Obama forms energy working group

The three federal agencies most closely involved in energy production announced a plan April 13 to work together to address unconventional shale gas and tight oil resources.

Through the program, the Department of Energy, Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency will identify research priorities for unconventional plays and work to eliminate redundancies as they sponsor research and scientific studies.

“Through a close collaboration across the government that reduces redundancy and streamlines our research, we are positioning the Obama Administration to best meet the critical need of increasing public understanding and public confidence of these critical technologies so that we can continue safe and responsible exploration and production for many decades to come,” DOI Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes said in a statement.

The collaborative program followed an executive order from President Obama creating a federal working group to promote unconventional resources while assuring of environmental protection. “President Obama has created this interagency working group to ensure that these energy innovations happen safely and responsibly, without compromising the environment or the health of the American people,” EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe said in a statement. “We will continue to rely on the best available science to oversee the responsible development of these energy sources.”

Several exploration and production companies are launching programs to explore the resources potential of three stacked shale formations on the North Slope of Alaska.

—Eric Lidji