Category: Energy

​​The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has recently completed its decade-long rulemaking exercise that increases regulation of onshore natural gas pipelines. As a result, pipeline operators will now face new legal issues that could pose challenges to their businesses. PHMSA’s new Final Rule on Valve Installation and Minimum Rupture Detection Standards may also…

​​Many states have fallen behind when it comes to plugging abandoned oil wells. Not only can they not keep up with wells as they are abandoned, they do not even know of all of the orphaned wells within their borders. Producers themselves currently lack the economic incentives to plug the wells, even though they may…

​​Activists have been pressing investment managers to divest from oil companies as they seek to make things more difficult for the fossil fuel industry. In response, Texas has passed a law that makes it illegal for investment managers doing business in the state to divest from oil companies. Now, the state’s comptroller is beginning efforts…

​​On his first day in office, President Biden suspended new leasing for fossil fuel production on federal lands and waters. He also issued a suspension on the issuance of new drilling permits for 60 days. While these orders are temporary for now, in the coming days and months many new policies relating to oil and…

​​In Texas, oil and gas is big business, with many companies working directly or indirectly in the energy industry. At its core, the oil and gas industry is all about one thing: extracting energy sources and converting them into marketable products. As these natural resources are being extracted, they generally travel through three stages: upstream,…