Exxon Plans $1B Floating Refinery

White House report says we're closer to achieving energy security goals

(NEWSER) - The US is well on its way toward achieving President Obama's energy security goals as laid out a year ago, says an administration report out today. The White House is looking to cut oil imports by a third over the next decade, boost domestic oil and natural gas production, and promote clean energy, Politico notes. To that end, the past year saw a million fewer barrels of oil imported per day, according to the report; the US currently imports 45% of its petroleum, compared to 57% in 2008, the Los Angeles Times notes. More»

'Fracking' can be an energy revolution: David Brooks

(NEWSER) - David Brooks jumps on the the "fracking" bandwagon in a big way today, writing in the New York Times that "it would be a crime if we squandered this blessing." Fracking is the controversial method of extracting natural gas from shale. As Brooks sees it, the US is sitting on what may be a 100-year supply of clean energy that can not only reduce our dependence on coal and oil but help us transition to the day when solar and wind power can play more of a role. Plus, it could create "hundreds of thousands of new jobs" in hard-hit areas such as western Pennsylvania and Ohio. More»

Enough to heat half a million homes is burned off every day

(NEWSER) - Gaze into North Dakota’s sky some night, and you might see flickering as flames light up the sky. That’s the sight of oil companies wasting staggering amounts of natural gas, the New York Times reports. The gas bubbles up alongside oil in the state’s Bakken shale field, and because oil is more lucrative, companies simply burn off the gas—wasting more than 100 million cubic feet of it a day, enough to heat 500,000 homes. More»

Smoking joint like leaving light on all day

(NEWSER) - Bad news for eco-conscious stoners: That joint you just smoked hurt the planet. Marijuana grown indoors accounts for 1% of America’s yearly electricity consumption, or $5 billion worth of energy, a study finds. That’s equivalent to the annual energy bills of 2 million homes. And in terms of CO2 emissions, puffing one joint is comparable to leaving a 100-watt lightbulb on for 17 hours, Fast Company reports. More»

(NEWSER) - A train carrying liquefied natural gas derailed in Italy tonight, causing explosions that killed at least six people and injured dozens more, the Times of London reports. The train jumped the tracks as it was leaving the station in the northern town of Viareggio, triggering the explosion of two gas-filled carriages and engulfing nearby homes in flames. Officials say damaged tracks or faulty brakes may have caused the accident. More»