energy industry news stories on Newser

Most Dangerous Part of Oil Jobs: Driving Home

Kevin Spak — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:43:05 CDT

You know what's more dangerous than working on an oil rig? Driving home from one. More than 300 oil and gas workers have died in car crashes in the past decade, making it the top cause of death in a dangerous industry, the New York Times reports. The probable culprit?...

Argentina Seizing Key Energy Firm

Rob Quinn — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:21:05 CDT

The government of Argentina, claiming that a rise in oil imports is making the country "unviable," is taking control of the country's main oil producer. President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has announced plans to nationalize YPF, and is sending a bill to the country's senate allowing the government to expropriate...

US Becoming Net Fuel Exporter

Rob Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:14:25 CST

This is going to be the first year since 1949 in which America exports more fuel than it imports, thanks to sagging demand at home and booming economies elsewhere. The US still imports around 9 million barrels of crude oil every day, but soaring exports of refined petroleum products are...

Biotech Firm Says It Can Grow Diesel

Rob Quinn — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 07:18:05 CST

A Massachusetts biotech company says it has created an organism capable of radically transforming the energy business—and the world. Joule Unlimited claims its genetically-engineered organism can create diesel fuel or ethanol using only the same ingredients grass needs to grow: sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Skeptics, however, doubt whether...

Energy Group to Academy: No Oscar for Gasland!

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:45:59 CST

It's not uncommon for industries to try and discredit documentaries that harm their image, but this time, an energy group is appealing directly to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Energy in Depth wants to make sure the Academy knows that Gasland should not be considered for an...

Thank Dick Cheney for Gulf Oil Spill

M. Morris — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:15:00 CDT

The scope of the Gulf oil spill is far from clear, but the finger-pointing is already under way, and a lot of fingers ought to be aiming at Dick Cheney, Alex Pareene blogs for Salon . Connecting the dots that begin with a Wall Street Journal exposé, we learn that Cheney's...

Regulate, Baby, Regulate; Drilling Won't Solve Much

Jane Yager — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:30:33 CDT

President Obama's decision to open up new offshore drilling was a brilliant political move that may or may not harm the environment, Thomas Frank writes in the Wall Street Journal. But if Obama wants to avoid a repeat of the oil price crisis of 2008—that which fueled the "drill...

US Oil Surplus Puts Dow Off 65

Harry Kimball — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:12:12 CDT

Reports of greater-than-expected US oil reserves sent crude prices and markets tumbling today, the Wall Street Journal notes. The manufacturing sector fell, and the Dow’s energy component was off 4.1%. “People are looking at the inventory report today as a really good chance to take some money off the...

Energy, Tech Climb; Dow Up 39

Nick McMaster — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:09:15 CDT

Stocks closed with small gains after spending the day mostly in the red on the news of a 25-year high in unemployment, the Wall Street Journal reports. Anticipating governments’ stimulus plans will increase fuel demand globally, investors put their money into energy stocks. Tech also performed well after a strong...