Category Archives: Industry news

DOT issues new guidelines for shipping crude oil by rail

In response to recent crude oil tank car derailments in North America, the US Department of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued new actions this week. The DOT issued … Continue reading

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Railway accidents involving crude oil raise alarms

The Bakken area is one of the largest crude oil producing regions in the United States. The recent surge of production in the Bakken region is due to the increased use of hydraulic fracturing to access oil and gas from … Continue reading

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Keystone Pipeline review process extended

On April 18, 2014 the State Department extended the length of time the eight federal agencies have to submit their views on the Keystone Pipeline permit application. Since the pipeline crosses an international boundary, the State Department ultimately decides whether … Continue reading

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Galveston oil spill threatens wildlife

On Saturday, March 24, 2014, two vessels collided in the Houston Ship Channel spilling approximately 168,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil into Galveston Bay. The Houston Ship Channel was closed for three days as cleanup efforts began by the US … Continue reading

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Mexican drug cartels: A big fracking problem

Earlier this week on Wednesday, the NAFTA summit was held in Toluca, Mexico where President Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto met to discuss a wide array of economic and political issues. Saving the … Continue reading

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California desperate for water as drought threatens millions

California has found itself in perhaps the most severe drought in the state’s history, with two-thirds of the state being designated as “extreme drought.” On January 19, 2014, state Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency and urged residents to … Continue reading

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