Pacific Rubiales Receives Environmental OK for Quifa Expansion

Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. announced that the environmental permits for expansion activities in the Quifa Hydrocarbon Exploitation Area, southern Llanos basin onshore Colombia, have been granted by the Autoridad Nacional de Licencias Ambientales (ANLA).

The Quifa Hydrocarbon Exploitation Area covers both the Quifa SW producing oil field as well as the Quifa East Exploration Area surrounding the Rubiales Field on the north, east and west of the contract. Total gross field production at Quifa SW is currently 54 MMbopd from over 170 wells and is the Company's second largest producing oil field. The Company holds a 60% working interest in the Quifa area, while Ecopetrol S.A. holds the remaining interest.

These environmental permits will allow Pacific Rubiales to further develop the Quifa SW field and explore and develop the Quifa East Exploration Area, by authorizing the following activities:

Construction of 120 clusters to drill up to 960 production wells.Construction and operation of a new central production facility ("CPF"), as well as the construction of seven injection pads to increase water disposal capacity.Construction and operation of two electrical sub-stations to supply electricity from the Company's new power transmission line, currently under construction (Petroelectrica de los Llanos Project).Construction of five campsites for operations personnel, with all associated services.Construction of trunk and flowlines for infield transportation.

Ronald Pantin, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented: "We are very excited about receiving this important permit which will allow the Company to expand Quifa SW production in the near term to a plateau rate of approximately 60 Mbbl/d (total gross field production), achieve cost optimizations, and advance our exploration campaign in the Quifa East Area, converting resources into reserves and adding additional production over time. We also recognize and support the efforts that the ANLA has made to enhance and speed up the process of grating licenses to the Oil Industry in Colombia."

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

View the original article here

Report on state business climate cites need for energy and environmental planning

Bruce Ritchie, 01/02/2013 – 04:13 PM. http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/

A Florida Department of Economic Opportunity report on the state's business climate is calling for a statewide strategy to ensure adequate future water supplies and for a statewide energy strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. 

The Legislature in 2011 passed bills reducing state oversight of local government land-use decisions and eliminating the Department of Community Affairs, while moving state planners to the new Department of Economic Opportunity. The Legislature also directed the new department to issue a report on Florida's business and economic development climate each year before Dec. 31.

While mostly laying out strategies for attracting new industries and creating jobs, the 2011 report made only slight mention of the need for protecting "critical lands, waters and habitats" and addressing potential harm from major developments.

The 2012 report, received Wednesday from DEO in response to a request, still deals mostly with the need for coordination among government agencies to attract new businesses and create jobs. But it also adds a few details about the need for policies dealing with growth management and environmental protection. 

The report says there is a critical need for a more "proactive, effective and collaborative approach" on development and infrastructure decisions at the state, regional and local levels.

DEO calls on the Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection to initiate a statewide process to address economic development, land use, infrastructure and environmental stewardship over a 50-year period.

Read more at http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=30921554

View the original article here

Environmental Experts Boost State Regulation of Fracking

The New York Times’ Joe Nocera has a column based on an interview with Fred Krupp, a key member of the Energy Department’s special subcommittee on hydraulic fracturing – key because Krupp’s also president of the Environmental Defense Fund. Nocera writes:

"Unlike others in the environmental movement, [Krupp] and his colleagues at the Environmental Defense Fund don’t want to shut down fracking; rather, their goal is to work with the states where most of the shale gas lies and help devise smart regulations that would make fracking environmentally safer."

Nocera discusses the need to improve the capture of leaked methane from fracked natural gas wells, which certainly is an industry priority. Nocera then asks Krupp whether the federal government should take the regulatory lead, presuming that would foster greater uniformity and tougher enforcement. He writes:

"Krupp frowned. “Given the dysfunction in D.C., a state-by-state approach will be more effective,” he said. “We need to focus on getting the rules right, and complied with, in the 14 states which have 85 percent of the onshore gas reserves.”

We agree. States are best situated to regulate the development of natural gas from shale because they’re closest to drilling operations and they know the geology, hydrology and other physical characteristics that vary from state to state.

In this view Krupp has important company: EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Earlier this month Jackson told a campus forum that fracking regulations don’t have to extend beyond the state level – following on an interview last fall in which she said the states are doing a good job regulating hydraulic fracturing and that “we have no data right now that leads us to believe one way or the other that there needs to be specific federal regulation of the fracking process.”

We also agree on the need to get the rules right. Oil and natural gas companies have set high, constantly improving standards and are working with local communities and states to run transparent, responsible operations.

It’s in everyone’s interest to get this right, to respect the environment while tapping America’s vast shale natural gas resources, creating jobs and generating economic growth along the way. The country’s oil and natural gas companies are on it.

View the original article here

Environmental Experts Boost State Regulation of Fracking

The New York Times’ Joe Nocera has a column based on an interview with Fred Krupp, a key member of the Energy Department’s special subcommittee on hydraulic fracturing – key because Krupp’s also president of the Environmental Defense Fund. Nocera writes:

"Unlike others in the environmental movement, [Krupp] and his colleagues at the Environmental Defense Fund don’t want to shut down fracking; rather, their goal is to work with the states where most of the shale gas lies and help devise smart regulations that would make fracking environmentally safer."

Nocera discusses the need to improve the capture of leaked methane from fracked natural gas wells, which certainly is an industry priority. Nocera then asks Krupp whether the federal government should take the regulatory lead, presuming that would foster greater uniformity and tougher enforcement. He writes:

"Krupp frowned. “Given the dysfunction in D.C., a state-by-state approach will be more effective,” he said. “We need to focus on getting the rules right, and complied with, in the 14 states which have 85 percent of the onshore gas reserves.”

We agree. States are best situated to regulate the development of natural gas from shale because they’re closest to drilling operations and they know the geology, hydrology and other physical characteristics that vary from state to state.

In this view Krupp has important company: EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Earlier this month Jackson told a campus forum that fracking regulations don’t have to extend beyond the state level – following on an interview last fall in which she said the states are doing a good job regulating hydraulic fracturing and that “we have no data right now that leads us to believe one way or the other that there needs to be specific federal regulation of the fracking process.”

We also agree on the need to get the rules right. Oil and natural gas companies have set high, constantly improving standards and are working with local communities and states to run transparent, responsible operations.

It’s in everyone’s interest to get this right, to respect the environment while tapping America’s vast shale natural gas resources, creating jobs and generating economic growth along the way. The country’s oil and natural gas companies are on it.

View the original article here

Environmental Experts Boost State Regulation of Fracking

 

The New York Times’ Joe Nocera has a column based on an interview with Fred Krupp, a key member of the Energy Department’s special subcommittee on hydraulic fracturing – key because Krupp’s also president of the Environmental Defense Fund. Nocera writes:

"Unlike others in the environmental movement, [Krupp] and his colleagues at the Environmental Defense Fund don’t want to shut down fracking; rather, their goal is to work with the states where most of the shale gas lies and help devise smart regulations that would make fracking environmentally safer."

Nocera discusses the need to improve the capture of leaked methane from fracked natural gas wells, which certainly is an industry priority. Nocera then asks Krupp whether the federal government should take the regulatory lead, presuming that would foster greater uniformity and tougher enforcement. He writes:

"Krupp frowned. “Given the dysfunction in D.C., a state-by-state approach will be more effective,” he said. “We need to focus on getting the rules right, and complied with, in the 14 states which have 85 percent of the onshore gas reserves.”

We agree. States are best situated to regulate the development of natural gas from shale because they’re closest to drilling operations and they know the geology, hydrology and other physical characteristics that vary from state to state.

In this view Krupp has important company: EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Earlier this month Jackson told a campus forum that fracking regulations don’t have to extend beyond the state level – following on an interview last fall in which she said the states are doing a good job regulating hydraulic fracturing and that “we have no data right now that leads us to believe one way or the other that there needs to be specific federal regulation of the fracking process.”

We also agree on the need to get the rules right. Oil and natural gas companies have set high, constantly improving standards and are working with local communities and states to run transparent, responsible operations.

It’s in everyone’s interest to get this right, to respect the environment while tapping America’s vast shale natural gas resources, creating jobs and generating economic growth along the way. The country’s oil and natural gas companies are on it.

View the original article here