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Unconventional Gas Shales: Development, Technology, and Policy Issues [October 30, 2009]
"In the past, the oil and gas industry considered gas locked in tight, impermeable shale uneconomical to produce. However, advances in directional well drilling and reservoir stimulation have dramatically increased gas production from unconventional shales. The United States Geological Survey estimates that 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas may be technically recoverable from these shales. Recent high natural gas prices have also stimulated interest in developing gas shales. Although natural gas prices fell dramatically in 2009, there is an expectation that the demand for natural gas will increase. Developing these shales comes with some controversy, though. The hydraulic fracturing treatments used to stimulate gas production from shale have stirred environmental concerns over excessive water consumption, drinking water well contamination, and surface water contamination from both drilling activities and fracturing fluid disposal. The saline 'flowback' water pumped back to the surface after the fracturing process poses a significant environmental management challenge in the Marcellus region. The flowback's high content of total dissolved solids (TDS) and other contaminants must be disposed of or adequately treated before discharged to surface waters. The federal Clean Water Act and state laws regulate the discharge of this flowback water and other drilling wastewater to surface waters, while the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) regulates deep well injection of such wastewater. Hydraulically fractured wells are also subject to various state regulations. Historically, the EPA has not regulated hydraulic fracturing, and the 2005 Energy Policy Act exempted hydraulic fracturing from SDWA regulation. Recently introduced bills would make hydraulic fracturing subject to regulation under SDWA, while another bill would affirm the current regulatory exemption."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc; Andrews, Anthony; Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin)
2009-10-30
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U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Resources: Prospects and Processes [May 4, 2011]
"Access to potential oil and gas resources under the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) continues to be controversial. Moratoria on leasing and development in certain areas were largely eliminated in 2008 and 2009, although a few areas remain legislatively off limits to leasing. The 112th Congress may be unlikely to reinstate broad leasing moratoria, but some Members have expressed interest in protecting areas (e.g., the Georges Bank or Northern California) or establishing protective coastal buffers. Pressure to expand oil and gas supplies and protect coastal environments and communities will likely lead Congress and the Administration to consider carefully which areas to keep open to leasing and which to protect from development. [...] The oil spill that occurred on April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico brought increased attention to offshore drilling risks. Consideration of offshore development for any purpose has raised concerns over the protection of the marine and coastal environment. In addition to the oil spill, historical events associated with offshore oil production, such as the large oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA, in 1969, cause both opponents and proponents of offshore development to consider the risks and to weigh those risks against the economic and social benefits of the development."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc; Pirog, Robert L.; Whitney, Gene
2011-05-04
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U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Resources: Prospects and Processes [April 26, 2010]
"Access to potential oil and gas resources under the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) continues to be controversial. Moratoria on leasing and development in certain areas were established by Congress (beginning in 1981) and by the President (beginning in 1990). These moratoria were largely eliminated in 2008 and 2009, although a few areas remain legislatively off limits to leasing. The 111th Congress may be unlikely to reinstate broad leasing moratoria, but some members have expressed interest in protecting areas (e.g., the Georges Bank or Northern California) or establishing protective coastal buffers. Pressure to expand oil and gas supplies and protect coastal environments and communities will likely lead Congress and the Administration to consider carefully which areas to keep open to leasing and which to protect from development. On April 2, 2010, the Obama Administration announced Preliminary Revised Program (PRP) for the remainder of the 2007-2012 OCS Leasing Program. […]. Consideration of offshore development for any purpose may raise concerns over the protection of the marine and coastal environment. […]. One characteristic of the U.S. oil market, as well as of world oil markets, is that the access to supply tends to be sequential. Normally, the first source of oil used by a nation is domestic production, if available. Typically, the next source of supply is imports from countries not party to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Finally, residual demand is met by OPEC."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc; Pirog, Robert L.; Whitney, Gene
2010-04-26
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Oil Development on Federal Lands and the Outer Continental Shelf [Updated August 6, 2008]
This CRS report "provides an overview of selected legislative initiatives, examines oil production and resource data, and discusses oil development concerns on federal lands, both onshore and on the OCS (Outer Continental Shelf). [...] Over the past year, crude oil prices have nearly doubled, reaching record levels. Proposals before Congress include a number of legislative initiatives to increase domestic oil production. These proposals have fallen into two broad categories: to (1) open areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) which are currently under leasing moratoria; and to (2) encourage companies holding oil and gas leases to diligently develop leases to bring them into production. Proponents of these initiatives argue that promising areas should be open for exploration to maximize domestic oil production as soon as possible."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2008-08-06
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Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas: Energy Security and Other Major Issues [Updated March 14, 2003]
The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) contains significant energy resources. The principal authority for OCS development is the OCS Lands Act of 1953, as amended (43 USC 1331). The OCS is made available for oil and gas exploration and development subject to environmental protection and competing public needs.1 A number of OCS issues have been addressed through the annual appropriation process, including offshore leasing moratoria, lease sale 181 (a controversial Florida lease sale), and the royalty-in-kind program. The leasing moratoria, which began in Congress with the FY1982 Interior Appropriations Act (P.L. 97-100), prohibited new offshore California leases. The moratoria were imposed because many coastal states and environmental groups convinced Congress that leasing tracts in environmentally sensitive areas might lead to activities that could cause economic or irreversible environmental damage. Eventually the moratoria were expanded to include New England, the Georges Bank, the mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, much of Alaska, and a portion of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Environmental concerns from offshore oil and gas development generally include oil spills, drilling discharges, seismic surveys, and onshore damage. New technology has led to greater exploration and development into deeper water made possible by advances in high-quality 3-dimensional seismic surveying and processing. New drilling technology and new drilling rigs allow for increased drilling at greater depths and accuracy, resulting in higher production rates and lower-cost production.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2003-03-14
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Mining on Federal Lands [Updated October 3, 2003]
The General Mining Law of 1872 is one of the major statutes that direct the federal government's land management policy. The law grants free access to individuals and corporations to prospect for minerals in public domain lands, and allows them, upon making a discovery, to stake (or "locate") a claim on that deposit. A claim gives the holder the right to develop the minerals and may be "patented" to convey full title to the claimant. A continuing issue is whether this law should be reformed, and if so, how to balance mineral development with competing land uses. The right to enter the public domain and freely prospect for and develop minerals is the feature of the claim-patent system that draws the most vigorous support from the mining industry. Critics consider the claim-patent system a giveaway of publicly owned resources because of the small amounts paid to maintain a claim and to obtain a patent. In addition to the general issue of whether to reform the General Mining Law, two issues also have been controversial. One involves mining millsites. At issue is whether the General Mining Law limits claimants to one millsite of no more than five acres per mining claim, or whether multiple millsites are allowed. A second issue involves the Clinton Administration's revisions to the regulations governing hardrock mining operations on federal lands (43 CFR 3809), which took effect January 20, 2001. The revised regulations authorized BLM to deny mining operations if they would result in "substantial irreparable harm" to significant resources that cannot be mitigated, and made mining operators more responsible for reclaiming mined land.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2003-10-03
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North American Oil Sands: History of Development, Prospects for the Future [Updated January 17, 2008]
"When it comes to future reliable oil supplies, Canada's oil sands will likely account for a greater share of U.S. oil imports. Oil sands account for about 46% of Canada's total oil production and oil sands production is increasing as conventional oil production declines. Since 2004, when a substantial portion of Canada's oil sands were deemed economic, Canada, with about 175 billion barrels of proved oil sands reserves, has ranked second behind Saudi Arabia in oil reserves. […] The U.S. experience with oil sands has been much different. The U.S. government collaborated with several major oil companies as early as the 1930s to demonstrate mining of and in-situ production from U.S. oil sand deposits. However, a number of obstacles, including the remote and difficult topography, scattered deposits, and lack of water, have resulted in an uneconomic oil resource base. Only modest amounts are being produced in Utah and California. U.S. oil sands would likely require significant R&D and capital investment over many years to be commercially viable. An issue for Congress might be the level of R&D investment in oil sands over the long term. As oil sands production in Canada is predicted to increase to 2.8 million barrels per day by 2015, environmental issues are a cause for concern. Air quality, land use, and water availability are all impacted. Socio-economic issues such as housing, skilled labor, traffic, and aboriginal concerns may also become a constraint on growth."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2008-01-17
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U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas [March 7, 2013]
"In 2012, oil prices ranged from $80 to $110 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate spot price) and remain high (above $90/barrel) in early 2013. A number of proposals designed to increase domestic energy supply, enhance security, and/or amend the requirements of environmental statutes are before the 113th Congress. A key question in this discussion is how much oil and gas is produced in the United States each year and how much of that comes from federal versus nonfederal areas. Oil production has fluctuated on both federal and non-federal lands over the past five fiscal years.[…] Natural gas prices, on the other hand, have remained low for the past several years, allowing gas to become much more competitive with coal for power generation. The shale gas boom has resulted in rising supplies of natural gas. Overall, U.S. natural gas production rose by four trillion cubic feet (tcf) or 20% since 2007, while production on federal lands (onshore and offshore) fell by about 33% and production on non-federal lands grew by 40% (see Table 2). The big shale gas plays are primarily on non-federal lands and are attracting a significant portion of investment for natural gas development. This report examines U.S. oil and natural gas production data for federal and non-federal areas with an emphasis on the past six years of production."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2013-03-07
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U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Resources: Prospects and Processes [February 10, 2012]
"Access to potential oil and gas resources under the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) continues to be controversial. Moratoria on leasing and development in certain areas were largely eliminated in 2008 and 2009, although a few areas remain legislatively off limits to leasing. The 112th Congress may be unlikely to reinstate broad leasing moratoria, but some Members have expressed interest in protecting areas (e.g., the Georges Bank or Northern California) or establishing protective coastal buffers. Pressure to expand oil and gas supplies and protect coastal environments and communities will likely lead Congress and the Administration to consider carefully which areas to keep open to leasing and which to protect from development. The oil spill that occurred on April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico brought increased attention to offshore drilling risks. Consideration of offshore development for any purpose has raised concerns over the protection of the marine and coastal environment. […] On December 14, 2011, the Obama Administration held lease sale 218 in the Western Gulf of Mexico, the first sale since the oil spill. A combined lease sale in the Central Gulf of Mexico (sale 216 and 222) is scheduled for June 20, 2012, the final sale of the 2007-2012 leasing program. […] The ultimate impact of oil and gas development in offshore areas will depend on oil and gas prices, volumes of resources actually discovered, infrastructure development, and restrictions placed on development, all of which currently carry significant uncertainties."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Pirog, Robert L.; Humphries, Marc
2012-02-10
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U.S. Crude Oil Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas [March 20, 2012]
"In 2011, oil prices traded between $85-$110 per barrel and remain high in 2012. Congress is faced with proposals designed to enhance domestic energy supply and security as well as the requirements of environmental statutes. A key question in this discussion is how much oil is produced each year and how much of that comes from federal and nonfederal areas. Oil production has fluctuated on both federal and non-federal lands over the past five years. On nonfederal lands, there was a major increase in oil production from 2008-2009 (231,000 barrels per day (b/d)), a significant decline in 2010, then another surge in 2011, increasing total U.S. oil production by nearly 530,000 b/d over 2007 production levels. About 96% of the increase since 2007 took place on non-federal lands, but the federal share of total U.S. production only fell by about two percentage points. Oil production fluctuated widely in the past five years, thus giving different results when comparing years. For example, when comparing 2010 with 2007, the federal share of the increase over 2007 was about 72% of the total. On federal lands, there was also an increase in production from 2008-2009 and another increase in 2010 (258,000 b/d), then a decline in 2011. Overall, oil production on federal lands is up slightly in 2011 when compared to 2007."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2012-03-20
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U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Resources: Prospects and Processes [June 30, 2011]
"Access to potential oil and gas resources under the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) continues to be controversial. Moratoria on leasing and development in certain areas were largely eliminated in 2008 and 2009, although a few areas remain legislatively off limits to leasing. The 112th Congress may be unlikely to reinstate broad leasing moratoria, but some Members have expressed interest in protecting areas (e.g., the Georges Bank or Northern California) or establishing protective coastal buffers. Pressure to expand oil and gas supplies and protect coastal environments and communities will likely lead Congress and the Administration to consider carefully which areas to keep open to leasing and which to protect from development. The oil spill that occurred on April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico brought increased attention to offshore drilling risks. Consideration of offshore development for any purpose has raised concerns over the protection of the marine and coastal environment. In addition to the oil spill, historical events associated with offshore oil production, such as the large oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA, in 1969, cause both opponents and proponents of offshore development to consider the risks and to weigh those risks against the economic and social benefits of the development. […] The ultimate impact of oil and gas development in offshore areas will depend on oil and gas prices, volumes of resources actually discovered, infrastructure development, and restrictions placed on development, all of which currently carry significant uncertainties."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc; Pirog, Robert L.; Whitney, Gene
2011-06-30
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North American Oil Sands: History of Development, Prospects for the Future [Updated December 11, 2007]
"When it comes to future reliable oil supplies, Canada's oil sands will likely account for a greater share of U.S. oil imports. Oil sands account for about 46% of Canada's total oil production and oil sands production is increasing as conventional oil production declines. Since 2004, when a substantial portion of Canada's oil sands were deemed economic, Canada, with about 175 billion barrels of proved oil sands reserves, has ranked second behind Saudi Arabia in oil reserves. Canadian crude oil exports were about 1.82 million barrels per day (mbd) in 2006, of which 1.8 mbd or 99% went to the United States. Canadian crude oil accounts for about 18% of U.S. net imports and about 12% of all U.S. crude oil supply. Oil sands, a mixture of sand, bitumen (a heavy crude that does not flow naturally), and water, can be mined or the oil can be extracted in-situ using thermal recovery techniques. Typically, oil sands contain about 75% inorganic matter, 10% bitumen, 10% silt and clay, and 5% water. Oil sand is sold in two forms: as a raw bitumen that must be blended with a diluent for transport and as a synthetic crude oil (SCO) after being upgraded to constitute a light crude. Bitumen is a thick tar-like substance that must be upgraded by adding hydrogen or removing some of the carbon. Exploitation of oil sands in Canada began in 1967, after decades of research and development that began in the early 1900s."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2007-12-11
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U.S. and World Coal Production, Federal Taxes, and Incentives [March 14, 2013]
"Even though U.S. coal production remained strong over the past decade, reaching record levels of production, coal is losing its share of overall U.S. energy production primarily to natural gas. One of the big questions for the industry is how to penetrate the overseas market, particularly in steam coal, to compensate for declining domestic demand. As U.S. energy policy and environmental regulations are constantly debated, there is ongoing congressional interest in the role of coal in meeting U.S. and global energy needs. The question may not be whether the domestic production of coal is here to stay but, rather, how much U.S. coal will be mined, what type, and under what regulatory framework. Energy Information Administration (EIA) statistics show that more than half (55%) of U.S. coal reserves are located in the West, dominated by Montana and Wyoming, which account for 43%. When including the top five producing states (three of which are in the East), 70% of U.S. coal reserves are accounted for. The United States government owns about one third, or 87 billion short tons (BST), of U.S. domestic reserves."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc; Sherlock, Molly F.
2013-03-14
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U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas [February 28, 2013]
"In 2012, oil prices ranged from $80 to $110 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate spot price) and remain high in early 2013. Congress is faced with proposals designed to increase domestic energy supply, enhance security, and/or amend the requirements of environmental statutes. A key question in this discussion is how much oil and gas is produced each year and how much of that comes from federal and non-federal areas. On non-federal lands, there were modest fluctuations in oil production from fiscal years (FY) 2008-2010, then a significant increase from FY2010 to FY2012 increasing total U.S. oil production by about 1.1 million barrels per day over FY2007 production levels. All of the increase from FY2007 to FY2012 took place on non-federal lands, and the federal share of total U.S. crude oil production fell by about seven percentage points."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2013-02-28
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U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas [April 10, 2014]
"In 2013, the price of oil averaged $98 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate spot price), up from $94 per barrel in 2012. Prices remain high in early 2014 (near $100 per barrel) and are projected by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to average in the mid-$90 per barrel range through 2014. A number of proposals designed to increase domestic energy supply, enhance security, and/or amend the requirements of environmental statutes are before the 113th Congress. A key question in this discussion is how much oil and gas is produced in the United States each year and how much of that comes from federal versus non-federal areas. Oil production has fluctuated on federal lands over the past five fiscal years but has increased dramatically on nonfederal lands. Non-federal crude oil production has been rapidly increasing in the past few years partly due to favorable geology and the relative ease of leasing from private parties, rising by 2.1 million barrels per day (mbd) between FY2009-FY2013, causing the federal share of total U.S. crude oil production to fall by nearly 11%. Natural gas prices, on the other hand, have remained low for the past several years, allowing gas to become much more competitive with coal for power generation. The shale gas boom has resulted in rising supplies of natural gas. Overall, annual U.S. natural gas production rose by about four trillion cubic feet (tcf) or 19% since FY2009, while production on federal lands (onshore and offshore) fell by about 28%."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2014-04-10
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Ocean Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2016 [February 5, 2016]
"This report discusses FY2016 appropriations for the Department of the Interior's (DOI's) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), and Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR)--the three agencies that collectively administer federal ocean energy resources covering more than 1.7 billion acres on the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS). These agencies were established in a departmental reorganization following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of April 2010; prior to the spill, the nation's OCS energy resources were administered by DOI's Minerals Management Service. Under the reorganization, BOEM administers offshore energy leasing, BSEE oversees offshore operational safety and environmental responsibility, and ONRR manages public revenues from federally regulated offshore and onshore energy projects. BOEM, BSEE, and ONRR receive appropriations in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Comay, Laura B.; Humphries, Marc
2016-02-05
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U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Nonfederal Areas [June 22, 2016]
"A number of legislative proposals designed to increase domestic energy supply, enhance security, and/or amend the requirements of environmental statutes that apply to energy development are before the 114th Congress. Proposals range from leasing primarily in the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) via the Proposed Five-Year Program (PP) for FY2017-FY2022 [Fiscal Year] or to implement the Proposed Draft for FY2010-FY2015 (a plan prepared by the Bush Administration), to a proposal to prohibit new fossil fuel leases on federal land. Several proposals include new revenue sharing provisions for coastal states. A key question in this discussion is how much oil and gas is produced in the United States each year and how much of that comes from federal versus nonfederal areas. Oil production has fluctuated on federal lands over the past 10 fiscal years but has increased dramatically on nonfederal lands. Nonfederal crude oil production has rapidly increased in the past few years, partly due to better extraction technology, favorable geology, and the ease of leasing, more than doubling daily production between FY2006 and FY2015 (although because of recent low oil prices, production has dropped somewhat since a peak in mid-2015). The federal share of total U.S. crude oil production fell from its peak at nearly 36% in FY2010 to 21% in FY2015."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2016-06-22
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Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Five-Year Program for Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing: History and Proposed Program for 2017-2022 [May 23, 2016]
From this Congressional Research Service (CRS) report: "The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), within the Department of the Interior (DOI), is preparing a program for offshore oil and gas leasing on the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS) for the five-year period from mid-2017 through mid-2022. Currently, BOEM is implementing a previous five-year leasing program for the 2012-2017 period. BOEM prepares five-year leasing programs under Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as amended (OCSLA; 43 U.S.C. §1331 ff). The law requires the Secretary of the Interior to prepare and maintain forward-looking plans that indicate proposed public oil and gas lease sales in U.S. waters. In doing so, the Secretary must balance national interests in energy supply and environmental protection."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Comay, Laura B.; Humphries, Marc; Vann, Adam
2016-05-23
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Outer Continental Shelf Leasing: Side-by-Side Comparison of Five Legislative Proposals [Updated September 16, 2008]
"This report provides a side-by-side comparison of three bills and two proposals, each of which addresses oil and gas development in the outer continental shelf (OCS). None of the bills has passed its respective chamber. One of the proposals, H.R. 6899, the 'Comprehensive American Energy Security and Taxpayer Protection Act,' is expected to come to the House floor the week of September 15, 2008. The moratoria on oil and gas leasing in much of the OCS has become a major issue in Congress and also in the Presidential campaign. This report describes the background of OCS leasing and the various positions taken by proponents and opponents of leasing. It then compares the provisions of three bills that have been introduced with reported summaries of the House proposal and the Senate proposal, the 'New Energy Reform Act of 2008.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2008-09-16
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China's Mineral Industry and U.S. Access to Strategic and Critical Minerals: Issues for Congress [January 9, 2015]
"China is the world's leading producer and consumer of many minerals and metals that are in high demand in the United States and on which the United States is highly import dependent. In the near future, China anticipates rapid urbanization, a rising middle class, and increased product manufacturing of high-value, high-quality goods and increased consumption. As China pursues this development path, will adequate supplies of critical and strategic raw materials and metals be available to the U.S. economy from reliable suppliers? Is there a possibility of material shortfalls? If China uses more of its raw materials and metals for its own downstream manufacturing sector instead of exporting them, as well as competing for raw materials and metals from outside China, then there may be a cause for concern. Materials such as the platinum group metals (PGMs), niobium, tantalum, manganese, and cobalt are heavily imported by the United States and China. […] China's dominance in the supply and demand of global raw materials could be addressed, if needed, through consistent development of alternate sources of supply, alternative materials (substitutes) when possible, efficiency gains, aggressive R&D [Research and Development], and comprehensive minerals information to support this effort. There may not be an immediate crisis, but China is likely entering an era of fewer raw material exports over the long run, which requires some type of long-term planning by the private sector and government entities that want to meet U.S. national security, economic, and energy policy interests and challenges. Congress is likely to keep an eye on free trade issues, such as export restrictions on rare earth oxides and other raw materials, which were brought before the World Trade Organization by the United States, Europe, and Japan and won against China."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2015-01-09
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China's Mineral Industry and U.S. Access to Strategic and Critical Minerals: Issues for Congress [March 20, 2015]
"In the near future, China anticipates rapid urbanization, a rising middle class, and increased product manufacturing of high-value, high-quality goods and increased consumption. As China pursues this development path, will adequate supplies of critical and strategic raw materials and metals be available to the U.S. economy from reliable suppliers? Is there a possibility of material shortfalls? If China uses more of its raw materials and metals for its own downstream manufacturing sector instead of exporting them, as well as competing for raw materials and metals from outside China, then there may be a cause for concern. Materials such as the platinum group metals (PGMs), niobium, tantalum, manganese, and cobalt are heavily imported by the United States and China. Over the past several years there has been some concern in Congress that China was trying to 'lock up' long term supplies of raw materials, particularly iron ore. Long-term contracts have been established for some imports, but for others, Chinese companies have made equity investments or entered joint ventures in order to secure needed resources. China is a relative newcomer to the global mining stage, but in recent years, under its 'go global' policy, China has become much more aggressive in pursuing raw materials from all over the world. The mining industry in China consists of many small and fragmented companies. China's government seeks to consolidate its mining industry, eliminating obsolete and inefficient capacity, and has announced specific consolidation goals for certain sectors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2015-03-20
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U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas [April 3, 2015]
"A number of proposals designed to increase domestic energy supply, enhance security, and/or amend the requirements of environmental statutes that apply to energy development were before the 113th Congress and are likely to be reintroduced in the 114th Congress. A key question in this discussion is how much oil and gas is produced in the United States each year and how much of that comes from federal versus non-federal areas. Oil production has fluctuated on federal lands over the past five fiscal years but has increased dramatically on non-federal lands. Non-federal crude oil production has been rapidly increasing in the past few years, partly due to favorable geology and the ease of leasing, rising by 3.0 million barrels per day (mbd) between FY2010 and FY2014, causing the federal share of total U.S. crude oil production to fall from 36.4% to 21.4%." This document includes tables and graphs to illustrate the text.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphries, Marc
2015-04-03
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Cross-Border Energy Trade in North America: Present and Potential [January 30, 2017]
"The United States, Canada, and Mexico in many ways comprise one large, integrated market for energy commodities. Canada, for example, is the single largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the United States, and the United States is Canada's sole crude oil customer. Both Mexico and Canada are major buyers of petroleum products refined in the United States. A growing trade in natural gas produced in the United States is also increasingly important to the energy relationship among the three countries. Trade in the other energy commodities--electricity, natural gas liquids, and coal--is comparatively small, but regionally important. Altogether, the value of the energy trade between the United States and its North American neighbors exceeded $140 billion in 2015, with $100 billion in U.S. energy imports and over $40 billion in exports. The United States' energy trade relationships with Canada and Mexico are increasingly complex. They have been undergoing fundamental change in recent years--largely due to technological advancements in the petroleum and natural gas sectors creating new competition for energy supplies and new market interconnections."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Parfomak, Paul W.; Campbell, Richard J.; Pirog, Robert L. . . .
2017-01-30
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 13, 2018]
"The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial interests in the region. Record low extents of Arctic sea ice over the past decade have focused scientific and policy attention on links to global climate change and projected ice-free seasons in the Arctic within decades. These changes have potential consequences for weather in the United States, access to mineral and biological resources in the Arctic, the economies and cultures of peoples in the region, and national security. The five Arctic coastal states--the United States, Canada, Russia, Norway, and Denmark (of which Greenland is a territory)--have made or are in the process of preparing submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf regarding the outer limits of their extended continental shelves. The Russian submission includes the underwater Lomonosov Ridge, a feature that spans a considerable distance across the center of the Arctic Ocean."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald; Comay, Laura B.; Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin) . . .
2018-12-13
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Federal Lands and Related Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 116th Congress [Updated March 18, 2019]
From the Document: "The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, §3, clause 2) grants Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. The 116th Congress faces multiple policy issues related to federal lands and natural resources. These issues include how much and which land the government should own and how lands and resources should be used and managed. These issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation. [...] This report introduces some of the broad themes and issues Congress has considered when addressing federal land policy and resource management. These include questions about the extent and location of the federal estate. For example, typically Congress considers both measures to authorize and fund the acquisition of additional lands and measures to convey some land out of federal ownership or management. Other issues for Congress include whether certain lands or resources should have additional protections, for example, through resignation as wilderness or national monuments, or protection of endangered species and their habitat."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Comay, Laura B.; Crafton, R. Eliot . . .
2019-03-18
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated April 28, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future. Issues such as Arctic territorial disputes; commercial shipping through the Arctic; Arctic oil, gas, and mineral exploration; endangered Arctic species; and increased military operations in the Arctic could cause the region in coming years to become an arena of international cooperation, tension, or competition. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial political, economic, energy, environmental, and other interests in the region. Decisions that Congress makes on Arctic-related issues could significantly affect these interests. This report provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress, and refers readers to more in-depth CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports on specific Arctic-related issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald; Comay, Laura B.; Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin) . . .
2020-04-28
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 15, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future. Issues such as geopolitical competition in the region between the United States, Russia, and China; increased military operations in the region by the United States, Russia, and other Arctic countries; growth in commercial shipping through the Arctic; and oil, gas, and mineral exploration in the Arctic could cause the region in coming years to become an arena of international cooperation, tension, and/or competition. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial political, economic, energy, environmental, and other interests in the region. Decisions that Congress makes on Arctic-related issues could significantly affect these interests. This report provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress, and refers readers to more in-depth CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports on specific Arctic-related issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald; Comay, Laura B.; Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin) . . .
2020-12-15
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated November 4, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future. Issues such as geopolitical competition in the region between the United States, Russia, and China; increased military operations in the region by the United States, Russia, and other Arctic countries; growth in commercial shipping through the Arctic; and oil, gas, and mineral exploration in the Arctic could cause the region in coming years to become an arena of international cooperation, tension, and/or competition. [...] This report provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress, and refers readers to more in-depth CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports on specific Arctic-related issues. Congressional readers with questions about an issue discussed in this report should contact the author or authors of the section discussing that issue. The authors are identified by footnote at the start of each section."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald; Comay, Laura B.; Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin) . . .
2020-11-04
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Oil and Gas Activities Within the National Wildlife Refuge System [May 9, 2018]
"The development of oil and natural gas resources in the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) has been the subject of administrative rulemaking and the focus of debate in Congress. The NWRS is a network of lands and waters administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), an agency within the Department of the Interior (DOI). The NWRS contains 566 national wildlife refuges, 36 wetland management districts composed of waterfowl production areas (WPAs), and 3 WPAs that lay outside of wetland management districts. Issues pertaining to oil and gas wells in the NWRS include private property rights, economic and energy security benefits of oil and gas development, and the potential for adverse effects of oil and gas development on NWRS lands and wildlife. Some see these activities as contrary to the mission of the NWRS as stated in the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, as amended (NWRSAA; 16 U.S.C. §668dd), whereas others think that oil and gas activities can be managed so as to avoid undue harm to wildlife or that U.S. energy needs outweigh conservation concerns."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Crafton, R. Eliot; Comay, Laura B.; Humphries, Marc
2018-05-09
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Cross-Border Energy Trade in North America: Present and Potential [January 24, 2017]
"The United States, Canada, and Mexico in many ways comprise one large, integrated market for energy commodities. [...] Altogether, the value of the energy trade between the United States and its North American neighbors exceeded $140 billion in 2015, with over $100 billion in U.S. energy imports and over $40 billion in exports. The United States' energy trade relationships with Canada and Mexico are increasingly complex. They have been undergoing fundamental change in recent years--largely due to technological advancements in the petroleum and natural gas sectors creating new competition for energy supplies and new market interconnections. Consequently, while energy policies in one country have inevitably affected the others, their cross-cutting effects in the future are difficult to predict. Nonetheless, a review of the recent trade data highlights several key market developments. [...] To date, Congress has favored a growing North American energy partnership--but ensuring that this partnership continues to be as mutually beneficial as possible will likely remain a key oversight challenge for the next decades. Congress has been facing important policy questions in the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico energy contexts on several fronts, including the siting of major cross-border pipelines, increasing petroleum supplies from Canadian oil sands, exporting natural gas production from United States' shales, and meeting commitments to increase renewable energy supplies and reduce atmospheric emissions of greenhouse gases. Legislative proposals in the 115th Congress could directly influence these developments."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Parfomak, Paul W.; Campbell, Richard J.; Pirog, Robert L. . . .
2017-01-24
