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Energy Policy. Philip Wallach of the Brookings Institute reviews recent legal and political developments relating to the Obama’s Administration’s “Clean Power Plan” — a rule that, when finalized, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector by phasing-out coal-fired power plants across the nation.   Wallach notes that while the proposed regulation faces legal challenges on numerous fronts, most recent activity centers on issues of federalism between Republican state leadership and the EPA.  Brookings

Energy Outlook.  Recent data from Canada’s national energy regulator indicates that the country’s crude-oil exports hit a new peak of 3.1 million barrels of oil per day in January despite the drastic decline in prices.  Looking ahead, conventional crude oil production in Canada is expected to decline this year, while crude sourced from oil-sands projects is projected to increase significantly as new oil-sands projects come on-line.  WSJ

Energy Outlook.  Shipping companies around the world are leveraging “big data” to improve operations and reduce fuel consumption, saving money and cutting greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously shipping more freight. These operational improvements — which began under the high oil-price conditions of the last decade — led to a substantial loss in oil demand; while lower fuel costs will likely slow this push for fuel-efficiency improvements, the overall trend is likely to continue.  Reuters

Coal.  Michael Levi of the Council on Foreign Relations argues that the world’s global energy system will likely rely on coal-fired power for decades, even if the natural gas boom eventually spreads from the United States to the rest of the world.  Levi argues that the cheap and plentiful nature of coal resources requires that governments step in to “tip the balance” toward cleaner energy sources — whether through new regulations or market solutions, such as a carbon tax.  The Atlantic

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Climate Change.  A new study published by the Nature Climate Change journal finds that moderate global warming over the past two centuries is linked to weather extremes such as heat blasts and intense rainstorms, and that these weather events will likely become more frequent and intense as the earth’s temperatures continue to rise. While other studies have linked extreme weather conditions to human-influenced climate patterns, this study is among the first to predict future patterns.  NY Times

Oil.  Reuters reports that heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East — particularly in light of the impending Iran–U.S. nuclear deal — are having immediate effects on oil prices as traders weigh political risks against rising supply stocks.  As a result, oil prices have been increasingly volatile recently; while reports that Iran seized a U.S. cargo vessel caused a temporary spike today, a weaker dollar and newly released stockpile data continue to push prices downward.  Reuters

Energy Security.  Nick Butler of the Financial Times discusses the prospect of an EU “Energy Security Board” as a possible mediator for highly complex energy policy debates.  Butler argues that the Board would (1) guarantee that security of supply remains a priority, (2) ensure that policies are designed and planned on a long-term basis, and (3) create a platform for various arms of the government to communicate and collaborate on aspects of energy policy.  FT

Oil.  Luay al-Khatteeb of Brookings asserts that the reemergence of low and volatile oil prices after three years of stability represents structural changes occurring in the market rather than normal inefficiencies of supply/demand readjustment.  He predicts that unless current world oil production decreases by at least 4 percent, prices are likely to remain at around $60 a barrel — a level where most producers will earn reasonable profit margins and the U.S. as a whole will benefit from improved balance of payments and greater market share.  Brookings

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Oil.  Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in U.S. oil futures — a popular investment tied to the oil market — have experienced notable investor outflows recently, causing many to worry about the new pressure this may place on the already vulnerable oil market.  Investment analysts warn that if oil prices begin to decline again while money pours out of crude-oil ETFs, a “serious financial washout” is possible within the market.  WSJ

Oil.  The recent crude oil price crash has forced major oil companies to take broad steps to cut costs, including reconfiguring their operations and relationships with key suppliers and governments.  The Financial Times notes that these changes may leave many companies better off in the long-run, as they are likely to be more profitable when prices begin to rise again.  FT

Energy Policy.  Tim Boersma of the Brookings Institute discusses recent anti-competition allegations against Gazprom, highlighting the preliminary findings and political tensions surrounding the charges.  Boersma notes that because the EU competition policy is being applied to a part of the EU gas market that lacks fully developed markets for trade and competition, there are questions about the degree to which Gazprom can be blamed for the lack of market development in these countries.  Brookings

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Oil.  Canadian energy giant TransCanada is requesting the U.S. government’s permission to construct an additional 200-mile pipeline across the U.S.-Canadian border — a clear indication that the company is not backing down on its oil-shipping plans despite the 7-year delay in approving its Keystone XL pipeline.  The proposed $600-million pipeline aims to transport up to 300,000 barrels of North Dakota crude per day and, if approved, would go into service in 2020.  WSJ

Oil.  The United States Geological Survey released a comprehensive report today that highlights a link between oil and gas operations and thousands of earthquakes across 17 U.S. regions.  One of the most notable findings indicates that earthquakes in Oklahoma are now hundreds of times more common than they were a few years ago due to hydraulic fracturing — a drilling technique that injects a high-pressure mix of water and chemicals into the ground to break rock formations and release gas.  NY Times

Energy Policy.  As the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to unveil its final set of rules aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions,  leading American electric power companies — the nation’s largest source of emissions — worry that they may face power failures in the process of transitioning from coal to cleaner power sources.  Consequently, because the rules will close hundreds of heavily polluting coal plants, officials believe there could be blackouts across the country if energy companies are not able to build new sources of electricity quickly enough.  NY Times

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Climate Change.  President Obama delivered a speech yesterday in the Florida Everglades to commemorate the 45th Earth Day, using the region as an example of how rising sea levels and greenhouse gas emissions, among other forces, can threaten the environment and the communities that depend on it.  The President’s speech is part a larger effort to reinforce what he hopes will be a central part of his legacy — a sustained push to get the United States and the rest of the world to confront climate change.  NY Times

Oil.  Oil prices rose to their highest level of the year today amid expectations that the oversupply of crude may be shrinking and growing concerns about violence in the Middle East.  Furthermore, the Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. crude gasoline stockpiles fell last week — an unusual trend for this time of year, given that oil refineries typically start increasing production to prepare for the busy summer driving season.    WSJ

Oil.  Clifford Krauss asserts in the NY Times that although crude oil prices have generally swung like a pendulum in the past, the latest oil boom represents a vital shift in power, rather than simply a repeat of history.  He argues that the United States has now overtaken OPEC as the vital global swing producer that determines prices, citing a number of trends emerging since 2008 — including a massive increase in the number of American shale fields, a doubling of American petroleum output, and the introduction of innovative shale production methods that have proven highly adaptable to evolving market conditions.  NY Times