The Imperishable Permian Basin: Growing at 90 (Resourceship in action: I)

By Fred Lawrence -- May 17, 2013 6 Comments

“The Permian Basin is a story about combining the various talents of independents, majors, and service companies in using advancing technologies to sustain the lifespan of existing fields, to tap into zones that were previously uneconomic or inaccessible, and to increase the Permian’s proven reserves in a remarkable fashion.”

The Permian region, in western Texas and extending into southeastern New Mexico, has been one of North America’s major oil and natural gas producing regions for nearly a century. What makes the Permian stand out, besides its size, is its huge diversity. Rather than a single play, it is a collection of regional conventional and unconventional plays, producing from a variety of geological formations covering a wide area in more than a dozen productive formations.

Permian wells produce in depths ranging from a few hundred feet to tens of thousands of feet.

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Wind Performing Badly

By -- May 16, 2013 9 Comments

“The claim that wind projects in the U.S. are achieving 30% average capacity factors nationally [are] … not meaningful when considering that state RPS mandates are based on local resources. For states like New York and Pennsylvania, where average capacity factors are in the low- to mid- 20% range, many more wind turbines and related infrastructure (transmission) will be needed to meet RPS mandates than originally forecasted, resulting in increased costs and impacts.

Couple this with the fact that wind production in most states is seasonal with summer months producing at half that of winter months and also concentrated during periods of low demand (night time) — much of the energy arrives as excess energy making it less useful.”

This week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced it was revisiting the conclusions of its 2008 report, 20% Wind Energy by 2030.…

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The ‘New’ Confusion About Planning: T. Boone Pickens and Energy Public Policy

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 15, 2013 4 Comments

“[A]s my father liked to tell me, ‘Son, a fool with a plan can beat a genius with no plan any day.’ Right now, when it comes to America and our effort to achieve greater energy security, we’re a foolish nation without a plan.

If it were up to me, America’s energy plan would have ….”

– T. Boone Pickens, Leadership Absent on Energy Plan,” Omaha World-Herald, May 1, 2013.

“The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine the can design.”

– F. A. Hayek, The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism (1988), p. 76.

T. Boone Pickens, the author and marketer of three national energy plans (see yesterday’s post), is a “man of system,” to use Adam Smith’s phrase from the mid-18th century.

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Pickens Plan III: More Retreat but Still Errant (SPR oil for nat gas)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 14, 2013 3 Comments

When it comes to energy, T. Boone Pickens esteems government planning. When asked about President Obama’s recent proposal for an Energy Security Trust, Pickens responded:

That starts to talk about a plan. He’s going to fund something to start something…. Make a plan … and do something different.

And low and behold, Pickens is crusading with yet another energy plan, his third in the last six years. As before, his animus is against Big Oil (see Appendix) and his fondness for personal dollars.

Pickens Plan III proposes that the federal government sell oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to jump-start the costly transition from oil to natural gas to fuel transportation. We don’t know the details yet, but T. Boone in March began pushing his new plan in the national media and local press.…

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AWED Energy & Environmental Newsletter: May 13, 2013

By -- May 13, 2013 4 Comments Continue Reading

Ontario’s Green Energy Act: Ill Wind All Around

By Kenneth P. Green -- May 9, 2013 5 Comments Continue Reading

“Wind Power: A Turning Point” (Revisiting Worldwatch Institute Paper #45 from 1981)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 6, 2013 No Comments Continue Reading

Ignorant Arrogance: Energy “Market Failure” Revisited

By Peter Grossman -- May 2, 2013 3 Comments Continue Reading

Short of Repeal, Reform the PTC in 2013!

By -- April 24, 2013 1 Comment Continue Reading

AWED Energy & Environmental Newsletter: April 23, 2013

By -- April 23, 2013 4 Comments Continue Reading