Energy Technology
Hydrofracking provision in Congress – Another process foul
A few weeks ago, I talked about my disappointment with Congress for sneaking the so-called “transparency” provision into the Financial Regulatory Reform Bill. It appears Congress has done it again. At the eleventh hour, without any debate or committee markup, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid slipped language into the Senate energy bill last week (page 404 of the 409-page bill) targeting hydraulic fracturing.
A new safety system for the Gulf
Today, we announced a new rapid-response oil containment system that ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell plan to build for the Gulf of Mexico. The system – involving a $1 billion initial commitment from the sponsor companies — is unprecedented in our industry. It will provide pre-engineered, constructed, and tested containment technology and equipment to be deployed within 24 hours of a spill in the Gulf.
The next phase of algae biofuels
When we made the announcement last year that we had teamed with Synthetic Genomics Inc. to research biofuels from algae, we raised a lot of eyebrows. Many applauded our investment. Some were skeptical about our commitment. One year has passed, and I’m excited to say we’re entering the next phase of our program. Today, we announced the opening of a new state-of-the art greenhouse facility at the SGI headquarters in La Jolla, Calif.
