Louisiana
Oil and gas industry subject to new rule on methane emissions – Louisiana Illuminator
A new federal rule issued Saturday targets the oil and gas industry’s methane emissions, which experts say are a primary culprit in global warming and cost Louisiana millions in lost tax revenue.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new policy requires oil and gas facilities to perform comprehensive monitoring for methane leaks. It also phases in a requirement to eliminate routine flaring of natural gas that new oil wells produce and establishes standards to reduce methane releases from high-emitting sources such as pumps, storage tanks and pneumatic controllers.
Methane is the primary chemical in natural gas and, compared with carbon dioxide, it causes much more harm to the atmosphere in the short term. It traps over 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and is responsible for more than 25% of the atmospheric warming the Earth experiences today, according to the United Nations.
The world’s five largest methane emitters, from all sources, are China, India, the United States, Russia and Brazil. Together, they are responsible for close to half of all methane emissions globally, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). China, the largest emitter, has similarly announced new efforts to monitor for methane leaks and reduce emissions, according to a report from Bloomberg.
According to an EPA press release, its new policy will achieve a nearly 80% reduction below the future methane emissions expected without the rule and will recover enough natural gas to heat nearly 8 million homes for the winter.
Oil and gas operations are the largest industrial source of methane emissions in the country, and the colorless, odorless gas is found at virtually every oil well because it’s a natural byproduct of oil exploration.
Much of the methane produced in fossil fuel exploration is wasted. Around 260 billion cubic meters are currently lost to the atmosphere each year from oil and gas operations. According to the IEA, three-quarters of these emissions could be retained and brought to market using existing technologies. The captured methane would exceed the European Union’s total annual gas imports from Russia prior to the invasion of Ukraine.
In 2019 in Louisiana, oil and gas operators reported 5.1 billion cubic feet of methane wasted through venting and flaring, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. On a rough scale, that’s enough to provide electricity to about 121,000 homes for an entire year.
Methane detection requires expensive infrared imaging equipment or satellite imagery. It’s unclear how much more is wasted through leaky valves, poorly sealed pipe threads and orphaned wells, but researchers have found numerous methane plumes bubbling up from offshore rigs
Earlier this year, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources proposed a new state rule to prohibit routine venting and flaring of methane from production facilities. The proposed rule is still being finalized and has an “earliest effective date” of Jan. 20, 2024.
The Louisiana Budget Project’s Jan Moller said methane leaks are also a source of wasted tax revenue for the state. His organization monitors state government policy and its impact on low- to moderate-income families.
“Anyone who’s ever worked on a state budget can tell you that every dollar and every cent counts,” Moller said in a press release. “Reducing oil and gas methane emissions means not only are we breathing cleaner air, but we’re also protecting the millions of dollars in tax revenue lost every year due to methane wasted from leaks, venting, and flaring at oil and gas sites. That revenue has to be made up elsewhere through other taxes or cuts to critical state programs and services. There’s a better way forward. The Environmental Protection Agency’s new methane rule is a strong step toward a more prosperous Louisiana, and we applaud the Administration for their work.”
The EPA’s new rule is part of a broader Biden administration effort to address climate change through a variety of avenues. One includes plugging of orphaned oil wells, ones that oil and gas companies have abandoned.
It also marks a significant departure from previous EPA rules in that it targets existing emissions rather than future expected emissions.
The rule will work in coordination with a methane fee Congress passed in 2022 that will charge energy producers that exceed a certain level of emissions. The fee will take effect after Jan. 1.
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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A Louisiana State University student is spending his summer vacation unlike most college students, he’s currently on tour with country music star Tim McGraw.
The 21-year-old music sensation Timothy Wayne shares a special connection to McGraw.
God made this country boy to go on tour this summer with country superstar and Louisiana native McGraw.
“Tim McGraw’s my uncle, and he’s been one of my heroes and idols,” said Wayne.
Wayne is an LSU history major in the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He’s signed to a major record label, UMG Nashville, and just happens to be McGraw’s nephew. His mom and manager, Sandy, is McGraw’s sister.
Wayne grew up in Franklin, Tennessee, but chose to go to LSU.
“When I went down and saw all the oak trees and met all the people, I fell in love. I made my decision while I was in Baton Rouge that I was going to LSU. Another reason I chose LSU is because the history there is extremely rich and I’m a huge history buff,” he said.
He said that he didn’t ask if he could go on tour with his famous uncle.
“I didn’t really ask. I started singing junior year of high school well into college and it blossomed from there. After I signed my record deal and made a name for myself, is what like I had what it takes to go on tour,” he said.
McGraw said on social media that his nephew is the “real deal.” Speaking of deals, how did Wayne get his record deal with UMG Nashville? It all started after he performed at the famous Nashville bar Bluebird Cafe.
“I went there to do a song and someone from the crowd videotaped it, and it made its way to UMG,” he said.
He hasn’t slowed down since. His debut song, “God Made A Country Boy,” is proof that this country boy’s got the goods.
“‘God Made A Country Boy’ is a lesson on how to be a good person. There’s a line in the song, my favorite line in the song, ‘We need someone who just believes and doesn’t hate you if you don’t agree,’” he said.
Something he soon won’t forget is his summer tour with enough material to write a paper at LSU as to how he spent his summer vacation.
“I got a lot of hard work and a lot of miles to go. Going to be an awesome journey,” he said.
Next, McGraw’s “Standing Room Only” Tour heads to Phoenix, then California. In the fall, Wayne will head back to start his junior year at LSU.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.
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(KLFY) — If you feel especially unsafe in the Pelican State lately, there is some data that confirms that notion.
A study by a California law firm ranks Louisiana as the second most dangerous state in the country.
Louisiana trails only New Mexico in the ranking, with Arkansas placing third, followed by Alaska and Missouri.
Research by the firm of Caputo and Van Der Walde injury and accident attorneys has revealed the states in which you are more likely to find yourself a victim of crime, injury, or death from over 10 different metrics. These include traffic fatalities, workplace injuries, firearm mortality, railway injuries, and crimes against persons and property, which include physical and sexual assault, homicide, burglary, and larceny. Each factor was used to produce a final score out of 100 used to determine the ranking.
Louisiana has the most cases of traffic accidents with at least one fatality per billion miles (10.44). The state also has the second most assault offences per 100,000 of the population (502.31). The average across all states is 260.19, so Louisiana ranks much higher on average. Louisiana also has some of the most fatal injuries at work, with 2.62 per 100,000 of the population.
New Mexico topped the rankings despite not being the worst in any single category in the study.
Most dangerous states to live in (Rankings)
State
Rank – Traffic Fatalities
Rank – Workplace Injury
Rank – Firearms
Rank – Railway Injuries
Rank – Crimes Against Persons
Rank – Crimes Against Property
Rank – Overall
New Mexico
4
7
3
13
2
2
1
Louisiana
1
9
2
14
3
5
2
Arkansas
2
11
8
16
4
7
3
Alaska
30
5
7
4
1
20
4
Missouri
6
18
5
30
7
11
5
South Carolina
7
10
9
46
6
14
6
Tennessee
12
12
10
41
5
13
7
Nevada
3
21
15
39
11
6
8
Colorado
27
32
18
24
9
3
9
Oklahoma
25
24
13
35
10
8
10
Montana
16
14
6
8
15
22
11
Washington
43
41
36
29
24
1
12
Texas
22
19
26
38
13
12
13
Mississippi
5
8
1
27
25
23
14
North Dakota
20
2
22
3
27
15
15
Alabama
19
33
4
25
12
28
16
Oregon
14
44
30
22
30
4
17
Kansas
10
22
20
10
17
18
18
North Carolina
15
16
20
47
19
16
19
Arizona
24
37
12
40
14
17
20
Wyoming
9
1
11
7
36
34
21
Georgia
13
20
14
36
16
30
22
South Dakota
31
3
24
20
18
25
23
California
34
45
44
26
20
9
24
Michigan
35
38
27
48
8
31
25
Nebraska
18
4
37
6
31
21
26
Indiana
21
13
17
21
28
33
27
Illinois
40
36
30
12
22
29
28
Ohio
29
42
25
43
23
24
29
West Virginia
11
6
23
19
26
46
30
Delaware
28
28
39
11
39
27
31
Kentucky
23
31
16
33
35
35
32
Maryland
45
43
35
32
21
32
33
Utah
36
27
34
45
38
26
34
Wisconsin
42
15
32
44
29
38
35
Florida
8
39
32
34
42
40
36
Hawaii
38
25
48
50
45
10
37
Pennsylvania
37
35
29
15
32
41
38
Virginia
41
29
28
42
33
37
39
Minnesota
50
34
43
31
40
19
40
Idaho
17
17
19
17
37
49
41
Vermont
32
26
38
9
43
42
42
New York
47
46
46
2
34
36
43
Iowa
44
23
41
23
41
43
44
Connecticut
26
49
45
5
50
39
45
Maine
33
30
40
37
48
48
46
New Jersey
49
47
47
1
49
44
47
Massachusetts
46
48
49
18
44
47
48
New Hampshire
39
40
42
49
47
50
49
Rhode Island
48
50
50
28
46
45
50
Sources
Latest news
Casting an eye over the latest monthly US state results, iGB analyses further sports betting growth in Louisiana and an ongoing spending decline in New Hampshire.
Louisiana saw handle and revenue rise year-on-year during May. New Hampshire, however, reported lower revenue despite an increase in player spending.
Overall spend on sports betting in the state in May hit $256.7m (£203.1m/€240.1m), 31.6% higher than the same month last year. Of this total, $238.3m was bet online, with the other $18.4m wagered at retail sportsbooks.
Former Louisiana State University (LSU) national basketball champion Angel Reese signed to the WNBA team Chicago Sky in May at the start of the league’s four month season, this likely encouraged increased betting activity in the state during the month.
Revenue growth in Louisiana
As for gross gaming revenue from sports betting, this totalled $33.5m. The figure is 18.8% up on the previous year and marginally ahead of $33.0m in April.
Online betting accounted for $31.2m of all sports wagering revenue in May. Revenue from the retail market amounted to $2.3m.
Parlay betting drew the most revenue across both channels, with online at $21.3m and retail $1.4m. For a single sport, basketball was the biggest money-maker for online at $2.2m, whereas baseball took top spot in the retail sector with revenue of $479,857.
In terms of tax, online betting generated $5.5m in May, with retail at $244,950.
For the year to date, total wagered in Louisiana hit $3.12bn during the 10 months to the end of May. This includes $2.85bn in online bets and $275.6m in retail wagers.
Revenue-wise, for the whole market, this hit $361.8m for the same period. Some $333.4m is from online betting and $28.5m retail wagering.
Handle down again in New Hampshire
Turning now to New Hampshire, total spend in May hit $58.0m. This is 11.3% higher than last year but down 3.2% from April. It is also the second consecutive month of decline in the state.
Players spent $51.7m betting online in April compared to the $6.3m wagered at retail books.
As for revenue, this topped $6.5m in May. This is 7.1% lower than last year, despite higher spending, but 22.6% more than April and its higher handle.
Of all revenue generated in May, $5.9m came from online betting and $652,270 the retail sector.
New Hampshire generated $2.8m in tax from sports betting during the month. This includes $2.5m from online wagers and $293,521 retail bets.
For the year to date, total spend in New Hampshire during the 10 months to the end of May was $703.7m. This comprises $616.9m in online wagers and $86.8m in retail bets.
In terms of revenue, the total generated in the same period hit $71.5m. This includes some $64.5m from the online sector and $7.0m retail.
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