President Donald Trump has announced six new energy initiatives as part of the White House’s “Energy Week,” including approving the construction of a new petroleum pipeline to Mexico. The pipeline will go “right under the wall,” he said.
“Today, I’m proudly announcing six brand new initiatives to propel this new era of American energy dominance,” Trump told employees at the Department of Energy on Thursday.
Among those initiatives, Trump said, is his administration’s approval of the construction of a new pipeline to the United States’ southern neighbor, “which will further boost American energy exports,” Trump said.
“And that’ll go right under the wall, right? It’s going under. Right? Have it go down a little deeper in that one section, you know, a little like this. Right under the wall,” he continued, as the audience laughed.
After Trump finished speaking, the State Department announced the approval of three presidential permits. The New Burgos Pipeline ‒ to be built by NuStar Logistics, LP ‒ will deliver up to 108,000 barrels per day of refined petroleum across the US-Mexico border. The State Department also issued new permits for the existing Dos Laredos Pipeline, which crosses the border in Texas near Laredo, and the existing Burgos Pipeline, which crosses from Texas near Peñitas. The permits reflect a change in the name of the permit holder and authorize transport “of a broader range of petroleum products than under previous Presidential permits.”
The administration will conduct a “complete review of US nuclear energy policy,” allowing the country to “revive and expand our nuclear energy sector” and “help us find new ways to revitalize this crucial resource,” Trump said.
“I’m so happy about” that, he added, noting that nuclear energy is “clean, renewable and emissions-free.”
The Treasury Department will focus on addressing barriers that prevent the financing of “highly efficient overseas coal and energy plants.”
“Ukraine already tells us they need millions and millions of metric tons right now. There are many other places that need it too. And we want to sell it to them and to everyone else all over the globe who need it,” Trump said.
Another initiative includes boosting the export of natural gas. To that end, Trump announced that California-based Sempra Energy has signed an agreement to begin negotiations to sell natural gas to South Korea. The deal comes just as South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrives in Washington for a two-day summit.
“We will also be talking about them buying energy from the United States of America, and I’m sure they’ll like to do it,” the president said. “They need it.”
The Energy Department authorized two long-term applications on Thursday to export an additional 0.33 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Lake Charles LNG Liquefaction Project in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
“It’s going to be a big deal. It’s a great announcement,” Trump said.
The final initiative the president unveiled is to open up offshore lands for development by creating a new offshore oil and gas leasing program.
“Under the previous administration, so much of our land was closed to development,” Trump complained, saying “94 percent” of offshore lands had been off-limits.
“We’re opening it up. The right areas, we’re opening it up,” he announced. “America will be allowed to access the vast energy wealth located right off our shores. And this is all just the beginning.”