Michael’s Blog

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Ike Update

There are no reports of damage to any crude oil or natural gas pipelines or production infrastructure.  However, 99.7% and 98.4% of pre-Ike gulf coast crude oil and natural gas production is shut-in, respectively.  All major offshore natural gas pipelines are shut in due to evacuations of production interconnected platforms and onshore facilities.  Employees of offshore facilities are not expected to begin returning before Tuesday.

I Don’t like Ike

Hurricane Ike made landfall as a strong Category 2 just after 2:00 am September 13.  

Its impact on the energy sector is anything but good.  So far, 2,383,062 Texans have been left without power.

If that’s not the pot calling the kettle black

Asked which justice he wouldn’t have nominated to the Supreme Court, Senator Obama named Justice Clarence Thomas.

Energy Solutions Part III – Oil

Sound energy policy must include more exploration, more conservation and more alternative fuels.  Just as wiser energy use and the pursuit of alternative fuels must be part of our future, so to must more exploration and drilling.

C-H-A-N-G-E

Throughout this campaign season Sen. Obama has touted he’d bring about change.  Whatever that means, one thing is becoming real clear.  He’ll change his position on issues.  

100 years

Did he say what I think he said?

Using phrases like:
“… Entering a new age of gas abundance”
“This is a game-changer”
“…a paradigm shift”
“Shale gas makes the U.S. the Saudi Arabia of natural gas.”

Energy Solutions Part II – Clean Coal

Now that the U.S. Department of Energy has decided to go in a different direction with FutureGen, we should encourage the development of a Texas public-private lignite mine-mouth clean coal power plant that employs carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, captures nearly all emissions including carbon dioxide, leaving some of the CO2 for enhanced oil recovery and other commercially viable purposes.

If you don’t have a gas well, get one

Everybody in Nacogdoches is talking natural gas -- the Haynesville Shale to be exact.  The landman (she was actually a land lady) at the table next to me in the hotel restaurant, donors at state representative Wayne Christian’s fundraiser and the Rotarians who came to hear my energy speech all happily shared stories about the lease they just negotiated.

Delivered

I just returned from a press conference with San Antonio’s Northside Independent School District.  NISD is the first school district in the country since 2002 to take delivery of a propane school bus.  Their 16 new buses will be added to one of the largest alternative fuel bus fleets in all of Texas.

Energy Solutions Part I-Wind

Several studies show Texas as having the most potential of any state for wind energy. 

For a number of reasons, already Texas has more wind-powered electricity than any other state in the nation.  In 2007 alone, Texas added 1,600 megawatts of new wind capacity and by May 2008 the total installed wind capacity in the state exceeded 5000MW.  As much as 10,000 additional megawatts may be going and blowing by 2009 with another 45,000 megawatts in some phase of the planning process.  Whether all of that generation gets built, we'll just have to wait and see.

Let the games begin

This week, Governor Perry addressed the Entertainment Software Associations convention.  ESA is dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish computer and video games for video game consoles, personal computers, and the Internet. 

Thanks, Tony

Governor knows best

Last week, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin made the case for lifting the ban to drilling the ANWR.  In a letter to Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, Palin wrote:

It’s déjà vu all over again

“Texas, the consuming state, cannot exist without Texas, the producing state; and the United States as a consuming nation cannot exist without the United States as a producing nation."