-In a departure from the party line of traditional biofuels producers, the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) on Wednesday called for an overhaul of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Via FuelFix, the group wants changes that would mandate the actual purchase and use of cellulosic fuel instead of allowing industry to buy waiver credits. ABFA President Michael McAdams said in a speech the federal mandate is less advantageous to companies trying to commercialize cutting-edge technologies. The law does not establish advanced biofuel targets after the year 2022, potentially discouraging investments in technology.
-The U.S. and Canada will soon announce stricter new requirements for oil-carrying rail tank cars, Canada’s transportation minister said Tuesday. Via Upstream, the rules are expected to go further than a temporary standard implemented in Canada that required oil to be carried by thicker CPC-1232 tank cars. Those cars have been involved in four derailments in the U.S. and Canada since mid-February. Nine of the 1232 cars involved in last Saturday’s incident in northern Ontario ruptured.
-A condensate leak from a Murphy Oil pipeline near the Peace River in Alberta is larger than initially thought. Via the Edmonton Sun, the leak — which was discovered March 1 — was found to be 17,000 barrels over an “extended period of time.” No rivers were affected and no injuries have been reported.
-Meanwhile, Bridger Pipeline is set to restart a 50-mile section of a pipeline that leaked 30,000 gallons of oil into Montana’s Yellowstone River in January. Via the Associated Press, upstream cleanup work is suspended due to ice and only 10% of the oil has been recovered.
-Husky Energy today announced it has begun oil production at its Sunrise Energy Project in northern Alberta. Steam operations began in December, and total production is expected to ramp up to 60,000 barrels per day by the end of 2016. Husky has a 50% working interest in the project with BP.
