2017
November 20, 2017
CES Mourns Passing of Former Executive Director Pulsipher 
The faculty and staff of the Center for Energy Studies mourn the passing of former Executive Director Allan Pulsipher, Ph.D. Under his leadership, the Center saw significant advancement in terms of its externally-funded research, as well as faculty hires, publications, academic presentations and media citations. Allan was kind, funny, an excellent writer and a true scholar. We extend our sincerest condolences to Allan's family and close friends.
Read Allan's obituary here.
November 16, 2017
CES-led Team Awarded DOE Grant to Research Subsea C02 Storage
The U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, recently announced its intention to fund a
cutting-edge research project, associated with offshore carbon capture and storage,
for several LSU researchers who are working as part of a multi-regional team headed
up by the Southern States Energy Board, or SSEB. The LSU-SSEB team was one of only
two selected by DOE for this highly competitive research project. The team, led by
Dr. David Dismukes, executive director, LSU Center for Energy Studies, includes researchers
from the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering (Drs. Richard Hughes
and Mehdi Zeidouni) and the Department of Environmental Sciences (Dr. Brian Snyder).
The award leverages LSU’s ongoing work in carbon capture and storage that includes
a large 2016 DOE-funded award designed to explore the feasibility of capturing carbon
emissions from industrial facilities in Louisiana and sequestering those emissions
in onshore geologic formations.
“We are thrilled to be part of the SSEB team and having secured this award,” Dismukes
said. “This DOE award is an important supplement to our ongoing carbon capture work
that will clearly help establish LSU as a leading research institute on the important
technical, economic and policy issues associated with carbon capture and storage in
this region, as well as nationally.”
Under the new DOE award, the LSU team will specifically focus on the opportunities
to capture industrial emissions from the state’s petrochemical and industrial gas
plants and how those captured emissions can be used for potential enhanced oil recovery,
or EOR, opportunities in the offshore areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The LSU engineering
team will assist in estimating the static and dynamic capacities of a series of underground
formations in the Gulf of Mexico and will also examine the risk factors associated
with these forms of underground storage in the offshore areas of the Gulf.
Dismukes also noted that “this award underscores LSU’s strengths in researching applied
energy-related topics and providing answers on how we can transform our current energy
industries into those compatible with a more carbon-neutral future.”
Highlights from Energy Summit™ 2017
Video by Rachel Handley, Tiger TV
On Oct. 18, the Center hosted its annual fall energy conference, Energy Summit™. This
year’s event attracted a crowd of more than 150 attendees, including representatives
from business, industry, government agencies, faculty and students. With a program
featuring a broad scope of energy topics, the conference provided the latest research
and information on the industry’s cybersecurity, labor issues, developments in power
generation, energy infrastructure, global energy prices and more. Keynote speaker
John Wasik, author of Lightning Strikes: Timeless Lessons in Creativity from the Life and Work of Nikola
Tesla, kicked off the program with an overview of Tesla’s revolutionary, forward-thinking
innovations and concepts, which continue to be explored today.
The event continues to gain traction, and plans for Energy Summit™ 2018 are already
in the works. Visit CES’s conferences page for updates.
CES Hosts Petroleum Administration, Fiscal Framework Workshop for Nigerian Officials
During the week of Oct. 16-20, the Center hosted a workshop for oil and gas regulators
from Nigeria. The group of 12 officials, representing the Department of Petroleum
Resources (DPR), Nigeria, were guests of CES Professor Emeritus Wumi Iledare, who
serves as director of the Emerald Energy Institute, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
During the first day of the workshop, CES Assistant Professor Greg Upton discussed
Louisiana’s royalty and severance tax computation process, and Laborde Energy Center
Interim Director Patrick H. Martin provided insight into the state’s petroleum resources
management, governance and regulation.
Later, the delegation met with officials from the La. Department of Revenue about
the state’s petroleum taxation schemes, administration and management, as well as
with representative from the La. Department of Natural Resources, who discussed licensing,
industry governance, regulation and mineral revenue collection.
Keith B. Hall, professor and director of the LSU Law Center’s Mineral Law Institute,
talked about upstream regulations and governance, and Jim Richardson, professor, LSU
Department of Economics, gave a presentation on Louisiana petroleum revenue forecasting
and management.
As part of the workshop, participants attended the Center’s annual fall conference,
Energy Summit, which provided a broad scope of current energy topics, including energy
industry cybersecurity, labor issues, developments in power generation, energy infrastructure,
global energy prices and more.
“The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for these officials to learn about Louisiana’s
approach to managing its petroleum resources,” said Iledare. “Our colleagues at LSU
and officials from the state agencies we met with were most helpful. They generously
shared their experience and knowledge, and I know that the participants from DPR were
most appreciative.”
Energy Summit™ 2017 Set for October 18
The Center for Energy Studies will host its annual Energy Summit™ on Wednesday, October
18, 2017, at the Dalton J. Woods Auditorium in the LSU Energy, Coast & Environment
Building. The theme for this year’s event is “Operating in a New Energy World.”
This year, the Center is pleased to feature guest speaker, John Wasik, award-winning
journalist and author of Lightning Strikes: Timeless Lessons in Creativity from the Life and Work of Nikola
Tesla. Presented by Campanile Charities, Wasik will discuss how Tesla’s visionary works continue to have global influence in energy
development.
The Energy Summit™ program will include speakers from a wide range of professional
experiences and backgrounds, addressing such important forward-looking questions as
- What is the outlook for global energy prices, and what role will U.S. energy supply play in the global market place?
- How will cybersecurity challenges impact future critical energy infrastructure operations and development?
- How will federal policies and executive agency actions impact domestic energy?
- Do we have enough skilled labor to maximize the unconventional revolution?
- How will distributed generation dramatically impact power sector configurations, operations, and costs?
- How are recent critical energy infrastructure investments impacting and changing the Louisiana energy landscape?
For more information, visit the Energy Summit™ 2017 webpage.
Dismukes Named to National Petroleum Council 
David E. Dismukes, professor and executive director at the LSU Center for Energy Studies,
has recently been appointed by U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry to serve as a member
of the National Petroleum Council, or NPC. The NPC, in existence since World War II,
responds to requests from the Secretary of Energy for analysis and guidance on energy
matters, with a particular focus on crude oil and natural gas.
"It is an honor to be appointed to the NPC,” Dismukes said. "I look forward to representing
Louisiana, the Center for Energy Studies and the University on this very prestigious
advisory panel.”
NPC members largely come from a variety of energy stakeholder groups including industry,
academia, and non-profit organizations. Dismukes, however, will be one of a handful
of NPC members from academia, as well as one of a few directly representing or tied
to Louisiana. In addition to its advisory work, the NPC conducts objective, policy-neutral
studies at the request of the Secretary. The results of these studies are widely
cited and are regarded as timely and authoritative. The acting chair of the NPC is
Greg L. Armstrong, chairman and chief executive officer of Plains All American Pipeline,
L.P.
Dismukes participated in his first meeting this week, where Secretary Perry and Secretary
of the Interior Ryan Zinke spoke to NPC members. In his address, Perry stressed the need for research and development of carbon capture, utilization
and storage, or CCUS, a subject area in which LSU is developing a unique and important level of expertise.
Dismukes has served on the LSU faculty for more than two decades and during that time
has led a number of the Center’s research efforts on energy-related topics. In addition
to serving on the CES faculty, Dismukes is a tenured professor in the Department of
Environmental Sciences and serves as the director of the Coastal Marine Institute,
both of which are in the LSU College of the Coast and Environment. Dismukes regularly
teaches a course on energy and the environment to undergraduate and graduate students
from a variety of academic disciplines.
Dismukes has given more than 250 energy-related presentations to civic, professional,
and trade groups and his opinions on energy industry trends and issues have been quoted
in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, as well as regional and local newspapers and trade newsletters.
Dismukes received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from the Florida State University.
Success with 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for Louisiana Workshop
To assist home builders & designers in complying with the Energy Conservation portion
of the 2009 IECC
The Center for Energy Studies has teamed with the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
to offer the "Success with 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for
Louisiana Workshop," providing area builders, contractors, subcontractors and code
officials training on recommended practices for optimized energy savings.
The workshop will provide:
• Information to assist in meeting the 2009 IRC chapter 11 Energy Efficiency requirements
• Course booklet featuring targeted guides for each subcontractor
• Recommendations on reducing expenses, creating low- to no-cost quality control
and increasing customer satisfaction
• La. State Licensing Board for Contractors CEU opportunity: 3 credit hours
Instructor: Bobby Parks, Healthy Homes of La., LLC
Visit the workshop webpage for more information.
Groat Returns to Louisiana Geological Survey as Acting Director 
Posted July 10, 2017
The Center for Energy Studies at Louisiana State University is pleased to announce that Charles “Chip” Groat, Ph.D., will serve as professor and acting director of the Louisiana Geological Survey (LGS, or the Survey). Groat returns to LSU after many years in academia, government, independent research, and administrative positions. Groat’s prior tenure at LSU includes serving as the LGS director and state geologist (1978-1990) and as the executive director for Coastal, Energy, and Environmental Resources (1992-1995). He will work as acting LGS director with CES Executive Director David E. Dismukes to explore new research and growth opportunities for LGS and for LSU’s overall energy, coastal and environmental research initiatives.
“We are looking forward to having Chip return to LGS to help us expand its role as the state’s center for geological research,” said Dismukes. “His extensive research and public policy experience will help the University reach its ambitious energy and environmental research goals.”
Groat is a nationally renowned educator and government scientist. Most recently, he retired as president and CEO from the Water Institute of the Gulf. He was professor and director of the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy and associate director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. He was also director of the U.S. Geological Survey under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
“We are glad to see Dr. Groat re-establish his relationship with LSU and look forward to his contributions in making LGS a very important part of our natural resources exploration activities,” said Kalliat T. Valsaraj, Ph. D., LSU vice president for Research & Economic Development.
“I am happy to be re-kindling my relationship with LSU and working on a part-time basis in academia again,” Groat said.
Louisiana Geological Survey Presents Symposium on La. Coastal Geology Framework
Posted June 26, 2017
The Louisiana Geological Survey will present the Louisiana Coastal Geology Framework Symposium on Wednesday, July 26, in the Dalton J. Woods Auditorium in LSU’s Energy, Coast &
Environment Building. The event begins at 9 a.m.
The symposium will feature a wide-ranging discussion of coastal Louisiana’s geological
framework, featuring new interpretations. The event is cosponsored by the New Orleans
Geological Society, Baton Rouge Geological Society, Lafayette Geological Society,
Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Society of Economic Paleontologists & Mineralogists,
the LSU Department of Geology & Geophysics, the LSU Department of Oceanography & Coastal
Sciences and the LSU Center for Energy Studies.
Speakers include Nancye Dawers, Woody Gagliano, Jeff Hanor, John Johnston III, Rick
McCulloh, Elizabeth McDade, and Chris McLindon. Moderators will be John Johnston III,
Elizabeth McDade and Amanda Jo Zimmermann.
There is a $15 parking fee for attendees (LSU faculty, staff, students and retirees have already paid for parking).
No food or drink will be provided.
Continuing Education Hours: Professional development is required to maintain the Louisiana PG License. One continuing
education hour will be available for every hour of talks attended. Additionally, there
will be a talk designed to satisfy the annual ethics requirement of the Louisiana
PG License. Licensees must keep a list of talks attended.
For more information, or to submit abstracts or posters, please contact symposium
chair John Johnston III at [email protected].
To attend, RSVP also to John Johnston III at [email protected] by July 24.
LSU Researchers Release Inaugural Gulf Coast Energy Outlook 
June 19, 2017
Researchers from the E. J. Ourso College of Business and the Center for Energy Studies
have released the inaugural Gulf Coast Energy Outlook. The publication provides a broad overview of the current status and trends guiding
energy markets with an emphasis on the Gulf Coast. The Outlook seeks to become an annual report.
Authors are Christopher K. Coombs, energy adviser, LSU Economics & Policy Research
Group; David E. Dismukes, executive director and professor, LSU Center for Energy
Studies; Dek Terrell, director and professor, LSU Economics & Policy Research Group;
and Gregory B. Upton, Jr., assistant professor, LSU Center for Energy Studies.
The collaborative research initiative focuses on upstream oil and gas production and
downstream refining and petrochemicals, as well as the contribution of the energy
sector to the broader Gulf Coast economy. The report includes forecasts of future
employment in relevant energy sectors.
Findings show that, over the past decade, worldwide energy markets have been fundamentally
changed due to the advent of U.S. shale oil and gas development and that these changes
have not only impacted the regions in which hydrocarbons are produced, they have also
created significant changes to transportation, processing, and final products.
“Our research shows that the Gulf Coast has seen large increases in oil and gas production,
with these increases concentrated in the state of Texas,” said Upton. “The growth
of federal offshore production observed in the 1990s has been offset by U.S. onshore
shale producers over this past decade. We are truly experiencing the next era of oil
and gas production spearheaded by technological advancements made right here in our
own Gulf Coast region.”
The new production has created significant investment opportunities in refining, petrochemicals
and transport of hydrocarbons.
“We expect that these investments will continue in upcoming years,” Upton said.
The report is available here.
An addendum is available here.
An online slide presentation serves as a companion piece to the Outlook.
Dismukes Describes Energy Landscape at BR Rotary Luncheon
May 29, 2017
David E. Dismukes, executive director of LSU's Center for Energy Studies and professor with the College of the Coast & Environment, presented "Navigating through the Energy Landscape" at the Baton Rouge Rotary Club on May 24. Dr. Dismukes discussed historical energy trends and some predictions for the future. Take-aways include
- A slow recovery has begun, due to OPEC's price increases, after lower oil prices reduced upstream activity.
- That said, based on our experience with natural gas, crude oil price recovery will be a long time coming.
- Recent crude oil drilling and production activity is contributing to a significant rebound in associated gas production that will likely lessen the recent, short-lived natural gas price rebound.
- U.S. producers are very efficient and have reduced costs, increased capital and operating efficiencies, and increased well productivity.
- Continued positive investment and development activity in mid-stream, refining, and processing and manufacturing -as well as energy exports-is expected.
View or download the full presentation here.
CES Scholarships Awarded for 2017-18
May 16, 2017
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| Lorence | Chenevert | Guillory | Lee |
The Center for Energy Studies has awarded scholarships for the 2017-18 academic year to four students majoring in energy-related fields.
LMOGA/Brooksher Scholarship: John Lorence, a senior majoring in petroleum engineering. Lorence is from Shreveport. “I am so appreciative of this award,” Lorence said. “It will surely be a big help financially as I continue my studies.”
The LMOGA/Brooksher Scholarship, named for the late Robert R. Brooksher, Jr., an executive vice president of Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association and founding member of the LSU Center for Energy Studies’ Advisory Council, supports the educational goals of LSU students interested in energy-related fields, with a particular emphasis on energy policy related to the oil and gas industry. The annual scholarship is awarded in the amount of $1,000.
F. Malcolm Hood Scholarship: Andrew Chenevert. Chenevert, is a senior majoring in accounting. He is a Baton Rouge native. “My current career goal is to sit for the CPA exam after graduating and to continue my education by attending law school with a focus in environmental law as it relates to oil and natural gas production. I intend to live and practice law in Louisiana,” Chenevert said. “I would like to thank the Center for Energy Studies for choosing me as the recipient of this award. Furthermore, I would like to thank my professors and mentors for helping get me where I am today."
Created to honor the late F. Malcolm Hood, a highly regarded energy industry spokesman who served as an advisor when the Center was created and was a member of its Advisory Council, the scholarship supports the educational goals of LSU students interested in energy-related fields, with a particular emphasis on energy policy. The scholarship is awarded in the amount of $1,000.
David Olver Memorial Scholarship: Sean Guillory, a senior majoring in chemical engineering, from Lafayette. "I am very grateful to the GCPA for this scholarship,” Guillory said. “This will be a huge help for me as I continue on with my journey in chemical engineering both at LSU and hopefully into the energy sector after graduation."
Provided by the Gulf Coast Power Association emPOWERing Foundation, the David Olver Memorial Scholarship is intended for LSU students interested in future careers in the electric power industry. The award amount is $2,500.
GCPA emPOWERing Women Scholarship: Breanna Lee, a junior majoring in electrical engineering, from Baton Rouge. Also provided by the Gulf Coast Power Association emPOWERing Foundation, the emPOWERing Women Scholarship is intended for female LSU students interested in future careers in the electric power industry. The annual award amount is $2,500.
“I appreciate the emerging efforts to meet the world's energy needs of tomorrow,” Lee said. “This scholarship will help me to be a part of the solution.”
The Center congratulates these outstanding students for their achievements and wishes them the best as they continue to pursue their education and prepare for careers in the energy industry.
11th Annual La. Groundwater, Surface Water, and Water Resources Symposium
The Louisiana Geological Survey and Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute will host the 11th Annual Louisiana Groundwater, Surface Water, and Water Resources Symposium April 11 and 12, 2017, at the Dalton J. Woods Auditorium in the Energy, Coast & Environment Building on the LSU Campus.
Registration: Professionals $60; Students $10.
Dismukes Outlines LSU’s Carbon Capture and Storage Research Project at NETL
CES Executive Director David Dismukes braved the “Blizzard of 2017” on his visit to the National Energy Technology Lab, or NETL, where he outlined LSU’s Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Research project March 14. The $1.3 million grant, provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, and administered by NETL, was awarded to 13 institutions to develop pre-feasibility studies for industrial applications for carbon capture and storage. The LSU project focuses on industrial applications along the Gulf Coast between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
Dismukes outlined the basic business case for potential carbon capture and storage along the Gulf Coast and explained why continued clean fossil fuel development was critical for maintaining competitive fossil fuel based industries in Louisiana.
Other institutions receiving awards in this program include Battelle National Labs, the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas, Columbia University, and the Electric Power Research Institute.
Dismukes’ presentation is available here.
Read more on the project here.
Campanile Charities, Inc., Awards Center for Energy Studies $15K
The LSU Center for Energy Studies will receive two grants totaling $15,000 from Campanile
Charities, Inc., or CCI, in support of its annual energy conference, Energy Summit™.
The awards are part of the Campanile Charities’ grant program for 2016-17 comprising
several grants of up to $20,000 each for selected LSU academic units and research
programs associated with the energy industry.
“We are thrilled with the awards from Campanile Charities and want to express our sincere appreciation for their support of our fall conference,” said David Dismukes, CES professor and executive director.
Dismukes said the grants will be used to fund a prominent energy industry speaker to headline this year’s Energy Summit™, as well as to provide students the opportunity to attend the event free of charge.
“Our goal is always to involve students in our public events to provide educational and networking opportunities,” Dismukes said. “This grant will allow us to award several students a competitive scholarship to attend at no charge.”
This year’s Energy Summit™ is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18. The conference addresses the current state of, and outlook for, the energy industry, particularly as it pertains to the Gulf Coast region. Participants and attendees represent the upstream oil and gas industry, pipeline companies, storage and mid-stream companies, petrochemical companies, gas and power utilities, state environmental and utility regulators, state agency heads and staff members, legislators and legislative staff, and the media.
Campanile Charities, Inc., is a public charity based in Baton Rouge. Through an endowment set up at the LSU Foundation, CCI funds several professorships and programs at the University.
Bayou Bridge Pipeline will Bring Economic Impact of More Than $800 Million in 2017
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – The Louisiana State University Center for Energy Studies finds the Bayou Bridge Pipeline expansion will create significant economic benefits for Louisiana during both the construction and operations into the future. The report notes the project is estimated to generate more than $829 million in new economic activity in 2017; more than 4,000 jobs and over $400 million in new wages.
“The Bayou Bridge Pipeline will help expand Louisiana’s energy economy by creating jobs and leveraging existing in-state energy infrastructure such as refineries, processing and storage assets,” said Professor David Dismukes. “When completed, the Bayou Bridge Pipeline will further diversify Louisiana’s crude oil supplies and provide new growth in both the immediate and long-terms.”
Project construction is estimated to generate almost $56 million in state and local tax revenues. The Bayou Bridge Pipeline is comprised of 162 miles of 24-inch pipe and will require a $488 million capital investment, $471 million of which will be directly tied to Louisiana.
The study, commissioned by Energy Transfer Partners, was conducted by Professors David Dismukes, Ph.D. and Gregory Upton, Ph.D. Dr. Dismukes is the executive director and a professor at the Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana State University. He is also a professor in the LSU School of the Coast & Environment's Department of Environmental Sciences. Dr. Upton is an assistant professor at the Center for Energy Studies, and has been at CES since the summer of 2014. His research interests are related to the analysis of economic, environmental and public policy issues in energy and regulated industries.
The Center for Energy Studies conducts, encourages, and facilitates research and analysis to address energy-related problems or issues affecting Louisiana's economy, environment, and citizenry. Whether conducted by its staff or by others it supports, the Center's goal is to provide a balanced, objective, and timely treatment of issues with potentially important consequences for Louisiana. The Center for Energy Studies was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 1982 as the embodiment of recommendations made by an independent group of experts and at the urging of Louisiana business and public interest groups, as well as the University.
The Bayou Bridge Pipeline will connect key Louisiana refining operations with new and diverse sources of American energy production. The project will link other pipelines that are part of the more than 2 million miles of infrastructure in the U.S. and the major Midwest and Gulf Coast crude oil hubs to bring crude to the St. James hub in Louisiana.
Click here to view the report.
Contact Marybeth Pinsonneault, (225) 578-3948, for further information.
CES Local Host for Pink Petro's HERWorld Energy Forum March 8
LSU Center for Energy Studies is a proud local co-host of the HERWorld Energy Forum hosted by Pink Petro. This innovative one-day learning event will be hosted on March 8, 2017 with locations across the world participating at universities, companies and facilities via web streaming technology. HERWorld is on International Women’s Day and will address new frontiers in the energy industry where business, workforce, innovation and policy intersect. It celebrates the energy industry, its people and the future. It features a wide range of speakers from the classroom to the C-Suite.
La. State Senator Sharon Hewitt will give the local opening address.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Dalton J. Woods Auditorium
LSU Energy, Coast & Environment Bldg.
Registration Options / Locations:
• HERWorld Baton Rouge – Louisiana State University
• Can’t come in person? Get HERWorld Online
• All registrants of our local event or online includes a 12-month membership into
Pink Petro.