California lawmakers passed AB 1661, directing $5 million in penalty funds from oil wells near Inglewood toward direct cash payments for up to 1,000 households affected by respiratory or reproductive health issues linked to nearby drilling. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan, would offer eligible households as much as $5,000 each and awaits Governor Gavin Newsom's signature, expected by October. The funding draws from a state repair and reinvestment account meant for communities closest to the oil field, which sits near predominantly Black neighborhoods like Ladera Heights and Baldwin Hills.
wired.com
· 2026-09-19
Cybersecurity teams from the FBI and U.S. Coast Guard boarded two U.S.-bound oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico between August 21-24 after discovering their networks had been compromised, giving attackers apparent control over navigation, propulsion, and cargo systems. One vessel was identified as VL Prosperity, a massive oil tanker that reportedly lost communications for over a day and experienced interference with its speed and fuel systems while sailing from Egypt to the U.S. in early August.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-18
A new analysis using satellite observations has identified the 15 highest-emitting methane sources across three major U.S. oil and gas producing basins. The report pinpoints specific facilities and infrastructure responsible for the largest volumes of methane leakage detected from orbit.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-17
In 2023, Poland's state-backed Orlen energy group tried to buy 6 million barrels of Venezuelan crude during a sanctions reprieve, hiring intermediary Hannon and UK firm Lexcor Energy to handle the deal in USDT stablecoin. Multiple currency-to-crypto conversions in Dubai went wrong, leaving tens of millions unaccounted for, and a representative who carried USB drives loaded with crypto wallets to Venezuela was reportedly defrauded by fake brokers posing as PDVSA officials.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-17
The US central bank lifted its benchmark interest rate, marking the first increase in three years as it responds to persistent inflation pressures. The move comes as American consumers face rising prices, with fuel costs climbing sharply amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
bbc.com
· 2026-09-16
CNET published a rundown of ten everyday materials—like cooking oil, vegetable peels and oil-based condiments such as mayo and salad dressing—that gradually build up and clog kitchen drains. The piece notes that these substances often seem harmless when rinsed down the sink, but accumulate into serious blockages over time, and it also flags that chemical drain cleaners aren't always the best fix once a clog forms.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-16
After former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon publicly quit citing existential AI risk, Anthropic safety lead Evan Hubinger confirmed he personally estimates a greater than 10% chance AI could wipe out humanity within a decade, admitting the company lacks a solid plan for aligning superintelligent systems. Princeton computer scientists and authors of 'AI Snake Oil' have now published a response outlining ways to reduce that risk.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-16
An engineering explainer examines why the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve does not rely on the commercial standard of external floating roof tanks to hold its 714 million barrels of crude. It shows that scaling up conventional tank farms would require roughly 1,130 tanks spread across about 45,000 acres, an area comparable to Washington, D.C., while leaving the oil highly exposed to fire and attack.
johnjwang.com
· 2026-09-15
The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency has proposed eliminating federal restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants. The agency's filing goes further than a simple rollback, seemingly inviting judges to rule that the EPA lacks authority to regulate such emissions from the power sector at all in the future.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-15
Saudi Arabia closed its East-West pipeline, which can carry 7 million barrels of oil per day and bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, after saying it was damaged by drones launched from Iraq. The closure pushed both U.S. West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude futures up more than 3%, and prompted the postponement of a planned diplomatic meeting between Iran and Gulf Arab states on Hormuz security. The disruption comes as U.S. crude prices had already topped $100 a barrel last week amid escalating Middle East fighting.
cnbc.com
· 2026-09-14
Global markets sold off in tech shares after Anthropic's chief executive published a weekend essay cautioning against an unchecked race among AI developers to release increasingly powerful models. Nasdaq futures fell and AI-linked stocks dropped worldwide, while oil prices climbed as investors shifted away from riskier tech bets.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-14
President Trump said Wednesday that oil prices, driven up by the ongoing Iran conflict, will likely stay elevated until after U.S. midterm elections. His remarks came as Brent crude topped $100 a barrel for the first time since July, with prices jumping over 3% amid escalating U.S.-Iran military exchanges.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-10
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