Powering the Planet

Sign in Subscribe

Justin Mikulka

As Saudi Oil CEO Claims Energy Transition is “visibly failing,” Saudi Arabia Invests Heavily in Clean Energy

As Saudi Oil CEO Claims Energy Transition is “visibly failing,” Saudi Arabia Invests Heavily in Clean Energy

One good rule of thumb in investing, never trust an oil company CEO. Last month, Amin Nasser, the CEO of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco, told the audience at CERAWeek in Houston that the global transition to clean energy “is visibly failing on most fronts.” This line was

Oil Industry Methane Pollution Is Business as Usual, Not Accidental

Oil Industry Methane Pollution Is Business as Usual, Not Accidental

Leaks are not driving oil and gas methane pollution. Methane pollution is mostly due to normal oilfield operation.

A Dirty Water War in the Texas Desert

A Dirty Water War in the Texas Desert

History is likely to show that the idea of permanently polluting huge amounts of water and then trying to bury that water deep underground under high pressure likely was a really bad idea.

Touring Ground Zero of the Methane Emergency

Touring Ground Zero of the Methane Emergency

Ten years ago I wrote the article “Natural Gas as 'Bridge Fuel' Is Excellent Political Solution But Fails As Climate Solution.” In that article I reported that the American ambassador to Romania stated that the fracking industry had “obtained great successes — without consequences for the environment.” I didn’

New Paper Confirms Much Higher Methane Emissions From U.S. Oil Production

New Paper Confirms Much Higher Methane Emissions From U.S. Oil Production

Yesterday I toured oil production sides in the Permian region of Texas with Sharon Wilson and Miguel Escoto from Oilfield Witness. For years, Sharon has been using her FLIR camera to make the invisible methane emissions from oil production visible and educating us all on how it is impossible for

Oil and Gas Industry Admits Blue Hydrogen is Too Expensive

Oil and Gas Industry Admits Blue Hydrogen is Too Expensive

In 2021, I wrote how the economics of blue hydrogen would not work in an article titled, “The ‘Big Lie’ of Blue Hydrogen Starts With Ignoring Basic Economics.” Blue hydrogen is the theoretical product where hydrogen is made from methane (natural gas) but the methane has very low emissions when

U.S. Oil Industry Peaks as “the days of easy oil are over”

U.S. Oil Industry Peaks as “the days of easy oil are over”

In October, shortly after Exxon and Chevron announced over $100 billion in combined acquisitions, oilfield services company Halliburton’s CEO Jeff Miller warned about the reality of producing oil in the U.S. shale industry. “The reality is you have to do more work in order to stay flat.” This