Energy Exchange

What We Know – And Don’t Know – About Toxic Wastewater From The Oil And Gas Industry

By Cloelle Danforth / Published: June 21, 2016

By Cloelle Danforth and Steve Hamburg

For all that we hear and think about oil and gas production, wastewater may not be at the top of our list of concerns. And yet, onshore oil and gas operations in the United States produce more than 800 billion gallons of toxic wastewater each year.

Most oil and gas companies either dispose of this water deep underground, or recycle it for use in other wells. But a growing number of operators are now considering alternate ways to discharge or reuse this water above ground.

Before we can effectively manage this influx of wastewater in new ways, we need to have a better understanding of what’s in it. Read More »

Posted in Natural Gas, produced water / Tagged , | Comments are closed

50 Million Reasons Why California Should Adopt Stronger Oil And Gas Rules

By Tim O'Connor / Published: June 20, 2016

California’s oil and gas industry emitted approximately 270,000 tons of methane in 2014 – nearly three times the gas released during the Aliso Canyon storage facility disaster. This wasted methane – primarily natural gas – is worth over $50 million, and would have met the heating and cooking needs of about 400,000 homes in the state, had it not been lost to the atmosphere.

Notwithstanding the fact that methane pollution damages the climate and co-pollutants can cause dramatic public health problems, losing natural gas is a wasteful practice. However, as demonstrated during a 2-day joint agency symposium in Sacramento earlier this month, there are businesses that are ready, willing and able to help the state reduce leaks by deploying cutting edge technology, many of which are based in California.

Innovative solutions on display

The symposium featured companies, like United Electric Technologies, Safety Scan, Rebellion and Heath Consultants, that showcased technologies and capabilities being used today to reduce methane emissions across the U.S. in the area of oil and gas production, transmission, and natural gas storage. Read More »

Posted in California, Methane, Natural Gas / Comments are closed

Valuing Energy Efficiency: The Case for Consensus

By Ellen Bell / Published: June 20, 2016

money building pixabayIn my time immersed in commercial real estate energy management, I have met a multitude of building owners, managers, and engineers whose love for their properties is clear.

Last month at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Summit in Washington, DC, I was lucky enough to once again spend time in the company of these inspiring commercial real estate professionals. This particular group takes that passion one step further. By publicly pledging to be industry leaders in energy efficiency, driving efforts to accelerate investment, and sharing success stories and lessons learned, the summit’s attendees are maximizing their operations and the value of their buildings.

Despite this shared commitment, I still find a common thread lost in translation between the industry’s stakeholders: the value of energy efficiency. These groups don’t always speak the same language and, when it comes to financing and implementing energy efficiency, this disconnect is often even more pronounced.

It’s time for the real estate market to collectively decide that it values energy efficiency, and make it an integral, uniform part of all core business decisions. Without consensus, the building-efficiency industry is just going to tread water – and miss out on a whole lot of savings.  Read More »

Posted in Energy Efficiency, Illinois / Comments are closed

Federal Regulators Should (Again) Block FirstEnergy’s Sneaky Attempts to Evade Oversight

By Dick Munson / Published: June 17, 2016

FirstEnergyChaseAkronOhio wikipedia croppedIt’s not usually a good idea to dis federal regulators. FirstEnergy doesn’t seem to care.

Almost two months ago, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ruled against the Ohio-based utility giant’s request to bail out its uneconomic power plants. FirstEnergy then tweaked its proposal to obtain the same result but, according to its CEO, “without the need for…FERC approval.”

To “FERC-proof” its bailout scheme, FirstEnergy now tries to mockingly call its subsidy a “surcharge” rather than a “power purchase agreement (PPA).” Put another way, by simply changing the wording of the original bailout, the utility’s sleight of hand aims to skirt federal oversight.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is joining the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) and others in asking FERC to overturn this end-run attempt – something we’re calling FirstEnergy’s “Virtual PPA.” It’s virtually the same as the original rotten deal, and it’s just as bad for customers, clean air, and markets.  Read More »

Posted in FirstEnergy, Ohio / Comments are closed

New EPA Rule Keeps Oil & Gas Wastewater out of Local Treatment Plants

By Holly Pearen / Published: June 17, 2016

TwoKidsDrinkFtn_42-19758561_Corbis_4C-CC_RFIf you like clean water, we’ve got good news. This week the EPA finalized an important Clean Water Act rule that cements commonsense protections for water resources. EPA’s new technology-based categorical pretreatment standard prevents unconventional oil and gas operators from delivering salty, toxic wastewater to publicly owned water treatment facilities — also known as POTWs. These facilities are designed to handle residential sewage, not industrial waste, and often are unable to treat the types of pollutants common in unconventional oil and gas wastewater.

Since 1979, the Clean Water Act has prohibited onshore oil and gas operators in the eastern U.S. from directly discharging oil and gas wastewater to surface waters, like streams and lakes. But until now, there were no rules that applied to the wastewater that is disposed of at separate treatment facilities, or “indirect discharges.”

The final POTW pretreatment rule is consistent with current industry practice, but this wasn’t always the case. Prior to 2011, oil and gas operators in Pennsylvania delivered wastewater to POTWs for treatment and disposal with terrible results. These POTWs struggled to treat unconventional oil and gas wastewater due to elevated levels of halides, heavy metals, organic compounds, radionuclides and salts. High and fluctuating TDS (salt) levels in wastewater interfered with the biological treatment processes reducing treatment efficiency. Bromides that went through POTW disinfection processes were transformed into toxic disinfection by-products and released into receiving waters. Read More »

Posted in Natural Gas, produced water / Tagged , , | Read 1 Response

Market Forces are Driving Coal’s Demise and Cleaning Up the Grid in Texas

By Jim Marston / Published: June 15, 2016

power lines unsplash croppedWhat do economists and environmentalists have in common? When it comes to Texas’ energy future, more than you may think.

According to a new study from the Brattle Group, a reputable, national economics consulting firm with extensive experience in Texas’ electricity sector, market forces are leading to coal’s rapid decline in the Lone Star State. Moreover, rapidly-growing cleaner electricity sources like natural gas and renewable energy will be able to entirely meet Texas’ additional power needs – without increasing electric bills. We couldn’t agree more.

That said, we’re confident the impacts are going to be even more powerful in terms of Texas’ wind, solar, and energy efficiency. And the latest report from Texas’ main grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), continues to support that expectation. Read More »

Posted in Air Quality, Natural Gas, Renewable Energy, Texas / Comments are closed