Energy Exchange

By Colin Leyden and Adam Peltz

• A bill aimed at Texas’ 115,000 inactive oil and gas wells has passed both legislative chambers and will help address one of the state’s most critical, yet hidden, challenges. 
• A bill heading to Gov. Abbott’s desk challenges the status quo in Texas, making sure the oil and gas industry starts cleaning up its old, leaky, non-producing wells.

Texas’ oil and gas industry has long been among the national leaders in production, but with that leadership comes the responsibility  to safely and responsibly plug unproductive legacy assets. This is particularly true when it comes to the over 100,000  inactive oil and gas wells scattered across the Lone Star State. The recent passage by both legislative chambers of Senate Bill 1150 represents a modest but meaningful step toward making sure the oil and gas industry cleans up its mess and addresses one of our state’s most pressing environmental and fiscal challenges. The bill is now headed to Gov. Abbott for signature.

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By Sofia Esquivel Elizondo

• Ammonia is under consideration as a near-zero-emission fuel to help the shipping sector transition away from fossil fuels. But because the fuel’s lifecycle emissions profile is complex, its impacts need to be better understood and effectively managed.
• Findings from two recent studies build on how ammonia’s emissions from production, combustion and across the value chain influence ammonia’s climate impact — and why managing them is crucial to delivering real climate benefits while safeguarding people and the environment.

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By Deanna Nussberger, EDF Legal and Regulatory Intern

Energy decisions profoundly impact communities, yet the decision-making process can feel opaque and inaccessible. Concerns surrounding the tangible impacts of energy infrastructure — who benefits, who bears the costs and how electricity bills are affected — are frequently resolved behind closed doors in highly technical and legally complex energy regulatory proceedings, leaving many feeling voiceless in choices that directly shape their lives.

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As the world seeks to drastically reduce carbon dioxide emissions, clean hydrogen shows real potential to be part of the solution, particularly for those 20-30% of emissions that may be unmanageable through direct electrification. While hydrogen made from renewable energy can be the cleanest form, many in industry and government are shifting their focus towards blue hydrogen, made from natural gas. This shift presents opportunities for hydrogen’s growth, but also fundamental challenges that could determine whether the fuel provides meaningful decarbonization progress or quickly takes us in the wrong direction.

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CALGARY — A new report commissioned by the Pembina Institute and Environmental Defense Fund finds that Canada’s methane mitigation industry is thriving, with well-paying jobs and investment likely to grow if companies and governments take steps to further reduce the harmful methane emissions that come from oil and gas production.

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