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US export credit company authorizes assistance for Bahrain oil project

The U.S. export credit agency on Thursday voted to approve a $500 million loan warranty for an oil and gas drilling job in Bahrain, evaluating a U.S. environment promise to stop backing jobs that broaden the use of fossil fuels.

The board of directors at the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) approved the job after voting last month to notify Congress about possibly supporting the expansion of an oil and gas field in the Middle Eastern nation with over 400 brand-new oil wells and 30 gas wells.

While EXIM's loan to Bapco Energies would be out of action with the Biden administration's pledge to stop public financing of nonrenewable fuel source tasks overseas, according to Democratic lawmakers opposed to the loan, along with ecological activists, the company stated the task includes steps intended to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

Bapco had signed on to the COP28 Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter, which devotes it to accomplish net-zero operations by 2050 and end regular flaring by 2030.

This deal will support thousands of U.S. jobs and play a crucial role in guaranteeing Bapco Energies is able to accomplish its environment goals of boosted grid interconnectivity, more efficiency, decarbonization, and financial investments in large-scale solar projects, EXIM President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis stated in a declaration.

In

a letter to EXIM's board members on Tuesday, Democratic legislators had promoted a rejection of the loan guarantee.

We prompt you to take EXIM's required to think about the environmental effects of jobs seriously, and to begin by disapproving new financing for oil and gas drilling in Bahrain, the lawmakers, led by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, stated in the letter.

The U.S. was one of more than 30 countries that signed up with a. promise to end public funding of fossil fuel projects overseas. at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in 2021.

But the U.S., through its export agencies, has actually authorized. 8 fossil fuel projects amounting to more than $2 billion given that. it made that pledge.

An ecological group filed a grievance in December with. the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development over. EXIM's oil and gas financing offers.

EXIM is also weighing support of nonrenewable fuel source jobs in. Papua New Guinea and Guyana, with votes due later this year. U.S. oil giant Exxon is developing among the world's biggest. oil discoveries in Guyana.

(source: Reuters)