Justin Mikulka

Oilfield Witness @oilfieldwitness.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 12:41 UTC

As we enter the really hot season in Texas, its good to remember that the oil industry pollutes a lot more in extreme heat. "Extreme heatwaves in Texas fueled a 22% rise in flaring incidents in the Permian shale basin in the 12 months ended September, analytics firm Enverus said in a note."

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 12:37 UTC

A completely bogus greenwashing scam that they can be used to increase their customers' bills? This is classic oil and gas industry doublespeak. Lying about the greenwashing. Lying about caring about the public.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 12:36 UTC

A real tax on the public. "Project Canary and two other companies—Equitable Origin and MiQ—provide certifications for nearly 40% of all gas produced in the United States, according to the report. Gas utility companies have begun selling certified gas and charging ratepayers a premium for it."

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 12:08 UTC

I maintain that the energy transition is being driven by economics. Which is also why I've said nuclear power will not be a solution. "Even if they succeeded, the levelised cost of electricity – a standard industry measure – would be far higher for nuclear power than renewables." Dealbreaker.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 13:47 UTC

A lot of analysts seem to be puzzled why global oil demand is not growing as expected. Just one of life’s great mysteries, I guess

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 20:03 UTC

SAFs release carbon dioxide when burned. They are hydrocarbons. The only plan to be able to make any real volumes involves growing large amount of corn/soy/palm. This isn't sustainable. We won't have the water for it. It requires deforestation. All of that for very little reduction in emissions.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 20:01 UTC

They say they can make it from grass. They can't. It will be made from corn. We don't have the water to grow the corn and, just like ethanol from corn, it may actually be worse than burning the gas/jet fuel. Or, it will be made from palm oil after they cut down the rainforests.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 17:49 UTC

No, I'm saying SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) is a scam. It is being pushed by airlines and their partners in the fossil fuel refining industry. But guess what happens when they can't produce nearly enough and its too expensive anyway? They keep burning jet fuel.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 17:19 UTC

Two years ago I did a lot of research into options for decarbonizing aviation No one was talking seriously about batteries then for anything other than electric taxis and maybe blimps. Things change fast. For the record, I'm pro-blimp. And anti sustainable aviation fuel, which is a scam.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 17:13 UTC

If everyone who eliminates some CO2 and methane emissions gets carbon credits they can sell to other polluters, can anyone see a flaw in this plan?

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 17:03 UTC

Indeed. This quote from the article applies to that quite well. “It takes your breath away. Because you know what’s going to happen. It’s going to kill people. Not today, but it’s going to kill people.”

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 14:51 UTC

“It’s not cool, it’s bone-chilling,” Pacey said, reacting to this exchange. “It takes your breath away. Because you know what’s going to happen. It’s going to kill people. Not today, but it’s going to kill people.”

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 14:51 UTC

Later, she shared a photograph of the huge toxic plume released into the atmosphere by the vent and burn and read out a Norfolk Southern employee’s cavalier response to the picture at the time: “That’s cool.”

insideclimatenews.org/news/2706202...

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 14:38 UTC

This is why I don't use AI for research. The first time I searched for research papers with ChatGPT I got a list of four that were exactly what I wanted. I was excited and also surprised I hadn't seen them before. They were all fake.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:47 UTC

www.desmog.com/2023/03/14/n...

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:47 UTC

www.cnn.com/2024/02/26/b...

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:46 UTC

Lied about the need to do a controlled burn of toxic chemicals that ended up poisoning East Palestine? Check. Threatened staff investigating this action? check CEO pay raise? check

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:41 UTC

For more on this issue.

powering-the-planet.ghost.io/oil-industry...

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:39 UTC

More on how despite supposedly good faith efforts by Colorado government, the oil industry wins again. And is all set up to walk away from its debts. “Negotiation and compromise cost six years of delay with no tangible improvement” in covering budget shortfalls Regulatory delay works for big oil.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:01 UTC

Anyone need some good news? Non-wire alternatives.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 14:42 UTC

The US media coverage of financial issues of all kinds continues to be embarrassing. This bit was buried in this CNN piece with a wildly misleading headline. "consumers reported feeling more optimistic than they did a year ago." Also, you can't be "wealthy" and not be able to pay your bills.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 14:23 UTC

"When it was a tenth of its current size ten years ago, solar power was still seen as marginal... The next ten-fold increase will be equivalent to multiplying the world's entire fleet of nuclear reactors by eight in less than the time it typically takes to build just a single one of them." 🌞

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 13:53 UTC

As it states in the conclusion: "There are practically no market-based incentives to decommission defunct oilfield infrastructure; there is more money to be made by walking away from these obligations."

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 13:51 UTC

New CarbonTracker analysis shows that even in Colorado, the oil and gas industry is set to walk away from its cleanup responsibilities. Currently have about 10% of the money needed for the cleanup and Colorado is five years past peak oil production. They will walk because they can.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 11:48 UTC

By them, do you mean the Seaquarium? I was there in the past year and I must say it already seemed like it was out of business.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 11:38 UTC

And Ketan has returned.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 26, 2024 at 21:17 UTC

Having grown up in this area, I will confirm that. And I live in Ithaca so I can confirm it's pretty nice and very unlike most of upstate NY when it comes to likelihood of seeing a confederate flag.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 26, 2024 at 18:03 UTC

As we watch insurance companies bail on more areas, it seems like a good time to start thinking about climate risk disclosures. John notes how "This cost-of-capital calculus creates a powerful incentive for carbon-intensive companies to conceal their transition risks. " And they do just that.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 26, 2024 at 18:00 UTC

Thanks, John! Great piece. Hopefully people start catching on to what is happening.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 26, 2024 at 17:51 UTC

www.wsj.com/business/ene...

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 26, 2024 at 17:50 UTC

Did BP learn from the previous disasters? They sure did! Just smile and cut the ridiculously small check. "Separately, BP agreed this month to pay $125,000 to settle violations identified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration related to the accident."

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 26, 2024 at 17:15 UTC

I certainly don't have the answers after writing about this for the past decade but it does seem like we need to figure out a way to tell this astounding story better. I know when I share good news (not my main focus), it gets a positive response. Most people are very surprised by how good it is.

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Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 26, 2024 at 16:36 UTC

This is the article you like to see the day the new induction stove is delivered and the old gas one is taken away. A win for personal indoor air quality.

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