s work as an environmental steward and, potentially, repurpose some of the sites.”

KTUU: Cook Inlet oil spill prompts multi-agency response
Augusta McDonnell, 8/24/26

“A multi-agency response is underway in the Cook Inlet after a pilot spotted an oil spill Monday afternoon,” KTUU reports. “...He told state environmental officials that he flies the route daily and that the spill was not visible less than 24 hours prior. He told Alaska’s News Source that he estimates the spill to be about five miles long… “Spokespersons for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation told KTUU the spill is located on the west side of the inlet, roughly 45 to 50 miles southwest of Anchorage. ADEC officials are investigating several potential sources for the spill, including marine vessels. Hilcorp, which owns the primary oil-producing assets in the area, has proactively responded to the reports.”

EXTRACTION

Wall Street Journal: Europe Chastised Trump’s Climate Rollback. Now It’s Delaying Its Own Green Goals.
Benoît Morenne, Matthew Dalton, 8/23/26

“When President Trump shredded U.S. climate policies last year, much of the Western world chastised him for ignoring climate change. Now, Europe, the U.K. and Canada are walking back their own environmental regulations,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “The European Union has proposed to relax its landmark carbon-pricing system, and allow automakers to sell gasoline-burning cars for longer. The U.K. appears poised to allow new oil production in the North Sea—after banning exploratory drilling last year—and is reviewing targets for sales of electric vehicles. Canada dismantled an unpopular carbon tax and is backing new oil-and-gas infrastructure.”

Sustainability Online: Oil and gas companies among the key adopters of CCUS
8/26/26

“Oil and gas firms continue to see carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) as a key decarbonisation pathway, along with businesses in other hard-to-abate sectors such as cement and steel, a new report by GlobalData has found,” Sustainability Online reports. “According to GlobalData’s Strategic Intelligence report, Carbon Capture and Storage, as of June 2026, more than 70% of operational and upcoming carbon capture facilities by number were associated with energy assets, with oil and gas companies among the ‘key participants’. Oil and gas firms are prioritising CCUS where it supports core assets, including LNG, refining, hydrogen production and upstream operations, the report noted… “As of June 2026, the operational carbon capture base remained modest, with more than 140 projects globally across multiple industries and a cumulative capacity of 62 million tonnes per annum (mtpa),” commented Ravindra Puranik, oil and gas analyst at GlobalData. “The energy sector accounted for the bulk of this capacity. However, most future capture capacity remains concentrated in the feasibility and FEED [front-end engineering and design] stages of project development.” At the same time, despite a strong project pipeline, CCUS projects continue to face commercial, regulatory and infrastructure barriers, with many projects exposed to financing risk, cost inflation, regulatory uncertainty, and delays.”

Press release: Climeworks Solutions calls for carbon removal in AI buildout
8/26/26

“The infrastructure that underpins the growth of AI is being planned, financed and built today. A new whitepaper from Climeworks Solutions is calling for a broader approach to sustainable AI buildout – one that incorporates carbon removal into key infrastructure development, financing and procurement decisions, helping ensure that AI expansion is aligned with long-term climate goals… “Data center developers, hyperscalers, utilities, investors, contractors, hardware providers and tenants all influence the infrastructure’s emissions trajectory at different stages. The whitepaper argues that uncertainty around emissions accounting should not delay action. Companies across the AI value chain have an opportunity to start integrating carbon removal today, while industry standards continue to develop. The whitepaper, Responsible AI Infrastructure Should Include Carbon Removal, proposes four practical approaches through which companies can begin addressing these emissions: Regional Impact Portfolios, which support carbon removal projects selected for their potential climate, environmental, economic or community benefits in relevant regions. Ecosystem Co-Procurement, through which hyperscalers, developers, utilities, contractors, hardware providers and tenants aggregate demand and establish shared responsibility for connected emissions. Natural Gas Transition Guardrails, combining carbon capture, durable carbon removal and a clearly defined phase-out pathway where lower-carbon energy options have been exhausted and natural gas is temporarily used. Build-Stage Neutralization, which integrates carbon removal procurement into project planning to address embodied emissions from construction, materials and computing hardware… “During Climate Week NYC 2026, Climeworks Solutions will convene representatives from across the AI infrastructure value chain to explore how the whitepaper’s proposals can be put into practice and what role different stakeholders can play in their implementation.”

Carbon Herald: In A New Whitepaper, Climeworks Solutions Calls For CDR Integration In AI Infrastructure
Sasha Ranevska, 8/26/26

“In a new whitepaper, Climeworks Solutions calls for the integration of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in AI infrastructure development, laying out practical approaches for combining these two innovations,” the Carbon Herald reports. “ …In it, Climeworks Solutions signals that the entire AI value chain has the chance to start integrating CDR today to address the residual emissions of this sector, complementing action that is already being taken on efficiency improvements, clean energy, and low-carbon materials. The implementation of CDR would apply to a range of different entities participating in the AI build-out, including data center developers, hyperscalers, utilities, investors, contractors, hardware providers, and tenants… “Climeworks Solutions also mentions establishing guardrails for the natural gas transition, combining carbon capture, durable CDR and a clearly defined phase-out pathway in which lower-CO2 energy options have been exhausted and natural gas is used temporarily.”

BBC: Rail companies sued for £5m over oil spill caused by derailment
Oscar Edwards, 8/24/26

“Network Rail is suing two rail companies for more than £5m after a fuel spill caused by a train derailment threatened an “environmental disaster” at a designated site for protection,” the BBC reports. “The body filed a legal claim earlier this month against DB Cargo UK and Touax Rail over the derailment near Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, in August 2020. The incident saw 10 wagons of the 25-wagon train derail, causing 446,000 litres of fuel to spill, and about 300 people had to leave the area due to the blaze. In High Court documents, Network Rail claimed that the derailment occurred because the wagon had “not been maintained with reasonable care” and is seeking damages for negligence. No one was injured, but 116,000 litres of fuel ignited while 330,000 litres drained into surrounding wetlands, which form part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) concluded in January 2022 that the derailment was caused by a set of wheels on one of the wagons locking, likely the result of a brake defect after “inadequate maintenance practices” were found in the investigation.”

OPINION

Stillwater Associates: Pancakes, Politics, and Pipelines: The Political Winds Supporting the Development of Canadian Crude Oil Pipelines
Rick Penfield, 8/25/26

“...These two announcements of all-Canada pipelines came on the heels of two cross-border pipeline projects that would increase pipeline capacity into the U.S.,” Rick Penfield writes for Stillwater Associates. “The first, proposed by Bridger Pipeline, would run between the Canada-Montana border and Guernsey, Wyoming. This proposed Bridger Pipeline received a presidential permit from U.S. President Donald Trump on April 30, 2026. In May, South Bow announced that it had received 20-year throughput commitments for their proposed Prairie Connector, a partial revival of Keystone XL that would connect Alberta and Wyoming and would decide on progressing the project in 2027… “Completing construction before President Trump leaves office on January 20, 2029, could also be critical to avoid the fate of Keystone XL, whose presidential permit was canceled by President Joe Biden on his first day in office. The politics currently favor the Bridger Pipeline, especially if the pipeline can be completed by 2028; it also appears that the pipeline has gained commercial favor as well… “The combined Bridger and South Bow pipeline option is industry-led and appears to be supported by potential shippers. The West Coast Pipeline and Northern Shield Energy Corridor projects differ, however, because they are led by governments rather than industry, and industry support has primarily come in the form of words rather than commitments. Will the political inertia behind these pipelines be sufficient for them to be successfully constructed?... “Securing sufficient shipper commitments will be key to the success of the West Coast Pipeline, and so far these commitments have not been forthcoming… “Outside of the escalating trade war between the U.S. and Canada, the all-in Canada route makes little sense, and this option would struggle to secure commitments. Barring a credible export option, even with the recent escalation, the commercial success of the Northern Shield Energy Corridor is highly uncertain… “The market solution to increasing pipeline capacity out of Alberta appears to be the Bridger and South Bow project… “Bottom Line: Like the Stampede itself, this year’s flurry of pipeline announcements delivered plenty of showmanship, but when the dust settles and the midway lights come down, only the projects with genuine commercial support will still be standing.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• WWMT: ‘I’m proud’: Michigan Congressional candidate defends conviction after pipeline protest

• E&E News: Appeals court tosses case challenging New York permits for NESE pipeline

• E+E Leader: FERC Reviews $438M Gas Pipeline Expansion for Wisconsin

• Georgia Outdoor News: Proposed Natural Gas Pipeline Would Cross Five Georgia Waterways

• Pipeline & Gas Journal: Targa plans 70-mi Permian gas pipeline to expand Waha takeaway capacity

• WFMJ: Study looks at feasibility of Route 11 oil and gas pipeline

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Washington Post: Leaked memo shows how U.S. aims to weaken global limits on plastic production

• Inside Climate News: Boulder, Colorado, and Big Oil Prepare for High-Stakes Clash in Supreme Court

• E&E News: Interior moves to speed historic reviews as bigger rewrite looms

• E&E News: Trump’s offshore drilling revival survives early court challenge

• Bloomberg: Interior Advances Oil Leasing Near Former Bears Ears Monument

• Guardian: US fossil fuel lobbyists also represent hundreds of cities fighting for climate damages

• Gasworld: US CO2 outlook: Recent shifts in CCUS activity

STATE UPDATES

• North Dakota Monitor: Interior’s oil rule changes silence landowners, put land at risk, groups say

• Source NM: NM Supreme Court temporarily halts Project Jupiter air quality permit hearing

• Cowboy State Daily: Wyoming ‘Future-Proofs’ Oil And Gas Industry With Nation’s First Bonding Pool

• Clevaland.com: Ohio governor candidates split sharply on fracking under state parks

EXTRACTION

• Global Energy Monitor: U.S. gas power proposals tied to data centers nearly double in six months

• Bloomberg: China’s Oil Demand ‘Very Likely’ Peaked Last Year, Sinopec Says

• Reuters: Exxon turns to automated drilling in the Permian in push for higher oil output

• Reuters: Exxon, Lyondell among suitors for Shell’s US chemical assets, could fetch $8 billion, FT reports

• CBC: World Heritage Committee assessing environmental health of Wood Buffalo National Park

• Business Green: Government urged to impose ‘carbon storage obligation’ on any new North Sea drilling projects

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Woodside ‘understating’ oil spill risk of proposed Browse gas project, opponents say

OPINION

• Anchorage Daily News: The pipeline victory party came before the pipeline

• Eurobserver: Carbon capture and storage is a costly white elephant – so why is the EU pushing it?
  

PIPELINE NEWS

WWMT: ‘I’m proud’: Michigan Congressional candidate defends conviction after pipeline protest
Remington Hernandez, 8/24/26

“The Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District responding amid renewed criticism of his past criminal conviction,” WWMT reports. “William Lawrence, a progressive challenging one-term Republican Congressman Tom Barrett, was arrested during an Ingham County protest against the Line 5 oil pipeline in 2013. “I stand by the righteousness of that action,” Lawrence told reporters Monday. “I’m proud to have taken that stand.” As part of the protest, Lawrence and others attached themselves to a piece of construction equipment and had to be removed by sheriff’s deputies… “Lawrence said he did so to prevent another spill like one in 2010, which saw oil seep into the Kalamazoo River… “I wouldn’t suggest that anybody else do what I did,” he said. “It was something that was passionate, but maybe not the most wise.” “...Socialist felon William Lawrence is a radical far-left liberal who puts his extreme climate agenda ahead of common sense and the priorities of hardworking Michiganders,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon told WWMT. “

E&E News: Appeals court tosses case challenging New York permits for NESE pipeline
Mona Zhang, 8/24/26

“The New York State Department of Environmental Protection scored a win in an appeals court Friday when a judge ruled in favor of the agency’s decision to grant water quality permits for a controversial gas pipeline,” E&E News reports. “The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a summary order against environmental advocacy groups, dismissing their lawsuit. The court found the DEC acted reasonably when it awarded Transco water quality permits for its Northeast Supply Enhancement project, even though it had denied permits for the project three times in prior years… “The last thing we need is a gas pipeline that will raise bills and harm our environment.,” Earthjustice Managing Attorney Susan Kraham, who represented environmental groups in the case, said in a statement. “DEC was right to reject the NESE pipeline project three times because it could not comply with the states’ water quality standards. It should have done so again.” “...The project is still facing other active legal challenges, including a similar lawsuit in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s issuance of water quality permits for the project… “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is facing a court challenge in the D.C. Circuit over its decision to revive the pipeline project.”

E+E Leader: FERC Reviews $438M Gas Pipeline Expansion for Wisconsin
8/24/26

“Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America and Horizon Pipeline Company are seeking federal approval for a natural gas infrastructure expansion designed to add firm transportation capacity for Wisconsin Electric Power Company,” E+E Leader reports. “The companies filed a joint application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on August 12 for the North Extension Project, a $438.5 million expansion, according to a Federal Register notice published August 24. The project would provide 185,000 dekatherms per day of incremental firm transportation service to meet growing Wisconsin Electric Power Company demand in southern Wisconsin… “The proposed expansion would include approximately 11.5 miles of new pipeline extending from Lake County, Illinois, to Kenosha County, Wisconsin, along with a new meter station. Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America is also proposing several compression additions… “The project will require Clean Water Act Section 401 water-quality certifications from both the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.”

Georgia Outdoor News: Proposed Natural Gas Pipeline Would Cross Five Georgia Waterways
8/25/26

“A proposed natural gas pipeline crossing the central portion of the Peach State will go before the Georgia Board of Natural Resources during its Tuesday, Aug. 25 meeting,” Georgia Outdoor News reports. “Southern Natural Gas Company, LLC plans to construct and operate the pipeline from Clarke County, Miss., to Jefferson. According to Georgia DNR documents, the route would not cross state-owned uplands but would pass beneath five navigable waterways in seven Georgia counties. Because the beds of navigable rivers and streams are generally owned by the state of Georgia, Southern is seeking revocable license agreements from the State Properties Commission and permanent easements from the Georgia General Assembly. The requested crossings total approximately 2.972 acres. Georgia DNR staff reviewed the proposal and reported no objection.”

Pipeline & Gas Journal: Targa plans 70-mi Permian gas pipeline to expand Waha takeaway capacity
8/24/26

“Targa Resources plans to build a new 70-mi natural gas pipeline in the Permian Delaware to increase takeaway capacity to the Waha Hub as production growth drives additional infrastructure needs across the basin,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “Targa Resources plans to build a new 70-mi natural gas pipeline in the Permian Delaware to increase takeaway capacity to the Waha Hub as production growth drives additional infrastructure needs across the basin. The Bull Run II pipeline will be added to Targa’s existing Bull Run residue gas system and will transport natural gas from new processing capacity planned in the Delaware basin to Waha. The pipeline will be supported by take-or-pay commitments and is expected to begin operations in the first half of 2028.”

WFMJ: Study looks at feasibility of Route 11 oil and gas pipeline
Mike Gauntner, 8/25/26

“A just-released feasibility study examines the extent to which new oil and gas pipeline infrastructure along the Route 11 corridor could strengthen the region’s ability to compete for long-term industrial development,” WFMJ reports. “The study, by the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and Lake to River Economic Development, was released Monday. The study focused on the technical feasibility of a natural gas pipeline within the existing State Route 11 right-of-way and evaluated whether there would be a regional demand for that kind of infrastructure… “Eastgate, serving as the region’s metropolitan planning organization, led the study with funding provided through the State of Ohio’s most recent capital budget… “Eastgate said that the study demonstrates that a natural gas pipeline can be used as a transformative regional economic development tool for attracting and retaining industrial development… “With the study complete, Lake to River’s next step is to issue a request for information to organizations that may be interested in designing, financing or building the pipeline.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Washington Post: Leaked memo shows how U.S. aims to weaken global limits on plastic production
Conor McGlone, Jake Spring, Emma Bryce and Benard Ogembo, 8/24/26

“The United States has doubled down on its opposition to plastic production limits in global treaty talks, according to a diplomatic memo reviewed by The Washington Post, pushing to create a broad loophole to disregard the treaty on national security grounds. A year after the Trump administration worked with other major oil-producing nations to block strict plastic pollution limits, leading to a failed U.N. conference in Geneva, environmentalists and other observers argue this same group is helping steer negotiations toward a weaker agreement… “The leaked document, which a foreign diplomat confirmed was circulated this summer to governments involved in negotiations, calls for a “pragmatic” treaty that includes a provision allowing for countries to take any measures they consider necessary to protect national security. The memo, which emphasizes the need for waste management and private sector investment, argues any agreement must not undermine national security, critical infrastructure or supply chains. It warns restricting plastics and chemicals could limit access to defense-related products such as weapons materials and protective gear.”

Inside Climate News: Boulder, Colorado, and Big Oil Prepare for High-Stakes Clash in Supreme Court
Dana Drugmand, 8/23/26

“Local and state governments across the United States have turned to state courts over the past nine years, filing lawsuits reminiscent of those against the tobacco industry in the 1990s against major fossil fuel companies, aiming to hold them accountable for climate change damages and alleged deception,” Inside Climate News reports. “The cases are still in preliminary stages and none have yet made it to trial. But now, a significant cloud of uncertainty hangs over them as the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to get involved, at the request of oil company defendants. With the court slated to hear one of the cases at the start of its fall term, the fate of many, if not all, of these climate accountability lawsuits could be on the line, legal experts told ICN… “The case will be the very first the justices hear in their new term—a case that raises significant constitutional questions around federalism and state authority, with potentially enormous stakes… “If the court decides to rule in the broadest terms or endorses the proposition that federal law bars all state law claims pertaining to climate change, it could doom not just the suits against the fossil fuel industry but any climate cases brought under state law, including youth constitutional climate suits filed against state governments… “If the court does side with the oil companies and issues a broad ruling, Parenteau warned it could effectively strip away the authority of state and local governments to protect their residents from widespread damage.”

E&E News: Interior moves to speed historic reviews as bigger rewrite looms
Ian M. Stevenson, 8/24/26

“Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued an order last week aimed at speeding up historic preservation reviews often required for energy development and other projects on federal land,” E&E News reports. “The Thursday secretarial order instructs agency officials to be timely in their processing of reviews, to create lists of activities that can be exempted from historic evaluations and use alternative arrangements to accelerate reviews… “The changes at Interior come as the Trump administration is considering major changes to historic reviews, which are required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Those reviews apply to a wide array of federal projects, from oil and gas drilling out West that can disrupt sites considered sacred by Native American tribes to President Donald Trump’s projects to build and renovate across Washington. Congressional Republicans have also pushed for changes, saying the regulations slow down federal permitting of energy and other infrastructure projects. Critics have said the broader proposed changes from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, which have not yet been implemented and are currently being considered by the White House, would cut out input from tribes and states while allowing for faster approvals of energy developments.”

E&E News: Trump’s offshore drilling revival survives early court challenge
Niina H. Farah, 8/24/26

“A federal judge in Alaska has blocked environmental groups’ challenge against the Trump administration’s decision to reopen millions of acres of offshore waters in the Arctic and elsewhere to oil and gas development,” E&E News reports. “...The groups failed to show they faced imminent harm from President Donald Trump’s 2025 decision to reverse his predecessors’ orders to permanently close off broad swaths of the outer continental shelf (OCS) from fossil fuel development, she said. Gleason acknowledged it was likely that the Interior Department planned to issue permits for oil exploration and development, but there were still multiple steps to go before the groups challenging the decision would be harmed… “Former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden had issued orders permanently stopping drilling in parts of the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, citing the risks development posed to the climate, marine life and subsistence lifestyles. When Trump returned to office for a second term, he issued an executive order reversing the withdrawals and directed Interior to advance oil and gas development in those areas.”

Bloomberg: Interior Advances Oil Leasing Near Former Bears Ears Monument
Bobby Magill, 8/24/26

“Oil and gas leasing near the former boundaries of Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument is moving forward under a Bureau of Land Management plan published Friday,” Bloomberg reports. “The BLM published an environmental assessment for Utah’s fourth quarter 2026 federal oil and gas lease sale for 74,550 acres of public land in the state. The bureau found that the lease sale will have no significant environmental impact. The sale documents, scheduled for December, are open to public comment through Sept. 21. The lease sale will be the first in southeastern Utah since President Donald Trump eliminated 90% of Bears Ears National Monument…”

Guardian: US fossil fuel lobbyists also represent hundreds of cities fighting for climate damages
Sara Sneath, 2/25/26

“Congressional lobbyists working for fossil fuel firms that are exacerbating the climate crisis are simultaneously representing more than 300 local governments raising funding to recover from climate damage, according to a new analysis,” the Guardian reports. “The research by F Minus and Make Polluters Pay reviewed congressional lobbying disclosures for the first quarter of 2026, finding that another 568 local governments hired fossil fuel lobbyists to work on non-climate related issues during that time, some of which included climate adjacent issues, like healthcare and home insurance. Dozens of lobbying firms were identified by researchers as working on both sides of climate action. James Browning, the founder and executive director of F Minus, told the Guardian local governments who hire these firms to lobby for climate mitigation, disaster relief, and wildlife conservation likely don’t know that the same firms are working for clients like ExxonMobil and the American Petroleum Institute (API), which critics say are pushing to further dependence on fossil fuels.”

Gasworld: US CO2 outlook: Recent shifts in CCUS activity
Bruce Woerner, 8/25/26

“When I was asked earlier this year how I see carbon capture projects impacting the merchant carbon dioxide (CO₂) market, I explained that carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) has slowed dramatically with the change in administrations,” Gasworld reports. “Sequestration was a threat to close many CO2 sources, so de-emphasising CCS certainly benefits the gas industry…”

STATE UPDATES

North Dakota Monitor: Interior’s oil rule changes silence landowners, put land at risk, groups say
Jeff Beach, 8/24/26

“A North Dakota landowner is among those protesting oil and gas rule changes proposed by the federal government,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “The changes affect people such as Donald Nelson of Keene in northwest North Dakota. Nelson is a farmer and rancher who owns surface land but the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management owns the mineral rights. That ownership situation is known as a split estate. The changes would reduce bonds from $500,000 down to $25,000 for all wells a company drills in a state. The money is expected to cover the costs of plugging a well when it is done producing and returning the land to its original state. “The bonds would not even cover the plugging,” Nelson told the Monitor. The rule changes would eliminate the requirement that the BLM notify split-estate landowners when the agency offers oil and gas leases under their property. The changes would also reduce the amount of time for comment on potential oil and gas development on a split estate from 90 days down to 10. “No notice, no voice, no future,” said Don Schreiber, a New Mexico landowner who joined Nelson and others Monday on a video press conference about the changes. The press conference was organized by the Western Organization of Resource Councils, which includes North Dakota-based Dakota Resource Council… “They just want the landowners out of the way,” Schreiber said.”

Source NM: NM Supreme Court temporarily halts Project Jupiter air quality permit hearing
Joshua Bowling, 8/24/26

“The New Mexico Supreme Court late Sunday unanimously granted two requests to pause proceedings related to Project Jupiter, the Oracle and OpenAI data center campus under construction in Doña Ana County,” Source NM reports. “In two brief orders, Supreme Court justices temporarily halted a scheduled air quality permit hearing for Project Jupiter’s proposed natural gas-powered fuel cell system and ordered the Office of the State Engineer to pause its practice of allowing water from a specific well to be used for the data center’s construction… “The Supreme Court’s other Sunday night order focused on a request from national conservation group the Center for Biological Diversity. In a petition to the court, its environmental lawyers argued that water use on Project Jupiter’s construction site could violate state law.”

Cowboy State Daily: Wyoming ‘Future-Proofs’ Oil And Gas Industry With Nation’s First Bonding Pool
Renée Jean, 8/21/26

“When the Biden administration proposed raising federal oil and gas bonding requirements nearly twentyfold, many of Wyoming’s independent producers wondered how they would survive. Wyoming’s answer is the nation’s first state-backed oil and gas bonding pool, which has just launched,” the Cowboy State Daily reports. “Funded with $45 million in existing industry fees, the pool is designed to help operators meet federal and state bonding rules without tying up the capital they need to keep drilling. State and industry leaders also see it as a way to “future-proof” Wyoming’s oil and gas sector against unpredictable swings in federal policy from less friendly administrations. Bonding — the financial assurance required to ensure oil and gas wells are properly plugged and reclaimed — is a big challenge for Wyoming’s small, independent operators… “In June 2024, the Biden administration boosted bonding requirements from $25,000 to $500,000 — a 1,900% increase. “The bonding requirements proposed by the Biden administration could have easily put many of (Wyoming’s) small operators out of business,” Wyoming Petroleum Association’s Ryan McConaughey told Cowboy State Daily. “The financial risks from the bonding would have been too high.”

Clevaland.com: Ohio governor candidates split sharply on fracking under state parks
Jeremy Pelzer, 8/24/26

“As Ohio voters prepare to choose their next governor, few issues present a clearer contrast among the candidates than whether oil and gas companies should be allowed to frack beneath state-owned lands,” Clevaland.com reports. “Democrat Amy Acton would seek to ban fracking beneath Ohio state parks and wildlife areas, as well as review existing leases on public lands. Libertarian Don Kissick, meanwhile, would seek a moratorium on new leases while the state reviews the environmental, financial and long-term impacts of existing drilling. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign declined to answer questions about his stance on oil and gas drilling under state lands. However, he has been a vocal proponent of it, arguing that it lowers gas and electricity prices and generates money to improve state parks. Ohio’s 2026 gubernatorial campaign comes as the state has opened more than 26,000 acres of state-owned land in Eastern Ohio to oil and gas drilling over the past three years, including under Salt Fork State Park, several state wildlife areas, and even some state prison land… “Opponents, meanwhile, say that drilling is incompatible with the purpose of state parks and wildlife areas, threatens the local environment and nearby communities, and improperly ties funding for state parks and conservation efforts to fossil-fuel extraction.”

EXTRACTION

Global Energy Monitor: U.S. gas power proposals tied to data centers nearly double in six months
Jenny Martos, 8/24/26

“In the first half of the year, the United States nearly doubled the gas-fired capacity it is developing to directly power data centers, but uncertainty persists about how and when this capacity gets built, according to a new analysis from Global Energy Monitor. “...Since GEM’s January data release, gas power capacity in development in the U.S. has increased 50% (+127 GW), growing from 252 to 378 GW, now accounting for one-third of the global total. If all these plants are built, the U.S.’ existing gas fleet would grow by roughly two-thirds, at an estimated cost of over US$647 billion in capital costs³. Texas accounts for nearly one-third of the U.S. project pipeline with 122 GW of gas-fired power capacity in development, a 51 per cent (41.4 GW) increase in the last six months and more than any other country in the world. Nearly two-thirds of the in development capacity in Texas (77 GW), is planned to directly power data centers.”

Bloomberg: China’s Oil Demand ‘Very Likely’ Peaked Last Year, Sinopec Says
Rong Wei Neo, 8/24/26

“China’s oil demand probably peaked last year, earlier than previous estimates, according to the head of the nation’s top refiner,” Bloomberg reports. “Clean energy development, electrification and low-carbon goals mean that the country’s oil demand has probably already crested, Sinopec Chairman Hou Qijun said Monday at an earnings briefing in Hong Kong. The company had previously forecast usage to top out in 2027, while the government is targeting oil and coal consumption to reach their limits during the current five-year plan period, which runs through 2030… “An earlier start to reducing consumption would help rein in its world-leading emissions while raising questions for the world’s top crude drillers… “Sinopec, known officially as China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., said in its earnings report on Sunday that road fuel demand plummeted in the first half as consumers shied away from higher prices and shifted to electric vehicles.”

Reuters: Exxon turns to automated drilling in the Permian in push for higher oil output
Sheila Dang, 8/24/26

“In rural west Texas where oil rigs and pump jacks dot the sparse flat landscape, an ExxonMobil contractor sits in a small office on a drilling rig, using controls on a screen to operate robotic machinery and move tall steel pipes weighing roughly 2,000 pounds,” Reuters reports. “This work would usually require human overseers standing on the rig floor, the most common location for accidents on a rig. Exxon, the largest oil producer by volume in the U.S., operates more than 30 drilling rigs in the Permian Basin, two of which are automated rigs with robotic equipment. By 2028, the company aims to transition half of its fleet to automated rigs to reduce the need for workers to perform potentially dangerous work and increase efficiency to drill wells faster, an executive told Reuters… “When we take people off the rig floor, those same individuals are now able to think ahead and plan for the next operation and that combination gives us efficiency,” he told Reuters. “This is the productivity play.”

Reuters: Exxon, Lyondell among suitors for Shell’s US chemical assets, could fetch $8 billion, FT reports
Ananya Palyekar, 8/23/26

“Oil major Shell has drawn interest from potential bidders, including ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell, for its U.S. chemical assets that could fetch up to $8 billion, the Financial Times reported on Monday,” Reuters reports. “Private equity firm Apollo Global Management and the chemicals arm of state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation have also expressed interest in the assets, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter, as Shell seeks to divest underperforming underperforming chemical plants. Shell, ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell, Apollo, and Kuwait Petroleum did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment outside regular business hours. Shell’s U.S. chemicals business includes plants at four sites in Louisiana, Texas and Pennsylvania that produce chemicals used in plastics, detergents and pharmaceuticals, the FT added.”

CBC: World Heritage Committee assessing environmental health of Wood Buffalo National Park
Jamie Malbeuf, 8/24/26

“The World Heritage Committee is assessing Wood Buffalo National Park after a local First Nation, once again, raised concerns about the health of the park’s ecosystem,” the CBC reports. “ Chief Melody Lepine of the Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN) told CBC News she is concerned about environmental impacts that industrial developments are having on the park, which she fears could lose it’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lepine is especially concerned with the amount of water approved to be used by oilsands projects and the Alberta government’s proposed plan to release treated tailings into the Athabasca River. She warns the site could lose its designation as a World Heritage site… “MCFN first petitioned UNESCO to assess Wood Buffalo National Park in 2014… “UNESCO agreed those concerns were valid in a 2016 response. In 2019, the federal government released an action plan for protecting the park which included the creation of a monitoring program, working with Indigenous partners to create a field station and the investigation of water control structures.”

Business Green: Government urged to impose ‘carbon storage obligation’ on any new North Sea drilling projects
James Murray, 8/25/26

“Group of over 100 leading climate scientists, legal experts, and environmental campaigners argue Rosebank and Jackdaw developers should be required to fund the capture and storage of any emissions they cause,” Business Green reports. “The government is today facing fresh calls to place an obligation on the fossil fuel industry to fund the carbon capture and removal capacity, which is likely to be required to make any new drilling projects…”

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Woodside ‘understating’ oil spill risk of proposed Browse gas project, opponents say
Alistair Bates, 8/24/26

“A coalition of experts, fishers and conservationists has launched a fresh offensive against Woodside’s proposed $30 billion Browse gas project, accusing the company of “dramatically understating” the risks of an oil spill off the pristine Kimberley coast,” the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports. “...The company amended its proposal last year after it was handed a preliminary rejection, relocating a drill centre away from critical turtle nesting grounds and decreasing its overall project footprint. Key to the adjustments was minimising the chance of a spill, the fallout of which threatened to be “catastrophic”, according to Woodside’s initial report to the EPA. Simulations by the company showed a Browse well blowout could disperse nearly 900,000 barrels of condensate over 77 days, roughly 30 times bigger than the 2009 Montara spill, considered one of the worst oil disasters in Australian waters. Woodside described the worst-case scenario as having “severe and potentially irreversible” impacts, reaching as far as Indonesia and Timor-Leste, and killing coral and marine animals including whales.”

OPINION

Anchorage Daily News: The pipeline victory party came before the pipeline
Andrew Halcro is a past executive director of the Anchorage Community Development Authority, and a former state representative and past president of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, 8/24/26

“For roughly the last 12 months, Alaskans witnessed one hell of a sales pitch. The Alaska LNG pipeline was no longer presented as a dream. This time, it was real,” Andrew Halcro writes for the Anchorage Daily News. “...And perhaps the most reassuring part of the entire pitch was this: The Legislature didn’t need to do anything. In fact, lawmakers were warned that getting involved might actually hurt the project… “And then something extraordinary happened. The project that needed nothing from the Legislature suddenly needed something very important from the Legislature: a massive, decadeslong reduction in property taxes. Suddenly, the tax concession was no longer optional. It became an existential requirement. Without it, Alaska might lose its historic opportunity. Quite a transition. We went from “Please stay out of the way” to “Oh my God, get to Juneau immediately.” Naturally, lawmakers gave an answer that met their fiduciary responsibilities: Show us the math… “That clear justification never really arrived… “But never underestimate the power of a good sales campaign. Out came the signs. BUILD THE LINE… ”But this was always Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s politically inspired fool’s errand. Now Alaskans are left standing in an empty ballroom after the band has gone home, looking at the Build the Line placards and the confetti scattered across the floor.”

Eurobserver: Carbon capture and storage is a costly white elephant – so why is the EU pushing it?
Rachel Kennerley, Sheffield, 8/25/26

“Europe’s plans to deploy carbon capture and storage (CCS) at scale are faltering,” Rachel Kennerley writes for Eurobserver. “In response, the European Commission is expected this autumn to propose legislation to accelerate and expand the bloc’s carbon dioxide (CO2) transport infrastructure. The emerging approach risks imposing substantial costs on taxpayers while weakening safeguards for people and nature… “The EU has set a target of at least 50 million tonnes of annual CO2 injection capacity by 2030. The associated transport network needed could span 19,000km by 2050, carrying risky, highly-pressurised CO2 across the continent… “European CCS project announcements hit their peak in 2021 and have declined since, with the amount of carbon capacity cancelled in 2025 exceeding that reaching final investment decisions. Signs of industry retreat are mounting: selling stakes in flagship projects, cutting budgets, and even legally disputing EU CCS requirements… “The law is expected to expand subsidies for polluting industries and establish a regulatory framework that limits scrutiny and risks reducing industry accountability for CO2 leaks. It is also expected to include measures to loosen permitting requirements through new exemptions and could use ‘industrial acceleration areas’ that may override protections for natural areas. Slashing permitting safeguards for nature and communities for CCS infrastructure is hugely concerning, given that CCS at scale poses major technical challenges and real safety risks… “Instead of fast-tracking costly, risky, and ineffective carbon capture infrastructure, the EU should prioritise cutting emissions at source, phasing out fossil fuels, and accelerating renewable energy.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• KETV: Trump floats reviving Keystone XL pipeline, drawing mixed reactions from Nebraskans

• Wall Street Journal: Trump Wants to Revive Keystone XL. The Industry Has a Different Plan.

• Reuters: Why is Trump talking about the Keystone XL oil pipeline?

• Bloomberg: U.S. oil refiners face import squeeze from biggest foreign seller

• Reuters: Sable Offshore fined $1.45 million, allowed to continue pipeline operations

• Bloomberg: California to Appeal Ruling on Sable Pipeline Emergency Order

• Bloomberg: New York Defeats Challenge to Williams Pipeline Water Permit

• Dickinson County News: Another pipeline parts company accuses Summit of backing out of contract

• North Platte Telegraph: County Board will hear preview of possible 2nd CO2 pipeline

• The Center Square: Exxon wins a round in Louisiana carbon pipeline dispute

• CleanTechnica: Enbridge’s Line 5 Has Another Frac Out As Reroute Challenge And Intimidation Concerns Escalate

• Bridge Michigan: Where things stand in Michigan’s Line 5 saga

• KCLU: For an Indigenous leader, protecting the Santa Barbara Channel is about more than oil

• Edmonton Journal: Indigenous groups “kept in dark” while plans for “deeply concerning” west coast oil pipeline move ahead

• MBC Radio: ACFN chief joins B.C. First Nations to oppose new pipeline

• Flamborough Today: Meeting slated for Aug. 25 in Millgrove to discuss pipeline project

• Press release: Tallgrass Announces Open Season for the Pony Express Pipeline

• Press release: Tallgrass Announces Open Season for the Seahorse Pipeline

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• High Country News: The BLM may stop notifying landowners about drilling under private land. Ranchers are alarmed

• Bloomberg: US Allows Early Sales of Winter Gasoline to Help Curb Prices

• Axios: GOP issues stark warning to AI companies

• Bloomberg: Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Are Being Struck Down by Courts

• E&E News: Democrats escalate fight over LNG tanker tax break

• Guardian: Trump plan to allow drilling near US world heritage site sparks alarm

• Mother Jones: Native American Leaders Denounce Record Glyphosate Spraying on National Forests

STATE UPDATES

• E&E News: Republican Mike Rogers backs Michigan data center moratorium

EXTRACTION

• New York Times: Spike in ‘Dark’ Oil Tankers in Gulf Raises Risk of Catastrophic Spills

CLIMATE FINANCE

• The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): World Bank group funds 65% of petrochemicals projects studied by new IEEFA and IAP tracker

OPINION

• Grand Forks Herald: Carbon-capture storage does not work to a significant degree

• Northern Express: Don’t Create the Source of Disaster

• Port Huron Times Herald: Enbridge is playing legal rope-a-dope

• New York Post: If Kathy Hochul really cares about affordability, she’ll do this

• Calgary Herald: Alberta suffered a $1.3 billion hit on KXL – should it factor into Trump’s call to bring back the pipeline?

• The Narwhal: Most Canadians want a pipeline. Nobody wants to pay for it

• The Advocate: Big Oil’s grip on government the real emergency
  

PIPELINE NEWS

KETV: Trump floats reviving Keystone XL pipeline, drawing mixed reactions from Nebraskans
John Grinvalds, 8/22/26

“The Keystone XL pipeline could be back on the agenda, more than a decade after the controversial project put Nebraska at the center of a national debate over energy, property rights and environmental protection,” KETV reports. “...For some Nebraskans who supported Keystone XL, Trump’s comments bring back memories of a fight that once dominated state politics… “Jim Smith, a former Nebraska state senator and early supporter of the pipeline. described the Keystone XL debate as a “decade of kind of political warfare” but told KETV it was and still is a smart plan with few downsides… “We might be talking about something here that’s not even realistic from a business standpoint, given what we’ve seen happen with these permits,” Rep. Mike Flood told KETV… “Jane Kleeb, current chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party and founder of the Bold Alliance, which organized opposition to the pipeline, said the project would face resistance again… “Randy Thompson, a retired rancher and farmer, also opposes a potential revival. Thompson told KETV he was concerned about what the pipeline could mean for his family’s farm and other Nebraska landowners… “They have no regard for the property rights of farmers and ranchers. We’re going to give a foreign company the use of eminent domain against Nebraska landowners.”

Wall Street Journal: Trump Wants to Revive Keystone XL. The Industry Has a Different Plan.
Ryan Dezember, 8/20/26

“President Trump suggested a revival of the long-contested Keystone XL oil pipeline could be in the cards when he said the U.S. is close to reaching a trade deal with Canada to avert new tariffs,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Pipeline developers are already piecing together an alternative to the scuttled Keystone expansion. Trump has signed his support for the alternative supply line. He issued a permit in April to allow it to cross the border in Montana. That project is part of a trio of proposed pipelines that aim to deliver heavy oil from western Canada to Gulf Coast refineries able to process the sludgy crude. Three proposed pipelines would serve the same function—delivering heavy oil from western Canada to Gulf Coast refineries—without the hot-button name…”

Reuters: Why is Trump talking about the Keystone XL oil pipeline?
Amanda Stephenson, 8/21/26

“A social media post by U.S. President Donald Trump declaring that the Keystone XL oil pipeline “may be awoken from the grave” attracted attention this week in the midst of U.S.-Canada trade talks. Below is a look at the history of that project running through parts of Canada and the U.S., as well as details on the new oil pipeline proposal that follows a slightly different route,” Reuters reports. “...The project, which was opposed by many environmental and Indigenous groups, was rejected by U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration and revived by Trump during his first term. Though construction work had started, the pipeline was never completed after U.S. President Joe Biden revoked a key permit for the U.S. stretch of the project in 2021. The company behind Keystone XL, Canada’s TC Energy, lost billions when the pipeline was canceled… “But Trump has been vocal about wanting to see the Keystone expansion built. Canada, the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter, sends more ​than 90% of its crude oil production to the U.S., and many U.S. refineries are dependent on Canadian heavy oil… “Reuters reported Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney raised a potential revival of the project during trade talks with Trump last October, presenting it as a possible area of cooperation between the two countries. Trade talks then stalled for months. Trump posted a meme about Keystone shortly after announcing late on Tuesday night he had given Canada a three-day reprieve on more tariffs. He posted the meme again ahead of a new midnight deadline to reach a deal.”

Bloomberg: U.S. oil refiners face import squeeze from biggest foreign seller
Robert Tuttle, 8/21/26

“United States refiners are facing a looming supply drop from their biggest foreign crude supplier at a time when they need the oil the most,” Bloomberg reports. “Canada supplies the U.S. with more than four million barrels a day of crude, most produced in the oil-rich heartland of northern Alberta and then sent south to refineries in the U.S… “But their main international supply source is set to be constrained in the coming months. Planned maintenance in the Canadian oil sands is set to take about 300,000 barrels a day of production offline next month, according to Rystad Energy… “The Canadian shortfall is already being reflected in two major export pipeline systems saying they aren’t limiting space for producers as they had been, indicating a lower volume being shipped. Enbridge Inc. isn’t going to ration space in September on its Mainline, Canada’s largest oil export pipeline system, because of maintenance at both production facilities and at U.S. refineries, the company said on Wednesday… “The Trans Mountain Corp. pipeline from Alberta to the Vancouver area also stopped rationing space on its system in August for the first time in two months.”

Reuters: Sable Offshore fined $1.45 million, allowed to continue pipeline operations
Varun Sahay, 8/24/26

“Sable Offshore said on Monday a U.S. judge fined the oil and gas producer $1.45 ​million for violating a pipeline consent decree, but ‌declined California’s request to halt operations of its Santa Ynez Pipeline System,” Reuters reports. “The rulings allow Sable to continue working ​to restart and expand its Santa Ynez ​project, which it has been trying to ⁠revive since a 2015 pipeline spill. The court found Sable violated the 2020 consent ​decree by restarting pipeline operations without authorization from California’s state fire marshal. The judge ruled the company was no longer ​in violation after the Pipeline and Hazardous ​Materials Safety Administration approved its restart plan.”

Bloomberg: California to Appeal Ruling on Sable Pipeline Emergency Order
Taylor Mills, 8/21/26

“California is challenging a court order upholding the Trump administration’s use of an emergency authority to restart Sable Offshore Corp.’s pipeline in Santa Barbara,” Bloomberg reports. “The state is seeking the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s review of a lower court’s denial of the state’s bid to block the Energy Department’s Defense Production Act order allowing the pipeline to restart, according to a notice filed Thursday. Judge Stephen V. Wilson of the US District Court for the Central District of California said Aug. 19 the DPA order preempted state environmental regulations…”

Bloomberg: New York Defeats Challenge to Williams Pipeline Water Permit
Allison Prang, 8/21/26

“New York state regulators don’t have to further justify approving a permit for a highly contested natural gas pipeline after previously rejecting it, an appeals court ruled Friday,” Bloomberg reports. “The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected several environmental groups’ request for review of a water quality permit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation granted last year for the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement project, or NESE, by a subsidiary of Williams Cos. The court said that the agency didn’t act arbitrarily and capriciously in granting its approval for Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC’s project…”

Dickinson County News: Another pipeline parts company accuses Summit of backing out of contract
8/24/26

“The company planning to build a carbon sequestration pipeline through Iowa is being sued by a second pipeline parts company, this time for $6.6 million,” the Dickinson County News reports. “SCS Carbon Transport LLC, an affiliate of Summit Carbon Solutions, is being sued by Patton Myhre Sourcing, a Texas-based company that Summit allegedly contracted with to purchase custom valves. Patton Myhre Sourcing alleges Summit is in breach of its purchase contract and now owes more than $6.6 million for the valves it agreed to purchase in 2022 for the pipeline that, at the time of the contract, would have transported sequestered carbon dioxide from biorefineries in Iowa and surrounding states to underground storage in North Dakota. Summit’s project has faced a number of delays since, including a ban on the use of eminent domain for carbon sequestration pipelines in South Dakota, and attempts to pass a similar law in Iowa… “According to the lawsuit, Summit requested a series of payment delays and accommodations as the carbon sequestration pipeline project “stalled.” In 2025, the petition alleges, Summit said it “was electing not to pursue the project and no longer wanted the valves.” “...This is the second pipeline parts company that has sued Summit for failing to uphold a purchase agreement. In 2024, the Arkansas pipe manufacturer Welspun Tubular sued Summit for $15 million after the company canceled its agreement with the pipe maker.”

North Platte Telegraph: County Board will hear preview of possible 2nd CO2 pipeline
Todd von Kampen, 8/21/26

“Information on what would be a second carbon dioxide pipeline in Lincoln County is scheduled to be presented to county commissioners Monday,” the North Platte Telegraph reports. “Matt Bright, a representative of TurnKey Logistics of Houston, is scheduled to make the presentation at 9:35 a.m. The County Board’s weekly meeting will start at 9 a.m. in the commissioners’ room in the North Platte courthouse, 301 N. Jeffers St., and will be shown on the county’s YouTube channel… “Bright’s company represents Summit Carbon Solutions of Ames, Iowa, according to a June 24 McCook News Now Facebook post when the Red Willow County Board heard a CO2 pipeline presentation by representatives of the latter firm. Carbon dioxide already is being shipped through southern Lincoln County through the 1982 Trailblazer Pipeline… “Summit representatives told Red Willow County commissioners they were still in early planning stages.”

The Center Square: Exxon wins a round in Louisiana carbon pipeline dispute
Alton Wallace, 8/22/26

“A Texas Business Court judge threw out charges of anti-competitive behavior against ExxonMobil’s carbon pipeline subsidiary Denbury in a ruling last week while allowing a broader lawsuit over unfair business practices to move forward,” The Center Square reports, “...Clean Hydrogen Works, which plans to build a $7.5 billion clean fuels plant in Ascension Parish, contends control of Denbury’s 620-mile-long CO₂ pipeline network in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi effectively makes Exxon a gatekeeper for blue hydrogen and ammonia projects at industrial hubs in an area stretching from Lake Charles to the Mississippi River corridor… “Exxon is essentially thinking like a regulated utility, operating on the stance that they bought the network, paid a heavy premium for it, and have an internal use for it,” Dr. Eric Smith, associate director of the Tulane Energy Institute, told TCS. “Their message to independent developers is that while they cannot outright refuse access, the entry price is going to be steep… “Smith told TCS building high-pressure CO2 pipelines with 12-to-20-inch diameters is “extraordinarily expensive,” noting Clean Hydrogen Works’ estimate of $1 billion to build an alternative connection to a Denbury competitor showed the financial barrier faced by independent clean fuel producers. Clean Hydrogen Works executives maintain the project remains active, unlike the nearby $4.5 billion Air Products blue hydrogen plant proposed in the same parish that was abandoned by developers in June after intense local opposition to carbon pipelines and storage beneath Lake Maurepas in South Louisiana.”

CleanTechnica: Enbridge’s Line 5 Has Another Frac Out As Reroute Challenge And Intimidation Concerns Escalate
8/21/26

“Another frac-out on Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute construction has been reported at Trout Brook in Marengo, Wisconsin,” according to CleanTechnica. “It is only the latest frac out — or drilling fluid spill — Enbridge has caused during reroute construction, following a 1,900 gallon spill earlier this summer. As reroute construction continues, the entirety of the Bad River Reservation, treasured places like Copper Falls State Park, and hundreds of bodies of water remain at risk to more frac outs, which could leach into drinking water and recreational areas. “This frac-out occurred on the same week that Enbridge sat in court and told the Judge that our concerns about the reroute construction and permit weren’t warranted because the record was really long and the project was complicated,” said Elizabeth Ward, Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter Director. “This summer there have already been multiple frac-outs, potentially contaminating nearby and downstream water and wetlands. Devastating impacts of the Line 3 construction in Minnesota are still surfacing years later — we can’t let this happen to Wisconsin as well.” “...Sierra Club also published a new summary this week uplifting the work local monitors have done to document Enbridge’s construction impacts. The summary, Destruction and intimidation: Enbridge’s Line 5 construction impacts so far documents the mid-construction impacts, including intimidation of water monitors, frac-outs, and permit violations. These impacts continue to change, as demonstrated by the latest frac-out.”

Bridge Michigan: Where things stand in Michigan’s Line 5 saga
Kelly House, 8/20/26

“...Two key decisions in the past month have further muddied the waters: While the Trump administration granted a key permit for the tunnel last week, construction is blocked because the Michigan Supreme Court vacated a state permit Enbridge needs to start digging,” Bridge Michigan reports. “The MPSC must now conduct a more thorough review and decide anew whether to issue the permit. That decision would also be open to possible legal challenges. Line 5 opponents have also vowed to appeal a set of tunnel permits issued in July by the state departments of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and Natural Resources. Enbridge has yet to receive a state wastewater discharge permit that is crucial to the tunnel project… “Given the governor and attorney general’s role in setting Michigan’s legal strategy, the November general election could prove pivotal to Line 5’s future… “Democratic candidate Jocelyn Benson’s campaign did not answer questions from Bridge Michigan about her stance on Line 5 or the tunnel project, instead providing a statement in which Benson vowed to “explore every option to ensure we are protecting our Great Lakes and diversifying our energy sources.” “...The US Senate race between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers could also affect Line 5… “In a statement to Bridge Michigan, El-Sayed called for “a responsible shutdown of Line 5 in its current form.” He stopped short of endorsing or condemning the tunnel proposal, but called for a more robust environmental review than the one the Trump administration “rammed through.”

KCLU: For an Indigenous leader, protecting the Santa Barbara Channel is about more than oil
Caroline Feraday, 8/20/26

“Mati Waiya, the Chairman of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and founder and director of the Wishtoyo Foundation, told KCLU that he’s concerned about the impact of efforts to increase oil production in the Santa Barbara Channel. This isn’t simply an environmental fight for the Chumash, it’s about a stewardship of the coastline which goes back thousands of years. It’s one of the most controversial issues along our coastline: the future of offshore oil production in the Santa Barbara Channel… “The California Coastal Commission recently rejected a proposal for fracking at 16 offshore wells at Gilda. However, because the platform sits in federal waters, it may be a hurdle to the Trump administration’s efforts to increase oil production rather than the end of the fight for environmentalists. Waiya is concerned that the federal efforts to control California’s coastline could ultimately cause irreversible harm to the local environment. “It’s just a disaster waiting to happen….You have this government eliminating wind power, eliminating solar vehicles, so we can be forced to use oil and gas,” he told KCLU. “The oil companies are making more money than they ever had. All these things that they have a cause and effect, and we have to think about that.” He added that he’s concerned that it’s a matter of when, not if, there’s another oil spill off this coastline… “Opponents of the oil companies have routinely been reduced to characterizations of environmentalist extremists or NIMBYS. But Waiya told KCLU that misses something fundamental. Environmental concerns are valid, but protecting the California coast has cultural significance for Indigenous people, like him, whose voices — he says — are often overlooked.”

Edmonton Journal: Indigenous groups “kept in dark” while plans for “deeply concerning” west coast oil pipeline move ahead
Itoro Umanah, 8/22/26

“...The proposed 1,250-kilometre west coast oil pipeline is a pre-cursor to a separate Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) pipeline project – The Pathways Project, which the trilateral agreement outlines as “a set of emissions reductions projects that decrease emissions intensity of Canadian heavy oil production,” the the Edmonton Journal reports. “The 650-kilometre CO₂ pipeline network is estimated to transport millions of tonnes of compressed CO₂ from oilsands production sites to a storage facility in the Cold Lake region – a proposal that appears to be deeply under-examined, according to Indigenous groups and communities across the province. No to CO₂ Pipelines Alberta is a grassroots coalition formed by concerned landowners, farmers, and Indigenous communities who are actively advocating for the Canadian government to stop the proposed Oil Sands Alliance CO₂ pipeline network… “The CO₂ pipeline is what Keji Banjoko, government relations and consultation coordinator at the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations (ACFN), refers to as a “greenwashing project.” Banjoko, who was present at the Fort McMurray No to CO₂ Pipelines Alberta town hall on Monday, told the Journal the CCUS proposals are another way for the oilsands industry to keep producing more oil, citing the government’s and involved parties’ neglect in consulting with Indigenous groups who are most affected. “There is no real information on the environmental impact of this pipeline, we were not given ability to say no,” Banjoko told the Journal. “No consultations have come through with ACFN, yet we are being asked to trust an industry that has harmed the community for generations.”

MBC Radio: ACFN chief joins B.C. First Nations to oppose new pipeline
Jeremy Appel, 8/23/26

“The chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is backing the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs’ call for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to “immediately halt” plans for a new oil pipeline to the West Coast,” MBC Radio reports. “If the B.C. chiefs say no, I respect what the B.C. chiefs want,” Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam told Alberta Native News… “This proposal threatens both the inherent rights of First Nations and accelerates the expansion of the fossil fuel industry at a time when communities across the country are already experiencing devastating climate disasters,” reads an Aug. 9 open letter from the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) to Carney and Smith. The letter is signed by UBCIC Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Gitxaala Nation Chief Councillor Linda Innes and Heiltsuk Tribal Council Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett… “The UBCIC argues that this is a violation of the duty to free, prior and informed consent enshrined in multiple sections of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which Canada adopted as law in 2021… “Consultation cannot be meaningful if First Nations are invited only to discuss how a predetermined project will proceed.” wrote the chiefs… “Where do they plan to expand or to get all that oil from once they go ahead and do it? Because if they’re coming from our area here in Fort McMurray where the oil sands are, that ain’t going to happen,” Chief Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) told MBC. “We will start launching court cases, and we will tie them all up in court for the next 20 years.”

Flamborough Today: Meeting slated for Aug. 25 in Millgrove to discuss pipeline project
Julie Slack, 8/21/26

“Local residents can learn more about and comment on the planned upgrades to the Enbridge Gas pipeline system in Flamborough at a meeting in Millgrove next Tuesday,” Flamborough Today reports. “According to a public notice issued this week, an environmental study is set to commence for the construction of a new 48-inch diameter natural gas pipeline between Enbridge’s existing Kirkwall Valve Site (located northeast of the intersection at Safari Road and Valens Road) and the existing Hamilton Valve Site (located east of Highway 6 and Carlisle Road)... “As part of the Environmental Study process, Enridge is planning consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities, landowners, government agencies and the local municipality, as well as other interested parties… “The deadline for input and comments about the project is Sept. 15, 2026… “If approved, construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2028,” states the notice.”

Press release: Tallgrass Announces Open Season for the Pony Express Pipeline
8/22/26

“Today, Tallgrass Pony Express Pipeline, LLC, operated by Tallgrass, together with Bridger Pipeline LLC (”Bridger”), announced a new binding joint tariff open season for incentive tariff rates, utilizing existing capacity, for shipper commitments for crude oil transportation from Bridger’s Guernsey Hub. This open season will run for 30 days, commencing August 21, 2026.”

Press release: Tallgrass Announces Open Season for the Seahorse Pipeline
8/21/26

“Today, Seahorse Pipeline, LLC, operated by Tallgrass, together with Bridger Pipeline LLC (”Bridger”), announced a new binding joint tariff open season for incentive tariff rates, utilizing existing capacity, for shipper commitments for crude oil transportation from Bridger’s Guernsey Hub. This open season will run for 30 days, commencing August 21, 2026.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

High Country News: The BLM may stop notifying landowners about drilling under private land. Ranchers are alarmed
Teal Davis, 8/21/26

“...Historically, the public has been given a total of 90 days to weigh in on any leasing of BLM-managed minerals,” High Country News reports. “Oil and gas companies were also required to identify surface owners whose land may be impacted by proposed underground development, and the BLM was required to notify them. But soon, Rankin and other Western landowners may lose that right: In a June leasing proposal, the BLM proposed reducing the general public comment periods to 10 days and eliminating the landowner notification requirement for split estate land. Separately, the agency also wants to reduce the minimum bonds companies are required to pay in case drilling is abandoned without environmental cleanup… “Jim Magagna, a rancher from Rock Springs and  the executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, called the proposed public comment reduction unreasonable. “Our people are out busy,” Magagna told HCN, occupied with “haying, or they’re feeding cows, or they’re calving, or they’re shipping. And a 10-day comment period?” By ending landowner notification requirements and slashing the comment window, the BLM is essentially removing landowners’ right to comment, Magagna told HCN.”

Bloomberg: US Allows Early Sales of Winter Gasoline to Help Curb Prices
Elizabeth Elkin, Jennifer A Dlouhy, and Nathan Risser, 8/20/26

“The Trump administration is authorizing an early shift to the sale of wintertime gasoline blends, its latest move to blunt fuel costs and supply concerns stoked by the war in Iran,” Bloomberg reports. “The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it was relaxing normal summertime gasoline requirements. The switch, which enables the use of a dirtier-burning wintertime fuel blend, typically happens in mid September. Starting Sept. 1, the waiver allows the sale of gasoline blended with 10% ethanol that evaporates faster than fuel typically sold during summer. The administration said the move would boost the domestic gasoline supply by hundreds of thousands of barrels per day by effectively ending the summer-blend gasoline requirement early and said it should provide Americans more price relief at the pump… “US average gasoline prices have been above $4 a gallon since mid-July, according to the American Automobile Association. That’s about $1 more per gallon than when the Iran war began and the highest price US drivers have ever paid this late in the year.”

Axios: GOP issues stark warning to AI companies
Alex Isenstadt, 8/19/26

“The Senate GOP campaign arm, in a private memo to top AI companies, warns that toxic views of U.S. data centers are killing the party’s chances of holding a vital seat in Ohio,” Axios reports. “In the memo, obtained by Axios, the National Republican Senatorial Committee says Democrats have made data centers a “centerpiece” of their campaign to defeat Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) — and that it’s working. “If he loses and data centers get the blame, politicians across the country will take notice — and they will not go near the next one,” the memo says. “This has become a sleeper issue for the entire election cycle.” “...The memo argues that a Husted loss would cause long-lasting damage to AI companies in their push to build data centers nationwide to power future generations of AI. “If voters’ perceptions of data centers are not fixed quickly, the campaign against them will expand far beyond Ohio,” the party warns.”

Bloomberg: Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Are Being Struck Down by Courts
Zahra Hirji, 8/21/26

The Trump administration’s attempts to reshape and shrink federal environmental protection have been met with legal challenges, with the administration losing more than winning in court so far this summer,” Bloomberg reports. “Federal courts have delivered rulings in several cases centered on the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempts to terminate climate grants and roll back Biden-era air policies, with judges deciding against the agency in more than half of them… “But lawyers involved in the litigation challenging the EPA told Bloomberg recent court decisions represent a crucial backstop to the Trump administration’s aggressive pullback on environmental work. “The tide feels like it is shifting,” Jillian Blanchard, an attorney at Lawyers for Good Government who represents multiple organizations who lost environmental grants last year, told Bloomberg.” “...The plaintiffs are winning, Blanchard told Bloomberg, “whenever the cases get into a court to review on the merits — not on issues of jurisdiction technicalities of, does this belong in the Court of Federal Claims or district court.”

E&E News: Democrats escalate fight over LNG tanker tax break
Nico Portuondo, 8/2/26

“Senate Democrats are asking the IRS’ internal watchdog to investigate the agency’s apparent decision to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks for liquefied natural gas tankers by treating them as ‘motorboats,’” E&E News reports. “Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) raised the issue earlier this year when they asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for clarity on whether the IRS had begun granting credits under the Alternative Fuel Excise Tax to liquefied natural gas exporters… “The lawmakers’ inquiry follows a February announcement from Cheniere Energy, the nation’s largest natural gas exporter, that it recorded a $370 million reduction in cost of sales tied to the tax credit for using LNG to fuel its tankers… “The dispute hinges on how the statute defines eligible vehicles. Democrats argue that massive LNG tankers — often stretching roughly 1,000 feet — should not reasonably qualify as ‘motorboats’ under the law.”

Guardian: Trump plan to allow drilling near US world heritage site sparks alarm
Oliver Milman, 8/20/26

“The Trump administration’s push to expand oil and gas extraction across the US is set to bring drilling near cherished natural and cultural sites, raising alarm among conservationists and prompting questions from the UN’s heritage body,” the Guardian reports. “Unesco said it had received information on the administration’s plan to scrap a drilling-free buffer zone around the Chaco Culture national historical park in New Mexico, a world heritage site and one of the most important cultural areas in the US. A Unesco spokesperson told the Guardian it had procedures regarding “potential threats” to a world heritage property and was awaiting a response from the federal government as to its impact. “The world heritage committee has consistently considered extractive activities to be incompatible with world heritage status,” a Unesco spokesperson told the Guardian. As well as warning about the consequences of drilling within the boundaries of world heritage sites, the spokesperson told the Guardian the committee had also “emphasized that projects proposed outside world heritage properties should not adversely affect their outstanding universal value – which are the features of the site that justify its inscription, and should be subject to appropriate impact assessments before decisions are taken.”

Mother Jones: Native American Leaders Denounce Record Glyphosate Spraying on National Forests
Nate Halverson, 8/21/26

“...Earlier this year, our Mother Jones investigation found that record amounts of glyphosate—the key ingredient in the herbicide Roundup—have been sprayed in California’s forests in recent years. It also exposed how key scientific studies that the Forest Service and others relied upon to say glyphosate was safe were ghost written by manufacturer Monsanto,” Mother Jones reports. “The Forest Service uses glyphosate and other herbicides in the wake of forest fires or logging operations to kill native plants the agency says compete with replanted saplings for sunlight, water, and soil nutrients. By eliminating the native plants, freshly planted timber trees will grow back faster and in greater density for future logging. The Trump administration announced plans this month to roll back protections for 45 million acres of national forest, including old growth trees, following President Trump’s call last year to increase timber production by 25 percent… “But a growing number of Native American community leaders from across the state—Mt. Lassen in the north to Lake Tahoe and down to Southern California—say the government’s spraying of glyphosate infringes on their cultural and religious practices by poisoning their traditional gathering areas and changing the composition of the forest. They told me that the moment has come to take action, maybe even legal action.”

STATE UPDATES

E&E News: Republican Mike Rogers backs Michigan data center moratorium
Timothy Cama, 8/20/26

“Republican Mike Rogers expressed support Thursday for a “pause” on data center construction as he runs against a progressive Democrat for Michigan’s open Senate seat,” E&E News reports. “...Asked during a news conference about his “policy on data centers,” Rogers said, “I think we need to take a pause, probably, and make sure that we’re answering all the questions that people have.” “...While I don’t support a federal ban, Michigan needs stronger guardrails to protect community control, prevent utility price hikes, protect our water and stop pay-to-play schemes,” Rogers told the Detroit News. “That is why I am calling for a one-year moratorium on new data centers until we establish a fair, transparent approval process that puts local communities first.” The position is a massive shift for the former congressman and separates him from most of the Republican Party and even many Democrats… “Rogers’ opponent, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, has called for strict new standards to prevent data center impacts on the electric grid, water and local communities, but has not called for a large-scale moratorium, as other progressives have.”

EXTRACTION

New York Times: Spike in ‘Dark’ Oil Tankers in Gulf Raises Risk of Catastrophic Spills
Lisa Friedman, 8/21/26

“The risk of a catastrophic oil spill in ecologically sensitive waters around the Strait of Hormuz has hung over the region since the start of the war in Iran,” the New York Times reports. “Now the threats are increasing, maritime experts told the Times, as the conflict has widened and more tankers are navigating the region’s waterways with their tracking transponders turned off to dodge military strikes and drone attacks. The advent of transponders and more advanced navigation equipment has made modern shipping safer and cut down on collisions and spills. Turning them off, or going “dark,” is a perilous activity typically reserved for vessels under sanctions or carrying illicit loads. But since March 1, there have been an alarming 1,514 dark crossings in and out of the Persian Gulf, according to Kpler, a maritime data firm… “In a narrow and strategically congested waterway such as the Strait of Hormuz, reduced transparency adds another layer of environmental risk,” Kaveh Madani, director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, told the Times. Those risks are compounding across the region: Three different oil slicks are spreading through the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, maritime security experts who are tracking the spills told the Times… “The slick now covers an estimated 400 to 500 square miles and is seeping into a nature reserve that is home to endangered hawksbill and green sea turtles, Arabian Sea humpback whales, and thriving coral reefs.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): World Bank group funds 65% of petrochemicals projects studied by new IEEFA and IAP tracker
Swathi Seshadri, 8/18/26

“...The tracker is an interactive database that visualises petrochemical investments across different sectors within the industry from 16 multilateral development banks (MDBs). The database is built using details from the Early Warning System (EWS) hosted by the IAP. It tracks 92 projects covering a total investment amount of USD10,042 million. A key finding emerging from the database is that the World Bank group cumulatively funds 65% of the petrochemical projects tracked. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is a member institution of the World Bank group, has a 35% share of the total investment amount in such projects. This is followed by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency’s (MIGA) 24% share. The World Bank itself has a 7% share. Among other MDBs tracked, the European Investment Bank (EIB) share stands at 18%, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) at 6%, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at 2%. Expansion and greenfield projects have a combined share of 57%, and decarbonisation projects comprise 14% of the total investments.”

OPINION

Grand Forks Herald: Carbon-capture storage does not work to a significant degree
Dexter Perkins, Grand Forks, 8/22/26

“...The info you present is very rah-rah, but the reality is that carbon-capture and storage has not ever been shown to be practical or affordable,” Dexter Perkins writes for the Grand Forks Herald. “I am pretty sure that is why previous engineering firms pulled out of Project Tundra. So, I have to wonder why this new plan will be any different? Your article does not say, but isn’t that really the important story? Today, the U.S. has the most carbon-capture capacity in the world. Yet we only store 0.2-0.4% of the carbon we produce. Mostly it is done to promote oil recovery. It would probably not be done at all except for government subsidies and tax credits. If section 45Q of the IRS code ever disappears, there will not be any coal plants interested in the technology. There is no place in the world where carbon-capture has worked to any significant degree. Today much less than 1% of human-produced CO2 is actually captured and stored. And there is nobody who believes that the technology can be used to significantly address the problem of climate change.”

Northern Express: Don’t Create the Source of Disaster
Stephen Tuttle, 8/22/26

“Enbridge’s Line 5 was first built in 1953, running across the Upper Peninsula, under the Straits of Mackinac, and down the spine of the Lower Peninsula until it ends in Sarnia, Ontario. Most of us paid little attention to it—shame on us—until there was an anchor strike on that underwater pipeline that made us realize there was the possibility of something very, very bad happening,” Stephen Tuttle writes for Northern Express. “...In 2010, just outside Marshall, Michigan, Enbridge Line 6B ruptured and released at least a million gallons of crude product into Talmadge Creek, which then found its way into the Kalamazoo River. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 1,500 acres of wetlands and 38 miles of waterways were severely damaged, thousands of amphibious critters were killed, injured, or had to be rescued, and sections of the river had to be closed for two years while clean-up efforts were undertaken… “It’s not like petroleum products easily vanish into the environment. There are still environmental consequences—oil blobs showing up, diseased fish—from the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989. A spill under the Straits would be more than a generational issue; it would be a disaster expanding lifetimes… “It’s long past time for Enbridge to figure out how to get their product to their plants without crossing the Straits. The best way to avoid what could be an absolutely cataclysmic disaster is to never create the source of it.”

Port Huron Times Herald: Enbridge is playing legal rope-a-dope
Andrew Heller, 8/21/26

“Bridge Michigan has an excellent report about Line 5, the controversial oil pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac that has been argued over for 10 years: “All the while, Canadian oil giant Enbridge Energy has kept piping up to 540,000 barrels of petroleum per day from Wisconsin to Ontario through the open water of the Straits, while the maze of related lawsuits, permit deliberations and political debates grows increasingly complex,” Andrew Heller writes for the Port Huron Times Herald. “I could be wrong, but it sounds like Enbridge is rope-a-doping. Remember rope-a-doping? That was Muhammed Ali’s preferred tactic later in his boxing career. It was his term for stalling, hoping his opponent would tire. Companies, in particular, love taking advantage of our molasses-like legal system to get what they want for as long as they can get it… “We’ll wish we had when the next anchor strike causes an environmental disaster in the Straits. But we’re not into prevention these days.”

New York Post: If Kathy Hochul really cares about affordability, she’ll do this
Editorial Board, 8/21/26

“Gov. Kathy Hochul has centered her reelection campaign on talk about “affordability,” but if she means it, let her prove it — by OK’ing the Constitution Pipeline project pronto,” the New York Post Editorial Board writes. “A new independent study by Daymark Energy Advisors finds that the 125-mile natural-gas line, to run from Pennsylvania to Schoharie County, could save the Northeast as much as $5.8 billion in electric costs over the next 20 years, including $3 billion in New York alone… “That makes the pipeline a winner not only for consumers but also for climate warriors, since the carbon footprint of gas is far less than oil’s… “A governor aiming to score “affordability” points should race to kick off such a project — and then claim deserved credit for pushing it through. But Hochul’s too fearful of the green fanatics who see any carbon-fuel project as evil.”

Calgary Herald: Alberta suffered a $1.3 billion hit on KXL – should it factor into Trump’s call to bring back the pipeline?
Chris Varcoe, 8/22/26

“Alberta lost $1.3 billion earlier this decade investing in the Keystone XL project when one U.S. president, Joe Biden, cancelled a cross-border pipeline permit that was signed by the previous president, Donald Trump,” Chris Varcoe writes for the Calgary Herald. “...Here’s an idea: if he really wants the pipeline to be built, how about the current president find a way to compensate Alberta taxpayers for money lost the last time around, due to the actions of the previous U.S. president? Or, at the very least, take that loss into account…. “That should be part of the discussion. We shouldn’t just walk away from it, and be typical Canadians and suck up our losses. It was the United States government that really dealt a blow to its trading relationship with Canada by blocking that project,” Jason Kenney, who was Alberta’s premier when the province decided to invest in the Keystone XL project in 2020, told the Herald. “Are they going to cut us a $1.3-billion-dollar cheque? I very much doubt it. But if there is a commitment to make this (project) happen, Alberta’s previous investment should be a part of the discussion. Where that lands, I don’t know.” “...Richard Masson, who served as chief executive of the APMC last decade – he left three years before the province invested in KXL — doesn’t think it is likely the government will recover its investment.”

The Narwhal: Most Canadians want a pipeline. Nobody wants to pay for it
Sharon J. Riley, 8/21/26

“Pipelines, pipelines, pipelines. No matter how you feel about them, it’s hard to escape news of them lately,” Sharon J. Riley writes for The Narwhal. “...Recent polling shows the majority of Canadians — 63% according to the Angus Reid Institute in July — support that new pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia… “A majority told pollsters they were convinced by the argument that Canada needs to diversify its oil markets away from the U.S., while half said oil is just generally important to the economy. Forty-five percent said the project would create jobs. The economic forecast, though, isn’t quite that simple. There’s still the question of who’s going to pay for it. A poll commissioned by the Pembina Institute and conducted by Probe Research in April found a majority of Albertans — 61% — say they don’t want to spend taxpayer money on a new pipeline… “These are multibillion-dollar projects, often crossing multiple provinces. Even expanding an existing pipeline, or building along an existing pipeline route, is a huge endeavor involving tens of thousands of people working on the project… “The latest pipeline idea making headlines was proposed by the Alberta government, with an estimated cost pegged at between CA$35.2 billion and CA$43.7 billion… “So, in the end, it appears if the West Coast pipeline project moves ahead, it will be governments — and taxpayers — who foot much of the bill… “Currently, Alberta produces an average of more than 4 million barrels of oil per day. That suggests Alberta’s oil production stands to increase substantially if a new pipeline is going to be filled each and every day. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency has predicted global demand for oil from combustible fossil fuels may peak as early as 2027 — raising questions about the long-term outlook for expanded oil sands production.”

The Advocate: Big Oil’s grip on government the real emergency
Lindsay Reeves is a New Orleans-based attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity’s endangered species program, 8/21/26

“My experiences growing up on the Gulf Coast are inextricably linked with the Gulf itself — watching the sunset from my granddad’s boat, the smell of crab cooking in a pot, or driving home with sandy feet in my mom’s minivan. That connection became harder to ignore as disasters like Katrina and the BP oil spill upended our neighbors’ lives and livelihoods. We depend on the Gulf. Its well-being is intertwined with ours. That’s why it’s maddening to see the Gulf at the center of another one of President Donald Trump’s shameless lies,” Lindsay Reeves writes for The Advocate. “In one breath, the administration claims there’s a national security emergency. It’s supposedly so serious that federally authorized oil and gas activity in the Gulf should be exempt from some of the Endangered Species Act’s most important protections, even if it means entire species will go extinct. In the next, the administration brags about record U.S. oil production, while ruling out a ban on oil exports. How can we have an energy emergency and record oil and gas production at the same time? And if oil and gas production in the Gulf is so critical to our national security, why are we exporting millions of barrels every day to other countries? The answer is simple. American oil executives, already rich beyond imagination, want more money and power. If protecting the nation were truly the goal, keeping more energy at home and lowering costs for Americans would be the priority. Instead, the Trump administration is using national security rhetoric to preserve the industry’s preferred business model, which maximizes profits by selling American oil on the global market… “Lawmakers need to recognize that Trump’s pandering to Big Oil won’t make Americans safer, won’t make the country more secure and won’t bring down gas prices at the pump.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• Canadian Press: Trump boasts Keystone XL as trade talk win. It’s not clear it was ever off the table.

• Business Examiner: South Bow secures Prairie Connector pipeline commitments

• Energies Media: Canada’s pipeline expansion plans outpace oil sands production growth and capital investment, analysts warn

• KBJR: Judge hears arguments in Line 5 pipeline reroute lawsuit

• KBJR: $900M Enbridge Line 5 reroute reaches halfway mark in Northern Wisconsin

• KCCI: Iowa Utilities Commission faces delays in reviewing Summit’s new carbon pipeline route

• Pipeline Technology Journal: Carbon Capture & Storage - Pipelines and their Part in Fighting Climate Change

• E&E News: A White House official helped an oil company advance its projects. Now she’ll lead its DC office.

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• E&E News: Cramer puts hold on Trump picks in feud over wetland policy

• Utility Dive: Electric co-ops press for repeal of gas power plant emissions rules

• Press release: NRECA, Co-ops Push EPA for Full Repeal of ‘Untenable’ Power Plant Rule

• E&E News: USGS chief scientist reassigned by Trump administration

• Newsweek: National Parks Advocates Plan Day of Protest Against Donald Trump

• Nevada Public Radio: Outdoor enthusiasts created an app that helps people weigh in on public land policy

STATE UPDATES

• New York Times: How Trump Is Trying to Crush California’s Environmental Policies

• E&E News: Red states curb nuisance laws in response to climate lawsuits

• Maine Public: Janet Mills, other New England governors oppose major utility merger

EXTRACTION

• Carbon Herald: Texas Court Dismisses Antitrust Claims Against Exxon Carbon Pipeline Unit

• Wall Street Journal: Hyperscalers’ Off-Grid Power Push Comes With Risks

• Financial Times: Harold Hamm launches multibillion-dollar plan to drill Argentine shale

• Press release: Continental Resources Significantly Expands Permian Basin Position with Acquisition of FireBird Energy II

• WIRED: The Worst Effects of Oman’s Oil Spill May Be Beneath the Surface

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• Antigo Daily Journal: Trees for Tomorrow expands education program access

OPINION

• Salt Lake Tribune: Behind closed doors, there are more threats ahead for our public lands

• Fraser Institute: Despite Alberta’s commitment to “decarbonizing”, large-scale carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) poses observed risks to the environment
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Canadian Press: Trump boasts Keystone XL as trade talk win. It’s not clear it was ever off the table.
Nick Murray, 8/29/26

“U.S. President Donald Trump boasted Tuesday about reviving the Keystone XL pipeline project, touting it as a win in trade negotiations with Canada,” the Canadian Press reports. “...Canadian government officials would not comment Wednesday on what — if anything — has changed regarding Keystone’s place in negotiations since Carney first pitched it, or why Trump is suddenly highlighted it as prominently as he did… “Jay Kholsa, executive director of economic and energy policy with the Public Policy Forum and a former assistant deputy minister in the Privy Council Office, told CP the combination of rising gas prices and the draining of the oil reserve could be an “Achilles heel” to Trump… “What they don’t talk about is that they are not energy dominant without Canadian source supply. And I think (Trump) knows that for sure.” “...I think on the other side is that the economics of it have changed, that you actually have an American company that’s pursuing this,” Adam Fremeth, the associate director of Energy Policy Management Center at Western University’s Ivey Business School, told CP. “At the same time, conflicts, like we see in the Strait of Hormuz, have brought some issues around energy security. And so this allows President Trump to further reinforce the energy security in the U.S.”

Business Examiner: South Bow secures Prairie Connector pipeline commitments
Thompson Okanagan, 8/21/26

“South Bow, the Calgary-based company that now owns the existing Keystone pipeline system, has secured 20-year commitments from nine customers for 465,000 barrels per day of oil service to the United States, reviving debate over whether Alberta crude should move south or west through British Columbia,” Business Examiner reports. “...The renewed US pipeline push comes as Ottawa and Alberta advance a separate proposal to build a new pipeline west through B.C. to a deepwater port near Delta, including Roberts Bank, largely following the existing Trans Mountain corridor… “Richard Masson, former CEO of the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, told the Examiner the southern route has the clearer near-term business case because it connects Alberta crude to refineries that already want it… “The reality is Canada wants to maintain and enhance the US market, because that’s a good market for us, but we also want to have diversification, which means getting to the West Coast,” Masson told the Examiner… “Masson told the Examiner the Prairie Connector proposal is being driven by companies and shippers rather than government, pointing to the customer commitments already secured. The proposed West Coast pipeline, by contrast, has only 10 per cent backing from a private partner, with most funding coming from government-owned sources.”

Energies Media: Canada’s pipeline expansion plans outpace oil sands production growth and capital investment, analysts warn
Carlos Albero Rojas, 8/20/26

“Canada has ambitious plans to expand its crude export infrastructure, with six pipeline projects in various stages of planning or development — from incremental expansions to Enbridge’s Mainline and the Trans Mountain system to a proposed 1-million-barrel-per-day east-west corridor to the Pacific coast. But analysts warn the country’s oil sands producers may not be growing fast enough to fill the pipes being planned,” Energies Media reports. “Capital investment and production growth are both lagging well behind what the proposed capacity would require… “Enbridge executive vice-president Colin Gruending acknowledged the gap plainly on a recent conference call: “Producers are behaving with discipline. I think they’ll get there. We were just a little too quick off the line here.” “...Imperial Oil CEO John Whelan put it plainly at a conference in June: over the past decade, the oil sands industry spent roughly C$10 billion per year less than it did in the decade before… “Whelan estimated that filling the proposed east-west pipeline alone — along with building the carbon capture infrastructure the Canadian government says must accompany it — would require more than C$100 billion in new capital. Not impossible, but it would demand a fundamental shift in how oil sands companies currently approach spending decisions… “When Novi Labs expanded its analysis to include longer-term projects that companies have flagged in medium- and long-term plans but haven’t committed to yet, the projected supply picture improved — but still fell short of what the proposed pipelines would require by more than 850,000 bpd… “Long-term demand uncertainty, tied to both domestic climate policy and global energy transition trends, continues to weigh on producer confidence. It doesn’t make investment impossible — but it does make the case for large, multi-decade commitments considerably harder to close.”

KBJR: Judge hears arguments in Line 5 pipeline reroute lawsuit
Eric Nordrum, 8/20/26

“A Wisconsin judge heard oral arguments Thursday in a case that would scrap permits for a pipeline reroute project,” KBJR reports. “...The lawsuit seeks to overturn a permit awarded by the Wisconsin DNR to build 41 miles of new pipeline. Environmental groups say the ongoing construction project threatens the health of tribal waterways and wetlands… “The band, environmental groups and Enbridge delivered oral arguments Thursday in a Bayfield County courtroom. The hearing ended Thursday afternoon, with more briefs due next month… “An attorney for Earthjustice alleges Enbridge is spilling drilling fluid as it constructs the reroute. The group contends the DNR violated the law when it granted the permit.”

KBJR: $900M Enbridge Line 5 reroute reaches halfway mark in Northern Wisconsin
Kyre Johnson, 8/20/26

“After nearly seven years of planning, the $900 million dollar Enbridge Line 5 infrastructure project is well underway in Northern Wisconsin,” KBJR reports. “...Enbridge Line 5 reroute construction has officially reached its peak and is now nearly halfway done, and for the first time we are getting a behind-the-scenes look at the progress as crews work to push this massive pipeline project to the finish line… “The Bad River Band and environmental groups have long opposed Line 5, citing concerns about potential oil spills and impacts on sensitive natural resources. Despite that opposition, the 41-mile reroute remains on track to be in service by the first quarter of next year. A Wisconsin judge heard oral arguments Thursday, on a case that would scrap permits for the pipeline reroute project… “During this construction season, the lawsuit seeks to overturn a permit awarded by the Wisconsin DNR to build the 41 miles of new pipeline. Environmental groups say the ongoing construction project threatens the health of the tribal waterways and wetlands, but Enbridge says the project has been thoroughly studied.”

KCCI: Iowa Utilities Commission faces delays in reviewing Summit’s new carbon pipeline route
8/20/26

“The Iowa Utilities Commission must wait for a judge to resolve legal challenges before it can review Summit Carbon Solutions’ new route for a carbon dioxide pipeline in Iowa,” KCCI reports. “...Opponents of the project, including Shelby County, some Iowa landowners, and the Sierra Club, filed to stop the commission from approving Summit’s new plan until a judge addresses their appeal. The commission has filed a request asking a judge to allow it to move forward and review the new plan. So far, no court dates have been set to address the legal challenges, according to the commission.”

Pipeline Technology Journal: Carbon Capture & Storage - Pipelines and their Part in Fighting Climate Change
Daniel Onyango, 8/20/26

“As nations race to meet net-zero targets, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has emerged as a vital tool for curbing emissions from hard-to-abate industries such as cement, steel, and oil sands. At the heart of this technology lies an often-overlooked component: pipelines,” Pipeline Technology Journal reports. “...Without reliable transport, the process stalls… “The existing infrastructure remains modest. The global CO2 pipeline network currently spans just over 7,000 kilometers, with the vast majority operating in the United States, where more than 8,000 km transport tens of millions of tonnes annually—primarily for enhanced oil recovery. Europe and other regions lag, though projects are accelerating… “Yet current capture capacity remains a fraction of what is needed—roughly 40–50 million tonnes per year globally against targets requiring gigatonne-scale deployment by mid-century. Experts project that hundreds of thousands of kilometers of new CO2 pipelines will be required worldwide by 2050… “Public concerns, heightened by a 2020 incident in Mississippi, have slowed some U.S. proposals… “High capital costs, permitting delays, public acceptance, and the need for coordinated policy support, including carbon pricing and shared infrastructure hubs, slow down the pace of CCS projects implementation. Critics argue that over-reliance on CCS could delay deeper emissions cuts, while proponents counter that for sectors without ready alternatives, pipelines enable the only near-term path to deep decarbonization while supporting economic activity.”

E&E News: A White House official helped an oil company advance its projects. Now she’ll lead its DC office.
Ian M. Stevenson, James Bikales, Scott Waldman, 8/21/26

“People milling around before a press conference in Santa Barbara, California, in early June might have mistaken Brittany Kelm, a White House staffer, for an oil company representative,” E&E News reports. “During the tour of oil facilities run by Sable Offshore Corp., a company that owns an offshore pipeline which the Trump administration had recently helped to get oil flowing through, Kelm sported a Sable-branded cap and a Sable-branded shirt with her name embroidered on it, according to a photograph she posted to LinkedIn. “We’ve unleashed California’s offshore oil production!” Kelm, a senior energy adviser for the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council, wrote in the post. Less than three months later, Kelm would announce her departure from her job at the council to take over Sable’s Washington policy office. The move, even by Washington’s normally swampy standards, threatens to erode the lines between public officials and the industries they interact with, according to experts and former government ethics officials. More specifically, it gives rise to questions about how the company’s new lead at its Washington office will represent its interests while abiding by ethics requirements… “Kelm’s work as a government official subjects her to strict ethics laws before and after she took the job with Sable, according to five ethics experts. The rules should have barred her from doing any work related to Sable after starting to negotiate her new job and prohibited her for life from appearing before any federal agency on certain specific matters she worked on at the White House, they told E&E.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

E&E News: Cramer puts hold on Trump picks in feud over wetland policy
Miranda Willson, 8/19/26

“North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer is putting a hold on President Donald Trump’s nominees until the administration agrees to change a wetland conservation program that has frustrated farmers in his state,” E&E News reports. “...The aggressive move by Cramer comes days after the administration abandoned its plans to change a wetland conservation program that protects duck and bird habits at the urging of other Republican lawmakers… “A conservative Republican and close ally of the president, Cramer has been critical of the FWS’s drain tile setbacks rule, which regulates federal easements for waterfowl habitat in the Prairie Pothole region… “ In particular, he and other North Dakota lawmakers have argued that the FWS has taken an overly aggressive stance against landowners with easements in its effort to protect the wetlands, and that people should be allowed to farm closer to the boundaries of the easements.”

Utility Dive: Electric co-ops press for repeal of gas power plant emissions rules
Diana DiGangi, 8/20/26

“Chief executives of nonprofit electric cooperatives this week called on the federal government to repeal greenhouse gas standards for gas-fired power plants that they say are hampering their ability to meet surging electricity demand, particularly from large-load data centers,” Utility Dive reports. “...New gas-fired plants with a capacity factor greater than 40% must meet a carbon dioxide standard based on highly efficient combined cycle combustion technology and install carbon capture technology to capture 90% of all CO2 emissions by 2032, according to a note from the law firm Holland and Hart. Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, said during a Wednesday press event that the rule’s 40% capacity threshold and its carbon capture requirement are “untenable,” and his trade association supports the Trump administration’s efforts to fully repeal the rule, and is “anxious” to see progress on that front… At Wednesday’s event, Oglethorpe Power Corp. President and CEO Annalisa Bloodworth called the rule “deeply flawed” and “genuinely … the most irrational environmental regulation I’ve personally encountered in my career.” “...Matheson said he supports an outright repeal of the rule as he doesn’t believe it can be modified “in a way that makes sense.”

Press release: NRECA, Co-ops Push EPA for Full Repeal of ‘Untenable’ Power Plant Rule
8/20/26

“Electric cooperatives on Wednesday continued urging the Environmental Protection Agency to fully repeal a 2024 rule regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, pointing to the harm it would inflict on electric affordability and reliability as demand climbs. The Biden administration rule remains the law of the land today and restricts operations at existing coal-fired plants and new natural gas facilities unless they install carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology that is not commercially available or technically feasible, co-op leaders say. The 2024 rule “puts utilities in an untenable position where they invest significant dollars into new power plants that they are then restricted from running at full capacity,” NRECA CEO Jim Matheson said during an Aug. 19 media teleconference. “That doesn’t make sense.” The Trump administration issued a proposal in June 2025 to roll back the requirements but has yet to finalize it. Matheson urged the agency to finalize a complete repeal of the 2024 rule immediately. “We need a full and complete repeal,” he said.”

E&E News: USGS chief scientist reassigned by Trump administration
Heather Richards, 8/19/26

“David Applegate, the chief scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey, has been reassigned to a new role at the Interior Department, according to internal emails viewed by E&E News. “...Applegate said in his email he was unaware how the acting director position would be handled following his exit and praised the natural hazards team for its resilience after ‘jarring’ cuts to the program’s leadership last year via buyouts to career staff offered by the Trump administration… “The Trump administration has attempted to slim the agency down as part of its broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government and its programs, urging Congress to carry out a nearly 40 percent reduction of its $1.4 billion budget in fiscal 2026.”

Newsweek: National Parks Advocates Plan Day of Protest Against Donald Trump
8/19/26

“National park advocates are planning a nationwide day of action against President Donald Trump’s parks agenda, calling on his administration to provide greater protection and investment for the federal workforce that maintains the country’s parks,” Newsweek reports. “The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) said supporters will gather online and at events across the country on August 25 to “speak out for America’s national parks.” The group is asking the public to sign a petition urging Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to protect parks and their employees. NPCA says the National Park Service has lost a quarter of its permanent workforce over the past year, including thousands of rangers, maintenance workers and educators. Its petition warns that staffing shortages have forced parks to reduce educational programs, weakened scientific and conservation work and could affect emergency responses and visitor safety.”

Nevada Public Radio: Outdoor enthusiasts created an app that helps people weigh in on public land policy
Yvette Fernandez, 8/20/26

“Some of the most significant changes to U.S. public lands are taking place this year. One key step before policy changes are implemented is the public’s input,” Nevada Public Radio reports. “...There have been a number of recent policy reversals, changes to permitting processes, and land use controversies, like scaling down public parks or fast-tracking data centers on federal land. Typically, before policy changes are enacted, the federal government opens a public comment period before changing a policy on public land… “The Public Land Comment Hub includes interactive maps and a dashboard that is updated daily with deadlines for specific comment period timelines and is free to access and use.”

STATE UPDATES

New York Times: How Trump Is Trying to Crush California’s Environmental Policies
Maxine Joselow, 8/20/26

“The Trump administration has taken a series of extraordinary steps to attack California’s position as a national leader in environmental protection, enlisting at least a half-dozen federal agencies to undermine the state’s efforts to pivot away from fossil fuels,” the New York Times reports. “...Because of its market muscle as the world’s fourth largest economy, California’s environmental regulations have influenced the manufacturers of automobiles and other consumer goods. And its green policies have spread to some other states in what’s known as the “California effect.” “...Mr. Newsom, a loud and pointed critic of Mr. Trump, pledged soon after the 2024 election to insulate California’s environmental policies from a second Trump administration — perhaps making the state an inviting target for a president who has been using government levers to punish perceived enemies… “There are almost too many examples to list… “The state has filed a slew of lawsuits to try to undo the administration’s actions. “Donald Trump attacks California because we are building a future that doesn’t depend on fossil fuels,” Anthony Martinez, a spokesman for Mr. Newsom, told the Times. “This fading industry desperately attempts to tighten its grip on the world economy even as clean energy dominates, growing cheaper and faster to deploy than anything they can offer. Follow the money, and you will find the truth behind his war on California’s climate policies: this is a White House run for Big Oil, by Big Oil.” “...Richard Goldberg, a former senior counselor for the National Energy Dominance Council, which Mr. Trump created last year to coordinate energy policy, told the Times the White House had genuine policy disagreements with California, but it also saw a political advantage in feuding with Mr. Newsom.”

E&E News: Red states curb nuisance laws in response to climate lawsuits
Lesley Clark, Jason Plautz, 8/21/26

“Republican-led states are embracing a new way to shield the oil and gas industry from climate lawsuits — by curtailing a widely used law that activists and government officials have deployed in the past to bolster lawsuits against polluters, opioid manufacturers, social media companies and the cigarette industry,” E&E News reports. “Montana, Kansas and Utah have passed legislation in the past year that narrows their public nuisance laws. Similar bills were introduced in recent years in Indiana and Texas — and more could follow after the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council earlier this month approved model legislation along similar lines. The trend has alarmed trial lawyers and environmental groups who say the effort could weaken efforts to hold polluters accountable for damages and make it harder to challenge massive projects, such as data centers. “You’re cutting off any type of remedy for folks,” Al Smith, executive director of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association, told lawmakers in Helena last year before the state legislature passed new restrictions on the state’s public nuisance law.”

Maine Public: Janet Mills, other New England governors oppose major utility merger
Kevin Miller, 8/18/26

“Gov. Janet Mills joined officials from four other New England states in opposing a major acquisition in the electricity industry that the governors suggest could could impact rates and infrastructure improvements,” Maine Public reports. “The proposed merger of Florida-based NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy, which is headquartered in Virginia, would reportedly create the world’s largest regulated electric utility. The proposal is being reviewed by federal regulators. But in a joint statement released on Tuesday, the governors of Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island said the deal would “concentrate an unprecedented amount of leverage in NextEra,” with potential ramifications for ratepayers… “In a separate statement released by her office, Mills said the proposal would “concentrate too many energy generation and transmission assets in a company that has worked aggressively to suppress competition in Maine and block state priorities that would reduce energy costs.”

EXTRACTION

Carbon Herald: Texas Court Dismisses Antitrust Claims Against Exxon Carbon Pipeline Unit
Violet George, 8/21/26

“A Texas Business Court judge has dismissed antitrust charges against Exxon Mobil’s carbon pipeline subsidiary Denbury, while permitting a broader lawsuit over alleged unfair business practices to proceed,” the Carbon Herald reports. “The ruling, issued by Houston Division Judge Sofia Adrogué, determined that the Texas court lacked territorial authority to rule on antitrust claims occurring outside state borders, including in neighboring Louisiana. The suit was filed by developer Clean Hydrogen Works, which is planning a $7.5 billion clean hydrogen and ammonia facility in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Clean Hydrogen Works alleges that following Exxon’s acquisition of Denbury, the company wrongfully revoked a pipeline connection contract for its 620-mile regional CO2 network, effectively blocking competitor access to critical regional transport infrastructure. Exxon rejected claims of anticompetitive behavior, arguing the contract termination was a standard response to project delays and missed technical milestones by the developer… “Industry analysts note that constructing alternative high-pressure carbon transport infrastructure carries immense capital costs, often exceeding $1 billion, giving legacy pipeline owners significant influence over regional market access.”

Wall Street Journal: Hyperscalers’ Off-Grid Power Push Comes With Risks
Jinjoo Lee, 8/20/26

“Big tech companies are cobbling together off-grid power systems to match their rushed timelines for AI development. What if these systems are glitchy?,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Off-grid power comes with hefty price tags and operating risks. Tech giants are pursuing them anyway. Power providers, some of whom don’t have much data-center experience, are jumping at the chance to sign deals with deep-pocketed customers. But cracks have shown at the few on-site power projects that have started up, highlighting potential costs to both tech companies and their power providers.”

Financial Times: Harold Hamm launches multibillion-dollar plan to drill Argentine shale
Jamie Smyth, 8/20/26

“US oil magnate Harold Hamm is partnering with Swiss trading house Mercuria to spearhead a multibillion-dollar drilling campaign in one of the world’s largest shale basins in Argentina,” the Financial Times reports. “Hamm told the FT his Continental Resources was buying a 50 per cent stake in Phoenix Global Resources, a company controlled by Mercuria, which plans to quadruple oil production to 100,000 barrels per day in the Vaca Muerta formation by 2031. The companies would not disclose the transaction value but told FT they expected to invest $4bn over five years to position Phoenix as one of the largest private producers in Vaca Muerta… “Hamm, an influential backer of Donald Trump, has built close ties with Argentina’s leader Javier Milei, an ally of the US president who is pursuing a radical deregulation agenda and offered incentives for major oil and gas projects… “Hamm said Continental continued to expand its operations in the prolific Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico by acquiring Firebird Energy II, a company owned by Quantum Capital Group with operations that currently produce about 32,000 b/d.”

Press release: Continental Resources Significantly Expands Permian Basin Position with Acquisition of FireBird Energy II
8/20/26

“Continental Resources today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire FireBird Energy II LLC (“FireBird”), a portfolio company of Quantum Capital Group (“Quantum”). The acquisition of FireBird, which owns approximately 54,000 net acres in the Midland Basin, significantly expands Continental’s Permian Basin position and adds high-quality, oil-weighted production and development inventory adjacent to its existing operations. The acquisition includes approximately 147,000 net resource acres across more than six stacked-pay reservoirs and is 95% operated. The assets are currently producing approximately 32,000 boepd, 69% of which is oil, and include 307 gross operated development locations.”

WIRED: The Worst Effects of Oman’s Oil Spill May Be Beneath the Surface
Omnia Al Desoukie, 8/19/26

“Oil leaking from the grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi has reached Oman’s coastline, potentially exposing coral reefs, nesting beaches and endangered species to crude oil contamination,” WIRED reports. “The tanker, carrying approximately 800,000 barrels of Russian crude, ran aground on 30 June near Al Qibliyah Island – one of the five remote islands that make up Al Hallaniyat Islands Nature Reserve… “On 10 August, Oman said the visible slick covered almost 400 square kilometres. Two days later, an oil-spill specialist who examined satellite imagery for Reuters estimated that it extended across more than 2,000 square kilometres… “The spill’s location makes it particularly dangerous: Al Hallaniyat reserve supports coral reefs, nesting sea turtles, seabirds and the endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale. “My foremost concern is the Arabian Sea humpback whale, the world’s only nonmigratory humpback population,” Ishani P Cooney, a marine microbiologist and scientific diver, tells WIRED Middle East. “Unlike other populations, it cannot relocate from contaminated feeding grounds, so degradation of these waters directly threatens the entire population.” “...However, the scale of any damage to coral or other underwater habitats around Al Hallaniyat has not yet been established.”

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

Antigo Daily Journal: Trees for Tomorrow expands education program access
8/21/26

“Trees For Tomorrow is expanding access to outdoor learning opportunities for students across the region through enhanced scholarship support for its School Outdoor Learning Experiences (SOLE) program,” the Antigo Daily Journal reports. “...In July, the center received a $40,000 grant from TC Energy that builds on a multi-year partnership and will directly fund scholarship assistance for school groups participating in the SOLE program for Grades K-12… “TC Energy’s continued partnership and generosity ensure that financial barriers never stand between students and life-changing outdoor learning,” said Cheryl Brunzo, executive director of Trees For Tomorrow… “At TC Energy, we believe strong communities are built by investing in the next generation,” said Craig Summerfield, external relations advisor at TC Energy.”

OPINION

Salt Lake Tribune: Behind closed doors, there are more threats ahead for our public lands
Charlie Luke is Utah state director for The Wilderness Society, 8/20/26

“As a sixth-generation Utahn and the Utah state director for The Wilderness Society, this is personal for me. Utah’s unique landscapes and public access hold lifelong memories, from camping trips with my parents and grandparents, to new memories made with my kids and now grandkids.Unfortunately, once again, Utah has been thrust into an all too familiar position: splashed across national headlines as ground zero in the fight to protect our public lands from the administration’s attempt to sell them off,” Charlie Luke writes for the Salt Lake Tribune. “...While public attention is focused elsewhere, the administration and Congress are using shortened (or eliminated) comment periods, obscure policy and agency changes, and legislation to systematically weaken and dismantle many of the laws, institutions and guardrails that make these lands truly public. The administration is working to weaken the very regulations mentioned in the Oval Office during last month’s monument reduction as justification to shrink protections.. “Right now, the Interior Department is running eight separate ‘reviews’ at once, across three agencies, of the guidance that safeguards nearly 200 million acres of wilderness and other relatively undeveloped wildlands. And unless you’re a dedicated reader of the Federal Register and various trade publications, all of it was easy to miss.”

Fraser Institute: Despite Alberta’s commitment to “decarbonizing”, large-scale carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) poses observed risks to the environment
Kenneth P. Green and Julio Mejía, 8/20/26

“In 2025, the province of Alberta signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Canadian government that, in return for a proposed new million-barrel-per-day pipeline to Canada’s west coast, Alberta would capture the carbon-dioxide emissions associated with oil-sand production and sequester (store) it deep underground,” Kenneth P. Green and Julio Mejía write for the Fraser Institute. “...But CCUS, a well-demonstrated technology used to enhance oil production from depleting oil fields, has undergone only limited testing at scales comparable to what is envisioned for Alberta’s future oil-sand production. It is unclear if CCUS can be feasibly scaled: previous pilot programs and early CCUS efforts have a history of failing to achieve targets for emission capture and storage, and were not sustained long-term efforts. The environmental impact of CCUS at scales under discussion is also open to question: the literature suggests that CCUS poses several threats, including threats to the human environment, health, safety, and critical economic activities such as agriculture. These observed risks include increased seismic activity (earth tremors/quakes); groundwater contamination; surface water contamination (and risks to aquatic life); soil contamination (and risks to soil organisms and plants); and concentrated leakage of carbon dioxide at concentrations hazardous to animal or human health. As CCUS has not been implemented at scales comparable to what is planned in Alberta via its proposed “Pathways” CCUS program, caution is advised.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• E&E News: Court allows Sable Offshore to keep carrying oil

• CBC: Keystone XL: What Trump’s focus on an oil pipeline says about Canada-U.S. trade

• Financial Times: Donald Trump proposed reviving the Keystone XL pipeline. Does Canada still want it?

• Bloomberg: South Bow Shares Rally After Trump Talks Keystone XL Revival

• CBC: Key dates in Keystone XL pipeline as Trump claims contentious project being revived

• The Center Square: Bad River Band, others to argue against Line 5 reroute permit

• BBC: Zoo boss calls pipeline plan on site ‘unacceptable’

• Pipeline & Gas Journal: API strengthens pipeline integrity management standard

• WDVM: SUV crashes into gas pipeline on Ox Road in Fairfax County; nearby school, shopping center evacuated

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Heatmap: 75% of Americans Now Oppose Local Data Center Development

• South Dakota Searchlight: Thune calls energy development permitting reform a rare opportunity for bipartisan action

• E&E News: A Supreme Court case may be slowing Trump’s next climate rollback

• Vox: How the Supreme Court could use Trump’s ballroom to gut environmental law

STATE UPDATES

• KRQE: New Mexico Environment Department proposing rule aimed at finding large methane leaks

EXTRACTION

• New Scientist: World may warm by 25 per cent more than current projections suggest

• Heated: We need to press Big Tech on their AI partnerships with Big Oil

• Reuters: About half of Venezuela oil output now goes to US, Under Secretary Haustveit says

• Bloomberg: Data center gas plants to boost US power emissions by 20 percent

• Minichart: Sunshine Oilsands Regulatory Appeal Denied by Alberta Energy Regulator; Company to Challenge in Court and Seek Stay

OPINION

• The Iowa Standard: Republicans should never be afraid to stand for private property rights

• Toronto Sun: Resurrecting Keystone XL pipeline would be win for Canada

• Los Angeles Times: Politicians defy the people when they take away protections from public lands
  

PIPELINE NEWS

E&E News: Court allows Sable Offshore to keep carrying oil
Niina H. Farah, 8/19/26

“A federal judge in California is allowing oil to keep flowing through Sable Offshore’s contentious onshore pipeline, dealing a blow to California regulators and environmental groups who have sought to reverse the Trump administration’s resurrection of the conduit,” E&E News reports. “...Under the new terms, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a federal agency part of the Department of Transportation, will take over management of the consent decree from California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM). The order effectively ends the state agency’s veto power over the operation of the pipeline. “In the view of this Court, though the solution that a federal agency functionally enforces standards set by a state legislature is unusual, it is necessary tailoring to consider both major public interest factors here—protecting energy security and the ecology of California’s coast—while honoring the original expectations of the parties about what substantive rules would apply to the owner of the pipeline,” Wilson wrote in his ruling.”

CBC: Keystone XL: What Trump’s focus on an oil pipeline says about Canada-U.S. trade
Jeff Lagerquist, 8/19/26

“U.S. President Donald Trump says a Canada-U.S. oil pipeline project cancelled by two of his predecessors “may be awoken from the grave” under a new bilateral trade agreement between the neighbouring nations,” the CBC reports. “But a former executive involved with Keystone XL and other industry experts suggest the remark may have more to do with politics than petroleum… “The fact that Trump has signalled that is something that he sees in the deal, I think is helpful to Carney [and] the trade-offs he’s going to have to make over the next 72 hours,” Dennis McConaghy, former executive vice-president of corporate development at TransCanada Corporation, now called TC Energy, told CBC… “Will it be done by the end of his term? Because we potentially have Democrats ... in the offing, which is going to make this extremely difficult,” Carlo Dade, director of international policy at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, told CBC… “Even if Trump says, ‘Oh, Keystone XL is back on track,’ who is going to want to invest when we know in 2028, the next president can be a Democrat?”, Valérie Beaudoin, a member of the federal government’s Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations, told CBC… “[It] would be completely out of the blue, and make little immediate sense, to literally reanimate KXL given the work done on the other projects thus far. [It’s] also a much different market from when KXL was initially proposed,” Commodity Context founder Rory Johnston told CBC.”

Financial Times: Donald Trump proposed reviving the Keystone XL pipeline. Does Canada still want it?
Ilya Gridneff, Myles McCormick, Jamie Smyth, 8/19/26

“Donald Trump has triggered excitement in Canada’s oil heartlands over the country’s potential to become an energy superpower by floating the revival of the ill-fated Keystone XL pipeline,” the Financial Times reports. “...But it comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney tries to break Canada’s dependence on the US after Trump launched devastating tariffs on vital sectors such as cars, steel and lumber. In May Ottawa and Alberta signed an agreement to develop a new pipeline to the west coast to send 1mn oil barrels per day to Asian markets… “Alberta wants to build new pipelines west, east, north and south, and we are always in discussions with industry to support these opportunities,” Alberta’s premier Danielle Smith told FT. Analysts and investors told FT a Keystone revival had the potential to benefit the US and Canada, tying the two North American economies closer together at a time of global upheaval… “But building two new pipelines would require expanding Canada’s oil sands patch, which will require huge investment in the range of $100bn, analysts told FT. Eric Nuttall, a partner at Toronto-based Ninepoint Partners, told FT: “We have the resource depth to allow, but investors continue to want some return of capital which reduces growth capex…Alberta needs to incentivise this to persuade investors, the owners of the businesses, to allow it.”

Bloomberg: South Bow Shares Rally After Trump Talks Keystone XL Revival
Robert Tuttle, 8/19/26

“South Bow Corp. shares rose the most in more than a month after US President Donald Trump suggested the controversial cross-border Keystone XL pipeline project, a version of which the company has proposed, would be revived,” Bloomberg reports. “...South Bow’s shares on Wednesday gained as much as 3.15%, the most since July 7. The share price was trading in the morning above C$53 ($38) in Toronto. Trading volume rose to almost five times the 20-day average for this time of day. Shares of other Canadian pipeline companies including Enbridge Inc., TC Energy Corp. and Pembina Pipeline Corp. were down on Wednesday… “South Bow and Bridger’s proposed new line, which would be smaller than the original Keystone XL project, would carry Canadian crude from Alberta to Wyoming. Trump signed a presidential permit in April authorizing the Bridger portion of the project. South Bow said in their second quarter earnings call recently that a final investment decision is expected next year.”

CBC: Key dates in Keystone XL pipeline as Trump claims contentious project being revived
Jillian Kestler-D’Amours, 8/19/26

“U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed a contentious oil pipeline project is being revived as Canada and the United States continue negotiations aimed at staving off a new batch of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods,” the CBC reports. “...Canada has not commented publicly on Trump’s claim that the project is being revived as part of ongoing trade talks… “South Bow, the Canadian company behind Keystone XL, is partnering with U.S. company Bridger Pipeline on the proposed project… “Jan. 20, 2021: Biden signs an executive order on his first day in office revoking the 2019 permit Trump issued for Keystone XL, which he says is not in the U.S. national interest… “July 2021: TC Energy announces plans to file a claim under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) to recoup $15 billion US in damages it says were caused by the cancellation of the project. The company argues Washington breached its obligations under CUSMA’s predecessor, NAFTA… “July 2024: The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, an international tribunal, throws out TC Energy’s claim for $15 billion US in damages against the U.S. government, citing a jurisdictional issue… “October 2025: Prime Minister Mark Carney tells Trump during a meeting at the White House that there’s renewed national interest from Canada in the Keystone XL pipeline, a source with knowledge of the discussions tells CBC… “Aug. 18, 2026: Trump says the Keystone XL project “may be awoken from the grave!” as he agrees to postpone new 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods by three days. In his own statement about the postponed U.S. tariffs, Carney does not mention Keystone XL.”

The Center Square: Bad River Band, others to argue against Line 5 reroute permit
Jon Styf, 8/29/26

“Attorneys for the Bad River Band and environmental groups will give oral arguments Thursday morning challenging permits for Enbridge’s 41-mile reroute of Line 5 in northern Wisconsin,” The Center Square reports. “The hearing is part of the groups’ continued challenge of the projects. They are also separately challenging permits for the project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The groups continue to argue that the reroute is not environmentally sound and could permanently damage wetlands and resources in the region. The groups are pointed to a spill of more than 1,600 gallons of drilling fluid in wetlands in Iron County during construction of the reroute, which began in February after a judge approved the initial permits… “The new pipeline will surround the Band’s reservation on three sides, causing significant long-term harm to Tribal waterways, violating the Band’s water quality standards, and limiting tribal members’ ability to exercise their treaty rights,” the groups said.”

BBC: Zoo boss calls pipeline plan on site ‘unacceptable’
Georgie DockerandMairead Smyth, 8/19/26

“Chester Zoo’s chief executive has said plans to build an underground pipeline that will cut through wildlife and habitats on the site are “unacceptable”, the BBC reports. “...Zoo boss James Christon told the BBC conservation efforts were under threat from the Peak Cluster Project - a plan for a pipeline through the North West to transport carbon emissions to the coastline. He told BBC the current route “would rip through our fields and jeopardise environmentally sensitive habitats” - including “irreplaceable wetland habitats that support wildlife and store carbon”... “Christon told the BBC Chester Zoo bosses first wrote to Peak Cluster in March voicing their concerns about the route and met with project bosses in May to ask them to relook at the proposal. Since then, Christon claims he has had no contact with Peak Cluster, leading him to believe there will be no changes made to the proposed route… “We’re calling on Peak Cluster to come to the table and engage with us, with our neighbours on the Wirral, and with others working to protect wildlife across the region.”

Pipeline & Gas Journal: API strengthens pipeline integrity management standard
8/19/26

“The American Petroleum Institute (API) has published the second edition of API Recommended Practice 1176 (API RP 1176), Assessment and Management of Cracking in Pipelines,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “...The recommended practice equips operators to better characterize cracks, integrate inspection and operating data, prioritize repairs, and establish reassessment schedules. This helps operators focus resources on the conditions that pose the greatest risk to pipeline integrity… “Key updates include: Enhanced crack classification guidance to help operators distinguish crack-like features as either likely active cracks or stable anomalies; More detailed coverage of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) causes and conditions, and circumferential crack threat management; Expanded use of risk-informed decision making based on crack growth assessment and remaining life calculations to support prioritization of inspections, repairs and reassessment schedules; Improved integration of multiple data sources, including in-line inspection data, hydrotest results, operating history, coating condition, cathodic protection data and findings from metallurgical studies; Expanded discussion of modern in-line inspection and nondestructive examination technologies and their capabilities for crack detection and condition assessment Improved guidance on preventive and mitigative measures, including operational pressure management, pressure cycling reduction, recoating and cathodic protection practicesMore detailed discussion of manufacturing-related threats, including electric resistance welding (ERW) seam issues, hook cracks, lack of fusion and hard spots.”

WDVM: SUV crashes into gas pipeline on Ox Road in Fairfax County; nearby school, shopping center evacuated
Jenny Gable, 8/19/26

“An SUV crashed into a gas pipeline on Ox Road in Fairfax Station on Wednesday afternoon, prompting a gas leak and evacuations of a nearby school and shopping center,” WDVM reports. “...Fire officials said the SUV struck a 12-inch gas line, creating a strong smell of gas in the area. As a result, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said the nearby Fairview Elementary School and Burke Center Shopping Center were evacuated… “At this time, the cause of the crash remains unclear.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Heatmap: 75% of Americans Now Oppose Local Data Center Development
Robinson Meyer, 8/19/26

“...Three-quarters of Americans now say that they would oppose a new data center being built near where they live, according to a new Heatmap Pro poll conducted by Embold Research, and more than six in 10 Americans say they would strongly oppose such a proposal,” Heatmap reports. “If you can think of a cohort of Americans, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t welcome a data center in their area. The shift against the facilities is represented across age, gender, income, partisan ID, and the rural-urban divide… “Notably, local data centers are 63 points underwater with rural voters, a group that has skewed more Republican over the past decade… “What’s most remarkable is the pace of change: We’ve polled this same question four times in the past 12 months and haven’t changed its wording once — yet Americans have swung a remarkable 33 points against data centers in the intervening time… “We first asked the question last August. Back then, Americans were about evenly split on whether they would support or oppose a data center being built near their home, with roughly 43% in support and 42% opposed. Attitudes had changed by February of this year, when we asked the question a second time. That time, a bare majority — 51% of Americans — said they would oppose a data center. Forty-eight percent of respondents said they would support it or weren’t sure. The shock came in May, though, when seven in 10 Americans were opposed and 55% were “strongly” opposed. Yet since then, Americans have moved even further against the facilities. Now, just 4% of Americans say they would “strongly support” a data center proposed in their area. That figure stood at 13% last August.”

South Dakota Searchlight: Thune calls energy development permitting reform a rare opportunity for bipartisan action
Joshua Haiar, 8/19/26

“U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, said this week that permitting reform could offer a rare opportunity for bipartisan action in Congress,” the South Dakota Searchlight reports. “...Thune told attendees lawmakers are considering shorter federal reviews for energy projects and time limits on legal challenges from project opponents… “Congress should put permitting reform into federal law rather than rely on regulations that can change from one presidential administration to another, Thune said. He said different administrations will continue to treat fossil fuels and renewables differently. Thune, for his part, said he favors an “all of the above” energy strategy. A permitting “shot clock” to establish deadlines for the review process is one possibility, he said. He also wants Congress to address litigation after permits are issued, including how quickly courts deal with litigation and who can file legal challenges.”

E&E News: A Supreme Court case may be slowing Trump’s next climate rollback
Jean Chemnick, 8/20/26

“...EPA’s planned repeal of Biden-era power plant carbon standards has been under Office of Management and Budget review since May, an unusually long pause for an administration that trampled procedural norms last year in its haste to get out of the business of regulating climate emissions,” E&E News reports. “The slowdown might be strategic. Releasing the power plant rule before Oct. 5 could complicate the Justice Department’s upcoming argument in a blockbuster Supreme Court climate case that the Clean Air Act deems EPA — not states and cities — the nation’s primary regulator of greenhouse gas emissions. DOJ’s position in the case doesn’t square with the message the Trump administration is sending through its regulations — that the Clean Air Act gives EPA no role in controlling planet-warming emissions at all. That was the crux of EPA’s February repeal of the so-called endangerment finding that allowed the agency to regulate climate pollution from motor vehicles. EPA is widely expected to import the same rationale in its upcoming repeal of all power plant climate rules… “But environmental attorneys told E&E the administration couldn’t have it both ways… The law is clear, and EPA should focus on doing its job to protect public health rather than wasting everyone’s time with tortured arguments to avoid its responsibility,” Meredith Hankins, legal director for federal climate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told E&E.”

Vox: How the Supreme Court could use Trump’s ballroom to gut environmental law
Ian Millhiser, 8/18/26

“The question of whether President Donald Trump may, without seeking permission from Congress, demolish much of the White House and replace it with his own projects is now before the Supreme Court,” Vox reports. “...A conservationist organization, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, soon sued to stop the construction on the ballroom in a case that is still ongoing. Lower courts have thus far agreed with this plaintiff that the ballroom is illegal… “That said, the Court could potentially hand Trump a victory by prohibiting anyone from bringing a lawsuit against his ballroom to begin with. Should this argument succeed, it could have major ramifications for a wide range of laws that seek to conserve environmental resources or preserve sacred or historical sites… “More broadly, the Court has long held that plaintiffs who wish to observe something beautiful may often sue to enforce environmental statutes that seek to preserve that beauty… “Trump’s brief, however, rejects this longstanding rule. Without it, numerous environmental, conservationist, and historical preservation laws could effectively cease to function, because no one would be able to file a lawsuit enforcing them.”

STATE UPDATES

KRQE: New Mexico Environment Department proposing rule aimed at finding large methane leaks
Jordan Honeycutt, 8/14/26

“The New Mexico Environment Department has proposed a new rule aimed at cutting down on pollution from natural gas,” KRQE reports. “...It would allow environment officials to work with companies that use satellites, aircraft, and other technology to spot leaks. An operator would be on the hook for repairing and reporting leaks. The Environment Department said the rule would not only cut down on methane emissions, but it would help operators from losing natural gas that they could capture and sell, and protect state revenue tied to the industry.”

EXTRACTION

New Scientist: World may warm by 25 per cent more than current projections suggest
Michael Le Page, 8/19/26

“Climate models projecting higher warming for a given level of carbon dioxide have been discounted as unrealistic, but a new way of assessing models suggests they are accurate,” New Scientist reports. “For a given emission trajectory, we expect warming to be 25 per cent higher,” Gergana Gyuleva at ETH Zurich in Switzerland told NS. The conclusion has enormous implications. For instance, a project called the Climate Action Tracker currently projects that average global surface temperatures will rise by 2.6°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100 if countries implement existing policies. Gyuleva team’s results suggest we are instead heading for 3.25°C.”

Heated: We need to press Big Tech on their AI partnerships with Big Oil
Emily Atkin, 8/19/26

“Lots of people—way more than usual!—are reading and sharing last week’s article about a new study finding that Big Oil’s use of AI to increase production could trigger 3.3 to 13.3 times more climate pollution than the emissions from AI data centers,” Heated reports. “Why are these huge technology companies making custom AI tools to help the fossil fuel industry produce more oil and gas in the first place? Microsoft, Google and Amazon have all promised both to fight climate change and to develop AI responsibly… “And yet, Microsoft, Google and Amazon have all created custom AI or machine-learning tools for fossil fuel companies to help them increase production. So how are these companies going to respond to research suggesting their actions are achieving the exact opposite of what they promise?... “One thing I expect to hear from these companies is that their AI technology is actually helping oil companies reduce the emissions intensity of their operations. But emissions intensity is not the same thing as overall emissions. AI may help an oil company emit less pollution per barrel of oil. But if the company is producing more barrels than it otherwise would have, total emissions can still rise.”

Reuters: About half of Venezuela oil output now goes to US, Under Secretary Haustveit says
Marianna Parraga, 8/18/26

“U.S. Energy Under Secretary Kyle Haustveit said on Tuesday that about half of Venezuela’s oil output is now being exported to the U.S.,” Reuters reports. ““In the last couple of months, we’re seeing north of 500,000 barrels of approximately half of the production coming out of Venezuela is coming to the United States to the refineries that were built specifically for that crude,” he said at an event in Houston, adding that the country is currently producing around 1.25 million barrels a day… “He said the country needs diluents for heavier grades that should be developed in Venezuela. Martinez also said that the country’s refineries should be improved, modernized and expanded; he said that Venezuela’s fuel output has increased 12.9% so far this year, supplying 5.4% more fuel domestically.”

Bloomberg: Data center gas plants to boost US power emissions by 20 percent
8/19/26

“Data center developers are turning to bespoke natural-gas power plants, a development that promises to dramatically increase carbon emissions and make it harder for U.S. technology companies to meet their lofty climate goals,” Bloomberg reports. “...That fossil fuel infrastructure threatens to push Big Tech’s climate goals out of reach. Both Amazon and Microsoft are big backers of clean energy projects and have said they aim to zero out their contribution to the carbon emissions responsible for a warming planet. Those pledges were made before the artificial intelligence boom, at a time when technology companies were under pressure from employees and outside activists to do more to cut their emissions. Spokespeople for Amazon and Microsoft say their climate goals haven’t changed. Amazon is exploring its options for solar power and battery storage at the west Texas site.”

Minichart: Sunshine Oilsands Regulatory Appeal Denied by Alberta Energy Regulator; Company to Challenge in Court and Seek Stay
8/20/26

“Investors in Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. are facing a fresh wave of regulatory uncertainty after the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) upheld a previously issued enforcement order against the company,” Minichart reports. “The decision, which was received on August 18, 2026 (Calgary time), marks a significant setback in the company’s ongoing efforts to resolve its regulatory compliance issues. The company has announced its intention to appeal the decision to the Court of King’s Bench and apply for a stay of the order, setting the stage for a protracted legal battle… “This legal challenge prolongs the uncertainty surrounding the company’s ability to operate its West Ells project without the shadow of the regulator’s order… “Depending on the nature and terms of the Order, which have not been fully detailed in this announcement, the company could face financial penalties, operational restrictions, or mandated remediation costs.”

OPINION

The Iowa Standard: Republicans should never be afraid to stand for private property rights
State Sen. Kevin Alons, 8/19/26

“...They reflect the priorities Republican candidates campaign on and the principles contained in the Republican Party of Iowa platform, but there remains one issue on which the Iowa Senate continues to deny Iowans the vote they deserve: property rights,” State Sen. Kevin Alons writes for The Iowa Standard. “After months of advocacy from landowners and legislators, Senate leadership chose to adjourn without allowing a vote on my amendment, Senate Amendment 5190. That amendment, co-sponsored by ten Republican senators, would have prohibited the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines while still allowing companies such as Summit Carbon Solutions to pursue their projects through voluntary agreements with willing landowners. That is not radical. It is not anti-business. It is not anti-development. It is a balanced, reasonable solution that recognizes economic opportunity while defending one of the most fundamental rights we possess as Americans: the right to own property without fear that government will seize it for the benefit of a private company. Republicans should never be afraid to stand for that principle… “When voters repeatedly ask their elected officials for action and those officials repeatedly refuse even to allow a vote, we should not be surprised when voters become frustrated… “If Republicans lose, it cannot be blamed on those protecting our fundamental rights; it must be placed on those fighting for private interests.”

Toronto Sun: Resurrecting Keystone XL pipeline would be win for Canada
Lorrie Goldstein, 8/19/26

“If the new U.S.-Canada trade deal — details to come — revives the Keystone XL pipeline project, as U.S. President Donald Trump hinted in announcing the trade agreement had been reached, it would be a good deal for Canada,” Lorrie Goldstein writes for the Toronto Sun. “...Given Trumps propensity for bombast, whether it actually happens — and there is no word yet from the Carney government on Trump’s reference to the Keystone XL — is anyone’s guess. But if it did, it would benefit Canada. Had the Keystone XL been approved, it would have generated an estimated $30 billion in tax and royalty revenues for Canada, with a $2.4 billion boost to Canada’s GDP… “That said, building the original pipeline today would face numerous regulatory hurdles as well as protests by environmental organizations and citizens’ groups in both the U.S. and Canada, that have opposed the Keystone XL from the start. The original corporate backer of the project, TC Energy, withdrew in 2021 after Biden vetoed it, costing the Alberta government $1.3 billion it had spent supporting the project.”

Los Angeles Times: Politicians defy the people when they take away protections from public lands
Stephen Trimble, 8/19/26

“The Utah congressional delegation stood behind the Resolute Desk, an offensive line protecting their quarterback. They nodded along as President Trump issued executive orders last month that virtually abolished Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments, reducing their protected acres by 90% and opening up more than 3 million acres of public land to mining claims, oil and gas leasing, and destructive development. But the opposing team consists of most everyone else. A stunning 91% of Western voters say national monuments should retain existing boundaries,” Stephen Trimble writes for the Los Angeles Times. “...The Utah delegates (and donors to those politicians) are obsessed with boundary reduction because they want maximum access for corporate profit. But they remain ensnared by a 19th century dream. Even though the claims have already begun, mining in these far-flung canyons has mostly proven impractical or uneconomical. Even so, losing protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase will lead to more roads that disrupt biodiversity, locked gates on corporate access roads that truly ‘lock up’ the land, less staff to prevent cultural vandalism and less support for scientific discovery.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• The Independent: Trump hints at bringing Keystone XL oil pipeline project ‘back from the grave’ in AI post

• Newsweek: Trump Says Canada Tariffs Paused, Floats Keystone XL Pipeline Revival

• Pipeline Fighters Hub: “It’s never being built”: Bold Founder Jane Kleeb Responds to Trump Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline

• Reuters: Canada’s oil producers target late 2027 for Pathways carbon capture decision

• Bloomberg: Energy Transfer, Sunoco Win Second Chance to Move Pipeline Suit

• Grist: US Army Corps approves a pipeline project it knows harms Indigenous lands

• Journal of Commerce: Enbridge breaks $4 billion Sunrise looping project into four segments

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Reuters: US to announce steps to help refiners produce more fuel, energy chief Wright says

• E&E News: Gas prices were a staple of GOP ads in 2024. Now it’s Democrats’ turn.

• E&E News: Interior to auction thousands of acres in major oil region

STATE UPDATES

• E&E News: Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro signs order to limit new data centers

• North Dakota Monitor: Electric co-op adds partner to renew pursuit of carbon capture at North Dakota coal plant

EXTRACTION

• Inside Climate News: How the World’s Largest Electric Company Fell Quiet on Renewable Energy

• E&E News: New Zealand shields polluters from climate lawsuits

CLIMATE FINANCE

• Shift: Indigenous rights at risk as government looks to pension funds to invest in “major projects”

OPINION

• Empire Report: Constitution Pipeline is a key next common-sense step for New York’s energy future

• The Tyee: BC Needs Commitments on Distant Carbon Capture Promises
  

PIPELINE NEWS

The Independent: Trump hints at bringing Keystone XL oil pipeline project ‘back from the grave’ in AI post
Owen Scott, 8/19/26

“President Trump has hinted at bringing the Keystone XL oil pipeline “back from the grave” in a pair of Truth Social posts,” The Independent reports. “One post included an A.I.-generated image showing Trump wrenching a Keystone XL pipe straight out of a grave, as he stands beside a tombstone reading: “Buried by Biden.” In the background of the image, an American flag can be seen flying while the pipe itself is stamped with a sign reading: “Completely free. Energy. Jobs. America First.” “...Writing on Truth Social, though, Trump lauded the project on Tuesday night. “The great Keystone XL Pipeline, long ago killed by Sleepy Joe Biden, may be awoken from the grave!” he teased… “However, the Canadian leader did not mention the Keystone XL project in his statement… “Trump has called for the revival of the project in February 2025, when he said that the company behind the pipeline should “get it built.”

Newsweek: Trump Says Canada Tariffs Paused, Floats Keystone XL Pipeline Revival
Anna Commander and Jenni Fink, 8/19/26

“President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was pausing 50 percent tariffs on Canadian imports for three days, saying the delay was based on a tentative agreement between the U.S. and Canada that still requires final documentation,” Newsweek reports. “...Trump also suggested the agreement could pave the way for a revival of the Keystone XL Pipeline, which was canceled under then-President Joe Biden in 2021. In his post, Trump said the pipeline “may be awoken from the grave.” The potential revival would mark another effort by Trump to reverse Biden-era policies on the controversial pipeline, although the project’s future would likely remain subject to regulatory and development hurdles. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also took to social media and confirmed that the two countries had made progress in negotiations but stopped short of declaring a finalized deal, saying officials would continue to finalize the work… “The project received a dramatic revival after Trump took office in 2017. But in 2021, Biden revoked the pipeline’s cross-border permit on his first day in office.”

Pipeline Fighters Hub: “It’s never being built”: Bold Founder Jane Kleeb Responds to Trump Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline
8/18/26

“Jane Kleeb, the founder and executive director of Bold Nebraska, the grassroots organization that organized landowner opposition to defeat the Keystone XL pipeline project, responded on Tuesday to a statement from President Trump announcing a “deal” with Canada that the project “may be awoken from the grave!”, the Pipeline Fighters Hub reports. “It’s never being built. Americans don’t want a foreign export pipeline using eminent domain on farmers and ranchers. We’ve killed Keystone XL three times. We will do it again. Trump should focus on infrastructure that will actually bring costs down,” said Jane Kleeb, Founder and Executive Director at Bold Alliance. Kleeb also spoke out back in April, when developers South Bow and Bridger jointly announced plans to revive parts of the defunct Keystone XL pipeline route with a new proposal: “You can rename it, rebrand it, repackage it — Keystone XL will never be built. For 13 years, a foreign oil corporation used the power of eminent domain to bully American landowners to take their land, all for Big Oil’s private gain. We refused to back down. We took them to court and fought to return those easements to farmers and ranchers. Keystone XL has no route, no easements, and no support in Nebraska.” An op-ed co-authored by Bold Alliance attorney and energy policy advisor Paul Blackburn, and longtime pipeline fighter and advocate Kenny Bruno published in April further lays out the reasons why this project will never be built: “Keystone XL By Any Other Name Will Be Just As Crudely Sour.”

Reuters: Canada’s oil producers target late 2027 for Pathways carbon capture decision
Amanda Stephenson, 8/18/26

“Canada’s biggest oil ​producers are targeting late 2027 for a final investment decision on their proposed 6-million-tonne carbon capture and storage project, ‌a key piece of the country’s plan to grow oil production and keep emissions in check, the president of the Oil Sands Alliance industry group told Reuters. Kendall Dilling, who heads the industry group that represents Canadian Natural Resources, Imperial Oil, Suncor Energy, Cenovus Energy and ConocoPhillips Canada, told Reuters that he believes ​oil sands companies will reach definitive agreements with the Alberta and federal governments on the fiscal terms by mid-November, paving the ​way for a potential decision to go ahead with the multi-billion-dollar Pathways project. “It depends, obviously, on regulatory approvals ⁠and a few things, but I think late 2027 into early 2028 is kind of that window,” Dilling told Reuters… “Environmentalists have excoriated the Oil Sands Alliance for scaling down the project, which had earlier targeted 22 million tonnes of emissions reduction ​by 2030… “”The (prior proposal) was an incredibly aggressive scale and timeline that would have been, I ​think, very difficult to manage and to contain costs,” he told Reuters.”

Bloomberg: Energy Transfer, Sunoco Win Second Chance to Move Pipeline Suit
Taylor Mills, 8/18/26

“A federal appeals panel opened the door for Sunoco Pipeline LP and two Energy Transfer units to face a class action lawsuit over the Twin Oaks Pipeline leak in their preferred venue,” Bloomberg reports. “The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit said the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania didn’t analyze the alleged conduct of Energy Transfer’s affiliate, R&M LLC, to apply the local jurisdiction exception to the Class Action Fairness Act. Residents of Upper Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pa. sued the companies for negligence, nuisance, trespass, and strict liability in 2025 over a pipeline leak…”

Grist: US Army Corps approves a pipeline project it knows harms Indigenous lands
Vivian La, 8/19/26

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a key permit for a plan to update an aging segment of the Line 5 pipeline crossing the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, the waterways that tribal nations say are central to their ways of life,” Grist reports. “...For Michigan tribes that have fought for years to shut down the pipeline, the federal permit approval was “disrespectful and ludicrous,” Austin Lowes, chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, told Grist. “They’re acutely aware of the impact that this project will have on Indian Country, and they just flat-out ignored it,” Lowes told Grist. “It’s one of the most disgusting things that I’ve ever been confronted with as a tribal leader.” “...The straits are sacred to Anishaabe peoples — the waters feature prominently in their creation story and serve as burial grounds for ancestors. Five tribal nations also hold treaty rights to fish and hunt in these waters, rights that predate Michigan’s statehood and are protected by federal law under the 1836 Treaty of Washington. “Us surrendering and ceding that land came with certain expectations and rights,” Lowes told Grist. “And one of those expectations was that we would be consulted any time decisions were going to be made on the federal level that would impact our way of life, and the tunnel project certainly does that.” “...Last year, seven Michigan tribal nations withdrew from discussion with the Army Corps over the permit, saying that regulators ignored tribal expertise, input, and concerns, and undermined treaty rights. The withdrawal also came after the Army Corps suggested that the review process would likely be fast-tracked under President Trump’s emergency executive order.”

Journal of Commerce: Enbridge breaks $4 billion Sunrise looping project into four segments
Jean Sorensen, 8/19/26

“Enbridge’s $4 billion B.C. Sunrise expansion of the Westcoast natural gas pipeline is being broken into four segments to complete the work by 2028 with Alberta’s OJB Energy Solutions as the mainline contractor overseeing the 139 kilometres of new line added,” the Journal of Commerce reports. “The project, which started construction in July, will add 11 pipeline loops using 42-inch 80-foot-long pipe supplied by the Interpro Pipe and Steel facility in Regina as well as new compressor units and powerlines to increase Westcoast Energy Inc.’s capacity by adding 300 million cubic feet per day capacity… “Enbridge’s Sunrise expansion on Westcoat’s line (known as T-South) will support domestic heating, regional industrial growth, the U.S. market and export facilities such as Woodfibre LNG, which is expected to come on stream in 2027.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Reuters: US to announce steps to help refiners produce more fuel, energy chief Wright says
Sheila Dang, 8/17/26

“U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Monday that Washington will announce steps within days to help refiners boost fuel output, as President Donald Trump seeks to rein in stubbornly high gasoline prices that spiked during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran,” Reuters reports. “...The United States refineries are running at ​record high, but we have refineries in the Middle East that are turned down,” Wright ⁠told reporters at an oil rig site operated by ExxonMobil. He met with refiners on Monday “about what we ​can do in the government to help them further ramp up their throughput,” Wright said in Midland, Texas, in ​the Permian Basin, the heart of the U.S. oil industry. Increasing refinery output in the U.S. and elsewhere was the key to lowering gasoline prices, he said.”

E&E News: Gas prices were a staple of GOP ads in 2024. Now it’s Democrats’ turn.
Jessica Piper, 8/19/26

“Republicans hammered Democrats on gas prices in 2024. Now, those prices are soaring again — and this time, the roles are reversed,” E&E News reports. “In the 2024 election cycle, 87 percent of ads mentioning gas or gas prices in House and Senate races were run by Republicans, according to a POLITICO analysis of transcripts from AdImpact, the ad tracking firm. This year, roughly two-thirds of ads mentioning gas prices have come from Democratic candidates or groups. The same Republicans who ran ads on the issue two years ago have now gone quiet amid voter backlash to high prices and President Donald Trump’s war in Iran. They’re mentioning gas prices far less in emails and on social media, too… “Gas prices, a highly visible cost incurred regularly by many Americans, were a major political challenge for Democrats when former President Joe Biden was in office. But prices are now even higher than they were going into the last election, and Democrats are confident they can squarely blame Trump and his GOP allies for backing the conflict in Iran that has driven up those prices.”

E&E News: Interior to auction thousands of acres in major oil region
James Bikales, 8/19/26

“The Interior Department is set to auction off more than 20,000 acres across one of the U.S.’s most prolific crude-producing regions Wednesday, months after a lease sale there shattered the record as the highest-grossing onshore sale ever,” E&E News reports. “Oil and gas producers will bid Wednesday on 26 parcels in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, which are being offered with lower royalty rates and loosened regulations set by Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The total acreage is smaller than the May auction that raised more than $4 billion, but it includes untapped parts of the Permian Basin coveted by oil companies. An oil industry official told E&E companies are anticipating another strong result, even if it doesn’t eclipse the eye-popping numbers from May. “We have very low-risk geology. We know where the resources are — we know what we’re going to go get,” the official told E&E, adding that it could supplement declines in other parts of the basin. While leasing is not a direct indicator of production, the official told E&E high oil prices and the Trump administration’s expedited permitting processes could mean the acres leased Wednesday are producing crude within 18 months to two years.”

STATE UPDATES

E&E News: Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro signs order to limit new data centers
Adam Aton, Christa Marshall, 8/18/26

“Data centers will need local approval before Pennsylvania grants them state permits, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Tuesday,” E&E News reports. “The potential White House contender signed an executive order that ties data center permits to a regulatory framework he previewed earlier this year — as well as some new, tougher provisions, including a prohibition on nondisclosure agreements and no eligibility for fast-track permits. Shapiro stopped short of a statewide data center moratorium, which has been implemented in neighboring New York and has been called for by his Republican gubernatorial opponent, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity. But his order will effectively halt any new development that faces opposition from local officials… “Before state agencies begin permit reviews, Shapiro’s directive requires data centers with a peak load of at least 25 megawatts to sign a consent order outlining key details about their power demand, development plans and investment commitments… “The Data Center Coalition, the industry’s main trade group, released a statement saying it shares Shapiro’s goals to ensure the state benefits economically from data centers while protecting residents.”

North Dakota Monitor: Electric co-op adds partner to renew pursuit of carbon capture at North Dakota coal plant
Jeff Beach, 8/19/26

“Minnkota Power Cooperative is hoping to revive its stalled carbon capture project by adding a business partner and the possibility of using CO2 to produce more oil in North Dakota,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “...Minnkota now plans to have Reliant Carbon Capture & Storage to operate the carbon capture and CO2 delivery system. North Dakota’s Clean Sustainable Energy Authority on Tuesday recommended approval of $205 million in loans for the partnership — $45 million for Minnkota and $160 million for Reliant, which will build and own the carbon capture facility. The state Industrial Commission would have to provide final approval. In a presentation to the authority Tuesday, company officials said the new Project Tundra plan reduces financial risk for Minnkota and the co-op’s members and brings in new technical expertise with Reliant that uses methods and equipment already deployed in the energy industry. The new partnership should shorten the construction schedule from five years down to about two, which helps reduce construction costs… “Officials said that ideally, the CO2 captured from the Milton R. Young Station in Oliver County could be delivered to the Bakken oil fields. The oil industry, with help from government-supported research, is working on ways to inject CO2 deep underground to make oil wells more productive, a process called enhanced oil recovery.”

EXTRACTION

Inside Climate News: How the World’s Largest Electric Company Fell Quiet on Renewable Energy
Ajani Stella, 8/15/26

“NextEra Energy, the world’s largest publicly traded electricity company, has systematically erased or downplayed its clean energy messaging since President Donald Trump returned to office, a potent example of the industry’s retreat from environmental positioning during his second term,” Inside Climate News reports. “NextEra used to bill itself as a global leader in renewable energy production and the energy transition. Now, the company has adopted Trump’s “American energy dominance” language and emphasizes its “diverse” array of electricity sources—prominently, gas—as the president favors fossil fuels and castigates clean energy, Inside Climate News found in a review of NextEra’s securities filings, press releases, financial statements and website archives. NextEra stopped describing itself as a renewable energy company to regulators last year, and its power development subsidiary overhauled its home page and environmental stewardship page to deemphasize clean energy.”

E&E News: New Zealand shields polluters from climate lawsuits
Lesley Clark, 8/18/26

“New Zealand is on the verge of becoming the first country to change its laws to bar private citizens and organizations from suing polluters for contributing to climate change,” E&E News reports. “Parliament gave final consent to the legislation Tuesday, and it will become law following formal approval from the head of the state, which is expected within a week. New Zealand’s move comes as U.S. Republicans push to shield oil and gas companies from being held financially responsible for the burning of their products. Lawmakers introduced federal legislation this spring, and several GOP-led states have passed laws to bar climate lawsuits. The U.S. Supreme Court will open its fall term in October by hearing a case that could wipe out the litigation. New Zealand’s law aims to short-circuit Smith v. Fonterra, a 2020 lawsuit that alleges emissions from six companies in the agriculture and energy sectors have worsened climate change. The country’s High Court is scheduled to hear the case brought by Mãori climate activist Mike Smith in 2027.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

Shift: Indigenous rights at risk as government looks to pension funds to invest in “major projects”
8/18/26

“New analysis finds none of Canada’s large pension managers have publicly disclosed investment policies ensuring alignment with Indigenous rights, leaving pension beneficiaries’ retirement savings exposed to financial, legal and reputational risks,” according to Shift. “Shift: Action for Pension Wealth and Planet Health’s (Shift) August 2026 report, Indigenous Rights and Canadian Pension Funds, finds none of Canada’s large pension managers have publicly disclosed investment policies aligned with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and its core principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). Such policies would provide required guardrails as pension funds navigate investment risks and opportunities, particularly as the federal government pressures them to invest in so-called “major projects” while it simultaneously undercuts the chances that such projects will meet the standard of FPIC. Further, the report identifies at least four pension managers that have highlighted Indigenous economic benefits or opportunities related to investments in fossil fuel infrastructure, but have omitted mention of the climate-related financial risks and impacts that such investments create for pension beneficiaries and Indigenous communities.”

OPINION

Empire Report: Constitution Pipeline is a key next common-sense step for New York’s energy future
Robert Duffy and Ruben Diaz Jr. are co-chairs of Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, 8/19/26

“New Yorkers have already seen what focused leadership can accomplish. In this year’s state budget, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature delivered important reforms to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act that put affordability at the center of New York’s energy future while keeping the state on a path toward lower emissions,” Robert Duffy and Ruben Diaz Jr., write for the Empire Report. “...This “all-of-the-above” approach should also include advancing the Constitution Pipeline, which is another practical, common-sense way to build on our progress. It will help make energy more affordable, strengthen reliability, support continued economic growth and complement the state’s long-term clean energy goals… “Meeting those challenges requires an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy — one that continues investing in renewable energy while ensuring New Yorkers have access to affordable, reliable fuel when they need it most. That has been Gov. Hochul’s approach, and it is the right one. Constitution Pipeline fits squarely within that strategy… “The conversation about energy should never be framed as a choice between affordability and sustainability. New Yorkers deserve both… “It is a practical investment that will help lower costs, strengthen reliability and keep New York moving forward with the balanced, all-of-the-above energy strategy our economy and our communities need.”

The Tyee: BC Needs Commitments on Distant Carbon Capture Promises
Adam Olsen is a former BC Green Party MLA for Saanich North and the Islands and a member of Tsartlip First Nation, 8/18/26

“On July 2, the governments of British Columbia and Canada announced a memorandum of understanding that provided the framework by which a new oil pipeline to the West Coast will be built,” Adam Olsen writes for The Tyee. “...But approval for the West Coast oil pipeline at the centre of the deal between Canada and B.C. is not unconditional. Three separate agreements share a key premise: the pipeline cannot proceed without a carbon capture and storage project. What is not shared is a timeline. British Columbia accepts the pipeline risks now. Alberta and the oil industry are committed only to work toward carbon capture on a schedule stretching to 2045… “Premier David Eby has promised that British Columbians will provide certainty for a new million-barrel oil pipeline to the south coast. Doing so accepts the immediate and indefinite risks of a pipeline to our fragile coastline long before Alberta has proven it can deliver on the reversible half of the bargain — namely the Pathways Project, which isn’t slated to be fully operational for nearly two decades… “The asymmetry is obvious. Under the dark cloud of Alberta’s threat to leave Canada, British Columbians are forced to accept another taxpayer-funded pipeline proposal by this October. Meanwhile, Alberta doesn’t have to prove the prerequisite carbon capture and sequestration project is viable until long after the construction starts on the pipeline and damage in British Columbia is already done... “But if the pipeline is truly contingent on a successful carbon capture and sequestration project, then the two timelines need to align. British Columbia must insist that Alberta and the Oil Sands Alliance have a construction timeline, not a promise. They must put their money where their mouth is and have industry’s contribution in the bank.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• Reuters: Canada’s pipeline ambitions hinge on uncertain output expansion

• KAAL: Company behind North Iowa pipeline sued for $6.6 million over unpaid equipment

• Reuters: Proposed Canadian crude oil pipeline projects

• WUNC: Residents in Chatham County organizing against planned pipeline

• Source NM: Proposed gas pipeline for Project Jupiter data center delayed to 2027, filings show

• Bloomberg: Lightning Sparks Fire at Massive US Fuel Depot on Key Pipeline System

• KOTV: Three tanks burned at Glenpool pipeline facility following lightning strike

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• E&E News: Key Democrat calls for investigation into Trump disaster denials

• E&E News: Enviros appeal Trump rollback of Texas lizard protections

• E&E News: ‘He’s there to run it’: Trump’s energy whisperer looks ready to call the shots at major oil trade association

STATE UPDATES

• CNBC: Nvidia backing $105 billion in financing for OpenAI data center in Ohio

EXTRACTION

• The Energy Mix: Alberta’s Carbon Price Barely Dents Oil Sands Profits, Report Finds

• Taproot Edmonton: Carbon-capture project on hold at Edmonton cement plant

• New Civil Engineer: Drax bioenergy plant granted permit to use carbon capture to reduce emissions

• Reuters: Tanker salvage and oil spill clean-up hampered by weather and technical challenges, Oman says

OPINION

• OilPrice.com: Carbon Capture’s Biggest Problem Isn’t Capturing Carbon
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Reuters: Canada’s pipeline ambitions hinge on uncertain output expansion
Amanda Stephenson and Arathy Somasekhar, 8/18/26

“Canadian pipeline firms are proposing billions of dollars in new projects despite oil sands companies being reluctant to commit to significant production expansions amid ongoing uncertainty around climate ​policies and long-term global demand,” Reuters reports. “At least six different pipeline projects are underway or proposed in Canada, to move oil to the United States or to export markets on the Pacific coast. If ‌all are built, the country’s export pipeline capacity would increase by 45%, or 2.25 million barrels per day, by 2035, according to a Reuters calculation. But filling all those pipes would require Canadian oil supply to increase by more than a third by 2034, a near-doubling of its current annual average growth rate. It would also require Canadian producers to move ahead with major new oil sands projects of the type that no company has undertaken in more than a decade. The mismatch between proposed export pipeline expansions and the pace of output growth highlights ​how Canada may struggle to achieve Prime Minister Mark Carney’s “energy superpower” ambitions, despite a more supportive regulatory environment and growing interest in Canadian oil from international buyers… “Producers are behaving with discipline,” Enbridge’s executive vice-president for liquids pipelines Colin Gruending said on a conference call. “I think they’ll get there. We were just a ​little too quick off the line here.”

KAAL: Company behind North Iowa pipeline sued for $6.6 million over unpaid equipment
8/15/26

“A new lawsuit claims Summit Carbon Solutions, the company behind a major pipeline project set to take root across northern Iowa, failed to pay a pipeline supplier at least $6.6 million for equipment tied to its proposed carbon pipeline project,” KAAL reports. “...The complaint also alleges Summit told Patton Myhre in May 2025 that it would not pursue the multi-billion-dollar, multi-state pipeline project. According to the complaint, Summit no longer wanted all of the valves and told Patton Myhre to find other buyers because its “executive leadership had decided to ‘conserve capital’ rather than pay Patton Myhre.” The lawsuit has Floyd County landowner, Kathy Carter, questioning how Summit Carbon Solutions would treat landowners if its pipeline were to ultimately take root. “If Summit is willing to treat multi-national business partners with such disregard, why would we expect them to treat Iowans any better? Iowans expect honesty and fair play. Summit is not Iowa nice, not acting in good faith and they can’t be trusted with just a handshake,” Carter told KAAL. ABC 6 News has reached out to Summit Carbon Solutions for its response to the lawsuit, but has yet to hear back.”

Reuters: Proposed Canadian crude oil pipeline projects
Arathy Somasekhar, Amanda Stephenson, 8/18/26

“...At least ⁠six different pipeline projects ​are underway or proposed, which together ​could increase the country’s export pipeline capacity by 2.25 million barrels ​per day by 2035 and ​ultimately boost Canada’s oil exports, according ‌to ⁠a Reuters calculation. Below is a list: Current and proposed Canadian oil export pipeline projects: Enbridge Mainline Phase One Optimization: 150,000 (Volume in ​barrels ​per day); Approved (Project ⁠status); 2027 (Target in-service date). Trans ​Mountain drag reducing agent: 90,000; Approved; 2027. “Enbridge ​Mainline ⁠Optimization Phase Two: 250,000; Proposed; Unknown. Trans Mountain Mainline optimization: 210,000; Proposed; 2028. South Bow/Bridger Prairie Connector: 550,000; Proposed; 2028. Alberta West ⁠Coast ​pipeline: 1,000,000; Proposed; 2033-2034; 2,250,000.”

WUNC: Residents in Chatham County organizing against planned pipeline
Celeste Guajardo, 8/18/26

“On a windy and sunny afternoon in late July, Stephanie Davis was giving away T-shirts, buttons and yard signs showing opposition against the proposed 28-mile, 12-inch diameter pipeline from Enbridge Gas North Carolina,” WUNC reports. “...Davis is one of more than 100 landowners impacted by the proposed route. She’s worried how the project will affect the local land, water and wildlife. “Let’s do our best to stop it,” Davis told two Chatham County residents who stopped at her table to grab a free shirt. “That’s why we’re here.”Davis was sitting outside the Chatham County Convention Center, catching people before they went inside, where Enbridge Gas was hosting a community event to answer questions about the project… “Enbridge is also currently building its 45-mile T-15 pipeline running from Eden to Roxboro. Additionally, Mountain Valley Pipeline is constructing its Southgate project that starts in Virginia and goes down to Eden. Finally, Williams-Transco is set to start building its Southeast Supply Enhancement Project this fall. One of the biggest concerns about all of these natural gas projects is the continued use of fossil fuels… “50 people spoke for almost two hours. Every single one opposed the project. Residents are concerned about everything from farmland disruption and water quality issues to property devaluation and threats to wildlife and endangered fish.”

Source NM: Proposed gas pipeline for Project Jupiter data center delayed to 2027, filings show
Joshua Bowling, 8/17/26

“A pipeline intended to transport natural gas to the Project Jupiter data center under construction in southern New Mexico won’t come online until early next year at the soonest, according to new federal regulatory filings,” Source NM reports. “The pipeline, referred to as the “Green Chile Project” in federal documents submitted by the Dallas-based company Energy Transfer, was initially proposed as a $60 million project that would carry gas from El Paso to Project Jupiter, the Oracle and OpenAI data center planned for Doña Ana County… “In filings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission late last week, Energy Transfer wrote that the pipeline’s anticipated “in-service date” has moved from this month to February of 2027… “A spokesperson for Oracle wrote in a statement to Source NM that “Project Jupiter remains on schedule, and we continue to work closely with our partners to move the project forward.” On Friday, the environmentalist organization the Sierra Club announced it had sent thousands of comments opposing the pipeline expansion to Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, who voiced support for it earlier this year.”

Bloomberg: Lightning Sparks Fire at Massive US Fuel Depot on Key Pipeline System
Nathan Risser, 8/17/26

“Explorer Pipeline’s Glenpool tank farm outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was struck by lightning early Monday, igniting three tanks of natural gasoline, according to the company,” Bloomberg reports. “Images posted on social media by the Tulsa Fire Department show flames sending large black clouds of smoke into the sky that were visible from inbound flights to Tulsa International Airport. The Glenpool tank farm is a critical storage hub on Explorer’s 1,800 miles of pipeline that transports fuels like gasoline, diesel and jet fuel between the Midwest, Oklahoma and Texas. It can store some 3.4 million barrels of fuel across more than 30 tanks, according to a government report. Explorer’s southern system can ship 660,000 barrels of fuel each day, while it’s northern system extends as far as St. Louis and Chicago and can transport 450,000 barrels daily. The fire will probably have at least a short-term impact on the tight US fuel market, with disruptions likely to flows at the major commodities transport hub.”

KOTV: Three tanks burned at Glenpool pipeline facility following lightning strike
Brooke Cox, Brian Smallwood, 8/17/26

“All tanks have been extinguished at the Explorer Pipeline tank farm in Glenpool after a suspected lightning strike sparked a fire that spread to three tanks Monday morning,” KOTV reports. “...Glenpool Fire Public Information Officer Mandy Vavrinak told KOTV the fire cannot be fought with water alone and requires specialized chemicals, equipment and personnel… “Officials said nothing hazardous has been detected at ground level and there is currently no danger to the public from the smoke… “The shelter-in-place recommendation for the Glenpool area was lifted around 2 p.m. Monday. The shelter-in-place recommendation was also lifted for Glenpool Public Schools… “There have been three previous tank fires in Glenpool in years past. At least two were caused by lightning strikes.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

E&E News: Key Democrat calls for investigation into Trump disaster denials
Thomas Frank, 8/17/26

“A senior House Democrat is calling for an “immediate investigation” into President Donald Trump’s decisions last month to deny millions of dollars in disaster aid for four Democratic-led states,” E&E News reports. “Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey urged Republican committee leaders who oversee funding programs related to natural catastrophes to launch the inquiry following a report by POLITICO that revealed how Trump rejected the requests for disaster aid after his administration had determined the states met federal criteria for receiving it. Trump overrode his own federal agencies by denying $227 million in aid to New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island following a record-breaking blizzard in February. Pallone in a two-page letter noted that Trump’s denials on July 2 came after “federal officials determined [the states] had met government thresholds for receiving aid.” “Denying disaster assistance to American citizens just because they live in states that elected Democratic governors is a betrayal of the oath President Trump swore to uphold,” Pallone wrote.”

E&E News: Enviros appeal Trump rollback of Texas lizard protections
Ian M. Stevenson, 8/17/26

“Environmentalists are trying to stop the Trump administration from removing protections for an imperiled lizard whose survival could interfere with Texas oil and gas development,” E&E News reports. “The Center for Biological Diversity filed an appeal on Friday with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in an attempt to reverse a decision issued last month by a lower bench that allowed the administration to reverse a Biden-era effort to list the dunes sagebrush lizard as endangered, siding with the oil and gas industry and the state of Texas… “During the Biden administration, the Fish and Wildlife Service moved to list the lizard as endangered under the Endangered Species Act after finding that its shrubland habitat in Texas, known as the shinnery oak ecosystem, was contracting, often as the result of oil and gas development.”

E&E News: ‘He’s there to run it’: Trump’s energy whisperer looks ready to call the shots at major oil trade association
Mike Soraghan, 8/18/26

“Harold Hamm, the shale-oil pioneer President Donald Trump has called his “original oil guy,” may soon sit in the driver’s seat of one of the largest oil trade associations in the country, people familiar with the matter told E&E News. Hamm, a wildcatter oil tycoon who regularly bends Trump’s ear while visiting Mar-A-Lago, merged his Domestic Energy Producers Alliance this summer with the much larger Independent Petroleum Association of America. The move puts one of Trump’s biggest oil industry allies atop a trade group that employs 12 people to keep an adversarial eye on environmental regulations and promote a more parochial view of oil and gas production than Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other companies with a more international presencd It calls itself the oil industry’s ‘strongest presence in the nation’s capital.’ “...An early test for IPAA could be whether it carries on DEPA’s role in a legal effort supporting the Trump administration’s decision to repeal EPA’s endangerment finding, the legal foundation for many of EPA’s climate regulations. While other oil trade groups suggested more nuanced approaches to addressing the finding, DEPA gave full-throated support to a complete eradication of the rule.”

STATE UPDATES

CNBC: Nvidia backing $105 billion in financing for OpenAI data center in Ohio
Samantha Subin, 8/17/26

“Nvidia will provide up to $105 billion in financing for a new artificial intelligence data center for OpenAI in Ohio, a securities filing revealed on Monday,” CNBC reports. “...The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Nvidia was set to cut that guarantee to less than $120 billion for the buildout… “As part of the Ohio deal, SB Energy and SoftBank will build power sources supporting 10 gigawatts of energy and invest at least $4.2 billion into regional grid infrastructure. Nvidia will invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy. OpenAI said the new data center will support 35,000 new construction jobs through 2032 and 2,500 long-term positions. OpenAI President Greg Brockman told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Monday that compute is a “fundamental resource” for the industry. “Compute is really becoming the new oil, the new limited resource of the AI age,” he told CNBC.”

EXTRACTION

The Energy Mix: Alberta’s Carbon Price Barely Dents Oil Sands Profits, Report Finds
Chris Bonasia, 8/17/26

“Alberta’s oil sands facilities on average will pay less than $2 per barrel under an updated carbon pricing schedule, effectively making the much-maligned “carbon tax” a marginal cost for producers, finds a new report,” according to The Energy Mix. “The research is “relevant now because of renewed interest in carbon pricing following both the release of the implementation agreement for the Alberta-Federal memorandum of understanding on energy policy, and last year’s repeal of the consumer facing carbon price,” report author G. Kent Fellows, a fellow-in-residence for the C.D. Howe Institute, told The Energy Mix… “Given that the operating costs for 99% of operators are between $21 and $65 per barrel, the carbon price represents a small portion of overall marginal costs in the oil sands,” he told The Energy Mix… “The outcomes of Fellows’ analysis are important for anticipating how the updated carbon pricing scheme will create incentives for companies to reduce emissions. A “rational profit-maximizing firm” will only invest in carbon reductions if the cost of doing so is less than the cost of paying the carbon price or for buying carbon credits, he writes.”

Taproot Edmonton: Carbon-capture project on hold at Edmonton cement plant
Darcy Hoogers, 8/18/26

“Diminished interest in incentivizing reductions in carbon dioxide emissions has delayed an Edmonton project once touted to be the world’s first cement plant with full-scale carbon capture and storage,” Taproot Edmonton reports. “In 2023, Heidelberg Materials signed a partnership with the federal government to support a $1.36-billion project to bring a full-scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage system to its cement plant in northwest Edmonton. The company said then that it would be capturing 1 million tonnes of C02 annually by the end of 2026. But the project, which the federal government called “a major step forward in establishing Canada as a global leader in the production of low-carbon concrete,” is not on track to be done this year, despite a successful pilot of the technology, and it’s not clear when it will be. The price of carbon emissions is “not an insignificant” element when determining the viability of a full-scale CCS project, David Perkins, vice-president of sustainability and public affairs for Heidelberg Materials, told Taprot. “Originally there was discussion around $170 a tonne by 2030,” he told Taproot. “The (federal) government has backed off of that now. The province has backed off of that to a much lower level.”

New Civil Engineer: Drax bioenergy plant granted permit to use carbon capture to reduce emissions
Thomas Johnson, 8/17/26

“The Environment Agency has approved a variation to the environmental permit for Drax Power Limited to allow carbon capture at its bioenergy plant near Selby, North Yorkshire, the regulator announced,” New Civil Engineer reports. “The decision follows a series of consultations dating back to the operator’s initial application in May 2023… “In a statement, the Environment Agency said it was satisfied the company has demonstrated it can meet the mandatory conditions set out in environmental law and has the systems necessary to operate without causing harm to the environment, human health or wildlife… “Drax’s proposal is to capture carbon dioxide produced during electricity generation at the plant – part of the company’s wider bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plans – and transport the CO2 for permanent storage under the North Sea.”

Reuters: Tanker salvage and oil spill clean-up hampered by weather and technical challenges, Oman says
Menna Alaa El-Din, 8/17/26

“Weather conditions and operational challenges were hampering salvage efforts for a grounded tanker that was leaking Russian crude oil in a protected marine ​area off Oman’s coast, the sultanate’s state news agency reported on ‌Monday,” Reuters reports. “Oman has been coordinating the salvage operation with risk-management company Ambrey as part of efforts to contain environmental damage from a spill that some estimates put at 2,000 sq km… “Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Rawahi, director general of maritime affairs at Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said that difficulties emerged from the monsoon in the area and ​the shallow and rocky nature of the site where the vessel ran ​aground, the news agency reported. The conditions put salvage vessels and equipment under “operational and navigational risks”, ‌he was ⁠quoted as saying… “The vessel, which was carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian oil and was under international ​sanctions, ran aground on ​June 30 near ⁠an Omani marine nature reserve that is home to wildlife including humpback whales and Socotra cormorants.”

OPINION

OilPrice.com: Carbon Capture’s Biggest Problem Isn’t Capturing Carbon
Leon Stille, 8/17/26

“Carbon capture is still debated as if technical performance were the decisive question. Can a solvent remove carbon dioxide from flue gas? Can the CO2 be compressed, transported and injected underground? Will the storage remain secure? These questions matter, but they no longer explain why most announced projects do not reach construction,” Leon Stille writes for OilPrice.com. “The missing component is usually commercial. A cement plant can capture carbon and still lose money on every tonne. A storage site can be technically ready and remain empty without contracted volumes. A pipeline can lower costs for an industrial cluster but cannot be financed if every emitter waits for someone else to move first. Carbon capture will not scale where the technology is most impressive. It will scale where the contracts make the system investable. The European Commission’s Industrial Carbon Management Strategy sets the scale of the challenge. The EU aims for at least 50 million tonnes of annual CO2 storage capacity by 2030. Its modelling points toward roughly 280 million tonnes of captured CO2 per year by 2040 and around 450 million tonnes by 2050. Those are industrial-system numbers. They cannot be delivered through a collection of bespoke capture demonstrations. Europe needs common specifications, transport networks, storage capacity, measurement rules, liability frameworks and customers willing to sign long-term contracts. Capture equipment is only one part of that chain. This explains why the sector has produced far more announcements than final investment decisions. Each project depends on infrastructure that may not exist until other projects commit. Emitters face a cost without a conventional product premium. Transport operators need guaranteed volumes. Storage developers need confidence that customers will still deliver CO2 years later. Every participant is waiting for bankability from the others.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• Chatham Journal: More than 350 pack Chatham public hearing as Enbridge pipeline fight centers on land, water and local control

• Durango Herald: Federal agency fails to ease fears of future Enterprise pipeline failures in Southwest Colorado

• Des Moines Register: At Soapbox, Thomas Laehn bashes carbon pipelines, presidential power

• Resilience: Bad River Tribe scores victory in fight to remove illegal oil pipeline

• Pipeline & Gas Journal: Enstar repairs leaking gas pipeline beneath Alaska’s Twentymile River

• Quantum Commodity Intelligence: Enbridge seeks to recontract capacity on Canada-US Express oil pipe

• Reuters: WhiteWater-led venture approves Permian-to-Texas gas pipeline project

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Reuters: Trump urges Americans to accept higher gas prices as he escalates Iran rhetoric

• Carbon Herald: Treasury And IRS Extend Section 45Q Safe Harbor

• Bloomberg: IRS Guidance Expands Safe Harbor for Carbon Capture Tax Credit

• E&E News: 25 groups urging Supreme Court to kill climate case have ties to oil companies, report says

• Guardian: BP to develop offshore gasfield in Venezuela with firms linked to Trump administration

STATE UPDATES

• Press release: Coastal Commission Votes Against Southern California Offshore Fracking

• Noozhawk: Citing Oil Spill Concerns, Coastal Commission Objects to SB Channel Fracking

• Grand Forks Herald: New partner takes lead on Project Tundra carbon-capture facility

• Los Angeles Times: Hydrogen failed as car fuel. Now California’s big dollar bet on it for green energy is fading, too

• Source NM: Most of New Mexico’s oil-related water contamination in area around Chaco, advocate tells lawmakers

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: State Sen. Mike Bousselot ends 2026 campaign

• KPFA: Carbon Capture & Storage for California?

• KXNET: 1,100 barrels of produced water spilled in Mountrail County

EXTRACTION

• E&E News: US threatens EU over its green reporting rules

• The Narwhal: As Canadian oil companies rake in record profits, should taxpayers get a larger share?

• Press release: First Nations Lead Kino Aski LNG – A Major Canadian Energy Project

• Harvard Media: Carbon capture sector gathering in Edmonton as Pathways decisions approach

• Associated Press: A British firm starts containment of oil spill from stricken tanker off Oman

• BBC: Major oil slick washes up on Iran coast after Hormuz ship strike

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• Enbridge: Volunteer EMTs get a new ride to the rescue

OPINION

• Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): How carbon capture is failing the capital discipline test
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Chatham Journal: More than 350 pack Chatham public hearing as Enbridge pipeline fight centers on land, water and local control
Everette Pitts, 8/15/26

“More than 350 people packed a special Chatham County Board of Commissioners meeting Aug. 5 to deliver an overwhelmingly unified message about Enbridge Gas North Carolina’s proposed 28-mile natural gas pipeline: They do not want it crossing the county’s farms, forests, rivers and family land, and they want county leaders to use every legal tool available to slow, scrutinize or stop the project,” the Chatham Journal reports. “For nearly two hours, landowners, farmers, scientists, environmental advocates, veterans, attorneys and longtime residents described fears about eminent domain, drinking-water contamination, explosions, property values, agriculture, climate change and the possibility that new gas infrastructure could encourage large-scale industrial development. Many speakers urged commissioners to require a special- or conditional-use permit, adopt a formal resolution opposing the project, seek a more comprehensive environmental review and intervene wherever possible in state and federal permitting proceedings. But the meeting also underscored a fundamental complication confronting Chatham County: Much of the authority over the pipeline lies outside county government… “As a local government in North Carolina,” Robertson continued, “it is important to understand that the county has limited authority over the approval process and ultimate outcome of a project of this nature.” “...For many speakers on August 5, the controversy was less about abstract energy policy than about acreage their families had spent generations protecting… “No subject generated more emotion than eminent domain… “Residents at the August 5 meeting repeatedly questioned whether a pipeline they believe will disproportionately benefit industrial users meets the spirit or legal requirements of public use.”

Durango Herald: Federal agency fails to ease fears of future Enterprise pipeline failures in Southwest Colorado
Jessica Bowman, 8/14/26

“It’s been roughly 20 months since a natural gas pipeline operated by Enterprise Products released tens of thousands of gallons of gasoline into the ground, yet the federal investigation into the cause of the spill remains incomplete,” the Durango Herald reports. “In December 2024, the pipeline ruptured on the Southern Ute Tribal reservation, sending 100,000 to 200,000 gallons – depending on whether it’s the company’s or tribe’s estimate – of gasoline into the environment and came hazardously close to contaminating the Animas River. For months, La Plata County commissioners have expressed frustration over the lack of clarity regarding pipeline oversight, operator enforcement and what appears to be a marginal effort to inspect the full-length of the Mid-American Pipeline to better prevent another catastrophic failure from happening… “We need to be prepared for the future. This is not going to be the last pipeline spill,” La Plata County Commissioner Matt Salka, told the Herald, following the meeting. “Right now, I feel that we’re kind of not in the know. We’re not allowed. We’re not privy to that level of information.” While Mulligan appeared live on screen, it was only to read a lengthy prepared statement and answer questions that commissioners submitted ahead of time; follow-up questions were not permitted… “PHMSA declined to answer those questions or speculate about enforcement because the agency is still monitoring Enterprise’s incident response… “I don’t want to be old and gray – which I’m already getting there – and sitting here and seeing infomercials on TV commercials going: ‘Did you drink well water in La Plata County? Call this number,’” Salka said.”

Des Moines Register: At Soapbox, Thomas Laehn bashes carbon pipelines, presidential power
Stephen Gruber-Miller, 8/15/26

“Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Thomas Laehn wants to end the federal tax credits that fund carbon capture pipelines and rein in the president’s power to make war without a declaration of Congress,” the Des Moines Register reports. “...If elected to the U.S. Senate, Laehn said one of the first pieces of legislation he’ll introduce will be to eliminate the 45Q and 45Z tax credits that provide financial incentives for carbon capture pipelines. He criticized a proposed pipeline that Summit Carbon Solutions is seeking to build across Iowa to sequester carbon dioxide from ethanol plants underground, saying that the project won’t provide any financial benefit and will enrich those behind it, including Summit CEO Bruce Rastetter, a major Republican donor. “It’s the biggest boondoggle in the history of our state,” Laehn said. “A project that actually doesn’t do any good at all, except to make Bruce Rastetter and his investors billionaires.” “...Not only is this a project that doesn’t do any good and wastes our taxpayer dollars, this private company has been vested with the power of eminent domain to take property from unwilling landowners along its proposed route,” he said.”

Resilience: Bad River Tribe scores victory in fight to remove illegal oil pipeline
Kala Hunter, 8/17/26

“...Today, the Mashkiigong-ziibiing, or the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is up against the odds to defend its land rights, sovereignty, and healthy water. The small 8,000-person Bad River Tribe has taken on a billion-dollar Canadian oil pipeline company to demand the removal of an illegal oil pipeline,” Resilience reports. “...Blanchard says the rerouted pipeline could still harm the Tribe’s ceded territory. “We do want it removed from the reservation, but we don’t want it within the Bad River watershed.” Since the rerouted pipeline would be upstream from the Bad River, if there were to be a spill or leak, it could affect the Tribe’s ability to hunt, fish, and gather on the reservation, which he believes still violates the treaties. “We are looking after our land, water, and harvest,” Blanchard says. “I do harvesting of wild rice and traditional medicine, all to feed my family, and I want my great-great grandkids to have what I have and to be able to do what I have done. Money is nice, but is it worth giving up land?”

Pipeline & Gas Journal: Enstar repairs leaking gas pipeline beneath Alaska’s Twentymile River
8/17/26

“Enstar Natural Gas is making emergency repairs to a leaking 8-inch submerged pipeline beneath Alaska’s Twentymile River while preparing to construct a new crossing to maintain natural gas service to the community of Whittier,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “According to Anchorage Daily News, the leak was reported Aug. 9 after a boater smelled natural gas near the river crossing, about a half-mile from a Seward Highway boat launch south of Girdwood… “Enstar plans to shut down the affected pipeline once a trailer carrying liquefied natural gas arrives from Fairbanks. The LNG would be regasified and introduced into the local system to help maintain service during the repair work, ADN reported.”

Quantum Commodity Intelligence: Enbridge seeks to recontract capacity on Canada-US Express oil pipe
8/14/26

“Enbridge is seeking to recontract 10,000 bpd of capacity on its Express pipeline that transports western Canadian production to the US Rockies,” Quantum Commodity Intelligence reports.

Reuters: WhiteWater-led venture approves Permian-to-Texas gas pipeline project
Varun Sahay, 8/17/26

“Infrastructure company WhiteWater and its joint venture partners Devon Energy, MPLX, Diamondback Energy and Western Midstream ​Partners said on Monday they had reached a ‌final investment decision (FID) to build two natural gas pipelines from the Permian Basin to Katy, Texas,” Reuters reports. “...The companies said the joint venture, known as the Solitude Pipeline System, is backed by substantial long-term firm transportation ​agreements with investment-grade shippers. The pipeline system will be ​developed in phases, with initial capacity of about 2.25 billion cubic ‌feet ⁠per day (Bcf/d) expected in late 2029, the companies said. A second phase is due in 2030 and would add another 2.25 Bcf/d of capacity, bringing total capacity ​to about 4.5 ​Bcf/d, they ⁠added… “Solitude ⁠is ​expected to enter service in ​the second half of 2029, subject to customary regulatory and other approvals.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Reuters: Trump urges Americans to accept higher gas prices as he escalates Iran rhetoric
Eman Abouhassira, Enas Alashray and Humeyra Pamuk, 8/15/26

“President Donald Trump on Friday urged Americans to accept slightly higher gasoline prices as the cost of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and said he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S territory,” Reuters reports. “The comments underscore the growing political risk for Trump as higher fuel prices collide with his campaign promise to lower energy costs, with Democrats already seeking to make the economic fallout from the Iran war an issue heading into the November midterm elections. In a speech in Garden City, Trump said Americans who had to “pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline” should remember that this was the cost of ensuring “a very evil country” could not have a nuclear weapon. “What we’re doing is a great service for the world, not only for ourselves… and we’re really doing a great job,” said Trump, adding he would never apologize for attacking Iran… “After we finish defeating Iran… pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” said Trump, escalating his rhetoric over the vital waterway. It was unclear how seriously Trump intended the remark or whether it represented a new policy position.”

Carbon Herald: Treasury And IRS Extend Section 45Q Safe Harbor
Violet George, 8/17/26

“The US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have issued Notice 2026-50, expanding and extending a critical safe harbor for the federal Section 45Q carbon capture tax credit,” the Carbon Herald reports. “The guidance addresses growing regulatory uncertainty created by a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to eliminate key requirements under its Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, including Subpart RR protocols for geologic sequestration… “The newly updated safe harbor preserves an alternative compliance pathway if the EPA’s electronic reporting system becomes unavailable, extending the measure beyond 2025 and expanding its coverage to include enhanced oil and gas recovery (EOR) projects. Additionally, the guidance permits taxpayers to utilize the safe harbor when determining whether previously claimed tax credits must be recaptured due to potential atmospheric leakage… “Jessie Stolark, executive director of the Carbon Capture Coalition, expressed gratitude to Treasury and the IRS for providing taxpayers with operational certainty through the notice.”

Bloomberg: IRS Guidance Expands Safe Harbor for Carbon Capture Tax Credit
Erin Schilling, 8/14/26

“The IRS Friday expanded a safe harbor for taxpayers claiming the carbon capture tax credit,” Bloomberg reports. “Notice 2026-50 updates a previous safe harbor the IRS created late last year for determining eligibility and the value of the Section 45Q carbon oxide sequestration credit when the carbon is captured by injecting it into the ground. The previous safe harbor didn’t address the eligibility for carbon oxide that is used as a tertiary injectant in a qualified enhanced oil or natural gas recovery project because there were other reporting standards taxpayers could use to claim the credit.”

E&E News: 25 groups urging Supreme Court to kill climate case have ties to oil companies, report says
Lesley Clark, 8/17/26

“A survey released Monday by the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog found that 25 of the 38 individuals and organizations that have filed friend of the court briefs on behalf of the industry have financial ties or other connections to the fossil fuel companies that are facing billions of dollars in potential damages for contributing to climate change,” E&E News reports. “The report argues that many of the briefs make “nearly identical legal arguments.” “...The report came as the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in the blockbuster climate showdown, Suncor v. Boulder, on Oct. 5 — the opening day of its new term. The justices will weigh whether federal law or the Constitution bars local governments from suing fossil fuel companies for costs associated with climate change. If the high court decides that the city and county of Boulder cannot use state consumer protection and other laws against Suncor and Exxon Mobil, the ruling stands to invalidate nearly two dozen similar climate lawsuits… “In its survey, Consumer Watchdog said it found that 16 of the groups filing friend of the court briefs received funding tied to the two fossil fuel defendants — Exxon or entities connected to billionaire Paul Singer, whose Elliott Investment Management is one of Suncor’s largest investors.”

Guardian: BP to develop offshore gasfield in Venezuela with firms linked to Trump administration
Jillian Ambrose, 8/14/26

“BP has answered Donald Trump’s call for oil companies to help rebuild Venezuela’s fossil fuel industry with new plans to develop a large offshore gasfield,” the Guardian reports. “BP will partner with two oil firms with close links to the Trump administration to develop the second phase of the Loran gasfield, in one of the first large-scale foreign investments in Venezuela since the US ousted its leader Nicolás Maduro in January. The London-listed oil company holds a licence to develop the field alongside a Qatari company owned by the Al-Khayyat brothers, the Syrian-born billionaires working with Ivanka Trump, the US president’s daughter, and her husband, Jared Kushner, to build a controversial multibillion-dollar resort in Albania. BP will also work alongside the overseas investment arm of UAE’s national oil company run by the industry minister, Sultan Al Jaber, who in 2025 promised Trump that the Gulf state would increase its investments in the US energy sector more than sixfold to $440bn (£325bn) within a decade… “The US oil companies ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips have begun scouting opportunities in Venezuela, but have been slower to play a role in its fossil fuel revival after the Latin American country nationalised the industry in 2007. Chevron remained in the country as a minority partner to Venezuela’s state oil company and has continued to produce crude.”

STATE UPDATES

Press release: Coastal Commission Votes Against Southern California Offshore Fracking
8/13/26

“The California Coastal Commission unanimously objected today to an oil company’s proposal to frack 16 offshore wells at Platform Gilda in the Santa Barbara Channel. The commission cited oil spill risk and aging infrastructure as grounds for its objection. This is the first fracking proposal off the California coast in more than a decade… “The California Coastal Commission, under the Coastal Zone Management Act, has the authority to weigh in on whether federal proposals are consistent with state coastal protection policies. Earlier this week the federal government initiated a review of California’s authority, which could revoke the state’s ability to consult under the Act. “The proposal to frack off of the Ventura coast violates state and federal law, threatens marine life, and puts the health of communities at risk,” said Maggie Hall, deputy chief counsel at the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara. “As we have seen over and over again on the California coast, there is no safe way to drill for oil in the ocean, and fracking would only increase the danger. Thank you to the Coastal Commission for standing up for our coast.”

Noozhawk: Citing Oil Spill Concerns, Coastal Commission Objects to SB Channel Fracking
Evelyn Spence, 8/14/26

“The California Coastal Commission objected Thursday to a proposal that would allow fracking at Platform Gilda in the Santa Barbara Channel,” Noozhawk reports. “In line with a staff report that recommended denying the plan because of California Coastal Management Program inconsistencies, commissioners unanimously voted no. They were concerned about with a possible oil spill, containment measures and aging infrastructure… “Oil and natural gas are transported to the shore via pipelines that were installed in the early 1980s to DCOR’s Mandalay Onshore Facility in Oxnard… “Without fracking, production at Platform Gilda would continue to decline and eventually cease, commission staff said… “The commission, however, cited past spills off the California coast and was unconvinced that DCOR’s proposed spill-prevention measures would fully prevent or sufficiently clean up a spill. Commissioners also expressed concern about the platform’s infrastructure because it is operating twice as long as its originally predicted lifespan… “The Environmental Defense Center, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Santa Barbara Channelkeeper and other environmental groups lobbied against the proposal, citing concerns about impacts to marine life in the area as well as a possible spill.”

Grand Forks Herald: New partner takes lead on Project Tundra carbon-capture facility
Carrie McDermott, 8/14/26

“After years of delays, Project Tundra is advancing under a new development structure,” the Grand Forks Herald reports. “Reliant Carbon Capture & Storage, LLC, will now lead the development, ownership and operation of the carbon-capture facility at the Milton R. Young Station near Center, North Dakota. According to an announcement from Minnkota Power Cooperative, Reliant brings over 30 years of emissions-control experience to the venture and has multiple carbon-capture, utilization and storage projects in process… “The updated development structure and emerging CO2 utilization opportunities strengthen the long-term potential of Project Tundra,” Minnkota CEO Mac McLennan told the Herald. “The addition of carbon-capture technologies at the Young Station would help preserve the value of the facility while delivering economic and environmental benefits, supporting North Dakota’s energy economy and maintaining reliable, affordable electricity for our members.” “...The restructuring follows the exit of previous partners TC Energy, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kiewit. Ben Fladhammer, Minnkota’s senior manager of communications, told the Herald that the pivot to Reliant intends to reduce costs and simplify construction through a modular design, manufactured offsite. “This approach could shorten the construction schedule while potentially capturing more CO2 than the original design,” Fladhammer told the Herald. He told the Herald the project is being structured to require limited capital investment from Minnkota, minimizing the financial obligation for its members.”

Los Angeles Times: Hydrogen failed as car fuel. Now California’s big dollar bet on it for green energy is fading, too
Blanca Begert, 8/17/26

“Hydrogen, viewed by its advocates as a clean fuel and a solution to climate change, is having a “non moment,” but don’t ask anyone in the industry to say that on the record,” the Los Angeles Times reports. “Years of market turmoil, federal funding cuts, canceled projects and industry pullback have made it clear: California’s grand vision for fleets of vehicles and heavy industry running on clean hydrogen fuel has stalled. Yet at a recent gathering in Sacramento, those in the nascent industry continued to tout the potential of a fuel they hope will turn around and thrive. Practically no one wanted to be quoted on the bleak outlook… “Some 95% of hydrogen used today is made from natural gas. That’s because freeing hydrogen from its bond with oxygen in water requires an extraordinary amount of energy — and expensive equipment — making it cost prohibitive… ““There was a race between batteries and hydrogen, and batteries won,” Bill Magavern, policy director at the Coalition for Clean Air, told the Times… “In recent years, the state has pivoted toward hydrogen for buses, trucks and port equipment, but these too have struggled to get off the ground… “But the state’s dream of a vast network of green fuel production sites and pipelines serving thousands of hydrogen-powered vehicles across California is a harder sell… “Many environmental groups have long been skeptical even of the 1% of hydrogen that is produced cleanly — called green hydrogen. They contend the costs and energy demands of producing and distributing it make it inferior to batteries in almost every case… “But even before that, projects to make zero and low-carbon hydrogen were being canceled across the country as they struggled to bring down costs… “Producers are hanging their hopes on utilities, which just got permission to count green hydrogen they burn toward renewable energy targets.”

Source NM: Most of New Mexico’s oil-related water contamination in area around Chaco, advocate tells lawmakers
Joshua Bowling, 8/13/26

“The majority of water contamination linked to oil and gas spills in New Mexico happens in a county that includes much of Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a culturally and spiritually significant site for many Pueblos and tribes that the Trump administration is proposing to open up to more oil and gas operations, an environmental advocate told state lawmakers on Thursday,” Source NM reports. “Melissa Troutman, a climate and health advocate with WildEarth Guardians, spoke before legislators on the interim Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee in Los Alamos. In a presentation, she said that the oil and gas industry reported spills that impacted 15 waterways across the state in 2025. The vast majority of them — 12 — were in San Juan County, which includes Farmington, the Four Corners region and Chaco Culture National Historical Park… “The Bureau of Land Management last month opened a two-week window for members of the public to weigh in on its proposal to eliminate or shrink the 10-mile buffer zone that protects Chaco from mining operations. Native leaders in New Mexico and every member of the state’s federal delegation have sharply criticized the proposal.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: State Sen. Mike Bousselot ends 2026 campaign
Kathie Obradovich, 8/14/26

“State Sen. Mike Bousselot, an Ankeny Republican, announced Friday he is ending his campaign for reelection in Senate District 23 as he “pursues a private-sector professional opportunity,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “...Bousselot will serve until the end of the year when his term ends. “This is not a decision I make lightly,” Bousselot said in a statement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Iowa and humbled by the confidence voters placed in me. It has been a privilege to represent my constituents and participate in the work of the Iowa Legislature.” Bousselot did not specify the professional opportunity but said in his release he had intended to pursue it while continuing to serve in the Iowa Senate. “It was only recently that he learned the requirements associated with the role would not allow him to do both. The position is entirely outside of politics and does not involve lobbying or advocacy before the Iowa Legislature,” the press release stated.”

KPFA: Carbon Capture & Storage for California?
8/14/26

“On today’s show, carbon capture and storage for California? That is the question. I’ll speak to Ileana Navarro policy associate with the Central California Environmental Justice Network, Stanford University Woods Institute for the Environment policy fellow and scientist Thom Hersbach and Nina Robertson, deputy managing attorney for Earthjustice to get some answers,” KPFA reports. “Response from California Air Resource Board (CARB)’s Lindsay Buckley: “California’s ambitious climate goals require both significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and growth of carbon sequestration. To help meet this charge, CARB staff initiated work on the Senate Bill 905 rulemaking last year which requires the agency to create the Carbon Capture, Removal, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Program to evaluate, demonstrate, and regulate CCUS and carbon dioxide.”

KXNET: 1,100 barrels of produced water spilled in Mountrail County
Edward Segal, 8/14/26

“The North Dakota Oil and Gas Division reported a produced water spill Thursday in Mountrail County,” KXNET reports. “Falcon Midstream Services LLC says 1,100 barrels [46,200 gallons] of produced water were spilled at their site about 10.5 miles northwest of Ross. 1,062 barrels have been recovered.”

EXTRACTION

E&E News: US threatens EU over its green reporting rules
Milena Wälde, 8/14/26

“The U.S. on Friday threatened action against the EU unless Brussels reins in its environmental and human rights rules, which Washington says unfairly burden American companies,” E&E News reports. “Acknowledging Brussels had made “some positive reforms,” Washington said the EU had “failed to fully address U.S. concerns,” and that it “will take any actions necessary to address unreasonable burdens on U.S. commerce.” “...The dispute centers on two pillars of the EU’s corporate sustainability rulebook: the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which requires large companies to address human rights and environmental harms linked to their operations and supply chains, and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, which requires companies to disclose sustainability-related information.”

The Narwhal: As Canadian oil companies rake in record profits, should taxpayers get a larger share?
Carl Meyer, 8/17/26

“Canada’s large oil companies are raking in record profits during an energy crisis,” The Narwhal reports. “...The oil and gas industry is the largest source of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change that scientists say has been driving major heat waves and wildfires across the country this summer, destroying communities and upending lives. Yet instead of using its windfall during the Russian invasion to invest heavily in non-emitting energy sources, or to widely deploy technology to decarbonize its operations, the industry began funnelling a larger proportion of its revenues to shareholders, while a group of oilsands companies went to governments asking them to cover much of the cost of their proposed emissions projects… “As Canadians see those profits, we need to see reinvestment into cleaner energy instead of share buybacks,” Guilbeault said in a video posted online in October 2022… “The conversation has reignited calls for a windfall profits tax on the oil and gas industry, something more than 60 unions and civil society organizations have been calling for… “Elbows Up For Climate, which represents almost 300 mayors, councillors and local officials from across Canada advocating for national environmental projects, is one of the groups calling for a windfall tax… “Applying a new windfall tax on oil profits today could generate between $18 billion and $46 billion over the next year, depending on the tax rate and how much of a company’s profits it applies to, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.”

Press release: First Nations Lead Kino Aski LNG – A Major Canadian Energy Project
8/17/26

“Kino Aski Inc. and Marinvest Energy Canada Inc. announced today the joint development of Kino Aski LNG, a First Nations–led energy corridor and liquefied natural gas (LNG) project designed to supply Europe with competitive, low–carbon Canadian energy. The project is based on an innovative partnership model where Kino Aski Inc. holds a majority ownership interest in the project development company, Kino Aski LNG Inc., while Marinvest Energy Canada Inc. holds a minority interest. This structure places First Nations at the centre of the project’s governance, financing, design, construction, and operations, while inviting international energy industry partners to provide expertise and invest alongside Canadian partners to secure a European energy supply… “The project is designed to deliver up to 15 million tonnes of LNG per year, powered by renewable electricity in Quebec. By supplying certified low-methane Canadian natural gas, Kino Aski LNG will help decarbonize existing energy consumers during the transition to net-zero emissions. Natural gas will be sourced from Western Canada and transported to the year-round operating Port of Baie–Comeau using a combination of existing and new pipeline infrastructure… “Kino Aski Inc. and Marinvest Energy Canada Inc. emphasize that the project remains in the development phase. Discussions with governments, communities, and industry partners are ongoing. No formal regulatory process has yet begun.”

Harvard Media: Carbon capture sector gathering in Edmonton as Pathways decisions approach
Jon Tupper, 8/17/26

“More than 5,000 people are expected in Edmonton next month for a national convention focused on carbon capture as governments and industry work toward agreements on the proposed Pathways project,” Harvard Media reports. “Carbon Capture Canada 2026 will run Sept. 15 to 17 at the Edmonton Convention Centre, bringing together representatives from government, industry, investment and technology sectors… “The convention comes after Canada, Alberta and the Oil Sands Alliance signed a memorandum of understanding July 2 concerning the Pathways carbon capture project. Definitive agreements related to the project are expected this fall… “Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is among the scheduled speakers, along with Oil Sands Alliance president Kendall Dilling and Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation CEO Chana Martineau.”

Associated Press: A British firm starts containment of oil spill from stricken tanker off Oman
Sarah El Deeb, 8/13/26

“A British company said Thursday it has been hired to salvage a grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker off Oman’s coast and stop an oil spill that is threatening wildlife as it reaches the country’s shoreline following its dramatic spread in recent weeks,” the Associated Press reports. “Satellite images have shown that oil from the tanker Caroline Bezengi has exponentially spread over hundreds of square kilometers during stormy weather, endangering a marine protected area… “Ambrey, a UK-based maritime risk and response company, told AP its personnel boarded the vessel with help from the Omani air force to assess its condition before stabilizing it… “Satellite images also have shown that the tanker is increasingly submerged, and experts have warned of an unprecedented environmental disaster if the vessel sinks or breaks open and leaks its entire cargo… “Oman’s Environment Authority said Wednesday the oil spill has reached the shores of Ras Madrakah, more than 200 kilometers (more than 120 miles) north of Qabiliyah Island. Authorities said they estimated the spill could reach more than 100 kilometers further north, to Masirah Island. Hanen Keskes, a campaigner for the environmental group Greenpeace, told AP it is “extremely concerning” that the oil has spread from an offshore spill to the shoreline where it can contaminate coastal sediments.”

BBC: Major oil slick washes up on Iran coast after Hormuz ship strike
8/14/26

“Verified videos show a major oil slick washing up on Iran’s Qeshm Island, which analysts have said comes from a ship hit by a strike in the Strait of Hormuz,” the BBC reports. “BBC Verify has also analysed satellite imagery suggesting the oil spill originated from an attack on a vessel in Omani waters on 3 August. A week later, the apparent fuel leakage from the Minoan Pioneer bulk carrier had spread across a large area of the strait. Environmental experts say the spill threatens wildlife, protected ecosystems and fishing communities around Qeshm, which is home to mangrove forests, nearby coral reef habitats and nesting sites for critically endangered Hawksbill turtles… “A local environmental protection official has since said the spill has been “almost completely cleaned up”. BBC Verify has not been able to independently confirm this.”

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

Enbridge: Volunteer EMTs get a new ride to the rescue
8/14/26

“...Through our Safe Community First Responder Program, Enbridge invests in emergency response organizations near our operations—helping them purchase equipment and access training and critical services,” according to Enbridge. “Launched in 2002, the Safe Community program has invested about $24.7 million in organizations across North America. We recently chipped in with a Safe Community grant for Mohall’s new ambulance, which will make a world of difference when it arrives in late 2027—both for patients in need of urgent care, and volunteer crews who won’t need to decide which rig to use.”

OPINION

Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): How carbon capture is failing the capital discipline test
Adam Hunt, 8/11/26

“CCS projects can struggle to clear ordinary commercial tests even with substantial subsidies; viable returns still depend on credible costs, firm demand and durable revenues,” Adam Hunt writes for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). “Technical performance is inseparable from financial risk for CCS: capture shortfalls and uncertain transport and storage performance can raise costs, weaken emissions benefits and create long-term liabilities. CCS should compete with other decarbonisation options for scarce capital; in some sectors, alternatives may offer investors stronger economic and emissions outcomes. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) rests on two promises: that it can cut emissions through secure, permanent carbon storage; and that the projects can make commercial sense. Project results are showing both promises may be difficult to meet… “Having an array of projects in the pipeline can create the appearance of momentum. But it does not establish that customers will buy hydrogen, ammonia, low-carbon power or carbon transport and storage services at prices that support investment… “Lower capture rates can also undermine the value of the product itself: IEEFA found that more realistic capture assumptions could push blue hydrogen’s carbon intensity to more than three times the U.S. clean-hydrogen standard. Capture is only one link in the chain. CO₂ must be transported and stored for decades. IEEFA has found limited long-term operating data for commercial-scale storage, alongside regulatory uncertainty and potential long-term liability… “Capital discipline does not mean ruling out every CCS proposal. It means requiring a convincing commercial case before investors, taxpayers or consumers are asked to carry the risk.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• Pipeline Fighters Hub: Summit Carbon Sued for Second Time Over Unpaid Pipeline Bills

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Another pipeline parts company accuses Summit of backing out of contract

• Carbon Herald: Summit Carbon Solutions Hit With $6.6M Supplier Lawsuit Amid Pipeline Delays

• WWTV: Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians condemns Army Corps’ Line 5 tunnel permit approval

• Appalachian Voices: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality proposes $179,000 fine for Southeast Supply Enhancement Project violations during pipeline construction

• Mlive.com: DTE files error-riddled application for $88M Northern Michigan gas pipeline

• E&E News: California green-lights oil company acquisition of struggling pipeline system

• Delaware Business Times: Chesapeake Utilities plans $1.2B Florida pipeline project

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Salt Lake Tribune: A mining CEO bought 74,000 shares days before Trump shrank Bears Ears. House Democrats want answers

• E&E News: Top White House oil liaison departs for Sable Offshore

STATE UPDATES

• California Post: Gas giant makes sudden U-turn on mass oil field eco project in California

• KOSU: Federal judge vacates illegal federal approvals for fracking on Pawnee trust land in Oklahoma

• Aspen Daily News: Government advances plans to drill on Roan Plateau in Garfield County

EXTRACTION

• Bloomberg: Most power sought for US data centers will never materialize, analysts say

• Wall Street Journal: Elon Musk, the World’s Most Famous EV Pioneer, Is Now Leaning Into Fossil Fuels

• Brazil Energy Insight: Brazil Advances Low-Carbon Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Regulation

• Associated Press: Oman says the oil spill from a grounded tanker has reached its coastline

CLIMATE FINANCE

• Bloomberg: AI giants are quiet on climate in sign of post-ESG Wall Street

OPINION

• McCook Gazette: Nebraska advocate urges opposition to Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed CO2 pipeline, citing safety, landowner and taxpayer concerns.

• Chatham House: Why Carney’s pipeline gamble is a bad bet for Canadian taxpayers

• Common Dreams: Governments Must Act Like Access to Water Is a Human Right, Because It Is
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Pipeline Fighters Hub: Summit Carbon Sued for Second Time Over Unpaid Pipeline Bills
Emma Schmit, 8/13/26

“In a July 27, 2026 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, pipeline material supply company Patton Myhre sued SCS Carbon Transport (an affiliate of Summit Carbon Solutions) for breach of contract, seeking “at least $6.6 million” in damages,” the Pipeline Fighters Hub reports. “The complaint alleges that Summit contracted with Patton Myhre to supply 251 valves and related control equipment for use in Summit’s proposed carbon pipeline project, but failed to pay. According to Patton Myhre, “Summit simply chose not to pay”. The complaint also alleges that in May 2025, Summit told Patton Myhre it was electing not to pursue the multi-billion dollar, multi-state pipeline project. As such, the company said Summit no longer wanted all the valves, and demanded that Patton Myhre find other buyers for the unwanted valves, as the company said Summit’s “executive leadership had decided to ‘conserve capital’ rather than pay Patton Myhre . . . ” This is the second major lawsuit filed against Summit by a major pipeline industry vendor. In February 2024, Welspun Tubular – one of just a few companies worldwide that produces the steel used to build pipelines – sued Summit for more than $15 million for breach of contract, after Summit tried canceling an order for the manufacturing of steel pipe. Oral arguments in that case were held last month, and a decision is forthcoming .“This lawsuit is seemingly evidence of Summit’s limited financial capacity and its uncertainty about the design and purpose of its proposed CO2 pipeline project. Given that the Midwest Carbon Express is a multibillion dollar project, its unwillingness to pay a $6.6 million claim suggests that Summit is strapped for cash. After retaining a new CEO in 2025, Summit pushed a narrative that it was turning over a new leaf and would treat landowners and partners with the respect they deserve, but once again, Summit’s actions don’t match its words,” said Cynthia Hansen, Shelby County Landowner. “If Summit is willing to treat multi-national business partners with such disregard, why would we expect them to treat Iowans any better? Iowans expect honesty and fair play. Summit is not Iowa nice, not acting in good faith and they can’t be trusted with just a handshake,” said Kathy Carter, landowner in Floyd County.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Another pipeline parts company accuses Summit of backing out of contract
Cami Koons, 8/13/26

“The company planning to build a carbon sequestration pipeline through Iowa is being sued by a second pipeline parts company, this time for $6.6 million,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “...Patton Myhre Sourcing alleges Summit is in breach of its purchase contract and now owes more than $6.6 million for the valves it agreed to purchase in 2022 for the pipeline that, at the time of the contract, would have transported sequestered carbon dioxide from biorefineries in Iowa and surrounding states to underground storage in North Dakota. Summit’s project has faced a number of delays since, including a ban on the use of eminent domain for carbon sequestration pipelines in South Dakota, and attempts to pass a similar law in Iowa… “In 2025, the petition alleges, Summit said it “was electing not to pursue the project and no longer wanted the valves.” “...Summit’s delinquency caused significant financial strain on Patton Myhre, which had already incurred substantial costs to manufacture and store the valves,” the filed complaint reads… “In 2024, the Arkansas pipe manufacturer Welspun Tubular sued Summit for $15 million after the company canceled its agreement with the pipe maker… “Summit Carbon Solutions did not respond to a request for comment and as of Thursday, it had not filed a response to the petition from Patton Myhre.”

Carbon Herald: Summit Carbon Solutions Hit With $6.6M Supplier Lawsuit Amid Pipeline Delays
Violet George, 8/14/26

“Carbon capture pipeline developer SCS Carbon Transport LLC, an affiliate of Summit Carbon Solutions, is facing a $6.6 million lawsuit from Texas-based equipment supplier Patton Myhre Sourcing over an alleged breach of contract,” the Carbon Herald reports. “Filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, the complaint alleges Summit failed to honor a 2022 agreement to purchase 251 specialized valves valued at over $7.3 million… “According to court filings, Summit repeatedly requested payment delays as the project hit regulatory roadblocks, including South Dakota’s ban on using eminent domain for carbon pipelines, before informing the vendor in 2025 that it no longer wanted the valves… “The filing marks the second time a major equipment supplier has taken legal action against Summit for canceled procurement agreements. In 2024, Arkansas-based pipe manufacturer Welspun Tubular sued Summit for $15 million following a canceled supply agreement. That case went to trial in Delaware federal court, where a final decision remains pending.”

WWTV: Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians condemns Army Corps’ Line 5 tunnel permit approval
Adam Bartelmay, 8/13/26

“The chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is joining the growing chorus of fellow Native American leaders opposing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval of Line 5 tunnel proposal,” WWTV reports. “...In a statement released Thursday, Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes said: “Yesterday was a dark day for Tribal Nations across the Midwest. It is a dark day for the Great Lakes, the environment, and all those who hold a special place in their hearts for the Straits of Mackinac. Oaths have been broken. Tribal sovereignty ignored. The federal government’s Indian trust responsibility disregarded. The United States Army Corps of Engineers has approved a key permit Enbridge needs to construct a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. A tunnel that threatens to unearth and violate the bodies and spirits of our ancestors who have been at rest since long before colonization… “Thankfully, construction cannot begin at this time. The Michigan Supreme Court recently vacated permits issued by the Michigan Public Service Commission. Enbridge must reapply and go through that permitting process again… “Enbridge also has a long history of broken promises and spilling millions of gallons of oil. Let us not forget the disasters near Kalamazoo, Mich., and Grand Rapids, Minn. Two of the largest inland oil spills in United States history occurred under Enbridge’s supervision, spilling nearly 2 million gallons of oil combined. Is this the fate that awaits Line 5 and the Great Lakes tunnel project?... “For Enbridge, it may be another load of earth moved during construction. For us, it is our ancestors. And when people visit Lake Michigan during the summer if construction is ever underway and hear the constant hum and feel the vibration of industrial equipment for months on end, we will know what lies beneath it. Our ancestors… “We do not trust Enbridge.”

Appalachian Voices: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality proposes $179,000 fine for Southeast Supply Enhancement Project violations during pipeline construction
8/13/26

“On July 16, the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company signed a proposed consent order by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality that would levy a $179,068 fine against the company for failure to comply with erosion and sediment control regulations,” according to Appalachian Voices. “DEQ is accepting public comments on the proposed order until Sept. 9. More than 75 violations were discovered by DEQ and third-party compliance inspectors conducting inspections from April 8, 2026, through June 11, 2026, on the Eden Loop of the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project. SSEP is a 55-mile, 42-inch diameter high-pressure methane gas pipeline. The Eden Loop is located in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and Rockingham County, North Carolina. The fine would amount to the sacrifice of about an hour’s worth of profit for the gas pipeline giant, which reported $384 million in net income for the first quarter of 2026 to the Securities and Exchange Commission. “These types of violations are exactly what communities along the pipeline route have been warning regulators about throughout the permitting process,” said Matt Allenbaugh, Virginia Campaign Coordinator at Appalachian Voices. “The fact that the pipeline company couldn’t manage stormwater and erosion and sediment control during a drought illustrates why this pipeline should not have been permitted in the first place.” “...This pattern of pollute, pay and move on will only stop when community objections to dirty projects are given the attention they deserve and enforcement action removes the incentive to rush construction in the name of profit,” said Russell Chisholm, Managing Director of Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights.”

Mlive.com: DTE files error-riddled application for $88M Northern Michigan gas pipeline
Lucas Smolcic Larson, 8/13/26

“One of the state’s largest gas companies hopes to build a nearly 14-mile pipeline through Northern Michigan, but first it will have to get its facts straight,” Mlive.com reports. “DTE Gas Co. began seeking state approval for the $88 million pipeline last week by filing an application filled with contradictory information about basic project details, like how big the pipeline is, how much it will cost and when it could be built. An environmental impact report for the natural gas pipeline proposed near Petoskey, filed Aug. 6, was meant to detail potential effects on groundwater, wetlands and wildlife. Instead, it was stocked with placeholder text and empty tables. DTE said it was a simple mistake. The utility submitted an incomplete version of the application to regulators with the Michigan Public Service Commission and began to correct the errors within hours of MLive inquiring about it… “But the oversight troubled observers in Northern Michigan, where the project has also angered some landowners who could see their land taken with eminent domain for the pipeline if it secures state approval. “It definitely underscores a lack of due diligence and seriousness to this proposal. It also to me signals that there’s an expectation that no matter what they turn in, the MPSC will rubberstamp it,” Ashley Rudzinski, climate and environment program director at the nonprofit Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities in Traverse City, told Mlive… “The new pipeline is proposed to run from an existing gate station just west of Petoskey near the Little Traverse Bay shoreline, south of the city and east through Emmet County. It will connect with the more than 2,000-mile TC Energy Corp. pipeline system running through the Upper Peninsula and into Ontario, as well as connecting the Midwest to gas basins in western Canada… “Some property owners have significant concerns with the route, according to Alan Ackerman, an attorney specializing in eminent domain who has clients in the area. “They’re going to rip into two really nice conservation areas,” he told Mlive. “People donate their land for conservation, not for having their trees taken down by DTE’s gas line…It’s really tough to deal with them. I mean, they’re the 8,000-pound gorilla in this state, the utilities.”

E&E News: California green-lights oil company acquisition of struggling pipeline system
Noah Baustin, 8/14/26

“California’s top oil producer has the green light to acquire a key California oil pipeline system that has been teetering on the brink of financial collapse,” E&E News reports. “The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday voted to approve the California Resources Corporation’s purchase of the San Pablo Bay Pipeline and Crimson California Pipeline companies from CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust. The system, totaling about 2,000 miles of pipeline, includes arteries that connect the Kern County oil fields to refineries in the Bay Area and the Ventura County oil fields to refineries in the Long Beach region. The San Pablo Bay Pipeline has been idle since December, cutting off California oil producers’ access to refineries in the Bay Area and putting strain on the remaining pipelines connecting to the Los Angeles region.”

Delaware Business Times: Chesapeake Utilities plans $1.2B Florida pipeline project
Jennifer Antonik, 8/13/26

“Chesapeake Utilities Corporation has Florida on its mind — a $1.2 billion natural gas infrastructure project that will continue to expand the company’s footprint in the Sunshine State,” the Delaware Business Times reports. “Peninsula Pipeline Company, a Chesapeake Utilities subsidiary, will develop, construct and operate the Florida Energy Pathway, or FEP, as announced in July. The proposed 24-inch intrastate natural gas pipeline would run 97 miles from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade County… “The pipeline is intended to increase natural gas transportation capacity, address regional supply constraints and improve system reliability in Florida. It is already backed by multiple investment-grade shippers with commitments totaling nearly 250,000 dekatherms per day with the company still seeking additional commitments… “Although the company estimates an investment of approximately $1.2 billion, that figure remains subject to final engineering, design, permitting and other development work.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Salt Lake Tribune: A mining CEO bought 74,000 shares days before Trump shrank Bears Ears. House Democrats want answers
Leia Larsen, 8/13/26

“Congressional Democrats have opened an investigation into Energy Fuels after the company’s CEO and chairman bought thousands of shares of stock just days before President Donald Trump downsized the neighboring Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah,” the Salt Lake Tribune reports. “On July 7, 2026, CEO Ross Bhappu bought 74,000 shares of Energy Fuels, the largest insider purchase of stock in the company’s history, according to a news release issued by the House Natural Resources Committee Democrats… “Less than a week later, Trump removed 1.24 million acres from Bears Ears National Monuments — making the land available again for mining… “We understand that monument boundaries were redrawn in a way that could benefit Energy Fuels,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Bhappu… “Bears Ears has long been subject to a political ping-pong match, as administrations have shifted between greater protections and a larger role for tribal nations in managing the lands, and limiting those protections to make more federal land available for mining energy development and other uses.”

E&E News: Top White House oil liaison departs for Sable Offshore
James Bikales, 8/13/26

“Brittany Kelm, one of the White House’s top liaisons with the oil and gas industry, is leaving the administration for a position at Sable Offshore Corp., the oil producer that the White House aided in restarting a set of controversial oil platforms off California’s Central Coast earlier this year,” E&E News reports. “Kelm, who started at the Interior Department before moving to the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council as senior policy adviser for oil and gas last May, will depart the administration Friday, according to the White House. The Trump administration invoked the Defense Production Act earlier this year to help Sable restart a pipeline system shut down after a spill in 2015 over the objections of state and local authorities. The company has also pushed the administration to establish a West Coast strategic petroleum reserve.”

STATE UPDATES

California Post: Gas giant makes sudden U-turn on mass oil field eco project in California
Sheetal Banchariya, 8/13/26

“Chevron has suddenly pulled out of a massive climate project in California’s Kern County, which was aimed at pulling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and burying it underground,” the California Post reports. “The gas giant has backed down from a 2023 federal partnership with the US Department of Energy for the Western Regional Direct Air Capture Hub project –– the only local “DAC” project approved to receive multimillion-dollar subsidies under the Biden administration. Chevron’s spokeswoman Chanel Jolly told the Post the company had decided to withdraw from the project in July 2025 after having extensive discussions with the Department of Energy… “Chevron’s agreement to a consensus termination of this award should not be construed as a reflection of the viability of the project, the performance or contributions of any participating subrecipient organization, Chevron’s position on other partnerships with DOE or DOE’s efforts to support CCS,” Jolly wrote in an email, reports The Bakersfield Californian… “According to the project documents accessed by The California Post, the energy corporation was to develop infrastructure to capture carbon dioxide from an oilfield power plant in Kern County and permanently trap it deep underground rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide produced by the Eastridge Cogeneration Plant would then be transported through a new pipeline directly to a storage site within the Kern River Oilfield… “The gas giant had also received a $3 million Department of Energy grant in August 2023 to study the feasibility of the project, according to the Kern County.”

KOSU: Federal judge vacates illegal federal approvals for fracking on Pawnee trust land in Oklahoma
Graycen Wheeler, 8/13/26

“A federal judge has voided oil and gas drilling permits on Pawnee Nation trust land, concluding a decade-old court case,” KOSU reports. “The U.S. Department of the Interior did not follow all necessary U.S. or Pawnee laws in leasing the land or issuing the drilling permits, the judge found… “Ultimately, the court concluded in early August that the case was not moot. The judge ordered the permits vacated, saying the agencies did not adequately notify and consult with the Pawnee Nation before issuing them. The judge also cited earthquake risks associated with fracking that were not considered when the drilling permits were issued.” “...The Bureau of Land Management approved the drilling permits without getting consent from — or even informing — the tribe or individual landowners. “The only way the Pawnee learned of this was that one of the members, Walter Echo-Hawk, noticed that a Crown Energy work crew was starting to do work on the edge of his property one day,” Attorney Michael Freeman with non-profit legal group Earthjustice told KOSU. “He went out to find out what was going on and learned that the federal government had approved drilling on his land.”

Aspen Daily News: Government advances plans to drill on Roan Plateau in Garfield County
Drew Shaw, 8/13/26

“The federal government is moving forward with plans to lease about 5,000 acres of public land for oil and gas drilling on Garfield County’s Roan Plateau in December,” the Aspen Daily News reports. “The U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Wednesday released an environmental assessment of potential drilling on the plateau, which towers roughly 4,000 feet over the surrounding Colorado River Valley. The BLM dismissed alternatives that would have deferred drilling on the plateau — an option strongly advocated for by environmental groups who have spent decades trying to get the Roan’s pristine landscapes and diverse wildlife permanently protected… “The top of the Roan is intact today … because conservationists, energy companies and the federal government have worked together on solutions that protect this iconic landscape,” Mike Freeman, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, a national nonprofit that led the 2008 lawsuit, told the News. “BLM’s proposed leasing would abandon years of cooperation and put the unique natural resources of the Roan in harm’s way.”

EXTRACTION

Bloomberg: Most power sought for US data centers will never materialize, analysts say
Gabriel Levin and Emily Forgash, 8/12/26

“More than two-thirds of the electricity sought for the artificial intelligence boom in the US isn’t likely to materialize due to “phantom” projects and long-shot pitches,” Bloomberg reports. “That’s based on new projections from Wood Mackenzie, which sees U.S. grid operators and utilities likely committing to about 28 percent of the 1,066 gigawatts requested for data center projects… “Developers have been taking a shotgun approach to pitching projects to utilities, seeking to get ahead in the AI build-out. That’s overwhelming U.S. grids and creating even more data center bottlenecks. The explosion of requests is stretching approval timelines, forcing more applications to be vetted than ever before, and threatening to undermine U.S. efforts to compete in the global AI race.”

Wall Street Journal: Elon Musk, the World’s Most Famous EV Pioneer, Is Now Leaning Into Fossil Fuels
Becky Peterson, Jennifer Hiller, 8/13/26

“Elon Musk’s vision for taking electric vehicles mainstream at Tesla helped make him the world’s richest man. Now he’s pulling up to the gas pump,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Last week, SpaceX disclosed plans to build a natural gas power plant in Grimes County, Texas, where the company is developing a huge new chip manufacturing facility. At other campuses in Tennessee and Mississippi, Musk is relying on dozens of gas turbines to power datacentres he says are necessary to train the artificial intelligence…”

Brazil Energy Insight: Brazil Advances Low-Carbon Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Regulation
8/13/26

“The government also signed significant decrees for the energy industry. The first regulates the implementation of the National Low-Carbon Hydrogen Policy,” Brazil Energy Insight reports. “...According to projections by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), Brazil has the technical potential to produce up to 1.8 gigatonnes of low-carbon hydrogen annually. More than US$ 290 billion in private investments have already been announced for projects across 18 Brazilian states… “The government signed a decree establishing the conditions for carbon dioxide capture, pipeline transport, and geological storage activities (CCS/CCUS) in Brazil… “Furthermore, the decree mandates that the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), supported by the Energy Research Office (EPE), develop a national infrastructure plan to guide the implementation of carbon capture, transport, and geological storage sites, with updates required every two years… “The decree also acknowledges various technological pathways for carbon capture and storage and establishes that operations may only be terminated after the stability of the stored carbon has been verified, following a minimum monitoring period of 20 years.”

Associated Press: Oman says the oil spill from a grounded tanker has reached its coastline
8/12/26

“Oil leaking from a tanker grounded off the coast of Oman is not only endangering a nearby island but has now also reached beaches on the Gulf Arab country’s mainland, to the north of the island, Oman’s environment authority said Wednesday,” the Associated Press reports. “Crude oil has been leaking from the tanker Caroline Bezengi — a sanctioned tanker believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” — that was carrying nearly 1 million barrels of oil when it reported an explosion in June… “Environmental experts told AP an oil spill has been spreading quickly in recent weeks from the partially submerged tanker off the shores of Qabiliyah Island, endangering a marine protected area there. Oman’s Environment Authority said it has been monitoring the leak and found that contamination has also reached the beaches of Ras Madrakah on mainland Oman, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) to the north of Qabiliyah Island. The authorities also warned that the southern coasts of Masirah Island, over 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of the submerged tanker’s location, may also be affected in the coming hours.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

Bloomberg: AI giants are quiet on climate in sign of post-ESG Wall Street
Olivia Raimonde and Summer Maxwell, 8/12/26

“In a few short years, U.S. artificial intelligence startups have grown into some of the most powerful and influential businesses in the world, reaching near-trillion-dollar valuations. As two of them, Anthropic and OpenAI, prepare for initial public offerings, there’s a notable absence: The companies haven’t disclosed their greenhouse gas emissions, made net-zero pledges or published sustainability reports,” Bloomberg reports. “Not too long ago, investors would have cried foul. Even fossil-fuel stalwarts like ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. have been voluntarily producing sustainability reports for years. The Big Tech companies scaling up AI infrastructure — Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. — have net-zero goals and report their emissions, which are now spiking due to the data-center boom. But in an era of climate backlash, many investors have fallen quiet on the issue and US regulators have retreated. So the public is left guessing about how much climate pollution is tied to the large language models of OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX’s SpaceXAI, and whether the companies plan to curb it. Although precise numbers are lacking, it’s clear that the sector’s emissions are enormous. New gas plants for data centers in the US alone could soon generate as much climate pollution as the entire country of Australia, according to research by the nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project.”

OPINION

McCook Gazette: Nebraska advocate urges opposition to Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed CO2 pipeline, citing safety, landowner and taxpayer concerns.
Shelli Meyer, Nebraska Director, Bold Alliance and Education Fund, 8/13/26

“Fellow Nebraskans: are you aware of the carbon dioxide pipeline targeting our communities in our southern counties? An out-of-state corporation, Summit Carbon Solutions, is proposing to route a highly pressurized pipeline transporting CO2, a known asphyxiant, through Southern Nebraska. Why? Because the federal government is offering billions of our tax dollars to them for injecting the toxic, CO2 waste underground,” Shelli Meyer writes for the McCook Gazette. “Not only is this a bad deal for taxpayers, it’s a bad deal for the landowners and communities who have to absorb the risks for the company’s private reward. From the potential of a pipeline rupture like the one in Satartia, MS that sent nearly 50 people to the hospital and required the evacuation of hundreds more, to declining yields and property values, and the threat of eminent domain, this proposed pipeline seems to offer everyda Nebraskans nothing but grief. This land feeds and fuels America, let’s not destroy it for the profit of Summit and its billionaire investors.”

Chatham House: Why Carney’s pipeline gamble is a bad bet for Canadian taxpayers
Chris Aylett, Research Fellow, Environment and Society Centre; Phesheya Nxumalo, Research Associate, Sustainability Accelerator, Environment and Society Centre, 8/14/26

“Since taking office in January 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney has steered Canada’s energy policy away from reducing emissions towards increasing fossil fuel exports,” Chris Aylett and Phesheya Nxumalo write for Chatham House. “Some would argue that he had little choice. The Canadian economy is under pressure amidst the trade war launched by the administration of President Donald Trump… “But Carney’s pivot may backfire, for one simple reason. The new markets Canada is relying upon for export growth will not buy imported oil and gas forever. And they may reduce their consumption sooner than anticipated. Pouring taxpayer money into export infrastructure, largely to the benefit of foreign companies, doesn’t de-risk Canada’s economy. It risks swapping dependence on the US for other uncertain foreign markets… “In July, Alberta and Ottawa agreed a new east-to-west oil pipeline, projected to carry 1 million barrels a day (b/d) of crude, following the route of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline… “Significant public spending has been dedicated to the task, on the grounds that what is spent will be returned to the public purse many times over in royalties, tax receipts, and economic growth. The new oil pipeline is expected to cost between 35 to 44 billion Canadian dollars (C$), of which most is set to be borne by the public, as was the case with the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion… “The government calls these projects ‘nation-building’. But foreign companies and investors will be among the primary beneficiaries… “There would be a clear economic, political and geopolitical logic to Carney’s strategy – if taxpayers could be assured of robust, long-term demand for Canada’s oil and gas in new markets. But that looks uncertain… “The federal balance sheet should be used not to underwrite new pipelines, but to ‘smooth’ these predictable electrification costs.”

Common Dreams: Governments Must Act Like Access to Water Is a Human Right, Because It Is
Carolyn Raffensperger, MA, JD, is the executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network, 8/14/26

“Increasingly, communities are facing threats to clean water from large industrial projects such as data centers and carbon capture and storage, or CCS, facilities that are being proposed and constructed in communities across the United States. The question is how should decisions about these facilities be made? Should government officials privilege capital and financial investments? Should they balance investment with other considerations such as noise, water, and energy costs?,” Carolyn Raffensperger writes for Common Dreams. “Of all the issues raised by these large projects, water is one of the most crucial for the simple reason that we cannot live without water. Given this necessity, access to clean water must be treated as a human right with governments charged with the ethical responsibility to serve as the trustees of water to protect it for present and future generations. This responsibility to protect access to clean water as a human right must guide their decisions on data centers and CCS facilities and other large industrial projects… “One step in implementing the precautionary principle to protect water requires special focus: the public’s right to give free, prior, and informed consent to projects that will impact water quantity and quality. The consent of the governed is fundamental to democracy as expressed in documents dating back to the Declaration of Independence. Current projects being rushed through city councils or county boards, cloaked in non-disclosure agreements and granted tax credits, deny the public the right to full information about the project and undermine the ability of governments to fulfill its public trust duties. By protecting local water supplies that may be threatened by these new, energy- and water- intensive uses, communities can help ensure that our most important natural resource remains clean and abundant for generations yet to come.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• Detroit Free Press: Army Corps approves Line 5 tunnel beneath Straits of Mackinac

• Press release: Tribes Slam U.S. Army Corps for Approving Line 5 Tunnel

• Bloomberg: Appeals Panel Declines to Rule on Authority Over Sable Pipeline

• KTUU: Alaska LNG pipeline bill collapses as House Majority say it lacks the votes

• E&E News: SCOTUS sets a date for arguments in pipeline eminent domain case

• CBC: Pipeline contracts awarded as Ksi Lisims LNG moves closer to final investment decision

• Canadian Underwriter: A west coast pipeline is coming. How that affects the insurance of carbon capture projects

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• E&E News: EPA to trim environmental justice rules

• E&E News: Insurers attacked for siding with fossil fuel industry in Supreme Court case

• Press release: Armstrong Builds Senate Momentum for Permitting Reform as 12 New Cosponsors Join His “American Energy & Mineral Infrastructure” Act

• Reuters: US to offer 81 million acres in Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale

• Reuters: US power use to beat record highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI use surges, EIA says

• Reuters: US natural gas output, demand to hit record highs in 2026, EIA says

STATE UPDATES

• Politico: California energy regulator says he’s open to working with Trump on oil refineries

• KQED: Californians Vow to Fight ‘Federal Takeover’ of Coastline for Oil Drilling

• KPBS: ‘When we drill, we spill’: Coastal leaders call Trump administration’s coastal agency review unprecedented

EXTRACTION

• Financial Post: Energy sector success produces healthy bonus, incentive payouts

• CBC: Judge cites legal notice issue, dismisses First Nation’s challenge against Alberta’s oilsands cleanup program

• Gasworld: Shift CCUS funding onto producers recommends IPPR

• E&E News: Top OpenAI exec: ‘We have real work to do’ on data centers

• Reuters: Huge oil slick hitting Oman’s shoreline as agencies warn of disaster

CLIMATE FINANCE

• Corporate Knights: Debate over fossil-fuel abatement erupts in climate finance community

OPINION

• Journal News: NY needs reliable energy. The Constitution Pipeline can help

• Colorado Newsline: Coloradans shouldn’t have to pay to clean up abandoned oil wells

• Canada’s National Observer: Carney can’t buy climate cover with pocket change

• Oil Change International: Our Pain, Their Gain: Tax Big Oil’s $65 Billion War Windfall
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Detroit Free Press: Army Corps approves Line 5 tunnel beneath Straits of Mackinac
Keith Matheny, 8/12/26

“A proposed tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac bottom to house oil and gas pipelines received a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — essentially the last federal hurdle to the massive infrastructure project,” the Detroit Free Press reports. “...Critics, however, called the process rushed and flawed, failing to consider environmental consequences and all alternatives. “The Army Corps’ decision is a thoroughly flawed product of a rushed process driven by the Trump administration’s phony ‘national energy emergency,’” David Holtz, coalition coordinator for Oil and Water Don’t Mix, a coalition of over 75 organizations including businesses, tribal nations, local governments and environmental groups united in opposition to the continued operation of Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, told the Free Press… “As part of the executive order, Trump called for federal agencies to “identify and use all relevant lawful emergency and other authorities available to them to expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriated infrastructure, energy, environmental and natural resources projects that are within the identified authority of each of the Secretaries to perform or to advance.” “...The approval of the Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Project is a testament to President Trump’s vision to ensure our nation’s energy dominance,” Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle said.”

Press release: Tribes Slam U.S. Army Corps for Approving Line 5 Tunnel
8/12/26

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today issued a record of decision approving Canadian company Enbridge’s proposal to bore a four-mile tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac to house its Line 5 oil pipeline. Despite the federal agency’s approval, Enbridge cannot move forward with construction because Michigan’s Supreme Court recently ordered the Michigan Public Service Commission to re-do its analysis of the project. The Army Corps’ permit follows other state approvals granted last month by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) under the leadership of Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “In contrast to her public messages, Governor Whitmer has not stood up to Enbridge — in fact quite the opposite,” said Managing Attorney Debbie Chizewer. “But for her administration granting the EGLE permit, the Army Corps could not have given its approval today and put the profits of a private company above the protection of the Great Lakes.” Under President Trump’s “National Energy Emergency” Executive Order, the U.S. Army Corps has short-circuited its review of the tunnel’s impacts, prompting seven Michigan Tribes to withdraw as cooperating agencies last March… “Today’s decision by the U.S. Army Corps is more than a procedural failure, it is a profound breach of the United States’ treaty trust responsibility to Tribal Nations,” said Bay Mills Indian Community President Whitney Gravelle.”

Bloomberg: Appeals Panel Declines to Rule on Authority Over Sable Pipeline
Taylor Mills, 8/12/26

“Sable Offshore Corp.’s pipeline will retain its federal designation after a federal appeals panel partially dismissed a lawsuit brought by environmental groups on Tuesday,” Bloomberg reports. “The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s new jurisdiction determination over the Las Flores pipeline system mooted groups’ earlier challenge to the agency’s decision to intervene last year. The ruling didn’t touch California’s ability to stop developments on its shorelines, as the panel didn’t say whether the contested portion of the pipeline fully within state waters is an interstate infrastructure…”

KTUU: Alaska LNG pipeline bill collapses as House Majority say it lacks the votes
Lars Hanson, 8/12/26

“A deal to provide tax exemptions for the proposed liquefied natural gas pipeline has fallen flat for lawmakers, and as it stands, there aren’t plans to move the gas line forward,” KTUU reports. “The governor pushed forward legislation to provide tax exemptions to clear the way for a gas line, but the House Bipartisan Majority Caucus said in a statement that it doesn’t have the votes. House Majority leadership said “intractable differences” over a property tax relief provision in the proposed HB 4001 had fractured support across party lines, with opposition coming from both majority and minority members… “The Senate Bipartisan Majority Caucus told Alaska’s News Source Wednesday evening the caucus doesn’t plan to reconvene next week. Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, said earlier this week the bill had a “low-fat milk” version of a corporate income tax the caucus has fought for — and opponents say killed the last version of the bill. The bill’s apparent collapse comes during the third consecutive special session on the Alaska LNG project and triggered a sharp rebuke from the governor who called the legislature’s failure to act “deeply disappointing.” “...The Legislature’s decision to not return to Juneau to take action on the proposed property tax change needed to advance the Alaska natural gas pipeline project is deeply disappointing and has consequences that extend well beyond this session… “With the third special session now effectively over without a vote, the question of whether the Alaska LNG project can advance before a new governor and legislature take office looms large.”

E&E News: SCOTUS sets a date for arguments in pipeline eminent domain case
Mike Soraghan, 8/11/26

“The Supreme Court has set oral arguments for Nov. 9 in an eminent domain case that has pitted North Dakota landowners against a gas company over how much they should be paid for having a pipeline trenched across their land,” E&E News reports. ”The legal question for the justices in Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission is whether courts should turn to federal or state law in such disputes. The case has worked its way through the court system as the Trump administration pushes to make it easier to build gas pipelines across the country, which means more disputes between companies and landowners over how much companies should pay when they take property from unwilling sellers… “The ranchers and other landowners say they should be entitled to the legal fees and other costs they racked up in their successful challenge of WBI Energy Transmission’s appraisal of what they were owed for taking their property for the 12-mile natural gas line.”

CBC: Pipeline contracts awarded as Ksi Lisims LNG moves closer to final investment decision
Matt Preprost, 8/12/26

“A B.C. company is part of a joint venture that has won a major contract for the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project,” the CBC reports. “The Nisga’a Nation and Western LNG say the Surerus Murphy Joint Venture will build the first segment of the new pipeline from northeastern B.C. to Ksi Lisims LNG on the north coast. The joint venture recently built portions of the Coastal GasLink and TransMountain expansion projects, and is currently building the Eagle Mountain pipeline for Woodfibre LNG… “Eva Clayton, president of Nisga’a Lisims Government, told CBC the nation is committed to building the project using Canadian business and local companies. Contractors will be required to develop an Indigenous participation plan for hiring and contracting… “The proposed $30-billion export facility has so far lined up buyers for half its 12-million tonne annual output… “A positive final investment decision would see construction start on the facility and pipeline in early 2027.”

Canadian Underwriter: A west coast pipeline is coming. How that affects the insurance of carbon capture projects
Jason Contant, 8/12/26

“The federal and Alberta governments’ recent agreement to advance a west coast pipeline has brought the insurance implications of such a project into the spotlight,” Canadian Underwriter reports. “...This project not only involves an Alberta-to-British Columbia pipeline, but also the Pathways Project, which the feds say will be “one of the world’s largest carbon capture and storage projects.” From an insurance perspective, there are “two adjacent markets here, and it’s worth keeping them distinct,” Patrick Rengger, a commercial account executive at Hub International, tells Canadian Underwriter. The first market insures the physical project — the pipeline, capture facility, and storage complex. The second insures the carbon credits themselves, separate from the physical infrastructure… “The insurance implication of the newly announced pipeline “is that CCS creates a genuinely new risk chain — capture, transport, and long-term subsurface storage — and the storage piece in particular doesn’t fit neatly into existing frameworks,” Rengger he tells CU… “For example, one of the trickiest liability questions in shared CCS infrastructure is when multiple emitters feed CO₂ into the same pipeline and storage complex and one delivers ‘off- spec’ CO₂ that contaminates the shared system, who pays?” Rengger asks… “Other risks include the possible leak of CO₂ once stored (if a cap cracks, for example) and the related costs of restoration, and losses to carbon credits. Products can cover the full asset lifecycle, from front-end engineering design through long-term underground plume migration and pipeline transport.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

E&E News: EPA to trim environmental justice rules
Kevin Bogardus, 8/12/26

“EPA plans to take down another pillar offering aid to underserved communities struggling with pollution, a longtime target of the Trump administration,” E&E News reports. “The agency on Tuesday sent a rule for review to the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that would rescind parts of EPA’s nondiscrimination regulations, according to an online notice. The rollback would align the agency with an executive order President Donald Trump signed last year to cut the use of “disparate impacts” — where neutral rules are found to adversely affect people based on race, sex and other protected classes — in government policy. EPA has relied on disparate impact analysis to elevate environmental justice work, aiming to ensure federal relief reaches low-income and minority areas. During the Biden administration, the agency found Black residents in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” faced high health risks. The investigation was later closed after blowback from Republican elected officials in and outside the state.”

E&E News: Insurers attacked for siding with fossil fuel industry in Supreme Court case
Saqib Rahim, 8/13/26

“They hoped to make the U.S. property-insurance industry an ally, but now, climate advocates are accusing insurers of selling out to oil and gas producers in a pivotal Supreme Court case over climate liability,” E&E News reports. “A court brief by insurance groups, which supports the fossil fuel industry’s effort to avoid liability for extreme weather damage, reveals how insurers are ignoring the need to protect their policyholders against climate change, advocates say. The brief “on behalf of Big Oil is the clearest public confirmation yet of where their loyalties lie,” the Center for Climate Integrity, which supports lawsuits against large energy companies, said in a recent statement. Dave Jones, a climate expert and former California insurance commissioner, said in his own recent Supreme Court brief that insurers have placed the “well-being of the fossil fuel sector” over the millions of homeowners they insure. Insurers have a financial interest in the fossil-fuel industry because they insure and invest in oil and gas projects, Jones added. This is amplifying climate change, even as insurers use extreme weather as a justification to raise home-insurance prices on policyholders and declare large swaths of the U.S. uninsurable, he said. A representative for an insurance group told E&E there is no alignment with or endorsement of the fossil fuel industry.”

Press release: Armstrong Builds Senate Momentum for Permitting Reform as 12 New Cosponsors Join His “American Energy & Mineral Infrastructure” Act
8/12/26

“Senator Alan Armstrong (R-OK) is growing momentum behind comprehensive permitting reform, announcing 13 additional Senate cosponsors for S. 4944, the American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure (AEMI) Act… “The growing support comes as the Senate left Washington for the August recess without producing a bipartisan permitting reform package. Negotiators say they are making progress and hope to unveil an agreement in September, but significant issues remain unresolved — including Clean Water Act and National Historic Preservation Act reviews — and the shrinking legislative calendar leaves little time to turn a deal into law. Against that backdrop, Armstrong is working to reinvigorate conversations on permitting reform in the Senate by advancing concrete provisions that find bicameral and bipartisan support… “Senator Alan Armstrong (R-OK) said, “Our national energy infrastructure is like a bridge: nobody really cares about it until it falls down, and the cracks are starting to show right now. We have a narrow window to act, and we cannot afford to let this opportunity pass us by. I am grateful to my 17 Senate colleagues who are co-sponsoring the AEMI Act. Together, we recognize that America cannot afford another year of delay.”

Reuters: US to offer 81 million acres in Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale
Nichola Groom and Timothy Gardner, 8/12/26

“The Trump administration on Wednesday will offer more than 81 million acres (32.8 million hectares) in the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drillers as part of an effort to boost domestic energy production with regular offshore lease sales,” Reuters reports. “...The Interior Department will offer 15,100 unleased blocks located between 3 and 231 miles (4.8 to 372 km) offshore on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Water depths range from 9 feet to more than 11,100 feet (2.7 to 3,380 meters), according to a document posted on a government website. According to a pre-sale document released on Tuesday, 12 companies submitted a total of 69 bids on 330,000 acres, or about 0.4% of the 81 million acres offered in the Gulf of Mexico, which Trump renamed the Gulf of America under an executive order. The second auction in March generated nearly $47 million in high bids for 25 blocks across roughly 141,000 acres. That was far less than the first auction in December mandated by the 2025 law, which yielded $279.4 million in high bids.”

Reuters: US power use to beat record highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI use surges, EIA says
Scott DiSavino, 8/11/26

“U.S. power consumption, which hit its second straight annual record high in 2025, will rise further in 2026 and 2027, driven by AI-hungry data centers and electrification, the Energy Information Administration said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Tuesday,” Reuters reports. “...Demand is surging in large part due to data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, and as homes and businesses use more electricity and less fossil fuels for heat and transportation. The EIA, however, said it lowered its forecast for electricity demand in Texas in 2027 after the state’s governor announced a pause on new data center development on August 3… “As renewable output rises, the EIA said the share of power generation from coal will slide from 17% in 2025 to 16% in 2026 and 15% in 2027, while the share of natural gas will hold at 40% in 2026 and 2027, the same as in 2025. The percentage of renewable generation will rise from around 24% in 2025 to 25% in 2026 and 27% in 2027, while nuclear power’s share will hold at 18% in 2026 and 2027, the same as in 2025, according to the outlook.”

Reuters: US natural gas output, demand to hit record highs in 2026, EIA says
Shariq Khan and Scott DiSavino, 8/11/26

“U.S. natural gas supply and demand will both rise to record highs in 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook on Tuesday,” Reuters reports. “The EIA projected dry gas production will rise from a record 107.6 billion cubic feet per day in 2025 to 111.2 bcfd in 2026 and 116.0 bcfd in 2027. The agency also projected domestic gas consumption will rise from a record 91.9 bcfd in 2025 to 92.0 bcfd in 2026 and 94.8 bcfd in 2027… “The agency forecast average U.S. liquefied natural gas exports would rise from a record 15.1 bcfd in 2025 to 17.4 bcfd in 2026 and 18.6 bcfd in 2027… “The agency projected carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels would decline from a three-year high of 4.904 billion metric tons in 2025 to 4.818 billion metric tons in 2026 as oil, gas and coal use decreases, before edging up to 4.843 billion metric tons in 2027 as gas use increases.”

STATE UPDATES

Politico: California energy regulator says he’s open to working with Trump on oil refineries
Camille von Kaenel, 811/2

“A top California energy regulator said he’s open to working with the Trump administration to keep the state’s struggling oil refineries open — while also slamming the administration’s efforts to restart offshore oil production and buy out offshore wind leases,” Politico reports. “California is “very focused” on maintaining refinery capacity, said California Energy Commission chair David Hochschild on Tuesday at POLITICO’s The California Agenda: Sacramento Summit, signaling rare alignment with the Trump administration on energy policy… “We’ll work in good faith with the Trump administration wherever we have common cause to keep gas prices down,” Hochschild said. He declined to say whether he would support the Trump administration if it were to find a buyer for a refinery in Benicia scheduled to close, saying he would “evaluate on a case-by-case basis.”

KQED: Californians Vow to Fight ‘Federal Takeover’ of Coastline for Oil Drilling
Ella Jackson, 8/11/26

“State lawmakers, Indigenous leaders, advocates and business groups gathered in Santa Monica on Monday to challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to open the California coast for oil drilling and other industrial projects,” KQED reports. “The stakeholders rallied ahead of an in-person meeting held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reviewing California’s Coastal Management Program, which speakers at the press conference considered to be an attack on California’s right to protect its coastline. “This federal administration is bent on industrializing our coast,” California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said, addressing a crowd of dozens, many of whom brandished protest signs or wore oceanic blue T-shirts with the slogan ‘No Federal Takeover.’ “For the first time in over four decades, through Republican and Democratic presidential administrations, this is the first administration moving aggressively to expand new offshore oil drilling,” Crowfoot said… “Bixby said that the coastal economy generates over $50 billion in annual revenue, with offshore oil making up just 1% of that figure today.”

KPBS: ‘When we drill, we spill’: Coastal leaders call Trump administration’s coastal agency review unprecedented
Tammy Murga, 8/11/26

“Public hearings this week could influence the future of oil production, rocket launches and other federal industrial projects off California’s coast,” KPBS reports. “The Trump administration is evaluating the state’s Coastal Commission and other coastal agencies. Depending on the outcome, the state could lose its authority to review and regulate projects that involve the coastline… “The current federal administration is behaving in an unprecedented way, and they are very excited to advance offshore oil drilling and other types of projects off the California coast,” Jennifer Savage, the Surfrider Foundation’s California policy manager, told KPBS…. “Lutnick ordered the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess California’s compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act, which “aims to balance competing land and water issues through state and territorial coastal management programs,” according to NOAA. He said the review should also look into whether California has interfered with “offshore oil production, maintenance of pipelines, and desalination.”

EXTRACTION

Financial Post: Energy sector success produces healthy bonus, incentive payouts
Devon Dekuyper, 8/13/26

“The economic turmoil and global political instability of 2025 didn’t upend the fortunes of Alberta’s biggest companies, or those leading them,” the Financial Post reports. “...The median base salary for named executives at the companies reviewed was up 5.8 per cent year-over-year. Additional boosts to bonuses, cash compensation and long-term incentives led to an almost 19 per cent jump in total compensation. Annual bonuses rose 27 per cent for all named executives, with CEOs seeing an almost eight per cent collective increase… “The oil and gas sector saw an 8.9 per cent increase in market cap year-over-year, and a 32.1 per cent increase in total shareholder return… “Seven of Alberta’s 10 highest-paid executives were oil and gas industry leaders, including top earner Toby McKenna, CEO of Rockpoint Gas Storage, who earned nearly $44 million, mostly from expected long-term incentive payouts.”

CBC: Judge cites legal notice issue, dismisses First Nation’s challenge against Alberta’s oilsands cleanup program
Vincent McDermott, 8/12/26

“An Alberta judge has dismissed a First Nation’s application for a judicial review targeting the program tasked with making sure coal mine and oilsands operators have the money to clean up their operations,” the CBC reports. “In his decision Wednesday, Justice Shannon Davis of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta said he was dismissing the application for a review because the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) did not serve legal notice to all parties considered directly affected within the required six-month window. The ACFN said it had only served the Alberta government because its lawyers considered the dispute to be over the Crown’s duty to consult. Canadian Natural Resources, Suncor Energy and Imperial Oil argued they should have also been served because they would have been directly affected by any changes to the program… “The ACFN’s concerns included allegations the program underestimates operators’ liabilities, does not consider changes to global oil markets that could hasten shutdowns and fails to incentivize reclamation throughout a mine’s life… “ACFN maintains their position that Alberta has failed to uphold its constitutional obligations to ensure the oilsands mines on ACFN’s traditional territories are properly reclaimed, and that Alberta’s Mine Financial Security Program is grossly inadequate to ensure ACFN’s lands can ultimately be restored,” she told CBC.”.

Gasworld: Shift CCUS funding onto producers recommends IPPR
Dominic Ellis, 8/13/26

“Fossil fuel producers determine the volume of carbon that enters the economy and should foot the bill for carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) infrastructure funding, according to a new paper from UK think tank The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR),” Gasworld reports. “It argues the current model treats taxpayers and industrial emitters as the primary obligated party – yet they are removed from the source of the problem – and believes extending the obligation upstream distributes costs more fairly across the value chain.”

E&E News: Top OpenAI exec: ‘We have real work to do’ on data centers
Tyler Katzenberger, 8/12/26

“A top OpenAI executive said Tuesday that the ChatGPT-maker must do more to sell skeptical communities on AI data centers as politicians and voters from both parties grow increasingly hostile to the hubs that are essential for the technology,” E&E News reports. ... The computing facilities are the backbone of America’s fast-growing AI economy and essential for training more advanced models, but in many communities, angry residents are more concerned about potential energy bill hikes and environmental impacts associated with hyperscale AI projects ... Grassroots opposition is increasingly bipartisan and growing, and it’s trickling into policy. New York Democrat Kathy Hochul and Texas Republican Greg Abbott this summer became the first governors to freeze new AI data center projects in their states. Calls for data center construction moratoriums have also become a campaign rallying cry for populist candidates.”

Reuters: Huge oil slick hitting Oman’s shoreline as agencies warn of disaster
Jonathan Saul and Catherine Cartier, 8/12/26

“A vast oil spill from a leaking tanker has started to ​hit Oman’s coastline, its environment agency confirmed on Wednesday, in what threatens to become one of the world’s worst in years after spreading largely unchecked for ‌weeks,” Reuters reports. “The oil could end up impacting 40 km (25 miles) of coast near Ras Madraka as well as Masirah Island, the agency said. The slick now covers an area of more than 2,000 square km, said John Amos, an oil spill specialist who reviewed satellite imagery obtained by Reuters... “It is leaking near an island that is part of an Omani marine nature reserve that is home to wildlife including Arabian Sea humpback whales and ​Socotra cormorants… “A nightmare scenario is there’s no adequate response to keep the worst ‌from happening,” the oil spills specialist Amos, CEO of SkyTruth, a nonprofit organisation aiming to strengthen environmental conservation through the use of satellite images, told Reuters. Amos told Reuters that in this case, the vessel would “continue to break up under the steady onslaught of wind and waves and to lose the entire cargo and that could be a spill upwards of 40 to 50 million gallons.” Amos told Reuters this would rival the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in sheer size.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

Corporate Knights: Debate over fossil-fuel abatement erupts in climate finance community
Eugene Ellmen, 8/12/26

“A growing number of climate experts and advocates are voicing opposition to a proposal to include oil and gas abatement projects in a forthcoming Canadian sustainable investment framework aimed at attracting billions in new capital to address the climate crisis,” according to Corporate Knights. “The framework, to be known as the Canadian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, will act as a kind of voluntary rule book for the financial industry. Its chief contribution will be to establish a consensus for activities that are considered acceptable investments under the Paris Agreement on climate change… “The financial industry is looking for sustainable investment guidance on this energy crisis, setting the stage for a debate over the Canadian version of what are now about 50 sustainable finance taxonomies in use or under development around the world. The debate boils down to whether there’s a place for oil and gas in the taxonomy. In April, about 30 climate organisations under the name Credible Taxonomy Canada called for the oil and gas sector to be excluded from the taxonomy to eliminate the possibility the industry could use it as cover to expand fossil-fuel production at a time when the scientific community is calling for it to be phased out. In contrast, the taxonomy planning council has recently proposed that there should be an abatement category aimed at encouraging the oil and gas industry to reduce its carbon emissions.”

OPINION

Journal News: NY needs reliable energy. The Constitution Pipeline can help
Heather Mulligan is president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, 8/13/26

“This past April, the New York Independent System Operator, or NYISO, the nonprofit that manages the state’s electric grid, warned that the reliability margin for the looming summer months was just 417 megawatts — the lowest margin in recent history,” Heather Mulligan writes for the Journal News. “...This is the new normal in a state that is struggling to reach energy equilibrium, and it is why the governor’s much-repeated “all-of-the-above” strategy needs to include every possible energy generation option to preserve both public health and safety and the state’s economic competitiveness. One concrete step that fits this more pragmatic approach is the Constitution Pipeline — a 125-mile project that would bring enough natural gas from Pennsylvania to New York and New England to meet the needs of roughly 3 million homes, lowering energy costs, generating tax revenue and creating jobs in the process. For years, adding pipeline capacity in New York was considered a nonstarter. But the economic reality has changed… “The Constitution Pipeline would increase deliverability into a constrained region and help reduce the volatility that drives spikes… “New York can and should pursue its climate goals, but it must do so in a way that people can afford and businesses can plan around.”

Colorado Newsline: Coloradans shouldn’t have to pay to clean up abandoned oil wells
Aaron Kindle is the director of sporting advocacy at the National Wildlife Federation. He is a hunter and angler who lives in Salida, 8/12/26

“Coloradans know that public lands can support both a thriving energy economy and world-class wildlife habitat. Our landscapes fuel local economies through energy production while also sustaining elk herds, trout streams, clean drinking water, and the outdoor traditions that define our state. That’s why the Department of the Interior’s proposal to eliminate recently updated oil and gas bonding requirements is such a step in the wrong direction,” Aaron Kindle writes for Colorado Newsline. “At its core, this debate comes down to a simple question: Who should pay to clean up oil and gas wells after production ends? The answer should be obvious. Companies that profit from developing public resources should also be responsible for restoring the land when they’re finished. Taxpayers shouldn’t be left paying the bill because a company walked away or went bankrupt… “Across the country, tens of thousands of abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells sit idle on the landscape. Many leak methane, contaminate groundwater, fragment wildlife habitat, and create safety hazards for nearby communities. Cleaning them up costs millions of dollars — costs that too often fall on taxpayers instead of the companies that drilled them.. “Public lands are one of Colorado’s greatest assets. They provide clean water for our communities, habitat for wildlife, opportunities for recreation, and economic benefits that extend far beyond the energy sector. They deserve management that balances development with accountability.”

Canada’s National Observer: Carney can’t buy climate cover with pocket change
Adrienne Tanner, 8/13/26

“At the risk of sounding churlish, the federal government’s new $34-million investment in climate change adaptation programs feels more like an insult than a gift,” Adrienne Tanner writes for Canada’s National Observer. “...These sprinklings of cash will no doubt be welcome, but they seem a laughable pittance when you consider the government’s top priority: fast-tracking construction of another pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to the BC coast. For all of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s talk of “decarbonized oil,” make no mistake, if additional oil is extracted from the oilsands, it will add to the world’s carbon pollution load when it is burned. And that same pollution is causing record-hot temperatures and catastrophic fires here at home and worldwide… “This should be a wake-up call for what lies in our future if we don’t stop burning fossil fuels. We’ve known about the dangers for decades… “Yet Carney’s government has placed fossil fuel extraction above all else right now… “It ignores warnings from experts who predict demand for Canada’s hard-to-process crude is about to drop off precipitously and believe oil companies themselves are unlikely to ramp up production… “Yet, instead of massive investment in sustainable energy that would actually help us reduce emissions, Canada’s government is pushing for another pipeline and tossing small amounts of cash at mitigation measures. This may allow people to weather the storms our prime fossil fuel industry causes, but it does nothing to prevent them. There is a disappointing failure of imagination at play here, and I for one expected better from a prime minister who understands all too well the perils of climate change.”

Oil Change International: Our Pain, Their Gain: Tax Big Oil’s $65 Billion War Windfall
8/12/26

“The world’s five largest international oil companies (IOCs) and five largest U.S. independent refiners made over US$65 billion in profits in the second quarter of 2026 as conflicts in the Persian Gulf and Ukraine spiked oil prices and caused refined fuel supply constraints,” according to Oil Change International. “As thousands die in the relentless bombardments of drones and ballistic missiles, the oil and gas industry reaps windfall profits in a year that was looking to be a loser before the bombs started falling… “Trump’s war against Iran, coupled with his policies such as AI and data center promotion, have led to skyrocketing energy prices in the US and globally. As conflict disrupts global oil and gas markets, people around the world pay more for basic needs while oil companies reap billions in windfall profits… “The five major international oil companies (IOCs) recorded massive jumps in profits in Q2 2026 compared to the same quarter of 2025. Their total adjusted net income amounted to $51 billion for the 3 months – that’s nearly $400,000 per minute. Meanwhile, people around the world are paying around 30% more for gasoline and diesel, with some countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, seeing increases of 80% or more… “We know that when oil and gas companies make windfall profits, the world’s richest elites reap the lion’s share… ”There are growing calls from around the world for windfall taxes. In the United States, civil society organizations have called on Congress to stop Big Oil’s war profiteering by implementing a windfall profits tax. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse told the Associated Press, “It’s fair to put a windfall profits tax on inordinate windfall profits rather than cut off children’s food programs.” Whitehouse introduced a bill back in March that would impose a windfall profits excise tax on crude oil and rebate the tax collected back to taxpayers. So far, Congress has not acted… “Now is the time to tax oil and gas profits and use the revenue to alleviate energy poverty in the short term by issuing rebates for low-income families and in the long term by supporting a just transition away from fossil fuels.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• E&E News: Fuel companies fund proposal for first pipeline carrying gasoline into California

• E&E News: Proposed USDA rule overhaul spills over to energy projects

• Inside Climate News: Neighbors Live in Fear After Pipeline Leak in ‘Unleashing American Energy’ Era

• WUWM: Wisconsin tribe continues legal fight against Enbridge pipeline

• Pipeline Fighters Hub: Exxon Whistleblower and Carbon Capture Expert Lindsey Gulden Joins Indiana Action Team Virtual Meeting [VIDEO]

• Grist: They’re making record profits, but oil companies still won’t ‘drill, baby, drill’

• Boyle Heights Beat: East L.A. businesses lost revenue after oil spill — only one got reimbursed

• Pipeline & Gas Journal: California Resources to acquire 2,000 miles of pipeline assets for $63 million

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Common Dreams: Scale of Trump’s Raid on National Parks Funds for White House ‘Vanity Projects’ Revealed

• Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Mapping it out: onX tool connects Montanans to public land comment opportunities

STATE UPDATES

• Colorado Newsline: These Colorado ranchers want fossil fuel companies held accountable

EXTRACTION

• Axios: AI could help unlock more oil — and emissions

• Bloomberg: Oman Handles Oil Slick More Than Six Times the Size of Manhattan

OPINION

• Northern Ag Network: Don’t let Burgum and Interior Department Silence Split-estate Landowners

• Ohio Capital Journal: Fracking is not ‘responsible development’ of Ohio’s state parks and public lands
  

PIPELINE NEWS

E&E News: Fuel companies fund proposal for first pipeline carrying gasoline into California
Noah Baustin, 8/12/26

“A trio of energy companies — Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan and HF Sinclair Corp. — announced Tuesday that they had made their final investment decision to move forward with the proposed Western Gateway Pipeline system,” E&E News reports. “It’s a significant milestone,” Don Baldridge, a Phillips 66 executive vice president, told E&E. The companies have “signed definitive documents that now fund this project going forward.” Why it matters: The pipeline has the potential to eliminate California’s historic position as a fuel island. Under the current system, Californians must refine gasoline and other fuel products within the state or import them on a ship.”

E&E News: Proposed USDA rule overhaul spills over to energy projects
Kelsey Tamborrino, 8/11/26

“A relatively under-the-radar proposal from the Trump administration to overhaul a disclosure law providing transparency into foreign ownership of farmland is raising concern for both the renewable energy and fossil fuel sectors,” E&E News reports. “The proposed rule from late June would expand the definition of ‘agricultural land’ and the types of investments that must disclose to the federal government when foreign ownership exceeds a specific threshold. The new rule would add pipelines and renewable power generation to the mix of traditional farming, ranching, forestry and other land subject to disclosure to the federal government — with potentially costly compliance impacts… “The law firm Wiley recently wrote that the proposal will affect not only foreign persons with interests in agricultural land, but also certain U.S.-organized companies with direct or indirect foreign ownership, agribusinesses leasing land, renewable energy and pipeline developers, conservation land holders and investors using layered ownership structures… “Easements and rights of way granted to pipeline operators across agricultural land would be subject to the reporting under the proposal.”

Inside Climate News: Neighbors Live in Fear After Pipeline Leak in ‘Unleashing American Energy’ Era
Marianne Lavelle, 8/11/26

“...From their front yard, they pointed to work crews finishing four new holes in their street, the latest of 44 wells drilled in Mount Eyre Manor. The driller is one of the nation’s largest and most politically connected oil and gas companies, Energy Transfer,” Inside Climate News reports. “The company is using the wells to determine how far and how deep an unknown quantity of petroleum fuel has spread into drinking water supplies from a rupture in its 68-year-old pipeline beneath this neighborhood just north of Philadelphia, a mile uphill from the Delaware River. By the time Energy Transfer and its subsidiary Sunoco found the leak in its 105.5-mile pipeline in January 2025, 16 months after residents first complained of a gasoline smell and taste in their drinking water, jet fuel was floating in the wells of six Mount Eyre Manor homes. The company replaced the cracked segment and got the pipeline running again immediately, delivering fuel to a terminal near Newark Liberty International Airport. Residents were left with the aftermath. Other wells, in 28 homes to date, have tested positive for toxic fuel components like benzene and xylenes since the crisis began. And now, thousands of gallons of fuel—how much is hotly contested—remain in the groundwater that the neighborhood relies on. “We don’t know where it is, that’s the scary part,” Casina-Harper told ICN. “Is it just slowly seeping through and eventually going to get to us?” Energy Transfer unveiled its cleanup plan this summer—a vacuum extraction system—but it arrived far later than residents hoped and delivers less than the permanent clean-water solution they are seeking. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is providing oversight, using its limited authority under state law. But missing from the scene almost entirely are federal regulators… “The community’s plight has laid bare many long-standing gaps in environmental protection law at both the state and federal level—especially for those who rely on private drinking water wells, which are not covered by the Safe Drinking Water Act. “

WUWM: Wisconsin tribe continues legal fight against Enbridge pipeline
Susan Bence, 8/11/26

“Last month, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision on the ongoing battle over Line 5 in northern Wisconsin. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has been fighting to get a portion of the crude oil and gas pipeline off tribal land for over a decade,” WUWM reports. “...There’s about 12 miles that goes through the reservation, through land that’s owned either by the band or band members. And several of those parcels need tribal consent before an easement can be renewed,” Stefanie Tsosie, a senior attorney with EarthJustice who represents the tribe in the case, told WUWM. “But all of those expired in 2013. And since that time, Enbridge has been trespassing. But the Seventh Circuit kind of stopped short of saying when or how or who is going to enforce that remedy,” She told WUWM the case will go back to federal district court in Wisconsin “to fashion some remedies consistent with that decision.” The tribe’s concerns don’t end there… “While Enbridge’s reroute would move the pipeline outside tribal land, the Bad River Band and environmental groups argue the pipeline would still fall within the region’s stream- and wetland-rich landscape… “Circuit court judge John P. Anderson will take up the case starting on Aug. 13 at the Bayfield County Courthouse.”

Pipeline Fighters Hub: Exxon Whistleblower and Carbon Capture Expert Lindsey Gulden Joins Indiana Action Team Virtual Meeting [VIDEO]
Mark Hefflinger, 8/11/26

“Hoosiers opposed to risky “carbon capture, utilization & storage” (CCUS) boondoggle projects will host guest speaker Lindsey Gulden, a climate and data scientist originally from Indiana who, along with her co-worker Damien Burch, blew the whistle in 2019 on over 10 billion dollars worth of fraud at ExxonMobil after discovering the deliberate overvaluation of an oil and gas asset in the Permian Basin,” the Pipeline Fighters Hub reports. “Gulden is also an expert on the topic of carbon capture and storage, and has worked on Class VI carbon sequestration well permit application reviews and appeals to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Gulden authored a recent report in Environmental Science & Policy titled “Tracing sources of funds used to lobby the US government about carbon capture, use, and storage,” and will speak about the risks of CO2 sequestration, as well as the 45Q tax credits underpinning the CCS industry. The Indiana Action Team plans to oppose the state’s forthcoming “primacy” application before the U.S. EPA, which by statute will include a process with a public hearing and comment period. Bold’s other Easement Teams in Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota have been organizing landowner opposition to the Summit CO2 pipeline for years. Bold’s Easement Teams are helping fund attorneys who have represented landowners at agency hearings that resulted in pipeline permit rejections in North Dakota and South Dakota, and the most-contested project in the history at the Iowa Utilities Commission, where landowners with the Iowa Easement Team also continue to challenge Summit’s pipeline route approval in the courts.”

Grist: They’re making record profits, but oil companies still won’t ‘drill, baby, drill’
Austin Corona, 8/11/26

“Over the last two weeks, oil companies have announced eye-popping profits from the spring quarter,” Grist reports. “Exxon Mobil pulled in $14.5 billion. Chevron landed $12 billion, its highest quarterly profit on record. Shell posted $9.8 billion — more than twice its earnings from the same time last year. These profits are largely a product of supply constraints brought on by the war in the Middle East… “But companies aren’t using those profits to drill lots of new wells or explore untapped oil fields. Instead, they’re pocketing the cash and paying their shareholders, experts told Grist. What was once an industry defined by the “drill, baby, drill” ethos is now defined by another term: “capital discipline.” It’s a phenomenon in which rampant drilling and production growth has given way to tightened belts and bigger payouts to investors… “The Trump administration’s focus on “unleashing” U.S. energy is running headlong into oil companies’ growing commitment to financial discipline… “Oil and gas companies respond more to financial incentives than they do to political signaling,” Clark Williams-Derry, an energy finance analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, told Grist. “They’re going to be looking at their finances first rather than politicians’ demands.” “...Rather than rewarding aggressive production growth, they pushed companies to focus on lower-cost drilling, restrain spending, and return more cash to shareholders.”

Boyle Heights Beat: East L.A. businesses lost revenue after oil spill — only one got reimbursed
Laura Anaya-Morga, 8/10/26

“Two months after an oil spill shut down streets in East Los Angeles and disrupted businesses along the Cesar E. Chavez Avenue corridor, many owners are still waiting for reimbursement,” Boyle Heights Beat reports. “The May spill forced street closures after crews punctured an underground pipeline, sending more than 25,000 gallons of crude oil onto nearby streets and into storm drains. Along the commercial corridor, owners of restaurants, barbershops, and bike shops had to cancel appointments, delay deliveries, or close their doors for a week as cleanup crews worked in the area. In the days following the spill, a survey of nearly 50 businesses near the intersection of East Cesar E. Chavez and Eastern avenues found a 70% to 75% loss in revenue, according to Kelly LoBianco, director of the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity… “As of Tuesday, 19 businesses had filed claims. Only one had been approved, while three others were close to approval, LoBianco told the Beat… “What lies ahead are months of soil testing and excavation to remove contaminated soil from the site of the spill, which county officials say could continue into January 2027. Neither Avila nor Ramos knew about the remaining work and worried about how additional street closures could affect their business again.”

Pipeline & Gas Journal: California Resources to acquire 2,000 miles of pipeline assets for $63 million
8/11/26

“California Resources Corporation (CRC) has agreed to acquire Crimson Midstream Holdings from CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust for $63 million in cash, expanding its crude oil pipeline network across California,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “The acquisition includes approximately 2,000 miles of pipeline infrastructure with combined transportation capacity of up to 400,000 bpd. Assets include the SoCal Pipeline Network, IVEC Line, San Pablo Bay Pipeline, KLM Pipeline and other infrastructure across the state. CRC said the acquisition will improve connectivity between its California production and key markets while increasing transportation flexibility and flow assurance.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Common Dreams: Scale of Trump’s Raid on National Parks Funds for White House ‘Vanity Projects’ Revealed
Brad Reed, 8/10/26

“Internal documents from the US National Park Service reportedly show that massive sums of money have been diverted to fund assorted projects commissioned by President Donald Trump,” Common Dreams reports. “According to a Sunday report from journalist Scott MacFarlane, NPS records show that $323 million has been rerouted to fund projects on the White House grounds this year alone, representing an increase of nearly 5,000% from the amount spend on such projects in 2024… “At the same time, the records show ‘multimillion-dollar reductions’ in funding for several famous national parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon… “Let’s ask the American people,” wrote Democrats on the US House Ways and Means Committee in a social media post, “would you rather have your nearest national park preserved and protected or another monument to Trump?”

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Mapping it out: onX tool connects Montanans to public land comment opportunities
Leah Veress, 8/10/26

“On Aug. 3, Montana-based outdoor mapping company onX launched a free tool to help people across the country navigate public comment opportunities regarding federal management of public lands,” the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports. “As ownership and use of public lands continue to be debated in the legislature and media, the Public Land Comment Hub provides a centralized resource for users to identify and submit feedback to federal agencies… “The tool pulls real-time information, including geographic data, from public notices published on the Federal Register and agency websites… “Agencies must consider relevant public comments as part of certain decision-making processes, including those conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments should be specific and relevant to the proposed action.”

STATE UPDATES

Colorado Newsline: These Colorado ranchers want fossil fuel companies held accountable
Sharon Sullivan, 8/11/26

“Every three days, Kathleen Sullivan Kelley hauls water from the town of Meeker to fill a 500-gallon tank at her ranch in Rio Blanco County. Kelley’s horses used to drink from ponds on the property, but there’s no longer any surface water, and she and her husband, Reed, sold the last of the 200 cows they once raised. Kelley, 71, is concerned that the ranch could eventually be cut off from the city water source due to worsening drought,” Colorado Newsline reports. “...In July, Kelley joined six other ranchers in filing a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit brought by the city of Boulder and Boulder County against three Suncor Energy entities and Exxon Mobil. Boulder is seeking monetary damages for costs incurred responding to wildfires, repairing transportation infrastructure, restoring watersheds and other harm related to climate change. The county is not seeking to regulate emissions or fossil fuel production. It only wants the fossil fuel companies to help pay for harms the county contends were caused, in part, by the activities of Suncor and Exxon… “Ranchers are not interested in imposing new regulations on the oil and gas industry. The group only wants fossil fuel companies to pay a share of costs that have occurred from harms caused by wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events… “That’s the impetus of these ranchers getting behind this,” Macnab told Newsline. “It’s the responsibility of fossil fuel companies to support these impacted communities. We’re very concerned about the future.” Macnab told Newsline she recognizes the critical role that fossil fuel development has played in society. “But now the science is clear, and the technology available and we can begin a more rapid transition to a more sustainable future,” she told Newsline. “It’s important that people understand we have to protect our food production, and food producers, and local agriculture. Not only people’s livelihoods are at stake, but also food production.”

EXTRACTION

Axios: AI could help unlock more oil — and emissions
Amy Harder, 8/11/26

“Move over, data centers. AI’s climate impact may extend well beyond the electricity it consumes. A new peer-reviewed study finds AI could help produce more oil and natural gas — and produce a climate impact the authors argue could far outweigh the technology’s benefits for renewable energy,” Axios reports. “The research, just published in a Nature journal, concludes AI’s role in boosting oil and gas production would outweigh its climate benefits from accelerating renewable energy, leading to a net increase in emissions under a range of scenarios… “Holly Alpine and Will Alpine, former Microsoft employees who founded the nonprofit initiative Enabled Emissions Campaign in 2024, co-led the study with researchers from Purdue University and an independent researcher. AI can help oil companies find new resources and recover more from existing fields. It can also help renewable energy by improving forecasting and operations. The new study argues the fossil-fuel gains are likely to dominate. By the numbers: The researchers estimate AI could add emissions equal to roughly 1% to 5% of the global energy sector’s 2024 emissions under the scenarios they modeled. The study estimates those emissions would be roughly three to 13 times the International Energy Agency’s estimate of current data-center emissions.”

Bloomberg: Oman Handles Oil Slick More Than Six Times the Size of Manhattan
Charles Gorrivan and Julian Lee, 8/10/26

“Oman is dealing with a widening oil slick covering about six-and-a-half times the land area of Manhattan after a tanker ran aground off an island near the country’s southeastern coast,” Bloomberg reports. “The spill covers about 390 square kilometers (150 square miles) and occurred after the Caroline Bezengi was grounded off the Hallaniyat Islands, according to a report from the state-run Oman News Agency citing the sultanate’s Environment Authority… “The ship appears to have been stranded for about seven weeks, according to satellite images from the European Union’s Copernicus browser, reviewed by Bloomberg… “The images show an elongated slick trailing from the area around the grounded vessel and stretching across the surrounding waters in the time since. It was unclear how the ship became stuck, but it was hauling about 1 million barrels of Russia’s Urals crude loaded in mid-May… “Streaks of apparent pollution have extended further away from the ship, dispersing to the north and northeast. The slick is projected to advance about 121 kilometers over the next 48 hours, according to the report. That spread may change depending on wind, currents and sea conditions. The ​nearest point of the spill is within about seven kilometers of the shoreline.”

OPINION

Northern Ag Network: Don’t let Burgum and Interior Department Silence Split-estate Landowners
Donald Nelson is a longtime member of Dakota Resource Council, the founder of Salted Lands Council, and a split-estate landowner from Keene, North Dakota, in the Dakota Prairie Grasslands.

“I am a third-generation farmer and rancher caring for land near Keene in western North Dakota. Like many of my neighbors, I’m a split-estate landowner. That means I own the surface of my property, but the federal government owns some of the minerals beneath it. Most people don’t realize what that means until it’s too late,” Donald Nelson writes for the Northern Ag Network. “Imagine getting a call from an oil company telling you it has leased to drill beneath your property. They want to talk about where they’ll build roads, well pads, pipeline, and other infrastructure. It’s the first you’ve heard about the lease because no one told you the government was planning to lease it. You never had a chance to ask questions or object. By then, the decision has already been made. That’s the future Secretary Doug Burgum is proposing for thousands of landowners across the West. The Interior Department wants to eliminate a simple but important protection in the Bureau of Land Management’s 2024 Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule. Today, split-estate landowners receive notice before the federal government leases the minerals beneath their land. Burgum’s proposal would require notification only after the lease has already been sold, when our opportunity to participate has effectively disappeared. The administration says notifying landowners places an unnecessary burden on the oil and gas industry. I see it differently. The real burden falls on the families who have to live with the consequences. Drilling can bring heavy truck traffic, dust, noise, impacts to water, and disruptions that affect ranching operations for years. Those aren’t inconveniences; they are costs to our livelihood and changes to the places we call home… “Rural Americans deserve a voice, not fewer rights. The protections in the 2024 leasing rule should remain in place so split-estate landowners like me have an opportunity to be heard before our future is decided.”

Ohio Capital Journal: Fracking is not ‘responsible development’ of Ohio’s state parks and public lands
Melinda Zemper is a board member at Save Ohio Parks, a statewide, nonprofit organization that educates Ohioans about the health, environmental and planet-warming harms of fracking under Ohio’s state parks and public lands, 8/11/26

“Ohio’s oil and gas industry continues to spread one of its cruel, bald-faced lies. Industry spokespeople claim fracking oil and gas from state parks and wildlife areas is “responsible development” of Ohio public lands,” Melina Zemper writes for the Ohio Capital Journal. “But parks don’t belong to one supermajority political party to lease, industrialize, monetize, and destroy. Ohio public lands belong to all Ohioans across generations. We have a collective responsibility to steward them wisely… “Wind and solar are now cheaper, reliable with battery storage and have zero-carbon footprints. This is great for Ohio pocketbooks, renewable energy jobs and hope for a livable planet. It’s not great for a greedy industry eager to lock in fossil fuel energy markets allowing them to power polluting AI data centers for the next 20 to 30 years… “Gov. Mike DeWine and Republican Party lawmakers captured by gas and oil and their 19th-century fossil fuels energy policy and are beginning to be exposed. Save Ohio Parks research shows Ohio’s supermajority quashed the equivalent of 5.3 GW of renewable energy over the last 12 years while simultaneously creating or amending energy laws to expand natural gas fracking. This is intentional. And it’s killing our state and planet… “The public is just realizing fracking’s true, irrevocable harms: billions of gallons of toxic, radioactive wastewater are inexplicably deposited each year into U. S. injection wells for storage… “Frack waste now poses a serious threat to drinking water aquifers for tens of thousands of people in Marietta and surrounding communities— while lawmakers and regulators remain willfully oblivious to the looming catastrophe. Instead, the industry and lawmakers hope the toxic waste will stay underground. But it doesn’t… “To claim fracking public lands is “responsible” is a horrifying lie.

PIPELINE NEWS

• Press release: Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan and HF Sinclair Announce Final Investment Decision for Western Gateway Pipeline

• Reuters: Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan, HF Sinclair approve $5 billion Western Gateway project

• Wall Street Journal: An Oil Refiner That Fled California Is Back—With a Giant Pipeline From Texas

• Canadian Press: Washington state congressman wants spill response review for Alberta pipeline to B.C.

• News Channel Nebraska: Colorado family files suit against pipeline company

• Quantum Commodity Intelligence: Enbridge to start new Cushing crude transport service from September

• Heatmap: Trump’s USDA Using Farmland Rule to Go After Energy Companies, Democrats Say

• WXOW: Rare frogs and fish face risk from La Crosse County pipeline fix along the Mississippi River

• Pipeline & Gas Journal: BLM approves two ROWs and a lay flat pipeline in Utah

• Calgary Herald: Former TC Energy manager agrees to pay more than $3 million in damages over lawsuit alleging misappropriation of funds

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• E&E News: Senate releases ‘reconciliation 3.0’ outline with energy section

• E&E News: Appeals court rejects youth-led challenge of Trump energy orders

• Newsbreak: Interior Department staffers furious with ‘terrified’ Doug Burgum before Pirro meeting

• Raw Story: Trump insider hated by staffers who quit in droves: ‘Disdain for the rank and file’

• Carbon Herald: GAO Report Reveals Delays And Oversight Gaps In 45Q Carbon Capture Tax Credit

STATE UPDATES

• E&E News: Trump calls Texas’ data center crackdown a ‘mistake’

• Guardian: Meet the army of amateur archivists racing to save US history in national parks

EXTRACTION

• Yale Climate Connections: The U.S. just had its hottest month in recorded history, surpassing Dust Bowl record

• Consumer Watchdog: As Carbon Capture & Storage Gathers Steam, New Consumer Watchdog Report Questions Its Threat To The Public And Lifeline For Fossil Fuels

• ExxonMobil: The Carbon Superhighway: Rethinking how CO2 moves at scale [VIDEO]

• Carbon Herald: ExxonMobil Challenges EU Carbon Storage Mandates In International Dispute

• Financial Post: Why oilsands majors are holding back on expansion [VIDEO]

• Guardian: Greenland issues ‘strong warning’ as Trump-linked oil firm prepares to drill

OPINION

• Wisconsin State Journal: Boom, bust and repeat is Enbridge’s playbook in Wisconsin

• CleanTechnica: Supercritical CO₂ Is Useful. The System Claims Are The Problem.

• Dickinson Press: What’s the why of Burgum’s boot licking?

• InFourm: If Doug Burgum had any integrity left, he’d resign

• Toronto Star: Canada’s oil giants are cashing in on conflict. Consumers are paying the price

PIPELINE NEWS

Press release: Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan and HF Sinclair Announce Final Investment Decision for Western Gateway Pipeline
8/11/26

“Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan, Inc. and HF Sinclair Corporation today announced they have finalized a joint venture agreement and made a final investment decision to move forward with the proposed Western Gateway Pipeline system (Western Gateway). Under the joint venture, Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan and HF Sinclair will own 49.9%, 35.1% and 15% of the system, respectively… “Western Gateway is a proposed 1,300-mile refined products pipeline system that would create a new fuel supply path from St. Louis, Missouri, and expanded Gulf Coast origin points to Arizona and California. With a design capacity of 230,000 barrels per day, the project is also being developed to allow for future expansion with limited capital and no new pipe necessary as future demand requires. The project will include: Approximately 900-mile new-build 20-inch and 24-inch pipeline from Borger, Texas, to Phoenix, Arizona. Phillips 66 will construct and operate the new-build pipeline; Kinder Morgan’s contribution of its existing SFPP East Line pipeline from El Paso, Texas to Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, and its SFPP West Line pipeline from Colton, California, to Phoenix, which would be reversed to move product east to west into California. Kinder Morgan will continue to operate those pipelines. Supply to Western Gateway would also be supported by Phillips 66’s Gold Pipeline, which will connect to the Explorer Pipeline. The Gold Pipeline would be reversed to allow refined products to flow toward Borger. The project’s enterprise value is approximately $5.0 billion… “Based on the approximately $5.0 billion enterprise value, Kinder Morgan will also make cash contributions of approximately $250 million. Phillips 66 would make cash contributions of approximately $2.5 billion, and HF Sinclair would make cash contributions of approximately $750 million to the project… “The Western Gateway project is targeting completion in 2029, subject to the receipt of all permits and regulatory approvals.”

Reuters: Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan, HF Sinclair approve $5 billion Western Gateway project
Pooja Menon, 8/11/26

“Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan and HF Sinclair said on Tuesday they have decided ​to proceed with the proposed $5 billion Western Gateway Pipeline ‌system and finalized a joint venture agreement for the same,” Reuters reports. “...Companies ​have been racing to build a major new fuel ​pipeline to the U.S. West Coast ahead of planned ⁠refinery closures in California, a relatively isolated fuel market with ​limited links to major refining hubs that leave it vulnerable to ​supply disruptions and price spikes. Western Gateway is a proposed 1,300-mile refined products pipeline system with a design capacity of 230,000 barrels per day that would ​establish a new fuel supply route from St. Louis, Missouri ​and Gulf Coast origin points to Arizona and California… ”The new system would be underpinned by primarily 10-year, take-or-pay contracts, ​they added.”

Wall Street Journal: An Oil Refiner That Fled California Is Back—With a Giant Pipeline From Texas
Collin Eaton, 8/11/26

“California lost two big oil refineries in the past year, as well as much of the Asian fuel supplies that landed on its coast. Now, a pipeline from Texas is planned to help fill the gap—one that Gov. Gavin Newsom has embraced as the state faces the highest pump prices in the country,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “On Tuesday, Phillips 66 PSX 5.69%increase; up pointing triangle and two partners officially sanctioned a $5 billion project, called the Western Gateway Pipeline system, to build a 900-mile pipeline to ferry 230,000 barrels a day of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel from the Texas Panhandle to Arizona and California. In Phoenix, the new pipe will connect with an existing 500-mile pipeline that ends in Colton, Calif., about an hour east of Los Angeles.”

Canadian Press: Washington state congressman wants spill response review for Alberta pipeline to B.C.
8/10/26

“A congressman from Washington State says the U.S. Coast Guard should review and update oil spill response plans as news of a planned pipeline from Alberta to B.C. would increase oil tanker traffic in the Salish Sea,” the Canadian Press reports. “Rep. Rick Larsen told CP he sent a letter to a top U.S. Coast Guard official recently seeking details about co-ordination efforts around a Canada-U.S. pollution contingency plan. Larsen told CP the contingency plan is important after the announcement of a new oil pipeline from Alberta to B.C.’s Roberts Bank terminal, just a few kilometres by water from the Canada-U.S. border. He told CP the pipeline will bring more oil tanker traffic to the waters off his state, and “with it the risk of catastrophic oil spills.” “...The congressman, who’s the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told CP he wants answers from the U.S. Coast Guard on the plan, and will tell his Canadian counterparts why people he represents “oppose this pipeline.”

News Channel Nebraska: Colorado family files suit against pipeline company
Forrest Hershberger, 8/7/26

“...Brady and Kari Hume enjoy their acreage away from the city lights, the farm life where they can raise their children and a family business. But their evenings on the deck or in the house with the windows open are fewer with the smell of sulfur since the expansion of a facility across the county road,” News Channel Nebraska reports. “...She said they learned that Trailblazer Pipeline, one of the two pipelines in their pasture which is around 800 feet from their home, has been repurposed from transporting natural gas to carbon dioxide. She said at first it didn’t sound any more than peculiar. “Upon research, it is not that simple. It can be very dangerous, especially in the event of a rupture due to it being an asphyxiant. And that pipeline is over four decades old,” she told NCN. The Humes are willing to move but don’t believe they should have to absorb the cost of relocating a homestead, farm, and business. They told NCN they’ve been in contact for almost two years with Tallgrass Energy, the owner of the compressor station and pipelines in question… “The family says they were met with no resolution and no attempt to help them transition off a property that has become, in their words, unlivable. It wasn’t until those efforts went nowhere that the family turned to the courts. Central to their case, the Humes told NCN, is the original right-of-way agreement itself. They contend their specific agreement doesn’t grant Trailblazer the right to transport CO2 based on analysis — and that the original homesteader who signed it added language stating he expected the pipeline to be removed once it was no longer used for the original purposes of [natural] gas… “The Humes say they contacted local and county emergency management about the issues and concern over the uniqueness of living near a CO2 pipeline once they found out Trailblazer was already transporting CO2 last year. According to the Humes, at that time the first responders were not aware that Trailblazer Pipeline was now carrying carbon dioxide nor have they been trained on it to date.”

Quantum Commodity Intelligence: Enbridge to start new Cushing crude transport service from September
8/10/26

“Enbridge plans to offer crude transport service using capacity from a combination of its existing Platte and Spearhead…,” Quantum Commodity Intelligence reports.

Heatmap: Trump’s USDA Using Farmland Rule to Go After Energy Companies, Democrats Say
Jael Holzman, 8/10/26

“Democrats in Congress claim that a new Trump administration proposal will have a chilling effect on the energy sector by subjecting renewables and fossil fuel pipelines alike to an obscure, rarely cited Cold War-era law requiring detailed information on foreign farmland ownership be submitted to the Agriculture Department,” Heatmap reports. “...If finalized, the new rule would expand the definition of “agricultural land” in regulation to include all renewable energy facilities and pipeline corridors by explicitly tying the term to those industries’ formal codes under the North American Industry Classification System. Top Senate Democrats on Monday argued that taken together with expanded investor reporting thresholds and land boundary mapping requirements, this rule change “may exceed what is necessary” to deal with national security issues around farmland ownership… “The Trump change goes after pipelines as well as renewable energy, although logic suggests that solar development could be more vulnerable due to the sheer acreage often required for utility-scale project construction and property setbacks.”

WXOW: Rare frogs and fish face risk from La Crosse County pipeline fix along the Mississippi River
Terry Bell, 8/19/26

“The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is proposing to issue a permit that would allow the unintentional loss of some endangered frogs and fish during a pipeline remediation project on the Mississippi River in La Crosse County,” WXOW reports. “Northern Natural Gas is planning to fix a shallow cover condition on its Tomah Branch Line where it crosses the Mississippi River… “The DNR confirmed that state endangered Blanchard’s cricket frogs, endangered goldeye, endangered pallid shiners and threatened shoal chubs live near the project site. DNR staff determined the project may result in what’s called incidental taking of some frogs and fish. Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species’ overall population at risk… “The public can submit written comments about project-related impacts to the species by Aug. 21.”

Pipeline & Gas Journal: BLM approves two ROWs and a lay flat pipeline in Utah
8/7/26

“The Bureau of Land Management has issued final decisions on three separate right-of-way projects across Utah, spanning Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the Vernal Field Office,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “...Lay-flat pipeline to support drilling near vernal… “The decision authorizes a right-of-way for Greylock Production, LLC to install a temporary lay-flat pipeline supporting drilling operations at the company’s MCW well pad. Because lay-flat pipelines sit on the surface rather than requiring trenching or excavation, the BLM noted the project will result in no surface disturbance.”

Calgary Herald: Former TC Energy manager agrees to pay more than $3 million in damages over lawsuit alleging misappropriation of funds
Kevin Martin, 8/10/26

“A former TC Energy Corp. manager has agreed to pay more than $3 million in damages to settle a lawsuit alleging misappropriation of company rebates,” the Calgary Herald reports. “A consent judgment, a copy of which was supplied to Postmedia, shows Rick Urbanczyk or companies he controlled, have agreed to turn over property valued at $3,040.371.87 as well as costs of $100,000 to the Calgary-based company. More than half of that amount will come from TC Energy getting a constructive trust over a home in Tower Ridge Estates in Calgary and its contents… “TC Energy filed a multi-million lawsuit against Urbanczyk, or companies he controlled, alleging he diverted at least $2,566,200 owed to the company or its subsidiaries… “It alleged Urbanczyk, almost immediately after being hired “embarked on a calculated path to obtain personal benefit.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

E&E News: Senate releases ‘reconciliation 3.0’ outline with energy section
Andres Picon, 8/10/26

“Senate Budget Chair Ron Johnson released his blueprint Friday for the party-line spending bill Republicans want to pass before November, including instructions for up to $1 billion in new spending on energy priorities,” E&E News reports. “...The Energy and Natural Resources Committee would be authorized to find up to $1 billion in new spending over 10 years. It’s not yet clear what that spending will entail… “In addition to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee would each be tasked with spending up to $1 billion… “Some Republicans leaders say they want to pursue an additional reconciliation bill — ‘reconciliation 4.0’ — after the midterms. It could also contain some energy provisions.”

E&E News: Appeals court rejects youth-led challenge of Trump energy orders
Lesley Clark, 8/10/26

“A federal appeals court has turned away a group of young climate activists who had challenged President Donald Trump’s orders to boost oil, gas and coal production,” E&E News reports. “A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that rejected the case in June said Monday it had voted unanimously to deny a request for a rehearing before a full panel of active judges. Every judge on the court was advised of the request, and none of them opted for the full court to rehear the case, the panel noted. The appeals panel ruled in June that the 22 young challengers lacked the standing to sue over three executive orders Trump signed in 2025. The youth in Lighthiser v. Trump contend they will be harmed by federal agency action over the next several years. But the appeals court judges in June said the link between the executive orders and the alleged injuries was “too speculative” for a lawsuit.”

Newsbreak: Interior Department staffers furious with ‘terrified’ Doug Burgum before Pirro meeting
Jack Hobbs, 8/9/26

“Staffers within the Department of the Interior have reportedly been furious with Secretary Doug Burgum for months,” Newsbreak reports. “While staffers were once optimistic about Burgum’s leadership, that hope has given way to anger, confusion, and concern about his ability to run the agency responsible for the national parks system and public lands. Former staffers sounded the alarm after they were forced to sign nondisclosure agreements and are unhappy that the department has experienced high turnover since Burgum was confirmed in 2025. Other former employees have accused Burgum of surrounding himself with a toxic leadership team that has resulted in several members of the agency to depart… “According to reports from the New York Times, Pirro claimed that Burgum was an ‘incompetent liar’ and accused him of not being honest with the president about the source of the damage to the algae-infested pool after the administration invested $16 million into its restoration.”

Raw Story: Trump insider hated by staffers who quit in droves: ‘Disdain for the rank and file’
Travis Gettys, 8/7/26

“Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is driving away staff with a toxic leadership style that has left career employees feeling dismissed and undervalued, according to former officials interviewed for a new report,” Raw Story reports. “...Staffers also describe a culture of secrecy, including NDAs for some employees, shredded documents, and disappearing Signal messages used even for routine scheduling — practices former officials say are meant to dodge federal records requirements. ‘They’re terrified of written records,’ one former official told Politico… “Tony Irish, who spent more than 20 years at the department before leaving last year, told Politico it’s “abundantly clear” Burgum doesn’t care about career staff.”

Carbon Herald: GAO Report Reveals Delays And Oversight Gaps In 45Q Carbon Capture Tax Credit
Violet George, 8/11/26

“A new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlights significant administrative hurdles and oversight gaps in the Section 45Q Carbon Oxide Sequestration Credit, even as taxpayer claims more than tripled between 2019 and 2023,” the Carbon Herald reports. “...Despite expanded eligibility and policy tweaks intended to create credit parity, taxpayers seeking credits for carbon utilization face high rejection rates, lengthy approval delays, and compliance uncertainty… “To resolve these issues, the watchdog recommended clarifying acceptable baseline datasets for calculating displaced carbon and establishing clear operational timeframes required before taxpayers can begin claiming the credit. Beyond taxpayer compliance burdens, the GAO cautioned that Congress lacks the structured data needed to assess whether the 45Q credit is effectively meeting its intended environmental and economic goals… “However, the GAO maintained that its recommendations remain necessary to reduce taxpayer friction while preventing potential noncompliance across the expanding carbon capture sector.”

STATE UPDATES

E&E News: Trump calls Texas’ data center crackdown a ‘mistake’
Shelby Webb, 8/10/26

“President Donald Trump called Texas’ de facto data center moratorium “a mistake” in an interview released Friday, delivering a rare rebuke of a state he won three times,” E&E News reports. “The comment was published days after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ordered the state’s power regulators to pause all new data center approvals until they audit projects looking to plug into the state’s grid. In the recent interview with Punchbowl News, Trump said he “saw Texas the other day sort of is against data centers,” though he didn’t mention Abbott by name. There’s “a lot of money” at stake, the president said, because other communities will want to attract data centers instead. “They are tremendously important for the economics,” Trump said. “For Texas to say no to data centers is a mistake in the sense that it could be bigger than oil.”

Guardian: Meet the army of amateur archivists racing to save US history in national parks
Amy Qin, 8/7/26

“Jenny McBurney was among hundreds of people around the world who sprang into action last year when the Trump administration started deleting government datasets and webpages because they included information about “gender ideology”, environmental justice or diversity, equity and inclusion,” the Guardian reports. “McBurney, a government publications librarian at the University of Minnesota, joined the Data Rescue Project, a group that mobilizes volunteers to archive critical government datasets that are at risk of deletion by the Trump administration. While McBurney was working to archive censored datasets last spring, the Trump administration launched a sweeping campaign to censor American history and science in the National Park Service. National Park Service (NPS) rangers were instructed to flag and remove signs about slavery, Indigenous history and the climate crisis at national parks and historic sites around the country if they ‘inappropriately disparage Americans past or living’ or advance a ‘corrosive ideology’... “Last July, McBurney and several colleagues at the University of Minnesota libraries launched Save Our Signs: a crowdsourced project that aims to document every sign in the more than 400 national parks and historic sites across the country before the Trump administration removes them.”

EXTRACTION

Yale Climate Connections: The U.S. just had its hottest month in recorded history, surpassing Dust Bowl record
Jeff Masters and Bob Henson, 8/10/26

“Those who deny or dismiss U.S. climate change have hit a Waterloo moment of sorts. The nation just experienced its hottest month in more than 130 years of analysis, which breaks a record that had stood since the infamous Dust Bowl of the 1930s,” Yale Climate Connections reports. “...This makes last month the hottest calendar month in national data going back to January 1895… “There’s no denying the scorching conditions of the 1930s Dust Bowl. An impressive 24 of the 48 contiguous U.S. states have yet to exceed the single hottest readings observed in each of those states during the 1930s. However, the Dust Bowl has been misused for years in climate-denial writing and speaking to argue that human activity isn’t warming the nation’s climate to any great degree. In fact, human influence played a vast part in the Dust Bowl itself. Decades of overplowing by European settlers in the Plains and Midwest – in the erroneous belief that “rain follows the plow” – left the landscape vulnerable when a sequence of multi-year droughts struck. Huge volumes of topsoil simply blew away, and the denuded land heated up far more quickly than better-managed land would have.”

Consumer Watchdog: As Carbon Capture & Storage Gathers Steam, New Consumer Watchdog Report Questions Its Threat To The Public And Lifeline For Fossil Fuels
8/10/26

“California is setting the stage for oil producers, refiners, and other industries to decarbonize. Air regulators are circulating proposed rules for the state’s first industrial Carbon Capture and Storage program. They’ve doubled a pool of CO2 emissions allowances to $4 billion for manufacturers that make approved investments in decarbonization. The state Fire Marshal recently finalized safety rules for carbon dioxide pipelines to carry the dangerous asphyxiant. None of this makes sense for California, Consumer Watchdog finds in a new report. “...While CRC expands its well portfolio, its new gambit is building risky, multi-billion-dollar Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects that will siphon carbon dioxide emissions from smokestacks for pipeline transportation and burial in geological formations with the support of Governor Newsom and state regulators… “CRC and other oil producers’ forays into CCS are a multi-billion-dollar boondoggle turbocharged by financially lucrative federal tax credits while promoting continued use of fossil fuels. Without the tax credits, it is doubtful these projects could stay afloat even with private investment, according to analysts… “CCS overpromises and underdelivers. A global review by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) of 16 carbon dioxide capture projects in settings from natural gas processing to hydrogen production and gasification found that the projects captured as little as 10% of CO2 emissions and no more than 80%, though the industry claims a 95% capture rate… “CRC plans to take CO2 emissions from other California industries. Nothing compels these companies to pay CRC to take their CO2 emissions. But the project could drive new, polluting industrial development instead of cutting existing emissions to mitigate climate change.”

ExxonMobil: The Carbon Superhighway: Rethinking how CO2 moves at scale [VIDEO]
8/7/26

“Carbon capture is becoming an increasingly important part of industrial operations, but capture alone doesn’t solve the problem of high emissions,” according to ExxonMobil. “What matters next is how CO2 is transported, used, and stored. As captured volumes increase and customer needs vary, the limits of traditional carbon capture and storage (CCS) models become clearer. Most systems today are built as point-to-point connections: one facility, one destination. While that approach is straightforward, it doesn’t scale easily and it offers little flexibility as new projects and end-uses emerge. Along the Gulf Coast, we’re developing a different model. We’ve designed a carbon superhighway, an integrated network that connects multiple emitters to multiple storage sites and CO2 customers. This allows for greater flexibility as captured CO2 moves to different endpoints — permanent dedicated storage (Class VI wells), permanent storage via enhanced oil recovery (EOR), or industrial uses (utilization) — all while being checked, measured, and monitored 24/7. As new capture projects, storage sites, and connectors are added, the system can expand without being rebuilt.”

Carbon Herald: ExxonMobil Challenges EU Carbon Storage Mandates In International Dispute
Violet George, 8/11/26

“Oil giant ExxonMobil has filed an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) notice against the European Commission, challenging mandatory carbon storage obligations outlined in the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act,” the Carbon Herald reports. “...Despite Exxon’s longstanding public advocacy and lobbying for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, the company claims the EU’s goal to establish 50 million metric tons of annual CO2 storage capacity by 2030 is unachievable due to complex permitting timelines and market conditions. The European Commission confirmed receipt of the dispute, expressing confidence that its Net Zero Industry Act regulations comply fully with international law and energy treaty obligations. Climate advocacy groups and policy experts criticized the move, accusing Exxon of utilizing investor-state arbitration to shift carbon capture deployment costs away from fossil fuel producers and onto the public sector… “Exxon has argued that developing commercial CCS facilities typically requires seven to ten years, calling for policy adjustments rather than strict regulatory mandates… “However, environmental groups point out that Exxon previously lobbied heavily across European governments to secure billions in CCS subsidies, framing the arbitration as a tactic to stall mandatory decarbonization requirements.”

Financial Post: Why oilsands majors are holding back on expansion [VIDEO]
Daniel Trainer, 8/10/26

“Canadian oil producers earned more than $13 billion in the second quarter as crude prices climbed. Smaller companies are raising growth budgets, but oilsands majors remain cautious about expansions. We look at where the cash is going, why project timelines change the calculation and what Alberta’s incentives could unlock,” the Financial Post reports.

Guardian: Greenland issues ‘strong warning’ as Trump-linked oil firm prepares to drill
Tom Burgis, 8/8/26

“An American oil company connected to Donald Trump is preparing to sink wells in remote Greenland despite not having received permission from the local authorities,” the Guardian reports. “As the US president renews his threats to claim the vast Arctic territory, materials to prepare for drilling were brought ashore in recent days on Greenland’s eastern coast. That has prompted Greenland’s government to issue a “strong warning” that no approval had been granted to land the kit. “All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out,” the government said in a statement. Two days later, Trump made his latest menacing post on Truth Social, showing himself looming over a Greenlandic village… “Executives of Greenland Energy, a Texas company set up last year, have claimed that $1tn of crude may lie beneath the Jameson Land region. They announced plans to spend $60m drilling two wells to find out. Although Greenland stopped issuing new oil licences in 2021 on environmental grounds, a UK company called 80 Mile had secured exploration rights in Jameson Land… “Greenland Energy has retained Phil McGraw, better known as Dr Phil, a prominent rightwing former chatshow host who served on Trump’s religious freedom commission, to make a documentary series that will “capture the mission of these modern-day wildcatters”.

OPINION

Wisconsin State Journal: Boom, bust and repeat is Enbridge’s playbook in Wisconsin
Colleen Matula, who lives in Iron County, about 280 miles north of Madison, worked for natural resource agencies for 35 years, most recently the Ottawa National Forest and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in forestry, where she recently retired, 8/8/26

“I have spent more than three decades observing the seasons change from a tree stand by my pond in northern Wisconsin…But what I do hear is the mechanical, loud noises of construction from a foreign oil company that, in its effort to reroute an unneeded and dangerous pipeline, has driven away most of the wildlife at the pond,” Colleen Matula writes for the Wisconsin State Journal. “For those of us living in the path of the Enbridge Energy Line 5 reroute, this is a daily reality. Enbridge is building a 41-mile segment of the pipeline around the Bad River reservation, crossing 186 waterways and 101 acres of wetlands that drain into Lake Superior. I was happy to see that yet another Wisconsin judge has ruled the Enbridge Line 5 relocation project can move forward. The company says it’s creating 700 jobs and contributing to Wisconsin’s economy, but I know what “boom and bust” looks like. I saw it in North Dakota. The jobs are temporary. The ecological footprint lasts forever. Anyone approving of this reroute has shortsighted vision for temporary gain, and they’re falling prey to a company that prioritizes profit over people. I worry that regulators approved this project without fully understanding what they’re allowing. What I see as an ecologist with 22 years at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and 10 with the Forest Service is a system under siege. The 2010 oil boom in North Dakota taught us that an economic boost is fleeting, but the ecological damage -- the invasive species, fragmented habitat, damage from herbicide treatment needed to maintain the pipeline, and altered hydrology -- lasts forever. And this is all while living under the threat of a spill. The costs are not worth it… “No matter what empty promises Enbridge is giving us, I know the boom will be temporary. The residents -- from the people to the swans to the beavers -- will be left with the bust.”

CleanTechnica: Supercritical CO₂ Is Useful. The System Claims Are The Problem.
Michael Barnard is Chief Strategist at TFIE Strategy, 8/9/26

“Supercritical carbon dioxide is genuinely useful stuff,” Michael Barnard writes for CleanTechnica. “...It can extract caffeine from coffee, separate valuable compounds from plants, replace more problematic chemicals in some cleaning processes and serve as the working fluid in certain heat pumps and refrigeration systems. Those applications are compact and controlled. A comparatively small inventory of CO₂ circulates through equipment designed around a known pressure, temperature and maintenance envelope. The fluid does something valuable and stays inside the system. That is a very different proposition from gathering millions or billions of tonnes of CO₂ from distributed industrial facilities, compressing it, moving it across large pipeline networks and storing it underground. Getting CO₂ into the dense or supercritical range already requires real energy. A working assumption in my analysis is about 90 kWh per tonne starting from roughly room-temperature CO₂ at atmospheric pressure… “I ran a deliberately rough denominator check rather than pretending to design a national pipeline map. Even restricting the exercise to a fraction of fossil-fuel point sources, the assumptions produced about 1.3 million kilometers of CO₂ pipelines, roughly 500 times the existing US baseline. Applying similar unit construction costs gave a back-of-the-envelope capital number around $12 trillion… “Moving from a few thousand kilometers of mostly specialized industrial pipelines toward a much larger network running through densely populated areas increases the number of places where that failure mode has to be designed, regulated and prepared for.”

Dickinson Press: What’s the why of Burgum’s boot licking?
Rob Port, 8/8/26

“It’s not hard to understand why President Donald Trump is lying about the shoddy contractor work on the reflecting pool on the national mall in Washington D.C.,” Rob Port writes for the Dickinson Press. “...What’s harder to understand is why he commands the absolute loyalty of someone like Doug Burgum. Why would Burgum perpetuate Trump’s myths about vandals even after the president’s loyalist U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C., former Fox News personality Jeanine Pirro, said in a court of law — where lying has dramatic consequences — that the more plausible explanation than vandals was shoddy contractor work commissioned by the president?... “Why would he need to lick Donald Trump’s boots, and perpetuate his obvious lies? Does he really believe this will make him president one day?... “He’s a fantastically wealthy man from a tremendously successful family. He has lived and built and invested in North Dakota for decades. He earned North Dakota’s highest civilian honor — the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award — nearly 7 years before he was elected governor… “Was all of that worth throwing away for a chance at being president that doesn’t exist anywhere outside of Doug Burgum’s imagination?... “What I suspect is that Burgum has fallen into the trap many wealthy, powerful people find themselves stuck in, which is pursuing self-destructive behavior while not having anyone around him brave enough to give him a reality check… “But this bet he’s placed on Trumpism isn’t going to work out, and he’ll find out, as so many former Trump allies have, that the stink doesn’t wash off easily.”

InFourm: If Doug Burgum had any integrity left, he’d resign
Mike McFeely, 8/8/26

“If these were normal times, Doug Burgum would be out of a job,” Mike McFeely writes for InFourm. “...But this is Donald Trump’s America and nothing under this president is normal. It is Bizarro World, where U.S. citizens can be charged with crimes based on non-existent evidence — their lives turned upside down and inside out by false accusations — and the people doing the phony charging and accusing get to keep living their lives. Burgum, the U.S. Interior Department secretary and former North Dakota governor, and Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., are part and parcel to a terrible abuse of power. They accused and charged at least a half-dozen Americans of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saying damage to the monument was the work of left-wing vandals. It was done for Trump, whose campaign contributor was given a no-bid contract by Burgum and fumbled the repair job. To save face, Trump said vandals with “box-cutters” slashed the bottom liner of the pool making an alleged 350-foot gash… “Which leads to the obvious question: If the evidence is clear and there is video of vandalism, why was Pirro’s office not in possession of it?... “Burgum has proven himself a talented sycophant to the president, staying in good graces no matter the cost to the American people or his integrity. Which, if he had any left, would lead him to resign after this ugly affair.”

Toronto Star: Canada’s oil giants are cashing in on conflict. Consumers are paying the price
Jim Stanford, director of the Centre for Future Work in Vancouver, is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star, 8/8/26

“There’s nothing like a good war to fill the coffers of the oil industry,” Jim Stanford writes for the Toronto Star. “...This is because oil is a uniquely concentrated commodity, in two complementary ways. Oil deposits are concentrated in certain regions of the world, many of which are vulnerable to conflict. And oil production is concentrated in the hands of some of the biggest corporations on the planet. These twin characteristics empower the petroleum industry to profit from chaos more lucratively than any other… “The combination of soaring prices and steady production costs is a recipe to make money, and Canada’s oil majors are doing so with gusto. The four biggest publicly traded oil producers (Cenovus, Suncor, Imperial and Canadian Natural) just reported blockbuster second-quarter earnings. Combined after-tax profits at the four surged to $13.3 billion, up 144 per cent from year-earlier levels. Extrapolated to the industry’s overall footprint, total Canadian petroleum profits could double this year, perhaps reaching $100 billion. That’s great for shareholders. But the money has to come from somewhere. It comes from consumers… “The spillover of high oil prices into broader inflation is perhaps the biggest danger to consumers… “It is neither inevitable nor reasonable that one industry should profit so obscenely from a war that is killing thousands, dislocating millions, and undermining the livings standards of billions.”

PIPELINE NEWS

• Michigan Advance: How a Michigan Supreme Court decision on a Line 5 permit might ripple beyond the pipeline

• Yale Climate Connections: ‘The Earth itself was screaming out:’ Bay Mills Indian Community fights pipeline permitting while enveloped in wildfire smoke

• KPLC: DeLa Express pipeline project suspended

• American Press: Moss Lake Partners cancels SW La. pipeline project

• POWHR: Montgomery County to Consider MVP Emergency Access Proposal

• WTVD: Proposed 28-mile natural gas pipeline draws pushback from landowners in Chatham County

• Lakeland Today: Carbon capture meeting in Bonnyville draws interest from area residents

• Canadian Press: First Nations chiefs in B.C. call on Carney, Smith to halt advancing West Coast pipeline

• The Narwhal: Doug Ford pushes a Canadian pipeline as Michigan shuts down Enbridge’s Line 5 update

• LNG Industry: Enbridge signs option to acquire TTC Connector

• Gasworld: Can ExxonMobil’s CO2 superhighway join decarbonisation dots

• ETF: Midstream Companies Expand Natural Gas Pipelines as LNG & AI Demand Grows

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Los Angeles Times: Trump’s attack on California coastal protection is “chilling”

• Politico: Retail gas stations touted by Trump racked up penalties in New Jersey

• Truthout: Trump Installs Project 2025 Author Dennis Kirk as Interior Department Watchdog

• Carbon Pulse: Carbon capture tax credit claims in US tripled in five years despite compliance burden -report

STATE UPDATES

• CalMatters: An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?

• Carbon Herald: Coastal Bend LNG Starts Permitting For Texas Export Project With Carbon Capture

• E&E News: Hochul steamrolled New York’s climate movement. Now green groups are recalculating.

• Colorado Sun: Colorado voters will decide whether to put “right to natural gas” in state constitution

• Wyoming Tribune Eagle: Wyoming voters overwhelmingly back keeping public lands in public hands, new poll finds

• Utah Public Radio: Hunters also want protections for endangered species, poll says

• Athens Independent: Wayne fracking permits OK’d despite pending legal dispute

• WBEZ: Inside the nearly 5-month labor lockout at BP’s Whiting refinery

EXTRACTION

• Reuters: Canadian Natural says oil sands expansions paused until government agreements finalized

• Sustainable Views: Brexit gives Exxon loophole to attack EU carbon capture

• Heatmap: Amazon Is Building America’s Biggest Fossil Fuel Plant to Power AI

• Associated Press: Leaking grounded oil tanker off Oman sinks further, satellite images show

OPINION

• Windsor Star: Action needed to protect Line 5 in Sarnia: MP

• WyoFile: Proposed changes to federal oil and gas provisions are bad for public land, private property owners and democracy
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Michigan Advance: How a Michigan Supreme Court decision on a Line 5 permit might ripple beyond the pipeline
Vivian La - IPR, 8/8/26

“A decision from the Michigan Supreme Court last week about a Line 5 permit may have lasting impacts on the state’s environmental protection laws, well beyond the pipeline,” the Michigan Advance reports. “When justices vacated a permit issued by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 tunnel project, they also likely expanded what state agencies must consider when evaluating projects for environmental harms. “Any unfinished decision currently being considered, and any decision down the line that implicates the Great Lakes and the land submerged by those Great Lakes, is absolutely going to have to follow this opinion,” Oday Salim, director of the environmental law and sustainability clinic at the University of Michigan, told the Advance. Legal experts told the Advance the ruling strengthens Michigan’s public trust doctrine — a common law that says the state has to protect the public’s ownership of the bottomlands and waters of the Great Lakes for certain uses, like for fishing or navigating. The public trust doctrine is rooted in the ancient Roman idea that some resources are so important they can’t be privately owned, and should be protected for the benefit of the people… “It is literally breathing life into the law,” Liz Kirkwood, executive director of Flow Water Advocates, which argued for public trust considerations in the Line 5 case, told the Advance. “It becomes part of an agency’s action, and it’s telling them that this has to be part of their muscle memory.”

Yale Climate Connections: ‘The Earth itself was screaming out:’ Bay Mills Indian Community fights pipeline permitting while enveloped in wildfire smoke
Samantha Harrington, 8/10/26

“Whitney Gravelle spent July 15, 2026, trying to clear wildfire smoke out of tribal buildings, constructing homemade air purifiers from filters and box fans, and checking on community members with asthma and heart disease. Gravelle is the president of the Bay Mills Indian Community based on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,” Yale Climate Connections reports. “The same day, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy approved two key permits for Enbridge, a Canadian oil and gas company, to build a tunnel for a pipeline that runs through the Straits of Mackinac, a sacred waterway for the Bay Mills community that connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. If fully approved, the project would allow Enbridge to operate the tunnel and pipeline through the Straits for 99 more years. Bay Mills Indian Community has been fighting to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline for over 15 years, alongside climate action organizations and all of Michigan’s other recognized tribes. Line 5, they argue, poses extreme risks to fragile, sacred, and economically important ecosystems. And it locks Michigan into almost another century of supporting oil and gas infrastructure, even though burning oil and gas causes climate change and the state set a goal of 100% clean energy by 2040. “Looking back for me, it’s ironic, but the day of, I was really upset,” Gravelle told YCC, recalling her experience on July 15. “We received the permit decision, and we quite literally had a climate crisis on our hands. And knowing that there were other First Nations up in Canada that had lost their homes to wildfire, it sort of felt like the Earth itself was screaming out for somebody to notice what’s happening.” “...Gravelle and others opposed to Line 5 said that by continuing to permit and invest in oil and gas infrastructure, the state of Michigan is not only putting the Great Lakes at risk of contamination, but also failing to meet commitments to address climate change.”

KPLC: DeLa Express pipeline project suspended
Caleb Carter, 8/7/26

“A major pipeline project that would have run through much of Calcasieu Parish has been suspended,” KPLC reports. “MossLake Partners, an independent energy infrastructure company, notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that it is suspending the DeLa Express Project. The project, announced in 2024, had drawn strong opposition from Louisiana residents and would have transferred natural gas 690 miles from West Texas into Moss Bluff. In a letter to the commission, DeLa Express LLC President J.A. Blackman said the company determined the project is better suited as an intrastate pipeline… “Our group decided to focus our Project engineering and commercial development activities on dry natural gas transportation markets,” Blackman said. “Based on these supply-driven shipper interests and the proposed timing and likelihood of certain downstream demand projects, we believe DeLa Express now presents a strategic opportunity for incremental Permian residue natural gas transportation starting in 2030.” “...MossLake Partners and FERC had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.”

American Press: Moss Lake Partners cancels SW La. pipeline project
8/9/26

“The interstate DeLa Express project is officially suspended and effectively canceled in its original form,” the American Press reports. “Moss Lake Partners notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that it is abandoning the 690-mile interstate route from West Texas to Moss Bluff, removing the cross-border pipeline through Calcasieu Parish. The company stated the project is better suited as a strictly intrastate pipeline running solely within Texas… “Moss Lake Partners said their plans have shifted to transport dry gas instead of wet gas liquids linked to the plastics industry. “Finally one of the big pipeline projects steamrolling into and across Calcasieu Parish got stopped before any of its land seizures and other adverse impacts happened,” RESTORE founder Michael Tritico wrote in an emailed statement to the American Press. “Interstate teamwork made that happen. I hope that the people who were so sure of themselves about this feel at least some humility. The people are rising up.”

POWHR: Montgomery County to Consider MVP Emergency Access Proposal
8/6/26

“The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a work session during their upcoming August 10 meeting to discuss a proposed “Transportation and Emergency Access Improvements Project” agreement,” according to POWHR. “...In its December 15, 2025 resolution, the Board also notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of its concerns “with the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts, on the natural, physical and human environments that may be caused from adverse hazardous air emissions and from greenhouse gases emanating from the Swann Compressor facility that will impact the air and water quality, wildlife and socioeconomic factors in the County of Montgomery, Virginia.” The Board further requested that “FERC require an impartial Environmental Impact Statement (”the EIS”) to be prepared to address the significant environmental effects the Boost Project will have on the natural, physical and human environments in the County…” MVP’s proposal to the board does not address the health or environmental impact concerns. The Board passed its Resolution of Opposition in response to community objections to the Swann Compressor Station raised at previous board meetings and those public health and safety concerns have not changed. The Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 10, at 6:30 PM at the Montgomery County Government Center, 2nd Floor Board Chambers, 755 Roanoke Street Christiansburg, VA. County. MVP cannot be allowed to find new ways to evade their responsibility and ignore the environmental and health problems Boost would create. Residents are encouraged to attend and urge the board to hold the line and reject the Swann site as unsuitable for a massive, polluting compressor station in an environmental justice community.”

WTVD: Proposed 28-mile natural gas pipeline draws pushback from landowners in Chatham County
8/8/26

“Opposition from neighbors and property owners is growing in a North Carolina county over a proposed 28-mile natural gas line,” WTVD reports. “Enbridge Gas, North America’s largest natural gas utility company, wants to build a new natural gas pipeline in Chatham County, and some are voicing their concerns about the proposal…”Property owners, many of whom are generational landowners, worry that the pipeline could lower property values and pose risks to local water supplies if a leak were to occur. Some landowners accuse Enbridge of not being transparent about the restrictions and easements that would accompany the project. They are concerned about how the pipeline could affect their ability to farm, develop or otherwise use their land. Environmental groups have raised additional concerns about potential impacts on wetlands, streams, trees and endangered aquatic species along the proposed route.”

Lakeland Today: Carbon capture meeting in Bonnyville draws interest from area residents
Michelle Pinon, 8/7/26

“NO CO2 Pipelines Alberta and Keepers of the Water co-hosted a town hall meeting at the Bonnyville & District Centennial Centre on July 23. Both groups are actively opposing the Pathways Project, a proposed carbon capture, utilization and storage megaproject that would capture carbon dioxide emissions from oil sands facilities across northern Alberta and store the emissions in areas near Cold Lake, Bonnyville and St. Paul,” Lakeland Today reports. “The meeting was held in a small conference room that was packed with about 75 people. Nigel Robinson, an outreach coordinator with Keepers of the Water, outlined some of the key points and information contained in a community engagement report that was released only a few days prior to the meeting. The report titled ‘Key Facts About the Pathways Project’ outlines what the proposed project is, what the Oil Sands Alliance is, assessment of risks and impacts as well as a case study of the 2020 Satartia CO2 pipeline rupture… “Mark Hunt, a Glendon area resident, spoke up during the meeting, stating he believes there is insufficient safety information available as to how to manage these types of pipelines. Hunt said he has been managing high risk pipelines for the last 20 years during his career in the oil and gas industry. He said one of the things companies are not telling people is that “the northeastern part of Alberta has the worst gas migration problem in the province.” He urged people to get more information about carbon capture technology and its associated risks, especially ground water and what happens in the event of a pipeline rupture… “Carbon capture is a con by the pipeline companies to make money, and they will make billions of dollars off it, and they will put the whole Cold Lake, Bonnyville, St. Paul area at a very, very, very high risk. They’re gambling with our future and it’s got to stop.” Gullackson added “It’s a ticking timebomb. Our grandkids are the ones that are going to pay the price.” “...Another resident, who asked not to be named because he works in the oil and gas sector, was concerned that the technology associated with carbon capture isn’t fully understood, and neither are the potential long-term effects, or how it could affect ground water, geology, and risks to human life… “NO CO2 Pipelines Alberta founders Dr. Amil Shapka and Penny Fox told members of council this was “no ordinary pipeline project” and would be the largest carbon capture storage project in the world… “One concern, noted Dr. Shapka, is that “the project has been fast tracked with no environmental impact assessment.”

Canadian Press: First Nations chiefs in B.C. call on Carney, Smith to halt advancing West Coast pipeline
8/9/26

“A group that represents numerous First Nations across British Columbia is calling on Ottawa and Alberta’s government to halt efforts to advance the West Coast pipeline, saying expanding the oil industry will accelerate climate change and disasters,” the Canadian Press reports. “The destructive and disastrous consequences of expanding fossil fuel production extend far beyond any single territory,” the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs said in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. “From catastrophic wildfires to destructive floods and rising seas, the impacts of climate change are already being felt across this country. Every new fossil fuel project deepens that crisis.” “...The Indigenous group said it is also publishing the letter on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on Sunday to reaffirm that it’s against the pipeline because government has not consulted and co-operated in good faith with the First Nations… “Consultation cannot be meaningful if First Nations are invited only to discuss how a predetermined project will proceed.” Karah Folk, spokesperson for Alberta’s Ministry of Indigenous Relations, said in an email to CBC News that the project provides “long-term benefits” for Indigenous communities, who will be consulted as it progresses.”

The Narwhal: Doug Ford pushes a Canadian pipeline as Michigan shuts down Enbridge’s Line 5 update
Fatima Syed, 8/7/26

“When a Michigan court shot down Enbridge’s plan to bury a section of its aging Line 5 pipeline in a concrete tunnel under two Great Lakes, Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded with a pipeline pitch of his own,” The Narwhal reports. “The fuel that powers Ontario’s economy should never be put at risk because of decisions made in another country,” Ford wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Aug. 1. “That’s why we’re building the Northern Shield Energy Corridor — a new Canadian pipeline, made with Canadian steel, by Canadian workers, exclusively within Canada’s borders.” Ford’s warnings about relying on energy “decisions made in another country” come as his government continues to push natural gas expansion, and the province increasingly relies on American supply… “Ford took a different route, using the court decision to re-up a pipeline concept he announced with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in July. The Northern Shield Energy Corridor is a proposed 3,300-kilometre line to carry crude oil from Hardisty, Alta., through Saskatchewan and Manitoba to Sarnia… ”Ford has framed it as an all-Canadian pipeline that would be immune to the kind of cross-border legal fights now delaying updates to Line 5. Northern Shield is undergoing a feasibility study, due by the end of the year, with no confirmed cost, timeline or construction approval… “As all of this plays out, including the Line 5 saga, Enbridge has told investors it expects to return tens of billions of dollars to shareholders over the coming years, in part because of the strength of continued gas demand growth in Ontario.”

LNG Industry: Enbridge signs option to acquire TTC Connector
Jessica Casey, 8/7/26

“Enbridge has signed an exclusive option to acquire the TTC Connector, located within the US Gulf Coast LNG supply chain,” LNG Industry reports. “This option to acquire the TTC Connector potentially expands the company’s existing Gulf Coast natural gas footprint. It is also a key LNG lynchpin, connecting Enbridge’s Tres Palacios gas storage facility to the Coastal Bend Header pipeline for delivery to the Freeport LNG export facility.”

Gasworld: Can ExxonMobil’s CO2 superhighway join decarbonisation dots?
Dominic Ellis, 8/10/26

“ExxonMobil has shed more light on its integrated carbon dioxide ‘superhighway’ along the US Gulf Coast – drawing on automotive language to drive home its concept,” Gasworld reports. “The network aims to connect multiple emitters to storage sites and CO2 customers, allowing greater flexibility as captured CO2 moves to different endpoints – permanent dedicated storage (Class VI wells), permanent storage via enhanced oil recovery (EOR), or industrial uses (utilisation) – all while being checked, measured, and monitored 24/7.”

ETF: Midstream Companies Expand Natural Gas Pipelines as LNG & AI Demand Grows
Elle Caruso Fitzgerald, 8/7/26

“Several midstream energy companies are expanding their natural gas pipelines through new acquisitions and project developments as they look to capture growing demand for natural gas driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and data centers,” ETF reports. “Williams Companies (WMB) announced a $5.5 billion acquisition of Momentum Midstream alongside its $1.5 billion Delta Access Expansion project. Enbridge and MPLX sanctioned the 2.6 Bcf/d Bay Runner Twin Pipeline to supply Permian gas to the Rio Grande LNG export terminal. TC Energy and DT Midstream (DTM) secured expansion initiatives directly tied to regional gas-fired power generation and AI data center loads. This year has seen midstream operators deploy capital to consolidate high-demand pipeline corridors. Leading the charge, Williams Companies (WMB) is set to acquire Momentum Midstream for $5.5 billion. The acquisition adds 4.05 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of capacity across three take-or-pay pipelines. The pipelines are positioned to serve growing Gulf Coast LNG, power, and industrial customers… “Hyperscale AI data centers are rapidly emerging as key consumers of natural gas power generation. TC Energy Corporation sanctioned two expansion efforts backed by 20-year take-or-pay contracts.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Los Angeles Times: Trump’s attack on California coastal protection is “chilling”
Rosanna Xia, 8/7/26

“For months, the Trump administration has sought to open the California coast to a radically industrialized future: large-scale desalination plants, floating nuclear reactors, more rocket launches and expanded offshore oil drilling along the state’s most iconic beaches,” the Los Angeles Times reports. “Holding the line against all this is a little-known but longstanding federal law, the Coastal Zone Management Act, which grants coastal states like California the right to review and object to any project in federal waters that clashes with state policy. Now, citing California’s “environmental extremism,” Trump officials are attempting to decertify the state’s power under this law. Framed as a performance review of the state’s coastal management practices, this challenge begins in earnest Monday during a public hearing in Santa Monica, where hundreds of emboldened regulators, elected officials, environmentalists, Indigenous leaders, community activists and everyday Californians are expected to speak out. The review will be conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Management and comes amid federal efforts to dismantle clean air policies, endangered species protections and other landmark environmental regulations that have long drawn the ire of industry and fossil fuel producers.”

Politico: Retail gas stations touted by Trump racked up penalties in New Jersey
Ry Rivard, James Bikales, 8/7/26

“The operator behind at least six of the mysterious Freedom Fuel discount gas stations had faced a stream of nearly 200 penalties in New Jersey before President Donald Trump touted the network last month, according to state records Politico reviewed. The penalties pertaining to safety and environmental violations laid out in New Jersey public records raise questions about how much the administration knew about the network that the White House promoted and Trump praised in social media posts and official press releases… “But the White House told Politico it was not familiar with dealings between the owner of the sites and its affiliates and New Jersey regulators… “In May, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection levied a $429,900 penalty against 17 stations managed by Kazmi and owned by Blue Owl, according to an 88-page administrative order POLITICO obtained via public record requests… “Those penalties are all related to the underground tanks that store fuel, but also include violations like submitting false information in an attempt to register the tanks, as well as air pollution control issues.”

Truthout: Trump Installs Project 2025 Author Dennis Kirk as Interior Department Watchdog
Jake Johnson, 8/6/26

“The Trump administration has reportedly installed an author of the far-right Project 2025 agenda inside the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General as the watchdog is facing growing calls to investigate alleged corruption by top agency officials,” Truthout reports. “Dennis Kirk worked in the White House budget office during Trump’s first term and co-authored a Project 2025 chapter that recommended sweeping action to “decentralize and privatize” the federal government “as much as possible.” Last year, Kirk was placed inside the office of the inspector general of the US intelligence community, drawing alarm. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement on Wednesday that Kirk’s reported appointment to a role inside the Interior Department IG office “is a fraud on the office and a fraud on the American people.” “Dennis Kirk is a fake and fraudulent watchdog,” said Huffman.”

Carbon Pulse: Carbon capture tax credit claims in US tripled in five years despite compliance burden -report
8/7/26

“Federal incentives to expand carbon capture in the US showed that claims for the 45Q tax credit tripled from 2019-23 despite the burden faced by taxpayers seeking to use the credit in their applications, a recent government watchdog report found,” Carbon Pulse reports.

STATE UPDATES

CalMatters: An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?
Alejandro Lazo, 8/10/26

“Nearly four years ago, California lawmakers ordered state regulators to prepare for an industry that promised a new way to fight climate change: permanently burying carbon dioxide underground,” CalMatters reports. “...More than 19 months after that deadline, California has not adopted its carbon storage rules. In May, California’s largest oil producer, California Resources Corp., began burying carbon at Elk Hills, a vast, century-old oil field in rural Kern County. With its injections, the project became an important test run: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which approved the injections, could point to no other project like it in the United States. Without its own rules in place, California can’t hold companies like CRC to a tougher standard than the federal government, or make sure for itself that the carbon — a gas that suffocates people in high concentrations and drives climate change — stays in the ground. “If something does go wrong, there are a lot of really important questions about who would actually address those concerns and impacts,” Michelle Ghafar, an Earthjustice attorney representing groups suing to stop the project, told CalMatters. “And we have a history of oil companies not taking responsibility for cleaning up their messes.” “...It’s not clear which agency is in charge if carbon escapes through one of the oil field’s older wells, for instance… “For now, the company is injecting carbon at Elk Hills while an environmental lawsuit over the project remains unresolved.”

Carbon Herald: Coastal Bend LNG Starts Permitting For Texas Export Project With Carbon Capture
Vasil Velev, 8/10/26

“Coastal Bend LNG has begun the federal permitting process for a Texas Gulf Coast export terminal, putting carbon capture at the center of a 19.2 MTPA LNG project,” the Carbon Herald reports. “The company said it submitted a request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to begin pre-filing review and expects to submit its formal application under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act in early 2027… “Coastal Bend LNG said the design includes integrated carbon capture facilities that would allow it to arrange transportation and geological sequestration of carbon dioxide… “The Environmental Protection Agency in 2025 approved Texas’ request to take over permitting for Class VI wells, which inject carbon dioxide into deep underground formations for long-term storage. EPA has also issued Class VI permits for carbon-storage projects in the state.”

E&E News: Hochul steamrolled New York’s climate movement. Now green groups are recalculating.
Marie J. French, 8/10/26

“Gov. Kathy Hochul weakened the strongest climate law in the country this year, bulldozing an environmental movement that spent years pushing for its passage,” E&E News reports. “But Hochul (D) — who hammered on cost concerns tied to the 2019 law — isn’t likely to pay a tangible political price. A left-flank primary challenge collapsed after she was endorsed by the state’s most prominent progressive, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and she’s now facing off against a pro-fracking Republican opponent opposed to renewables. That leaves environmental advocates in New York split over what to do next: keep fighting Hochul over her energy agenda, or work with her and try to shape what she’s still willing to do to slow climate change. Despite their bitter defeat, many institutional green groups are picking the latter as she faces voters in November.”

Colorado Sun: Colorado voters will decide whether to put “right to natural gas” in state constitution
Jesse Paul, 8/6/26

“Colorado voters will decide in November whether to put a “right to natural gas” in the state constitution,” the Colorado Sun reports. “The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office said Thursday that supporters of the measure turned in enough voter signatures to get the initiative on the ballot… “Initiative 177 seeks to prevent state and local bans or limits on natural gas sales and use in Colorado and overturn any existing laws or regulations to that effect. Specifically, the measure would amend the state constitution to say that “consumers have the right to purchase natural gas for cooking or heating in homes or businesses throughout the state” and that “distributors and utilities have the right to sell natural gas for homes or businesses.” “...Advance Colorado, a conservative political nonprofit that doesn’t disclose its donors, crafted the measure and is paying for the campaign to pass it.”

Wyoming Tribune Eagle: Wyoming voters overwhelmingly back keeping public lands in public hands, new poll finds
Alyssa Tolman, 8/6/26

“More than nine in 10 Wyoming voters oppose selling federally managed public lands and say they would be less likely to support elected officials who back such proposals, according to a new statewide poll released by the Keep It Public, Wyoming coalition,” the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. “The survey, which was conducted July 27-29 by polling firm Cygnal, found that approximately 91% of likely Wyoming primary and general election voters support keeping federally managed public lands in public hands and managed for multiple uses, while 6% support selling them… “The poll shows that approximately 64% of respondents said they had seen, read or heard “some” or “a great deal” about recent proposals to sell federally managed public lands… “The survey also found that approximately 79% of respondents would be less likely to support an elected official who is in support of selling or transferring public lands, compared with 8% who said they would be more likely to support this candidate.”

Utah Public Radio: Hunters also want protections for endangered species, poll says
Roz Brown, 8/6/26

“A new poll showed there is very little difference between how American hunters and the general public feel about national park wildlife conservation issues,” Utah Public Radio reports. “A large majority in both groups agreed the Endangered Species Act is important for protecting at-risk species calling the national parks home. The Trump administration wants to eliminate habitat protections in favor of economic considerations and is changing rules that allow for public input or notice… “A proposed federal rollback to the Endangered Species Act favors prioritizing oil and gas drilling to achieve energy independence. What’s more, the Department of the Interior has directed agencies to scale back hunting and trapping restrictions across federal recreation areas and national preserves through in-house directives rather than formal public rulemaking. The order lifts dozens of local constraints at more than 55 park sites.”

Athens Independent: Wayne fracking permits OK’d despite pending legal dispute
Dani Kington, 8/6/26

“A group of environmental organizations filed documents in federal court July 21, arguing that federal agencies violated a 2021 court order by approving fracking permits for the Wayne National Forest’s Marietta Unit earlier this year,” the Athens Independent reports. “The Wayne itself is one of the last few places in Ohio that hasn’t really been fracked or subject to fracking, and so the stakes are very high,” Wendy Park, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, which is among the plaintiffs challenging fracking permits in court, told the Independent. Additional plaintiffs in the case include Heartwood, the Ohio Environmental Council and the Sierra Club… “On May 18, the Bureau of Land Management approved three new applications for permits to drill fracking wells on Wayne National Forest land. The three wells will be drilled on the same parcel in southwestern Monroe County, with horizontal drilling proceeding through a portion of Washington County toward the Ohio River, according to a project map… “On several occasions in southeast Ohio, those toxic byproducts have migrated underground well outside permitted areas, impacting oil and gas production and prompting concerns for drinking water impacts… “The BLM also is proceeding with a new lease sale planned for September. The sale will offer leases on 41 oil and gas parcels, totaling 2,840 acres in Monroe and Washington counties.”

WBEZ: Inside the nearly 5-month labor lockout at BP’s Whiting refinery
Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, 8/6/26

“Jessica Skalka, 37, rounded the corner of a homemade bar in her dad’s garage, passing a framed collage of cutout newspaper clips marking the end of the 99-day strike at BP’s Whiting, Indiana, refinery in 2015,” WBEZ reports. “Until mid-March, father and daughter worked at BP’s sprawling plant in Whiting, Indiana, the largest inland oil refinery in North America. There, Donald had spent nearly two decades working his way up to a job in the control room, where he monitored the refinery’s operations from behind a bank of screens… “For the last four months, the Skalkas, Pleitner, and about 800 other workers represented by United Steelworkers Local 7-1, or USW, have been locked out of the refinery without pay and with no clear indication of when they’ll return to work. During a lockout, management can prevent workers from returning to their jobs to withhold wages. Lockouts are generally seen as a hard-line tactic during labor disputes and tend to be rare, especially in the refining business, which requires continuous production and a highly skilled workforce. Now, longtime refinery workers worry Big Oil is experimenting with a new playbook to break union power, undermine national collective bargaining and remake its workforce.”

EXTRACTION

Reuters: Canadian Natural says oil sands expansions paused until government agreements finalized
8/7/26

“Canadian Natural Resources will not move ahead with any mid- to long-term oil sands expansion projects until the details of a recently signed memorandum of understanding with the Canadian and Alberta governments are cemented in binding legal agreements, the company’s CEO said on Thursday,” Reuters reports. “This means that the company’s approximately C$650-million, 30 000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Jackfish project and its approximately C$2.5-billion, 70 000-bpd Pike 2 project remain on hold, as do longer-term projects such as the proposed 150 000-bpd Jackpine mine expansion, CEO Scott Stauth told a conference call. Early engineering work for all of these projects had been slated for this year, according to a 2025 investor presentation. Stauth’s comments are the latest indication that Canadian oil producers are not rushing to increase output despite ‌large-scale policy reforms promised by the federal and Alberta governments in an effort to spur growth in Canada’s oil industry… “Major oil sands CEOs — including Stauth — signed a non-binding agreement in July with Alberta and Canada that aimed to lay out conditions for the advancement of a carbon capture and storage project, known as Pathways, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands… “Many of the ​proposed policy changes contained in the agreement — including agreements around carbon pricing, financial supports, and permitting — have not ​yet been drafted into ⁠final legislation.”

Sustainable Views: Brexit gives Exxon loophole to attack EU carbon capture
Ben Steel, 8/10/26

“ExxonMobil has sent an investor-state dispute settlement notice to the EU, challenging the carbon capture obligations under the Net Zero Industry Act, despite its lobbying in favour of the technology,” Sustainable Views reports. “ExxonMobil has sent an investor-state dispute settlement notice to the European Commission, challenging its obligations to develop carbon storage sites under the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act as too onerous, despite its lobbying for carbon capture schemes… “We are confident that the measures adopted by the EU comply with the Energy Charter Treaty and any other applicable rules of international law,” a spokesperson for the Commission told SV… “This is an extraordinary case because Exxon lobbies heavily for carbon capture schemes, and yet here they are suing the EU for introducing carbon capture requirements,” Nick Dearden, director of non-governmental organisation Global Justice Now, told SV. “The bottom line is Exxon doesn’t think they should pay for it, and so they’re using ISDS to shift the cost to the public.” The reversal suggests that the fossil fuel industry’s public support for carbon capture was intended to supplant more material policy moves, Kyla Tienhaara, associate professor of environmental and global development studies at Queen’s University, told SV. “Clearly it has been a tactic to delay real action.” “...In a LinkedIn post from ExxonMobil Europe on July 14, just weeks before the news of the notice broke, the oil and gas producer wrote that “carbon capture and storage is a critical technology in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions”. The post notes that Exxon has captured 120mn tonnes of carbon dioxide globally, which it says is more than any other company.”