E.B.B.

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach….”

Dear Reader:

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, over 1.5 centuries ago, wrote how I feel about you, today.  While she spoke of romantic love and mine rises from respect and fraternal friendship, the intensity is similar.

I awaken every day first for a prayer that His will be done.

Then as I exercise and prepare for the work day, my thoughts usually move to you.  What useful thing today can my reader find in these humble words?  Did I find for him a new thing?  Did I discover for her a new way to look at an old thing?  Did my words yesterday and the ideas flowing forth today merit your critical thinking?  Is there news to post today for the archives, or do the muses bring forth editorial ideas, or is there an event to cover?

And how can I maintain health, mental focus and physical strength to do these things, as I enter the fourth era of life.

Meanwhile, I have other lives: family, a few close friends, healthy food, magazine and newspaper writing assignments throughout the U.S. and Canada, photo assignments and endless photo editing, places to go, speeches to give, videos to produce, things to document, experiences to fulfill me then funnel to you in some meaningful way.  Then, there is the steady stream of phone calls, emails, queries … all adding luster to life.

And, there are those of you using our search engine and archives: editors and journalists, academics, government regulators, company external affairs executives, politicians and citizens searching for history and maybe truths hid behind energy issue rhetoric.

I believe sharing with dear ones is a way of demonstrating affection, appreciation and dedication.

So, today I share this serious, little, sentimental post with you.  It tries to say, “Thank you for being my reader.  Thank you for your telephone calls, letters and comments at the bottom of various posts.  Thanks to some of the thousands of you for being with me for over 15 years.  Thanks for the friendships over time and distance.”

Thanks for the memories from, “…the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach….”

Truly,

Dave

(More below….)


Joe Balash, Northern Gas Pipelines photo by Dave Harbour

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski. NGP photo by Dave Harbour

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today held a business meeting and advanced five nominees to the Senate floor; they included:

“We continue to move expeditiously on these nominees so that Secretary Zinke and Secretary Perry can have their teams in place, and so FERC no longer has a mere quorum, but instead a full complement of five commissioners,” Senator Lisa Murkowski said.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry. NGP Photo by Dave Harbour

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Northern Gas Pipelines photo by Dave Harbour

“I am particularly pleased to be able to advance Alaskan Joe Balash to this important position within Interior….”


Also, see:

Mr. Joseph Balash

Nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management

Related Files:

Midwest refiners postpone maintenance work in Harvey’s wake

At least 13 refineries from Louisiana to Montana are delaying seasonal maintenance for weeks or months either to capitalize on the strong margin environment or because they lack personnel as most workers are busy helping restart Texas facilities hit by Hurricane Harvey. “If you’re a refiner in the Midwest and you are unaffected, you’re probably going to want to keep churning out product to take advantage of the high margins,” Confluence Investment Management Chief Market Strategist Bill O’Grady said.


Environmentalists sue to prevent fracking in Nev.

The Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity have filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management to stop the agency from opening federal land in Nevada to oil and natural gas drilling. The environmental groups want a judge to revoke the drilling leases BLM sold in June on the grounds that the bureau didn’t properly consider the potential effects of hydraulic fracturing.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/The Associated Press (9/18)


Oil prices fail to hold on to $50 per barrel

October West Texas Intermediate closed up 2 cents at $49.91 per barrel on Monday, marking the third straight session that oil failed to hold the $50-per-barrel level despite rallying 5.1% last week. Oil’s inability to hold above $50 per barrel is due to lower oil demand as refiners prepare for seasonal maintenance work as well as US oil producers’ rush to hedge every time WTI nears the $50-per-barrel mark.

Bloomberg (9/18)


Port Arthur, Texas, refiners to resume fuel shipments on Colonial Pipeline

Colonial Pipeline announced Monday that refiners in Port Arthur, Texas, could resume fuel flows into Colonial’s lines using their own pumps since the Port Arthur injection point will likely undergo repairs until the end of the month. Colonial Pipeline’s system has sustained damage due to flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey and is operating at reduced flow rates.Texas fuel storage facilities get relief from some EPA rules

The Environmental Protection Agency has suspended several rules for gasoline storage facilities and bulk fuel terminals, including tank tightness and registration standards under the Clean Air Act and rules on gasoline storage tank emissions. “Under EPA’s no action assurance letters, the facilities must continue to exercise good air pollution control practices and comply with all other federal, state and local environmental laws,” the agency saidS&P Global Platts (9/18)


Senate panel to consider Dourson’s EPA nomination this week

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will meet Wednesday to consider Michael Dourson’s nomination to lead the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will meet Tuesday to consider nominations including Richard Glick and Kevin McIntyre as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission members.