Emirates airline and Neste, a Finnish oil refining and marketing company, have expanded their partnership by strengthening their collaboration for the supply of over 3 million gallons of blended Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2024 and 2025.

The sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which will be blended with conventional jet fuel, will be supplied over the course of 2024 and 2025 for Emirates’ flights departing from Amsterdam Schiphol and Singapore Changi airports.

Finland is a leader in sustainable technologies that the country actually implements. Green Prophet was invited on a press tour to Finland 13 years ago where we visited biofuel companies, green servers, and heat pump manufacturers.

Neste Oyj is an oil refining and marketing company located in Espoo, Finland. The company produces, refines and markets bioful oil products, and provides engineering services and operations in 14 countries. Neste shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Biggest sale of biofuels to the Middle East to date

Emirates’ expanded partnership with Neste represents the largest volume of SAF to be uplifted of any airline based in the Middle East and Africa to date. The blended SAF will comprise over 1 million gallons of neat SAF. This represents a blended ratio of over 30% neat SAF combined with conventional Jet A-1 fuel.

By the end of 2023, the airline used SAF for the first time from its Dubai hub. SAF reduces carbon emissions of air travel by up to 80% over the fuel’s life cycle when compared to using conventional jet fuel.

“It’s also one of the many initiatives we are focused on to reduce our carbon emissions, which includes operating fuel-efficient aircraft, stepping up our fleet renewal from 2024, in addition to driving operational fuel efficiency,” said Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline.  “Our ongoing partnership with Neste also demonstrates our active engagement and support of the rapidly developing SAF industry, and we hope that the robust demand coming from Emirates and other airlines encourages the scaling up of SAF and other emerging clean propulsion technologies.”

Alexander Kueper, Vice President EMEA from the Renewable Aviation business unit at Neste said: “Sustainable aviation fuel is a readily available solution for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from air travel. We are proud to expand our existing cooperation with Emirates into 2024 as we are ramping up our global SAF production and continue to support their commitment to reduce emissions by supplying our Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel.”

Earlier in 2023, Emirates, in partnership with Neste and other industry stakeholders, successfully completed the first 100% SAF-powered demonstration flight in the region, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER operating on 100% SAF in one engine.

The airline has made significant strides along with its industry partners around the technical analysis and certification requirements that support standardization and future approval of 100% SAF flying.

Last month, Neste employees went on strike for labor reforms. In Decemeber, 2023, Neste partnered with Coleman Oil Company in the US to enable cities and businesses to have easier access to Neste MY Renewable Diesel in the state of Washington in the US. Neste  has also completed the strategic study and begins a gradual transformation of its crude oil refinery in Porvoo into a renewable and circular solutions refining hub.

“The COP28 declaration is a strong signal to all of us, and we want to be in the forefront of accelerating the green transition with our renewable and circular solutions,” says Matti Lehmus, the President and CEO of Neste. “The long term transformation of the Porvoo refinery is a key element in our renewables growth strategy, completing Neste’s journey to a 100% renewable and circular solutions provider when finalized.”

New Jersey blew up its last coal-fired plant this month. We welcome the transformation to renewable energy and hope progress is made faster, with people working in these industries earning a fair wage.

The post Neste oil SAF deal made with Emirates for sustainable aviation fuel appeared first on Green Prophet.

This week a US Consumer Product Safety Commission rep told Bloomberg News they’d be considering new regulations for gas stoves in the United States. The appliances which use natural gas and propane in countertops and ovens, have been in the news since a December study said that about 12% of childhood asthma cases in the US are from gas stoves. That’s more than one in 10 kids getting sick from your appliance.

The rep later clarified on Twitter that regulations would only apply to new products and you could keep cooking on your old stoves: “To be clear, CPSC isn’t coming for anyone’s gas stoves.” 

So, should you replace your gas stove?

There is research showing health and climate risks from gas stoves.  Last year in December, a US study found that gas stoves are still releasing methane when they are off, and they can emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) at levels that are higher than those set by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

“Indoor gas stove use for cooking is associated with an increased risk of current asthma among children and is prevalent in 35% of households in the United States (US). The population-level implications of gas cooking are largely unrecognized,” the researchers wrote along with a summary that “We found that 12.7% of current childhood asthma in the US is attributable to gas stove use.”

NOx are the common pollutants found in cigarette smoke and car exhaust, and these can cause or seriously aggravate respiratory problems, especially in children. My daughter had a coughing attack brought on by incense burning in the Old City of Jerusalem, and in some countries, cooking with polluting gas inside the home is very common, like in Egypt.

In Israel where I live, most homes are using propane gas tanks for stovetop cooking. Ovens are often, but not always separate, and can run on electricity or gas.

Let’s look to the US standards for guidance. 

In addition to raising health concerns, methane and the carbon dioxide emitted from leaks and burning natural gas are both greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. These can add up, since about 35% of households in the US cook with gas stoves. Rates in the US are similar in Europe, with about 30% of energy for cooking coming from gas. Consider, however, that unless your region is using solar or wind energy, your electricity-fed stoves aren’t exactly clean. The waste is just being produced somewhere else. 

Critics point out that there are bigger battles to fight, in climate and human health. But in some developing nations stove emissions are a seriously health concern. It’s also worth looking at your stove if your kids suddenly have breathing issues, previously unexplained. 

What can you do?

You can replace your gas stove to cut the climate and health harms from cooking. It can be an expensive thing to do but new policy in the US could make replacing gas-powered stoves significantly cheaper. Tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act could help cover replacement costs.

And if you are stuck with a gas stove in a rental unit or you can’t afford to buy a new one, you can help by opening the windows when cooking and ventilating the area. Chefs aren’t going to like this news, but all things must change. Even the owner of Noma in Denmark is moving on, saying the restaurant business as it is simply unsustainable.

Just venting – reader feedback

Environmental artist Pablo Solomon writes to us from Texas: “Actually rather than giving up gas stoves, we should be asking why so many kids have asthma? How much is tied to the environment, to diet, to nerves, etc. Have we become so weak?

“Gas stoves if properly vented/filtered should not pose a health issue. As one who grew up in family restaurants, you just cannot beat a gas stove. My mother had a Chambers with an oven, grill, griddle, burners and a 3 pot section to cook soups and chili. As did my aunt who was considered the best Lebanese cook in the USA (by magazines ).

However, [we have] an antique cast iron stove converted to an electric stove (made in Canada ). And in our 1856 historic home, the cast iron stove looks great. Luckily the replacement coils and things are standard. However, it is so heavy it must be repaired in place. And electric heat of any kind is expensive and a strain on the grid/storage capacity- see how long a Tesla home battery will last cooking a brisket? Thankfully we are on a hydro electric coop.”

The post Should I replace my gas stove? appeared first on Green Prophet.

The oil and gas industry is one of the world’s largest industries. This makes sense since oil is essential in the global economic structure. Oil and gas are always needed to create common items, power vehicles, heat buildings, and generate electricity. As a result, more skilled professionals are needed.  

Most high-demand and high-paying occupations in the oil and gas sector require highly qualified and experienced individuals that typically posses the top paying college degrees, like chemical engineers. Keep on reading to learn about them. This will perhaps help you in choosing the ideal career that best suits your skills and qualifications.

Keep in mind that the salaries mentioned below are only national average salaries in the US; they may vary depending on which state you prefer working in.

Chemical Engineer

Chemical engineers are professionals who design processes for manufacturing chemicals and goods such as fuel, synthetic rubber, plastics, soaps, cement, paper, and pulp using chemistry, physics, and engineering concepts.

Chemical engineer pay is geographically diverse. Texas has the highest average chemical engineer income at USD$138,600 per year.

There are Oil & Gas Companies Hiring in Texas and other states that are looking for professionals other than chemical engineers. If you’re interested, now is the time to submit your application. Jobs in this industry are heating up as America tries to diversify from Russia and Saudi Arabian oil and gas. So oil royalties of oil and gas produced in the United States, stay in the United States.

Lease Purchase Operators 

Lease purchase operators are the highest-paid employees in the oil and gas business. They inspect the equipment of the company’s wells and ensure the production and pressures are working efficiently. 

They monitor conveying vehicles for defects, cracks, or other flaws that could disrupt petroleum product transit. They also inspect and repair drilling equipment when necessary.

Qualifications for lease purchase operators vary. An advanced mechanical understanding and a bachelor’s degree are required to apply for this job. They make an average of USD$102,000 annually.

Completions Engineer

An oil and gas completion engineer finalizes well assembly after drilling and lining. They monitor the well for structural or geologic issues that may delay completion. They plan the installation of other oil pumping equipment. And they create a system to handle varying conditions by studying, testing, and recording pressure and temperature.

Engineers that specialize in completion work in both on- and offshore drilling. The completion engineer’s compensation ranges from USD$95,000 to $166,000 annually.

Petroleum Geologists

Petroleum geologists explore the earth for oil and gas resources. They use geological data to choose which places to drill for oil and which drilling methods to use based on the area of geology. They collect data using a variety of drilling equipment, gear, and specialized devices.

Entry-level petroleum geologists typically need a bachelor’s degree in geoscience. Their annual salary is estimated to be around USD$70,000.

Health, Safety, and Environment Manager

The health, safety, and environment managers or HSE managers plan and administer regulatory safety programs, review and update HSE regulations, and establish risk assessments to minimize dangers in the workplace.

An HSE manager requires a bachelor’s degree in environmental or occupational health. Their annual salary is predicted to be around USD$126,800.

Reservoir Engineer

These are the experts who study underground petroleum reserves. A reservoir engineer’s main duties include locating an ideal reservoir and establishing the best techniques for accessing its contents, frequently utilizing complex computer models. These engineers help businesses avoid underperforming wells that fail to satisfy demand.

This is a tech-heavy job like many others in the oil and gas industry. Those who aim to become reservoir engineers are usually well compensated as good positions normally need a graduate degree and industrial experience. Reservoir engineers earn an annual salary of USD$133,800 on average.

Mud Logger

Mud loggers are trained to observe and record drilling activities and provide information while extracting oil and gas. They are field professionals that gather samples for geologists. They supervise the collection, processing, management, and analysis of well samples.

They may also execute jobs such as field maintenance, describing rock samples, predicting adverse drilling conditions, and more. Their base salary is usually USD$103,035 per year. Pay can vary significantly depending on a person’s credentials, including education, certifications, additional expertise, and years in the field.

Offshore Oil And Gas Marine Specialist

Oil and gas companies need marine experts that can perform multiple tasks at sea. This is because ships and boats are regularly used to deliver crude oil, food, liquefied gas, etc. Their duties include refueling the ship, conducting underwater surveys, ensuring the safety and efficiency of oil and gas operations, and more.

A marine specialist’s average annual salary is USD$62,400 in the United States.

Technical Directors

Technical directors are among the highest-paid oil and gas professionals. They supervise the drilling teams, project managers, and other engineers. They also create and recommend company strategies.

A bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a similar subject is required. Approximately, their pay is $100,300 per year.

Professionals in the oil and gas industry have been in high demand and are well-compensated up to this day. These job opportunities require highly qualified people with the right skills and knowledge.

Find out which companies in the oil and gas sector are hiring right now and submit your application for the position that interests you.

The post 9 High-Paying Jobs In The Oil And Gas Industry appeared first on Green Prophet.

Despite the forecast of dire effects of global warming in the Middle East, oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia have continued to keep oil production at high levels. Located in one of hottest regions on earth, the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia has also expressed high interest in building nuclear power plants, despite being a country rich in solar energy potential.

The present specter of falling oil prices is adding a new harsh reality to a country that depends on oil production for nearly its entire economy. Crashing oil prices are hurting this desert kingdom tremendously. The headlines in a February article in Britain’s Sunday Express newspaper appears to say it all: Welcome to AUSTERITY, Saudi Arabia: Crashing oil prices sends economy into meltdown.

On record for years as being the world’s largest oil producer, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now rapidly using monetary reserves to finance the wasteful lifestyles of its extended royal family. With oil prices presenty hovering at around $34 a barrel (see chart), Saudi Arabia will soon be unable to finance the various subsidies given to its citizens for education, energy, health care, and water allocations. Subsidies included free or dirt cheap gas.

Water resorces, almost entirely coming from giant desalination plants, are not only very costly for the Kingdom, but evironmentally damaging as well. Low oil prices will make it more difficult for Saudi Arabia to embark on plans to have as much as a third of its own energy needs met in twenty years by using solar energy. The use of solar energy to create electric power has been planned for years in the Kingdom; with a $109 Billion solar energy plan announced in the Spring of 2012. What happened there?

Low oil prices will force the Kingdom introduce massive austerity programs. These include reduction or cancellation of previously mentioned subsidies, drastic scale-backs of construction and infrastructure programs; and certain, painful belt-tightening in the Saudi royal family itself.

Without sufficient oil revenues to keep its economy afloat, there simply are not other means to provide needed foreign currency to keep the country going. Even sand, once another income source for the Kingdom, due to its use in the construction industry, is less available now.

In adddtion to Saudi Arabia, other oil income-dependent countries, including Russia, Azerbaijan, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates are also suffering economically from low oil prices. The situation is not forcasted to improve in the near future. Masood Ahmed, head of the Middle East department for the Sunday Express, was quoted in regards to the Saudi economy: “This (oil price collapse) will have to be part of a multi-year adjustment process.”

We hope it doesn’t end in conflict, an all too common story here in the Middle East.

Read more on oil:
Saudi Arabia dumps oil in time for U.S. election season
Solar rich Saudis running after nukes
The wrath of global warming and the Middle East
Saudi Arabia’s Desalinaton Market a $50 Billion opportunity

Photo of Saudi Oil Well by Green Tech Media 

The post Saudi economy trashed by cheap oil appeared first on Green Prophet.

Today is D-Day for electric car drivers in condos and apartments in Israel and who use the Better Place charging systems. The Israel Electric Company announced last week that yesterday was the cutoff date. See the announcement above placed in local papers. Anyone not registering their charge stations (previously to Better Place) in their names will be cut off from service.

Some 800 plus people in Israel are driving an electric car fashioned by Better Place and without a centralized billing service, users will likely face charging inconveniences with this new announcement. Problems with collecting due payments from drivers was one of the reasons why potential buyers could not put together enough funds to bring the company back to life.

What’s the background story?

After an emotional take-over by a social activist-turned solar entrepreneur this summer, let’s say within a few short years Israel’s electric car dream at Better Place has gone up in smoke and chaos. Better Place declared bankruptcy earlier this year.

Electric car in Jaffa, waiting for a charge

But the writing was on the wall already when its visionary CEO Shai Agassi was fired late 2012. Self-made union members of existing car owners led by Kaptain Sunshine banded together to buy the assets of Better Place.

With Sunshine and his backers failing to make payments, the company was put back on the block and bought by a company that owns parking garages. A private check wouldn’t do, and so Better Place is now in the hands of liquidators once again.

And no, according to Tesla’s spokeswoman, the company has no interest in taking over Better Place.

Meanwhile Better Place car owners are not being allowed to talk to the media about the situation.

We can assume that their battery switch stations are down, and if a driver hasn’t switched over to the electric company getting a charge to drive out of town will be a big bummer.

The post Israeli Electric Car Drivers Pay the Piper Today? appeared first on Green Prophet.

“Despite significant efforts over that time frame, revenues are still insufficient to cover operating costs, and in the light of the continued negative cash flow position, the Board has decided that it has no option but to seek to make this application to the courts for an orderly liquidation of the company,” the company announced on Sunday, a work day in Israel.

“This is a difficult day for all of us,” Better Place CEO Dan Cohen said. The company had a vision and made some inroads in helped an electric car reality come to life, but the vision didn’t weigh in with the reality check: consumers in Israel were not buying the Renault-made cars that come with a switchable battery to reduce driver’s range anxiety.

Israel Corporation (TASE: ILCO), the controlling shareholder in the Better Place electric car venture company, notified the TASE, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange today that it will not invest in future financing rounds because it could find no other investors to participate in the round of funding.

Some $800 million has been put into the company since its founding, and over the last past year the company was showing troubling signs the moment its visionary founder and CEO Shai Agassi was fired – news which we reported here.

“Unfortunately, after a year’s commercial operation, it was clear to us that despite many satisfied customers, the wider public take up would not be sufficient and that the support from the car producers was not forthcoming,” Cohen said.

The idea would have been great if it had worked: Better Place had built an extensive network of battery-replacement stations around the country. When a charge was low, instead of waiting for hours to “refuel” with a power cord, the electric car could gas up with a new battery, swapped at convenient locations throughout the country, and that which could be located with a smart driver’s onboard GPS system. This could be done in the time it takes a car to fill up with regular fuel.

The company hoped it would rival gas powered cars, and to some extent we hoped the idea would work to.

Based on what I saw in Israel Better Place was flawed from the beginning: it smacked of cronyism, by hiring relatives into high positions in the company, and by enticing investments in companies closely linked with infrastructure and government bodies in Israel.

Government officials in Israel, President Shimon Peres included, often lauded and praised the company as though the government and Better Place were one and the same.

The company spent way too much overhead on fancy PR and public education hoping to entice a strong following of buying “sheep” who were more interested in promoting Zionist values than environmental ones.

Israel, I have always said, needs a kick-ass network of public transportation, linking trains to light rails to mini-vans to bicycle hubs so that the public can wean itself not off oil, but of cars in general. An investor in a new green public transportation solution, not run by the government, would get my vote.

“The technical challenges we overcame successfully, but the other obstacles we were not able to overcome, despite the massive effort and resources that were deployed to that end,” the Board of Directors said in a statement. “The vision is still valid and important and we remain hopeful that eventually the vision will be realized for the benefit of a better world. However, Better Place will not be able to take part in the realization of this vision.”

I truly wonder what will happen to the poor recruits who bought a Better Place car. Will they be allowed to turn on their at home charge stations and pay the lower rates of electricity not running through the Better Place pricing system? Will they be able to endure long trips to the north and still use a switch station in some locations?

Instead of complaining or showing any signs of fear, buyers of the Better Place car seemed to carry on as usual last week – like Brian of London, who poured his heart and soul into praising his electric car on the Green Car Reports blog. Those who bought into the brand seemed to be loyal all the way. The problem was that there was never enough buyers.

The company would need four years and another half billion dollars to break even, some analysts say.

We’ll be letting readers know what happen to the buyers of the cars, in the hundreds, as the news unfolds. Meanwhile hundreds of employees will be laid off.

Above image of Better Place car parked at the Volcani Center in Israel last week, taken by Karin Kloosterman/Green Prophet

The post Israel’s Better Place EV Company Dies and Files for Bankruptcy appeared first on Green Prophet.

President of Futek’s Board of Directors, Mohamed Helal told Daily News Egypt that he hopes the new manufacturing facility will boost production capacity so that the company can reach new markets and increase exports. But he also laments a series of obstacles that curtail wider development of similar renewable energy projects throughout the country.

Countries in the Middle East and North Africa region are finally realizing not only the importance of incorporating solar into their energy portfolio, but also producing the necessary technology at home.

Homegrown solar cell manufacturing plants reduce Egypt’s dependence on international solar manufacturers, such as Germany for example, which in turn cuts the cost of adding solar energy to local commercial and residential developments.

At present, the technology is prohibitively expensive for most people who want to get off the fossil fueled-bandwagon, which means the great majority of  people who have access to energy in Egypt often have to endure frequent power cuts.

Yet despite an increasing demand from factories, farms, hotels, and airports, who aim to use solar to supply up to 25 percent of their energy needs and reduce their dependence on the unreliable national grid, according to DNE, the same bureaucratic hurdles that made it so hard for the local NGO Shagara to plant a rooftop farm in Cairo has stunted the evolution of good, clean and renewable energy initiatives in the troubled nation.

Helal told DNE that it is difficult to obtain funding because solar energy is intermittent and because the large swaths of land necessary to construct solar cells are expensive for potential investors.

Meanwhile, subsidies for fossil fuels, which were recently brought into the spotlight last week as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called for their reduction in order to green economies and cut back on carbon emissions, make pricing uncompetitive.

Yet the company perseveres, thereby shrinking Egypt’s longstanding addiction to fossil fuels – albeit at snail’s pace.

:: Daily News Egypt

Image of oil and war by Shutterstock

The post Futek’s Solar Cell Plants Shrink Egypt’s Fossil Fuel Addiction appeared first on Green Prophet.

Rivers are polluted, air quality destroyed, and a way of life for people who survive on those natural resources is often irrevocably destroyed. But what if there was a better way? What if companies try to lessen their environmental impact and regenerate the landscape? What if they voluntarily ensure that communities also benefit from the wealth obtained? Cue the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Launched at the 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development, EITI is a voluntary coalition made up of governments, companies, civil society groups, investors and international organizations.

It was founded to promote greater revenue transparency in the extractive industries, such as oil, gas and mining. Entirely voluntary, no one organization or country is required to join.

Currently 37 countries are signatories of EITI, 18 of which are deemed compliant. But what does it mean to be EITI compliant?

The EITI has a robust yet flexible methodology, known as the EITI Standard, that ensures that a global standard is maintained throughout the different implementing countries. The EITI Board and the international Secretariat are the guardians of that methodology. Implementation itself, however, is the responsibility of individual countries. The EITI, in a nutshell, is a globally developed standard that promotes revenue transparency at the local level. The EITI Rules establishes the methodology countries need to follow to become fully compliant with the EITI.

Great emphasis has been placed on creating a framework that encourage countries to report how much money they are receiving from companies in the oil, gas and mining sector, and on requiring companies to report their earnings as well – all in an effort to reduce corruption, tax evasion and other social ills that plague so many resource-rich developing countries.

Now the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is encouraging EITI to take this voluntary initiative one step further.

Leaning on research conducted in the oil and gas rich Caspian Sea region and focusing on Azerbaijan, which is EITI compliant, Kazakhstan, an EITI candidate and Turkmenistan, which has expressed an interest in joining EITI, IIED published a report that encourages even more efforts to ensure that extractive industries work for the environment and local people.

“Countries in the Caspian region have considerable natural wealth in the form of oil and gas deposits that can provide the basis for great improvements in national development, so long as there are strong institutions, greater transparency and accountability, and enforcement mechanisms in place,” says co-author of the report, Professor Ingilab Ahmadov of Azerbaijan’s Khazar University.

IIED has made a handful of recommendations that could help EITI signatories ensure greater governance and accountability. These include prioritizing capacity building in host communities, developing self-evaluation criteria that operates on a competitive ranking system that would motivate member countries to improve their reporting and results, and strengthening their own minimum requirements.

Natural wealth for everyone

“Natural resource wealth should translate into tangible benefits for citizens,” says IIED’s project leader, Dr Emma Wilson. “The EITI is just one of a growing number of initiatives that aim to ensure greater transparency in how governments and companies share the wealth in sectors such as oil, gas and mining.”

“The EITI has had a promising start,” Wilson continues.

”But there is clear potential for it to move beyond transparency and push also for greater accountability and enable civil society to make use of the information it generates to hold governments and companies to account.”

Critics will find all kinds of opportunities for signatories to subvert the system, however the EITI initiative suggests that despite the preponderance of companies that only care about the bottom line, bullies who freely commit ecocide, at least a handful of organizations and countries appear committed to finding a better way.

Image of truck loading clay, Shutterstock

The post Ethical Oil, Gas and Mining? EITI is the LEED of Fossil Fuels appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Golan Heights, that disputed piece of real estate that Israel captured from Syria in 1967 is returning to world attention due to the possibility that there are oil and natural gas reserves in its southern sector. Until now, energy ideas dealing with the Golan have mainly evolved around renewable energy projects like a 155 megawatt wind farm which Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu once referred to as a “national project.”  The “Heights” have also been considered a good location for solar energy projects. Proposed solar energy projects there even raised the question of whether wind turbines might be “taking a back seat to solar power” on the Golan.  A Golan Heights natural beauty spot: Saar stream waterfall

Anyone who has had the opportunity and pleasure to drive through the Golan Heights has surely been attracted to the various natural beauty sites found there which are especially lovely in the spring.  These sites, such as natural streams and water falls, the majestic splendor of Mt. Hermon, and the unique hot springs and alligator farm at Hamat Gader  may be jeopardized if proposed oil and natural gas exploration is undertaken.

New geological findings suggest that commercial quantities of oil might be present in the southern sector, and the Israeli government subsequently awarded the first license to drill. The license “covers half the area of the Golan from the latitude of Katzrin in the north to Tzemach in the south,” according to a recent article in Globes.

Oil and gas production could replace wind energy projects on the Golan; photo by Karin Kloosterman

According to the Globes article, Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources petroleum council awarded the license to Genie Energy Ltd. , a company headed by former minister and National Religious Party leader Effie Eitam.

Shareholders in Genie Energy include such notables as Lord Jacob Rothschild and  newspaper mogul Rupert Murdoc. And Former US Vice President Dick Cheney is an advisor to the company. Mr. Eitam lives in Moshav Nov in the southern Golan Heights, which is located not far from the hot springs at Hamat Gader.

While the main objections to Israeli oil and gas explorations in the Golan are mostly political, the potential environmental impact of oil and gas production in this area cannot be ignored.

This especially pertains to natural sites such as Hamat Gader, which is part of the Yarmouk River ecosystem and an important water supply source for Syria, Israel and neighboring Jordan.

It might be more plausible for large scale energy projects conducted by Israel to be confined to those now being conducted in the eastern Mediterranean; though they have their own environmental issues.

Image Crocodiles from Hamat Gader by Shutterstock

Read more on the Golan Heights and energy projects there:
How to Road Trip in the Galilee and the Golan Heights in the Spring
Israeli PM Declares a 155 MW Wind Farm on the Golan Heights a “National Project
Are Golan Heights Wind Turbines Taking a Back Seat to Solar Power?

The post Golan Heights Slated for Oil and Gas Drilling…and Environmental Damage? appeared first on Green Prophet.

I know it’s a knee-jerk reaction for environmentalists to be against the tar sands, to be against fracking, to be against the oil and gas industry, just like it is reasonable for animal rights activists to be against animal testing in medicine. There are certain “evils” or moral risks we take in this world to help bring us to the next problem in need of solving.  One day there won’t be animals in a biopharma lab, but algorithms doing the dirty work. I am sure of that. But meanwhile if a cancer medicine needs to be tested on an animal to make sure that my dad with prostate cancer stays well, I will opt for the animal’s suffering over my dad. Is that selfish or immoral?

I would never want to go back to the pre-oil, pre-industrial age, but look to and applaud people, researchers, and companies that are trying to make dirty and polluting industries better, like this company Flow Industries making fracking greener – which is making fracking greener at least in theory. Should we therefor discount companies like Shell, now exploring oil in the Arctic, for being a big evil, or laud them for feeding our greedy energy needs, while still trying to make their business a bit greener? Watch the video above. You decide.

The post Walking the Middle Ground as Oil Feeds Our Energy Needs appeared first on Green Prophet.