Shale Energy the Biggest Loser Under Biden/Harris Administration
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been declared the victors of the election (prematurely) by the Democrat mainstream media. President Trump is rightly challenging massive voter fraud and “software glitches” in vote tabulating software used in 28 states (which you won’t read about in Democrat media). So it’s not over yet. However, let’s assume Biden/Harris seize power and occupy the White House, which seems the likely outcome. Their win means the decimation of the shale oil and gas industry in this country. Oil and gas are the biggest losers. This is what you’ve voted for, America. We hope you “enjoy” the result.
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That didn’t take long. Following the Democrat media’s declaration Biden won (even though the election has not yet been certified), Biden released a new energy “transition” plan–this morning. In the plan, Biden calls for cutting natural gas usage nationwide by electrifying everything and eliminating all “non-carbon” power production. His minions are gushing about how Biden will transform the EPA and other federal agencies away from “dirty” fossil fuels and to “clean energy.” Let the carnage begin.
Radical anti-fossil fuel groups have not given up hope they can somehow, at the last minute, block the $10 billion Shell ethane cracker plant (about a year from being completed) from ever starting up. Perhaps Biden’s “victory” has given them a little boost of irrational exuberance? In 2015 the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued an air permit for the cracker plant. Shell needs to tweak the permit with new information. Antis are asking PA to deny the new tweaks, claiming Shell wants to pollute the region even more. Shell says the tweaks reflect new realities, including LOWER emissions.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and his Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) continue to push a plan that will raise Pennsylvania residents’ electric rates by 50% or more, a carbon tax plan called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The DEP will conduct 10 three-hour virtual public hearings between Dec. 8 and 14. There will be no in-person hearings due to concerns over COVID-19.
In something of a surprise for us, last week as the election returns continued to roll in and votes were counted (or miscounted, in a number of cases), President Trump demoted or fired several top agency heads. One of them was at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Trump demoted FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee and elevated fellow Republican James Danly to become the new Chairman of FERC. Chatterjee will remain a FERC commissioner.
Summit Midstream Partners, formed in 2009 and headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, operates natural gas, crude oil, and produced water gathering (pipeline) systems in several unconventional shale plays, including the Marcellus and Utica. Last Friday Summit issued its third-quarter 2020 update. Interestingly, the gas flowing through the company’s Marcellus and Utica operations increased (a lot), while volumes flowing through the company’s other operations decreased (a lot) in 3Q.
NATIONAL: Weekly natural gas prices plunge as mild temperatures sap demand; US crude producers eyeing natural gas again; Natural gas vehicles are making inroads and want Joe Biden to get aboard; Henry Hub physical gas volumes jump with LNG exports, storage flows.