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Energy Policy.  The U.S. and E.U. are considering additional sanctions against Russia after a missile attack in Ukraine was connected to pro-Russian separatists.  Possible sanctions include a ban on technology exports related to the natural gas industry, measures against Russia’s oil sector, and/or the freezing out of additional companies from Western financial markets.  WSJ

Oil.  OPEC Secretary-general Abdalla El-Badri commented that oil prices may have reached a floor and could move higher very soon, noting also that prices as high as $200 a barrel are possible if oil producers do not invest in new supply.  Analysts confirm that future supply shortages are a concern, but counter that $200 per barrel prices are unlikely because shale drillers will probably resume production quickly once the price approaches $100.   Reuters, Bloomberg

Nuclear.  President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly made “tangible progress” on issues including civil nuclear trade and climate change during a summit between the two leaders this weekend. The leaders addressed a stalled 2008 U.S.-India nuclear deal and reached an agreement that clears up liability issues that have been deterring U.S. commercial investment in Indian nuclear projects.  WSJ

Clean Energy.  Devashree Saha and Mark Muro of the Brookings Institute argue that falling oil prices will have a limited impact on the clean energy industry because (1) oil and renewable energy do not directly compete with each other and (2) the costs associated with technology-based sources like wind and solar energy tend to decline over time.  The authors further argue that the oil price crash demonstrates the value of clean energy sources through a comparison with the volatile petroleum market.  Brookings

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Oil.  North American oil and gas production is falling much more sharply in response to low international oil prices than production in the rest of the world.  By contrast, the Middle East and Asia appear to be the most resilient markets;  data show a drop of just one oil rig in Saudi Arabia from October to December 2014, while the number of rigs in the US declined by 15% over the same time period.  FT

Oil.  The Wall Street Journal predicts that the death of King Abdullah will not affect Saudi Arabia’s ongoing commitment to drive down oil prices and maintain its major share of the global market.  Amidst considerable unrest and uncertainty in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is expected to continue protecting itself by exploiting its biggest advantages: vast oil reserves and low-cost crude production.  WSJ

Climate Change.  A recent infographic compares the air quality — measured by small airborne pollutant particles (PM2.5) — of the ten most polluted cities in China and in the United States.   Bakersfield, California has the worst air quality in the United States with a PM2.5 level of 18.2, while  Xingtai in China ranks the worst with a PM2.5 level of 155.2. This stark difference can be primarily attributed to China’s use of coal-fired power plants to fuel its economic growth.  Forbes

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Climate Change.  The Senate voted yesterday on three nonbinding amendments addressing the scientific consensus of climate change, and rejected the most politically contentious amendment stating that climate change is real and that human activity significantly contributes to it.  While the amendments have no chance of becoming law in light of a veto threat from President Obama, the votes nevertheless contributed to a strategy by Democrats to put Republicans on record about an issue that divides the party.  WSJ

Oil.  Anna Mikulska and Jim Krane warn against making long-term energy-related decisions based on recent falling oil prices, which are likely a short-term phenomenon.  They cite three specific examples where consumers and policymakers appear to be reacting to low oil prices: (1) recent spikes in low fuel-economy, large-model car sales (2) proposed legislation involving a hike in gasoline prices; and (3) popular sentiments that Keystone XL pipeline is no longer necessary.  Forbes

Climate Change.  Given that the Obama administration is expected to make its final emissions-cutting targets for the power industry this summer, two charitable groups – the Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Heising-Simons Foundation – are donating $48 million over the next three years to help states reduce emissions from electricity production.  The money will likely provide technical assistance, including economic forecasting and legal analysis, to roughly twelve states that have demonstrated interest in ambitious clean-energy plans.  NY Times

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Energy Outlook.   Maria Van Der Hoeven, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), warned that low oil prices may deter investment in all types of energy projects and lead to supply shortages in the next decade.  The IEA’s latest analysis indicates that in 2015, oil investments will fall by 15 percent – or $100 billion –  from 2014 levels.  Bloomberg

Keystone XL.  The Senate approved an amendment to the Keystone XL pipeline bill aimed at improving energy efficiency in buildings with a 91 to 5 vote yesterday.  The amendment aims to make it easier for consumers to buy “smart-metered” water heaters and reduce the production costs for energy-efficient cooling and heating systems.  While these amendment measures have broad bipartisan support and are backed by President Obama, he will most likely still veto the bill.  NY Times

Energy Outlook.  Eduardo Porter of the New York Times asserts that U.S. industrial policies from nearly four decades ago are largely responsible for the supply glut at the root of the current plunge in world oil prices.  Porter argues that this serves as a valuable lesson for legislators looking to craft policies to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change — specifically, that collaboration between government and business coupled with public investments in technology innovation have a strong record of success in the energy industry.  NY Times

Oil.  Global demand for oil remains subdued despite depressed prices largely due to tepid growth, the removal of government subsidies in countries such as India, and a stronger U.S. dollar.  Additionally, analysts note that structural shifts such as lifestyle changes and fuel efficiency standards have reduced consumption patterns for the longer-term, suggesting that the current oil-market slump is unlikely to be “fixed” by demand growth.  FT

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Oil.  Major international oil firms have shown interest in the initial phase of a bidding round for exploratory oil and gas blocks in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico that are likely to be assigned mid-year by the Mexican government.  This shallow-water phase of the bidding round has not been affected by the recent plunge in oil prices because the production costs are modest.  WSJ

Oil.  While falling oil prices may negatively impact energy producers, the steep declines of recent weeks have delivered substantial benefits to American working-class families and retirees.  The federal Energy Information Administration estimated last week that the typical American household would save $750 because of lower gasoline prices this year, and families that depend on home heating oil and propane should enjoy an additional $750 in savings this winter.  NY Times

Energy Policy.  Given building pressure to make a conclusive decision about the Keystone XL pipeline, the Financial Times lists “Energy and environment” as one of the top issues to watch for tonight in President Obama’s State of the Union Address.  Although the President has been increasingly vocal in his skepticism about its merits in recent weeks, FT predicts that he will focus more on defending other measures he has taken to address climate change during his time in office, including a plan to curb emissions from coal-fired power stations, a landmark accord with China, and, more recently, proposals to control methane emissions from fracking sites.  FT