9-21-10NationalEnergy

Geoffrey Orsak

Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently announced the establishment of a National Petroleum Council committee to study future transportation fuels and their impact on long term national energy policy through the year 2050.

The study will examine demand, supply, infrastructure, and technology. As part of its final report, the study will specifically outline “actions that industry and government can take to stimulate the technological advances and market conditions needed to reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. transportation sector by 50% by 2050 relative to 2005 levels, while enhancing the nation’s security and economic prosperity.”

The study is co-chaired by Clarence P. Cazalot, Jr , President and CEO of Marathon Oil and Daniel Poneman, Deputy Sec. of Energy, with Vice Chairs James Owens, Chairman of the Board, Caterpillar Inc.; John Watson, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Chevron; and John Deutch, Institute Professor, MIT. Other notable participants include Alan Boeckmann, Chairman and CEO of Flour Corporation; Scott Davis, Chairman and CEO, UPS; John Hamre, President and CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Ray Hunt, CEO Hunt Oil; Carl Pope, Chairman, Sierra Club; Fred Smith; Chairman, President and CEO, FedEx; Rex Tillerson, Chairman, President and CEO, Exxon Mobil; Craig Venter, Chairman and President, J. Craig Venter Institute; and Patricia A. Woertz, Chairman, CEO and President, Archer Daniels Midland Company.

The National Petroleum Council (NPC), a federally chartered and privately funded advisory committee, was established by the Secretary of the Interior in 1946 at the request of President Harry S. Truman.  Orsak was appointed to the National Petroleum Council in 2008.