Oil and Gas Watch

February 26, 2026

Growing use of secrecy agreements between developers and local governments troubles advocates of open government

Developers and local governments across the U.S. that want to avoid public debates with local residents about controversial projects – from data centers to solar farms and petrochemical plants – in recent years have increasingly employed nondisclosure agreements as a tactic to keep things quiet and out of the press until deals are complete, according to observers of the industry. For example, when local elected officials in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, began negotiating to remove an historically Black community beside the Mississippi River for a 17,000-acre industrial complex, the officials signed what amount to gag orders promising to “protect the secrecy” of the project.

Paul MacGillis-Falcon

September 7, 2022

Proposed 'green gasoline' plants raise questions about pollution from natural gas fuels

A company called Nacero Inc. plans to build multi-billion-dollar plants in Pennsylvania and Texas to produce vehicle fuels marketed as “blue” and “green” gasoline. What is "green" gasoline? Is it an oxymoron, like "clean" coal? The company argues their liquid fuel, made from natural gas, emits less air pollution than conventional gasoline. But critics say it is far from carbon neutral or Earth friendly.

August 31, 2022

Investigation: Carbon capture tax credits in climate bill riddled with verification failures and other problems

The landmark climate bill signed by President Joe Biden on Aug. 13 includes billions of dollars in tax credits to encourage carbon capture and sequestration projects. But an IRS investigation of the carbon credit program found that more than half of the $1 billion in credits claimed by oil and gas companies and other industries for carbon capture projects over the last decade were revoked by IRS because the companies failed to verify that the greenhouse gas was actually captured, as required by EPA.

Brendan Gibbons

August 23, 2022

On the Texas Gulf Coast, a race to build desalination plants to serve a thirsty oil & gas industry

At least six desalination plants are planned around Corpus Christi, Texas, to serve a rising demand for fresh water from a rapidly growing petrochemical industry and planned LNG export terminals. Local residents fighting the desalination plants say believe the projects will hike residents’ water bills to serve a massive industry expansion, while dumping highly concentrated saltwater with heavy metals into local bays and estuaries, threatening marine life. All told, the six desalination plants – if built – could discharge more than 362 million gallons of brine per day.

August 17, 2022

Behind the climate bill: the high price of Manchin's pipeline deal in Appalachia

The landmark climate bill signed by President Biden yesterday passed because of a political compromise with Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia that will impose a burden on Appalachia. Manchin says he struck a deal with Democrats to also approve the once-dead Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline, which requires the condemnation of hundreds of farms, the clearcutting of woods and the blasting of rock. Among those hurt by the deal is the family of Fred Vest, a Vietnam veteran who died last year during the "invasion" and blasting of his farm.

Lisa Graves-Marcucci

August 10, 2022

Natural gas development transforms Pennsylvania farmland

A 40-fold growth in natural gas production in Pennsylvania over the last 12 years has triggered a massive buildout of wells, tanks, and gas processing plants on what was once farmland. The state has issued permits for at least 29 new large gas and petrochemical projects. These include a pair of cryogenic fractionation plants surrounding the Duran family farm in Smith Township, west of Pittsburgh. These plants use extreme cold to separate natural gas into butane and other fuels.