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PHMSA pushing for increased pipeline safety amid US energy boom
Ross Lancaster EngineeringDuring the last five years or so, the United States has seen a big increase in oil and gas pipeline mileage and total barrels. While this boom has undoubtedly helped the U.S. to become one of the world's largest oil and gas producers once again, the added infrastructure and billion more barrels means that more chances exist for safety hazards and potentially fatal accidents.
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February shows slowing growth in US manufacturing — Will it continue?
Alan Kelsky ManufacturingEconomic headlines this month announced that the rejuvenation of the United States manufacturing sector is on the skids. But is manufacturing declining, or is this merely a blip on the radar?
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Low oil prices and fossil fuel subsidy reforms
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesIn 2014, nearly 30 countries cut down on their fossil fuel subsidies. In countries like Egypt, Indonesia and India, low oil prices have dampened the political cost of implementing these reforms, which have usually been met with public protests.
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Governor tells Alaskans ‘don’t panic’ as state looks…
Lucy Wallwork Natural ResourcesIn his 2015 State of the State speech just a month after taking office last December, incoming Alaska Gov. Bill Walker told how he learned a key lesson from the devastating impact the state's 1964 earthquake on his family's construction business: "Don't panic." This time around the shock therapy has come from the collapse of global oil prices in a state that draws 90 percent of its revenues from oil and gas.
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Strength in ‘Union’ for cooling and heating technologies
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingThe potential influence of the cooling and heating sectors on reducing energy use is well known, but this week's release by the European Commission of its strategy framework for an Energy Union is set to put energy-efficient cooling and heating center stage.
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How can low gas prices be bad for the transportation industry?
Ryan Clark Transportation Technology & AutomotiveNothing affects the transportation industry quite like fuel. Whether it's price, type or scarcity, the specter of gas always looms heavy over the nation's infrastructure and the industry of trains, planes, boats and automobiles.
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Tesla talks up its battery to power homes, but should we be excited?
Ross Lancaster Natural ResourcesFor as much news coverage as Elon Musk's Tesla Motors receives for its electric cars, the company does its business in a section of the auto world that has a tiny market share (0.6 percent in the U.S.). Furthermore, the price point of Tesla's flagship Model S isn't exactly attainable for a majority of Americans.
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Steel-toe or composite-toe work shoes: Which should you choose?
Noel E. Dugenia ManufacturingSteel-toed work shoes are more or less the industry standard when it comes to foot protection. These help prevent injuries to the toes in the event a heavy object falls on or rolls over them. In fact, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety requires employers to ensure their workers are equipped with foot protection equipment if there is a risk of injury to the feet during the course of performing a task. Steel-toed safety shoes fall under this category.
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Emerging markets: Winners and losers from the oil price drop
Lucy Wallwork Natural ResourcesLast time I wrote in these pages, I talked about the worrying long-term implications of the halving of global oil prices for oil-exporting countries. However, today I want to look at the flip side — the implications for those commodity-importing and manufacturing powers for whom the stars seem to be aligning. In particular, the emerging markets.
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Has the oil price hit its floor?
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesAbdulla Al-Badri, secretary general of OPEC, announced recently that oil prices might have reached their floor and could even rise to up to $200 per barrel in the near future. This is a surprising comment, given OPEC's resistance to decrease its oil production and complaints by struggling oil exporters like Nigeria and Venezuela. In fact, Al-Badri's comment was in response to the biggest one-day gain in oil prices since 2009. Brent rose almost 8 percent and finished above $50 per barrel while Western Texas intermediate crude jumped by 7 percent to $53 per barrel.
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