Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke referred to the oil drilling method known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, as proof of divine love, as well as humor.
“Fracking is proof that God’s got a good sense of humor and he loves us,” Zinke told members of the National Petroleum Council, a federal advisory panel to the Interior and Energy departments.
But the statement had no context and it was unclear what Zinke was trying to say exactly.
He made the statement after saying that one-third of the 70,000 employees he oversees at the agency are “not loyal” to him or the president, and he is planning a major overhaul that is expected to speed up energy permit approvals on public lands.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who sat next to Zinke during the petroleum council meeting, was heckled by activists when asking the federal advisers to develop recommendations to advance carbon capture technologies that will make fossil fuel plants cleaner. He said the technology remain challenged commercially and he wants the oil industry to help find a way forward.
“Integrating technology and deploying CCUS [carbon capture utilization and storage technology] at scale still remains a commercial challenge,” Perry said.
Exxon Mobil is developing a form of the technology for use with natural gas power plants, which experts have described as a promising technology. Exxon announced on Monday it was ramping up a program to cut methane emissions from its fracking and pipeline operations. Methane, like carbon dioxide, is a greenhouse gas, which many scientists blame for exacerbating the effects of global warming.
Methane, although short-lived, is several times more potent than CO2 when it comes to its warming potential.
