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What is Natural Peanut Butter?
How is natural peanut butter different than conventional peanut butter? Why does it separate? Can you bake with it? Get answers to all these questions and more!
Cambria Bold
Cambria has over 10 years of experience as a director, editor, and writer. She has held senior editorial roles at Apartment Therapy, Kitchn, and Simply Recipes.
Megan Gordon
Choosing a peanut butter used to be as simple as creamy or crunchy, Jif or Skippy. You either liked a little texture in your peanut butter, or you wanted a smooth spread you could swirl over a piece of bread in thick waves. But whatever jar you took to the checkout counter was going to have a familiar taste: salty, sweet, sticky, and with a uniform consistency.
That was how shopping for peanut butter used to be. Then natural peanut butters came on the market, and everything blew up! Well, not really, but they sure did shake some people's assumptions of what peanut butter should taste like.
Whether you're ready to ditch Jif and try Justin's (and we have thoughts on that!), or want to know what all the fuss is about, here's the low-down on natural peanut butter.
Natural peanut butter contains just peanuts and salt (and sometimes not even the salt). No fully hydrogenated vegetable oils, no sugar – both of which are found in conventional peanut butters.
Why Do Some People Prefer Natural Peanut Butter?
What causes someone to skip out on the Skippy and ride a train in the natural lane? The same reason anyone chooses the more "natural" alternative, be it with food, household, or personal products: fewer ingredients, less processing, and overall a product that is closer to its original source – which in this case is, of course, peanuts.
Because of this, natural peanut butters may have a grittier texture, even the ones labeled creamy, but with a definite peanut-forward flavor!
Why Does Natural Peanut Butter Separate?
One of the biggest differences between conventional and natural peanut butters comes down to stirring: Natural peanut butter requires a good stir when you open it, while conventional peanut butter does not. Why is that?
As mentioned above, conventional peanut butters are made with fully hydrogenated vegetable oils, which help stabilize the peanut butter, prevent it from separating due to time or temperature, and give it that smooth, homogenous, creamy texture. There's no stirring required; just open the jar, dig in with a spoon, and get on with that snack of yours.
But natural peanut butter does not contain any fully hydrogenated oils, and is therefore not homogenized, so the peanut oil will separate from the solids, probably while it's sitting in a shipping container headed to your local grocery store. So unless you enjoy a nice spoonful of peanut oil with your strawberry jam, you'll need to stir natural peanut butter and mix it all up again before you eat it.
Fun Fact: Conventional peanut butters used to be made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which contained trans fat. But in 2015 the FDA ruled that all peanut butter should be made with fully hydrogenated vegetable oil, which does not contain trans fat. Now all major peanut butter brands in the US, conventional and natural, contain zero grams of trans fat per serving.
What About Palm Oil?
According to the FDA, any product labeled peanut butter must be made with at least 90% peanuts, with the other 10% going to "seasoning and stabilizing ingredients" like salt, sugar, and hydrogenated vegetable oils, if desired. If any so-called peanut butter contains less than 90% peanuts, or any oils or ingredients other than those listed above, it can't be called peanut butter. It's instead a peanut butter spread. (Semantics, man!)
And so we come to palm oil.
Some natural peanut butters contain palm oil, or palm fruit oil, in their list of ingredients. Palm oil is tropical fruit oil derived from palm trees, and because it's semi-solid at room temperature, it's added to natural peanut butter to stabilize it, reduce oil separation, and keep the butter uniform and emulsified. In other words, palm oil is basically the way to get a no-stir natural peanut butter.
But since palm oil is not an FDA-approved ingredient for peanut butter, peanut butter made with palm oil is technically not peanut butter, but peanut butter spread – just, so you know.
Additionally, I can't talk about palm oil without talking about the reasons some people think it shouldn't be in natural peanut butter (er, spread) at all, or really in any products, namely due to serious environmental concerns. Some natural peanut butter manufacturers, like Justin's, who use palm oil in their products, are members of the RSPO (Roundtable of Sustainable Palm), which "encourages sustainable growing practices and human rights initiatives at the farm level, while promoting education about the cultivation and use of certified sustainable palm oil."
If that doesn't assuage your concerns, then it's probably best to avoid palm oil altogether and go for the jar with just peanuts and salt as the listed ingredients (which you will then have to stir).
What Is the Best Way to Stir Natural Peanut Butter?
Why am I even asking this question, you may wonder? Isn't stirring ... stirring? Like, taking a spoon and moving it in a circular direction until the thing in question has come together?
Yes, well done on your stirring knowledge!
The issue with stirring natural peanut butter, however, is this: It can be kind of a mess. No matter how careful you are, you're likely to slosh the oil out of the jar and onto your fingers and the countertop. It's also time-consuming to get it all mixed together. But there are a few tips and tricks out there for minimizing the mess:
Store the peanut butter jar upside down. The idea here is that by storing the jar upside down, the oil travels back up inside the solids and mixes itself. After letting it sit this way for a few days, shake it for 20-30 seconds before opening.
Mix the peanut butter with an immersion blender: Forget hand mixing! Let the immersion blender do the work for you.
Blend the peanut butter in a blender or food processor: Same process as the immersion blender, just scaled up.
Use one of these : Made to fit on top of peanut butter jars, it's got a built-in handle for stirring.
I tried all these different methods, and ended up liking the upside-down method best!
Will the Peanut Butter Re-Separate? How Should I Store It?
If you stir or mix the peanut butter really well right after opening, then store it in the refrigerator, it should stay well-mixed and won't require any re-stirring.
How Long Does Natural Peanut Butter Last?
Until you decide that one batch of these Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Bars wasn't enough and you have to make two more batches immediately.
Oh wait, you mean like last in the jar, without eating it? Sorry, my brain totally cannot compute that concept. But if forced, I'll say what the National Peanut Board says: 6 months in the refrigerator.
Aaron Hutcherson
Can I Substitute Natural Peanut Butter for Regular in Recipes?
Like many things, it all depends on what you're making. For most instances other than baking, substituting natural peanut butter for conventional should be absolutely fine.
Baking with natural peanut butter can be a little more problematic, however, since the looser, thinner consistency of natural peanut butter may make baked goods (peanut butter cookies, for example) spread in the oven, or not bake properly.
One way to counter this is to chill the dough prior to baking to give the peanut butter a chance to firm up, or reduce the baking time so the cookies don't get too crisp.
You may also need to add more salt or sugar to the recipe itself if you're using unsalted natural peanut butter. As we now know, natural peanut butter doesn't contain any added sugars, so you would be missing that sweetness unless you add more sugar elsewhere.
Need a Peanut Butter Recipe Now? Here You Go!
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The Best Way to Mix Natural Peanut Butter
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Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA
In 2017, Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA had a population of 218k people with a median age of 43.5 and a median household income of $60,272. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA grew from 216,644 to 218,269, a 0.75% increase and its median household income grew from $57,792 to $60,272, a 4.29% increase.
The population of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is 78% White Alone, 13.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 2.98% Two or More Races. 12.8% of the people in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA speak a non-English language, and 95.2% are U.S. citizens.
The largest universities in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are Skagit Valley College (1,373 degrees awarded in 2017).
The median property value in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is $294,100, and the homeownership rate is 68.4%. Most people in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 23.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is 2 cars per household.
Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA borders Bellingham City PUMA, WA, Marysville & Arlington Cities PUMA, WA, Bainbridge Island City & Silverdale PUMA, WA, Chelan & Douglas Counties PUMA, WA, Stevens, Okanogan, Pend Oreille & Ferry Counties PUMA, WA, and Clallam & Jefferson Counties PUMA, WA.
Photo by David Herrera
United StatesWashington
The economy of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA employs 91.8k people. The largest industries in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are Construction (6,885 people), Elementary & secondary schools (5,355 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (5,230 people), and the highest paying industries are Electronic shopping ($145,764), Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing ($137,095), and Air transportation ($128,999).
Median household income in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is $60,272. Males in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,986. The income inequality in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.447, which is lower than than the national average.
Households in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA have a median annual income of $60,272, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $57,792 in 2016, which represents a 4.29% annual growth.
Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
In 2017, full-time male employees in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA made 1.37 times more than female employees.
This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA by number of full-time employees.
American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races
In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA workers was Alaska Native. These workers were paid 1.07 times more than American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.
This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA by number of full-time employees.
In 2017, the income inequality in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was 0.447 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.636% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.
The 2017 the GINI for Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA in comparison to the national average.
This chart shows the number of workers in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA across various wage buckets compared to the national average.
Sammamish, Issaquah, Mercer Island & Newcastle Cities PUMA, WA
Snoqualmie City, Cottage Lake, Union Hill & Novelty Hill PUMA, WA
Redmond, Kirkland Cities, Inglewood & Finn Hill PUMA, WA
In 2018, the PUMA with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was Sammamish, Issaquah, Mercer Island & Newcastle Cities PUMA, WA with a value of $142,699, followed by Snoqualmie City, Cottage Lake, Union Hill & Novelty Hill PUMA, WA and Redmond, Kirkland Cities, Inglewood & Finn Hill PUMA, WA, with respective values of $127,715 and $126,212.
The following map shows all of the PUMAs in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).
12.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA (26.3k out of 214k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 18 - 24.
The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is White, followed by Hispanic and Asian.
From 2016 to 2017, employment in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA grew at a rate of 2.26%, from 89.7k employees to 91.8k employees.
The most common job groups, by number of people living in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, are Miscellaneous managers (2,446 people), Retail salespersons (2,149 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (2,119 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA.
The most common jobs held by residents of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, by number of employees, are Miscellaneous managers (2,446 people), Retail salespersons (2,149 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (2,119 people).
Compared to other pumas, Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA has an unusually high number of residents working as Agricultural inspectors (22.1 times higher than expected), Avionics technicians (15.9 times), and Sailors & marine oilers, & ship engineers (15.6 times).
The highest paid jobs held by residents of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, by average salary, are Physicians & surgeons ($208,562), Dentists ($161,110), and Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers ($140,072).
The most common employment sectors for those who live in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, are Construction (6,885 people), Elementary & secondary schools (5,355 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (5,230 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, though some of these residents may live in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.
The most common industries in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, by number of employees, are Construction (6,885 people), Elementary & secondary schools (5,355 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (5,230 people).
Compared to other pumas, Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA has an unusually high number of U. S. Navy (36 times higher than expected), Fishing, hunting & trapping (17.3 times), and Ship & boat building (8.2 times) industries.
The highest paying industries in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, by average salary, are Electronic shopping ($145,764), Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing ($137,095), and Air transportation ($128,999).
Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.
Transport equip.
Misc. mfg. prods.
In 2015, the top outbound Washington product (by dollars) was Transport equip. with $45.6B, followed by Mixed freight ($39.9B) and Misc. mfg. prods. ($29B).
The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Washington products.
Showing data for Washington state.
In 2020, total outbound Washington trade was $323B. This is expected to increase 37.4% to $444B by 2045.
The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Washington trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.
Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.
In 2015, the top outbound Washington domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Oregon with $29.1B, followed by California with $15.8B and Tennessee and $10.3B.
The following map shows the amount of trade that Washington shares with each state (excluding itself).
90.2% of the population of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA has health coverage, with 35.9% on employee plans, 14.5% on Medicaid, 15.7% on Medicare, 17.8% on non-group plans, and 6.23% on military or VA plans.
Per capita personal health care spending in the puma of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was $7,913 in 2014. This is a 4% increase from the previous year ($7,609).
Primary care physicians in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA see 1202 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.839% increase from the previous year (1192 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1254 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 335 patients per year.
Comparing across all counties in the state, Garfield County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (14%). Additionally, Adams County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (36.4%)
Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.
Primary care physicians in Washington see an average of 1,202 patients per year. This represents a 0.839% increase from the previous year (1,192 patients).
The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Washington in comparison to neighboring states.
Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Washington (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4%, from $7,609 to $7,913.
Between N/A and 2016, the percent of uninsured citizens in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA stayed by NaNk% from N/A% to 9.82%.
The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.
14% prevalence
Pend Oreille County
Wahkiakum County
Garfield County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Washington, at 14%.
The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Washington by county over multiple years.
Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is home to a population of 218k people, from which 95.2% are citizens. As of 2016, 8.64% of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA residents were born outside of the country (18.7k people).
The ethnic composition of the population of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is composed of 170k White Alone residents (78%), 28.6k Hispanic or Latino residents (13.1%), 6.5k Two or More Races residents (2.98%), 5.85k Asian Alone residents (2.68%), 3.5k Black or African American Alone residents (1.6%), 2.83k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (1.3%), 595 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.273%), and 283 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.13%).
The most common foreign languages spoken in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are Spanish (17,851 speakers), Tagalog (Incl. Filipino) (2,139 speakers), and Japanese (802 speakers).
In 2017, the median age of all people in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was 43.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 43, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 45. But people in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are getting staying the same age. In 2016, the average age of all Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA residents was 44.
As of 2016, 8.64% of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA residents (18.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2015, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was 8.56%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.
The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was Mexico, the natal country of 7,115 Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA residents, followed by Philippines with 2,470 and Canada with 1,823.
As of 2017, 95.2% of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was 95.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.
The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
6.5k ± 481
In 2017, there were 5.96 times more White Alone residents (170k people) in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 28.6k Hispanic or Latino and 6.5k Two or More Races residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.
The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA as a share of the total population.
Tagalog (Incl. Filipino)
802 speakers (0.39%)
12.8% of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.9%. In 2017, the most common non-English language spoken in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was Spanish. 8.67% of the overall population of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are native Spanish speakers. 1.04% speak Tagalog (Incl. Filipino) and 0.39% speak Spanish, the next two most common languages.
Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.42 times greater than any other conflict.
In 2017, universities in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA awarded 1,373 degrees. The student population of Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is skewed towards women, with 2,052 male students and 2,618 female students.
Most students graduating from Universities in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are White (945 and 71%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (197 and 14.8%), Two or More Races (69 and 5.18%), and Asian (46 and 3.46%).
The largest universities in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA by number of degrees awarded are Skagit Valley College (1,373 and 100%).
The most popular majors in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (402 and 29.3%), Nursing Assistant & Patient Care Assistant (106 and 7.72%), and Welding Technology (95 and 6.92%).
The median tuition costs in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $3,800 and $4,300 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.
< 1 Year Postsecondary Certificate1 to 2 Year Postsecondary CertificateAssociates DegreeBachelors Degree
In 2015, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was General Business with 43 degrees awarded.
This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA according to their major.
Skagit Valley College
In 2017, the Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Skagit Valley College with 1,373 degrees awarded.
In 2017, 510 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA, which is 0.591 times less than the 863 female students who received degrees in the same year.
This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA by degrees awarded.
In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA were to White students. These 945 degrees mean that there were 4.8 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 197 degrees awarded.
The median property value in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was $294,100 in 2017, which is 1.28 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $282,100 to $294,100, a 4.25% increase. The homeownership rate in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is 68.4%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA have an average commute time of 23.8 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.
In 2017, the median property value in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA grew to to $294,100 from the previous year's value of $282,100.
The following charts display, first, the property values in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.
In 2017, the median household income of the 89.1k households in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA grew to $60,272 from the previous year's value of $57,792.
The following chart displays the households in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.
This chart shows the households in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.
In 2017, 68.4% of the housing units in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.8%.
This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.
Using averages, employees in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA have a shorter commute time (23.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 4.69% of the workforce in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.
The chart below shows how the median household income in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA was Drove Alone (75.1%), followed by those who Carpooled (10.6%) and those who Worked At Home (6.65%).
The following chart displays the households in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Skagit, Island & San Juan Counties PUMA, WA have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Snohomish County, WA
Whatcom County, WA

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Hew Locke to Create Artworks for Met Museum Facade
[Many thanks to Annie Paul for bringing this item to our attention.] Robin Pogrebin (The New York Times) on Hew Locke, the Guyanese-British artist who will create four sculptures for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculptures will be shaped into whole and fragmented trophies that reference historical works in the museum's collection. The project, "Gilt," will be on view from September 16 of this year through May 22, 2023.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has selected the Guyanese-British artist Hew Locke to create new works for its Fifth Avenue facade niches, the third in a new series of site-specific commissions for the museum's exterior.
The project, "Gilt," will be on view from Sept. 16 of this year through May 22, 2023.
"Hew Locke uses a delirious aesthetic of abundance and excess to reflect themes of deep urgency in the past and present, including wealth, imperial power, and prestige," Sheena Wagstaff, the chairwoman of Modern and contemporary Art at the Met, said in a statement. "Locke's work deftly interweaves the fine lines between theatricality, visual beauty, and critical insight."
The artist, whose major commission "The Procession" recently opened at Tate Britain, will create four sculptures for the Met, shaped into whole and fragmented trophies that reference historical works in the museum's collection.
Locke is known for assembling ready-made materials from disparate places and periods — such as coats of arms and warships — that deal with issues like power, migration and conquest.
Born in Edinburgh in 1959 and raised in Guyana, Locke returned to the United Kingdom in 1980, completing his bachelor's degree in fine art at Falmouth University in 1988 and a master's in sculpture at the Royal College of Art in 1994. He has since lived in London.
The Facade Commission started in 2019 with Wangechi Mutu's "The NewOnes, will free Us," followed in 2021 by Carol Bove's "The séances aren't helping."
The commission "will be informed by Locke's deep knowledge of the Met's collection and will reference the institution in ways both direct and indirect," Max Hollein, the museum's director, said in a statement, "recovering and connecting histories across continents, oceans, and time periods."
[Photo above by Danny Cozens: The artist Hew Locke's project, titled "Gilt," will be on view from this September to next May.]
For original article, see https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/07/arts/design/hew-locke-met-museum-facade.html#:~:text=The%20Metropolitan%20Museum%20of%20Art,year%20through%20May%2022%2C%202023.
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text:
WP-CLI for Advanced Custom Fields helps you manage your field-groups through WP-CLI.
The reason we started this project is to make life easier for developers working on Wordpress projects using the Advanced Custom Fields Pro plugin.
Fields can now easily be imported, exported and shared over SVN, GIT or comparable systems.

## Installation

### Requirements

* Advanced Custom Fields 5 Pro plugin
* `wp-cli` http://wp-cli.org/

### How to install

Install WP-CLI as described on [http://wp-cli.org/](http://wp-cli.org/ "WP-CLI")

Using composer: (doesn't work for now until we have released the plugin on wordpress.org/plugins)
```
composer require wpackagist-plugin/advanced-custom-fields-wpcli
```

By GIT clone in plugins directory:
```
git clone https://github.com/hoppinger/advanced-custom-fields-wpcli.git
```

WordPress plugin installation:
Download zip and put the files in the plugins directory.

* Activate this plugin in the plugin menu or using:
```
wp plugin activate advanced-custom-fields-wpcli
```

Go the wordpress directory in your terminal and run:
```
wp acf
```
To see if everything is working correctly.

When the plugin is enabled, any exported field groups found on the filesystem in your registered paths will be added to Wordpress at runtime.
If you would like to disable this behaviour you can remove the `acf_wpcli_register_groups` action:
```
remove_action('plugins_loaded', 'acf_wpcli_register_groups');
```

## Commands

This project adds the `acf` command to `wp-cli` with the following subcommands:

### Help
```
wp acf
```
Prints the help overview and can be used as a default test to see if the plugin is working.

### Export

Export a field-group to a json file in the directory set by a [filter](#filters).

```
wp acf export
```

For testing purposes, etc. you can also define a export directory explicitly without applying the filter by using the `--export_path` parameter.

```
wp acf export --export_path=acf-exports/
```

You want to export all field-groups all at once you can use:

```
wp acf export --all
```

### Import

```
wp acf import
```
Import all or specific fields from a option menu,

### Clean
```
wp acf clean
```
Delete all Advanced Custom Fields Records from the database.
Do this after you have edited fields-groups from the UI and exported the changes.
**Warning: This can not be undone, please use carefully**

## Filters

### acfwpcli_fieldgroup_paths

The acfwpcli_fieldgroup_paths gives you the ability to add more paths where ACF-CLI should load/export from/to.
You should **always add at least one path** to this filter.

```
add_filter( 'acfwpcli_fieldgroup_paths', 'add_plugin_path' );

public function add_plugin_path( $paths ) {
  $paths['my_plugin'] = MY_PLUGIN_ROOT . '/lib/field-groups/';
  return $paths;
}
````

## Unit testing

To test changes to the plugin you can use unit testing. Start by making sure all the necessary dependencies are installed, if not run:
```
composer install
```

You will need a new Wordpress installation to make sure the tests run
independent from your Wordpress installation and database. To create a wordpress installation for testing run the following command:
```
bash bin/test_wp_install.sh wordpress_test db_username db_password localhost latest
```

Where 'wordpress_test' is the name for the database used to run the tests. Make sure this database doesn't exist or can be deleted. When the database
already exists the script will ask you if the database can be deleted. 'Latest' can be changed if you want to test with a specific version of Wordpress, 3.6.2 for example.

After you installed you can start running tests using the follow command:
```
vendor/bin/behat
```

This will run all test. These tests include an import and export of all types of fields, cleaning, multiple fields in one field-group and tests for
the menu options. If you want to run one specific test you can do this by running:
```
vendor/bin/behat features/testname.feature
```

If you need a different test you can create your own by added it to the features in the features folder.

## Upgrade Notice

### 3.0
* Make sure you import all your custom fields before updating.
* Make sure you are you using ACF5, ACF4 is not supported.
* Update the plugin
* Add the filter to your project (see [Filters](#filters))
* Export you fields
* Remove unnecessary files like your old import directory, php files and json files.

## Changelog

### 3.0
* Bugfix: Import no longer created duplicates
* Add unit testing with behat and PHPUnit

### 2.0
* Removed uniqid feature (no longer needed).
* Bugfix: database fieldgroups are now prefered over exported fieldgroups.
* Cleaned up legacy xml import/export libraries.
* Add namespaces.
* Cleaned up all alternative notation uses.
* Multisite now correctly makes use of the global --url parameter.
* Added more comments and versioning.
* Removed dependency of wp-importer.
* Added support for composer installs.
* Dropped XML support, hello Json.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Maryland Plumey-Marin
Amore Events Venue
Learn about Florida Entrepreneur Maryland Plumey-Marin:
For Maryland Plumey-Marin, owner of Amore Events Venue and mother of five girls, throwing birthday parties, sweet sixteens, baby showers and even weddings was a pretty common occurrence. What wasn't common was Plumey-Marin's knack for making it look easy. "I've always been very crafty and creative," she said. "My kids always told me I should get into events planning and interior decorating. Eventually the idea came to me to open a venue that I could rent out to people looking to have a party, wedding, meeting or other event."
A few years ago, Plumey-Marin started buying things like decorations, props and other things that people used at their own weddings and putting them in storage. At the same time, she was attending Daytona State College, pursuing a degree in Business Management. She was also working full-time as an administrative assistance for a real estate company. What came next was a plan to turn her idea into a reality.
"With the help of a friend, the first thing I did was clean up my credit," she said. "After that, I put together a business plan with help from The Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College and SCORE. Around this time, my husband lost his job and acquired the balance of his 401(k). Seeing that I was getting serious about starting my business, he told me to start looking for a spot because he was going to give me the money to make it happen. We found a great spot and worked out a deal with the landlord to delay our rent if we put money into fixing up the space."
In January 2018, Amore Events Venue officially opened for business. The response from the community has been great. According to Plumey-Marin, people can relate to her and she's building a reputation as someone who's willing to work with her clients. She's currently advertising through social media and just applied for a Google account to allow her business to receive Google reviews. Her reach has even extended to Orlando where she recently appeared as a guest on Rumba 100.3, a popular radio station broadcasting Reggaeton, Latin, pop and Salsa music.
Local competition includes the Deltona Civic Center and a local women's center. These are great venues, but Plumey-Marin explained how she's able to compete. "The Civic Center is beautiful, but it's expensive," she said. "I'm a low cost alternative, without sacrificing quality. My packages start at $1,000 and that includes five hours with ice, room design, center pieces, tablecloths and someone keeping the venue clean throughout the event."
Plumey-Marin is in business to cater to her clients and serve local families. She's focused on building relationships and networking within the community. She's done presentations for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and spreads the word with every opportunity she gets. Looking ahead, she envisions needing a bigger space and finding someone else to help with events. She already knows of a 4,000 square foot location but admits that finding a piece of property and building out her own venue is something that excites her.
What advice does Plumey-Marin have for aspiring entrepreneurs? "If you have someone that can back you 100%, take the leap," she said. "You'll never know if you can make it if you don't jump. It's especially important to take the jump if it's something you know you want to do and you think about it all the time. No one will be more passionate about your idea than you are. You'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. Also, don't get mad at family when they don't see your vision right away. They'll come around eventually."
amoreevents2
amoreeventsvenue


text:
A DANGEROUS PLACE 1994
When Ethan's older brother Greg is found dead, the police rule the case a suicide, but Ethan suspects foul play stemming from Greg's recent involvement with a martial arts team called the Scorpions. Ethan is also accomplished at martial arts, and he determines to join the Scorpions as a means of learning what really happened to Greg.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS 1987
A psychiatrist familiar with knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.
THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES 1971
A doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar, Anton Phibes, seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for his wife's death.
After a space merchant vessel perceives an unknown transmission as a distress call, its landing on the source moon finds one of the crew attacked by a mysterious lifeform, and they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun.
ALIEN 3 1992
After her last encounter, Ellen Ripley crash-lands on Fiorina 161, a maximum security prison. When a series of strange and deadly events occur shortly after her arrival, Ripley realizes that she brought along an unwelcome visitor.
ALIENS 1986
Ellen Ripley is rescued by a deep salvage team after being hypersleep for 57 years. The moon that the Nostromo visited has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, colonial marines have impressive firepower, but will that be enough?
ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE 2015
A deranged masked Santa comes to town for some yuletide-terror. He leaves behind a bloody trail of mutilated bodies as he hunts his way to the front steps of the town's most feared and notorious home.
ALMOST HUMAN 2013
Mark Fisher disappeared from his home in a brilliant flash of blue light almost two years ago. His friend Seth Hampton was the last to see him alive. Now a string of grisly, violent murders leads Seth to believe that Mark is back, and something evil is inside of him.
ALMOST MERCY 2015
Jackson and Emily aren't like the other kids. Two burgeoning sociopaths on the brink of total meltdown. Ticking time bombs seeking revenge. Who will unravel first?
ALONE IN THE DARK 1982
A quartet of murderous psychopaths break out of a mental hospital during a power blackout and lay siege to their doctor's house.
AMERICAN HORROR HOUSE 2012
On Halloween night, a sorority house is inundated with ghosts while the housemother goes on a killing spree.
AMERICAN NINJA 1985
A humble US Army private suddenly develops legendary skills and stealth. Believing he is the possessor of ancient martial artistry, he takes on the fearsome Black Ninja in a final duel.
AMERICAN NINJA 2: THE CONFRONTATION 1987
On a remote Caribbean island, Army Ranger Joe Armstrong investigates the disappearance of several marines, which leads him to The Lion, a super-criminal who has kidnapped a local scientist and mass-produced an army of mutant Ninja warriors.
AMERICAN PSYCHO 2000
A wealthy New York investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.
AMERICAN PSYCHO 2 2002
A young college student has developed a taste for murder and will stand at nothing to become her professor's assistant.
THE AMITYVILLE HORROR 2005
Newlyweds are terrorized by demonic forces after moving into a large house that was the site of a grisly mass murder a year before.
THE AMITYVILLE LEGACY 2016
A cursed antique toy monkey wrecks havoc and possesses a father after being gifted during an annual family reunion.
AMONG FRIENDS 2012
A group of friends get together for a murder mystery party, but things take a dark turn when one hijacks the evening and is out for blood.
ANNABELLE COMES HOME 2019
While babysitting the daughter of Ed and Lorraine Warren, a teenager and her friend unknowingly awaken an evil spirit trapped in a doll.
APOSTLE 2018
In 1905, a drifter on a dangerous mission to rescue his kidnapped sister tangles with a sinister religious cult on an isolated island.
ARACHNOPHOBIA 1990
A species of South American killer spider hitches a lift to the U.S. in a coffin and starts to breed and kill.
ARE WE THE WAITING 2017
A group of friends escape to Canada to avoid the draft. When they arrive at a family members' house for a weekend of partying, things quickly escalate as a mysterious figure begins picking them off.
THE ATTIC 2007
Emma doesn't like the new house her family has moved into, and since moving into the house, the whole family is unsettled. One day, in the attic, Emma is attacked by what appears to be her identical twin, and sets out to solve the mystery before it's too late.
THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE 2016
A father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the body of a young woman, who was apparently harboring dark secrets.
THE AVENGING CONSCIENCE 1914
Thwarted by his despotic uncle from continuing his love affair, a young man turns to thoughts of murder. Experiencing a series of visions, he sees murder as a normal course of events in life and kills his uncle. Tortured by his conscience, his future sanity is uncertain as he is assailed by nightmarish visions of what he has done.


text:
Tara Garrison: Keto Scams, Lifting & Intermittent Fasting for Women
How do we scale our intake of fat, protein, and carbs, to achieve our ideal body composition? Today, we're here with a perfect person to talk about it, the wonderful and talented, Tara Garrison.
Dr. John Berardi: Change Maker, Adapting Your Goals with Age & Why The Future Belongs to the Generalist
Dr. John Berardi returns to the show—we're talking about how to manage health and fitness during different stages of life, why the future belongs to the generalist (not the specialist), and tons more.
Noelle Tarr & Stefani Ruper: Coconuts and Kettlebells, Big Problems with Keto & The Special K Diet
Were our childhood heroes, like He-Man and Captain Planet, jacked up on steroids? If you've ever suffered from body image issues, disordered eating or even exercising too much, this episode is for you.
Jay Cardiello: Why The Best Trainers Secretly Want to Be Fired
Back on the show this week is my friend, coach and ABC TV Co-Star, Jay Cardiello. Jay has coached pro athletes in the NFL and MLB… and he's also trained A-List celebs including Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest and 50 Cent (no big deal).
Vinnie Tortorich: Prince, Road Food & The Tapeworm Diet
Returning to the show this week, our guest Vinnie Tortorich, will give us a behind-the-scenes look at what really goes on in the broadcasting world, and how the life of a celebrity is often not what it seems.
Vinnie Tortorich: The Truth About Ketosis, Health Podcasting And Why He Is So Darn Angry
Vinnie Tortorich is a piece of work. Always a lively and interesting conversation, this time we're catching up about the world of health podcasting, new books, hiking 14 hours on bacon and eggs, and athletes who accomplish great feats while in ketosis.
Ben Coomber: The Paleo Diet, Why The Perfect Body ≠ Happiness, and What it's Like to be Fat
Ben Coomber is a performance nutritionist, coach, writer, and host of "Ben Coomber Radio" – another #1 rated health podcast on iTunes in the UK. Ben and I just kept on rolling and did a "show swap" this week. So if you enjoy this, head on over and check out my appearance on Ben's show. […]


text:
Broward News
Broward Jail Gets National Award; Points for Beating Inmates With Radios?
Thomas Francis October 9, 2009 3:44PM
Today the Broward Sheriff's Office announced it was going to receive an award reserved for the nation's best jail. So I guess congratulations are in order for the many, many deputies at the jail who perform their job with honor and integrity; but I can't help but wonder how BSO beat out some 500 other jails for the big prize in a year when deputy Gladys Dauphin was booked on felony charges of beating an inmate with her handheld radio.
Dauphin was also accused of falsifying the victim's file, presumably in an effort to cover up the incident.
Now compare that to the news release:
BSO's jail system impressed the accreditation surveyors and committee who commended the staff for consistently demonstrating excellence in health services delivery, correctional health care professionalism, and a commitment to continuity of services.
The findings against Dauphin probably came after the award panel had met.
Thomas Francis


We live in a digital world. Business and culture are influenced by technological advancements in the blink of an eye. So too must the way you train your employees. To drive performance their training must reflect their experience and expectations. Implementing digital platforms with AI provides innovative on-demand training programs that will engage your employees.
This evolution moves beyond an enhanced employee experience as it positively affects your customer experience. And the results speak for themselves.
Lamont is a firm believer that 'today's learner, is tomorrow's leader.' He believes that, as leaders, we have a responsibility to guide, empower, listen to, and involve the next generation. As the head of innovation, product development, and solutions, he has the opportunity to research, work with, modernize, and operationalize emerging technologies. Lamont's mission is to create solutions that balance humanity with technology and enable our clients to solve their business challenges and enhance their employee performance.


Are you feeling pressured to integrate technology into your K-12 curriculum? Do you feel overwhelmed and under-prepared for the information age? Whether you are a student teacher, first-year teacher, or veteran teacher new to technology, this article provides ideas you can use to assess where you are and to plan for the future. Included: Six steps for integrating technology painlessly plus Web sites and tips to motivate reluctant or fearful educators.
Are you tired of unused computers taking up space in your room? Are you a first-year teacher with many dreams but too little time and too few resources? Has your district mandated that each teacher begin "integrating technology" -- but you're not sure what that means? Have you decided to take the technology plunge -- and don't know where to begin! Let us help!
Integrating technology simply means using computers within the existing curriculum. Technology should not supplant what you usually teach. It should become a tool -- just like a calculator, a pen, or a chalkboard -- that helps you teach and helps your students learn. It's that simple.
Student skills and attitudes: What can students already do with computers and what's their attitude toward technology? Do students have computers and Internet access at home?
Teacher skills and attitudes: What can you do on a computer and how do you feel about using computers in the classroom?
Access: How much computer time can you and your students get each week? Do you have classroom computers or lab access only? How much lab time is available? How many computers?
Resources: What kinds of hardware, software, and training are available? Are computers reliable? Is the available software education software (such as math drills) or productivity software (such as a word processing program)? What types of training (free or paid) are available through your school or community?
Take a moment to pencil (or type!) your thoughts on each of these STAR points. The better you understand the lay of the land, the better you'll know what you need to do to jump-start technology use in your class. Don't let any negative or weak areas depress you. Make an honest evaluation of what you have to work with. Even if you are a beginner with a single computer in your classroom, few training opportunities, and students with no home computers, you can integrate technology into your classroom.
Next, consider what you want to accomplish. If your school or district has established expectations for technology use in your classroom, write them down. If you have personal goals ("I want to use spreadsheets in my middle school science class, for example"), write those down as well.
Now, take some time to get ready and get motivated. How?
Get wired: Make sure you have Internet access and a reliable computer at home. Both are fairly cheap if you choose low-end service and an older computer. (Choose one with a CD-ROM drive and a 56K modem, if possible).
Get inspired: Find peers who already integrate technology, and learn from them. Try to observe a class -- seeing it done right will help motivate you!
Get informed: Visit a professional organization's Web site regularly. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, International Reading Association, National Education Association, and others all provide excellent and constantly updated online resources for teachers. Don't know where to go? Use your favorite search engine to look for the sites of your favorite organizations.
Manage with technology: Use technology to manage your classes. Average grades with a spreadsheet, use mail merge to send parent letters, and surf the Internet for lesson plans. Focus on using technology yourself before introducing it to your students.
Start small: Set an initial goal of including technology in one content area or unit a month. Have students write a letter with a word processing program, create a graph in a spreadsheet program, or practice math skills using content software.
Surf in shallow waters: Surfing students misspell site addresses and become distracted by commercial sites. Focus class research by hand-picking relevant, age-appropriate Web sites. For help, check out 42eXplore or the Education World site reviews.
Test online: Save instructional time and motivate your kids by creating, administering, and grading tests online. Check out the Education World article Motivate While You Integrate Technology: Online Assessment for more information.
Know when to say no: Technology isn't perfect; it can't replace face-to-face teaching. Learn to determine when technology helps -- and hurts -- the learning process and use it accordingly. Your curriculum, not your computer, should be the focus of technology integration.
No matter what you know -- or don't know -- about technology, no matter how many computers you have, no matter how skilled your students are, you can integrate technology. Remain confident, flexible, and enthusiastic and you will succeed.


text:
The Wild Ride For Natural Gas Isn't Over Yet
Volatility was the keyword for…
Two Fundamental Laws For Energy Pricing
EDF, a giant French utility…
U.S. Airline Lobbying Group Says 5G Could Cause "Catastrophic Disruptions"
A U.S. airline lobbying group…
Robots Are Taking Over Oil Rigs
By Felicity Bradstock - Dec 20, 2021, 1:00 PM CST
A new, fully automated, oil and gas rig recently made its debut in the Permian Basin.
The rig uses digital technology and Canrig robotics to 'man' the platform.
Other robotic mechanisms have been used across the oil and gas industry for years, including robotic dogs that support the monitoring of oil platforms, as well as onshore drones that check for pipeline leaks.
After years in the making, a new fully automated drilling rig recently made its debut in Permian Basin. While this has long been a pipedream, restrictions faced by many oil and gas companies during the pandemic forced several to stop operations and call rig workers home. This spurred a plethora of tech companies to establish partnerships with oil giants to help automate systems and digitalize operations so that projects could run with or without human workers, through innovations like robot rigs.
In October, Houston company Nabors Industries achieved drilling to a depth of almost 20,000 feet with its automated rig, with no help from a crew on the floor to run operations manually. The company is expected two dig three wells in the area as part of its test phase. The Nabors Pace-R801 is the world's first fully automated land rig, taking five years of engineering to achieve. It supports ExxonMobil operations in the region, providing unmanned vessels to drill wells that would previously have required whole teams on board.
The rig uses digital technologies and Canrig robotics to man the platform, providing vital components such as a robotic arm that runs the drill. The company also says that its SmartDRILL and SmartSLIDE automation software helps to reduce drilling times by up to four days, thereby reducing carbon emissions in projects.
Travis Purvis, Senior Vice President of global drilling for Nabors, stated "This is the direction that the industry is heading and should head," Further, "This robotic technology really is game-changing. Over the next five to 10 years, it's going to be really exciting to see the innovation that happens around that." The transition to human-free rigs emerged last year in the 'ghost rig' concept when systems were run remotely by rig workers that were prohibited from physically accessing the platforms during Covid. Although discussions around automated rigs have been going on for years. Norway's Equinor switched to a ghost rig approach in 2020, with crews operating the platform remotely, followed shortly after by BP and other oil majors.
Related: The World's Top Automakers Are Doubling Down On Electric Vehicles Other robotic mechanisms have been used across the oil and gas industry for years, including robotic dogs that support the monitoring of oil platforms, as well as onshore drones that check for pipeline leaks.
However, this latest innovation worries workers in the oil and gas industry that were already hit hard during the pandemic. Around 400,000 jobs were cut from the sector during Covid, half of which were in the U.S. The main worry for oil and gas workers at present is the impending transition away from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives. But the digitalization of systems and the addition of robotics could spell earlier job losses than previously anticipated.
Yet, others praise the innovation, noting that oil rigs are traditionally extremely dangerous places for workers to operate, no matter the level of safety standards implemented. Accidents take place regularly due to the complex nature of the work, digging holes deep into the earth's surface to extract crude. This could be an important move towards improving the social aspect of ESG, as Big Oil faces increasing pressure to better operations. Although, a reduction in drilling time also spells a decrease in the emissions being released, which will also support the environmental part.
Many highlight the long history of oil rig disasters such as the Piper Alpha pipeline ruptures, which caused the rig to set alight at the cost of 167 human lives. Just this year, we saw a fire outbreak at a Mexican oil rig cause the death of five workers. And while the world focuses on putting an end to oil extraction for environmental reasons, it is important to note the social implications, as oil operations are set to continue so long as the availability of renewable alternatives is limited.
Related: Tight U.S. Oil Inventories Prop Up Oil Prices
Jason Gahr, ExxonMobil operations manager on the project explained, "ExxonMobil's collaboration with Nabors in deploying this automated rig in Midland demonstrates the ability to optimize drilling using the combined power of robotics, automation, computing, and data". In addition, "This is a great example of enhancing the safety, efficiency, and environmental performance of our operations through innovative technologies."
And Nabors is insistent that automation doesn't necessarily mean job losses, as workers will be kept on to supervise operations and carry out essential tasks. It will simply prevent workers from having to be present in the most dangerous 'red zone' of the rig. However, as the new technology is adopted by other firms around the globe, we will see what it means in practice for oil workers, many of whom are still working remotely due to new restrictions.
The innovation of robot rigs is clearly ground-breaking, taking years of careful planning, investment, and engineering. However, only time will tell what this means for the oil industry and its workers, as digitalization and the automation of operations picks up pace across the board.
Russia Puts The Blame On Europe As Energy Crisis Worsens
U.S. Onshore Gas Flaring Falls To Lowest Level Since 2012
The White House Just Put The Oil Export Ban Rumor To Rest
Why Ted Cruz Wants Bitcoin Miners In The Lone Star State
Oilprice.com's Top 5 Oil And Gas Picks For 2022
Great news for the US based tech industry which badly needs that right now and at the moment and going into 2022.
Drilling in this type of climate is well nigh impossible goes without saying given the heat, humidity, dust and salt on a regular basis let alone ahem "extraordinary weather circumstance" ahem also know as Hurricane *SEASON* so definitely a critical need for the entire Industry which has been a backbone of the US economy going back to the 1970s.
"The good news is prices are very high for US energy product."
"The bad news is prices are very high for US energy product."
And this is how you square that circle absolutely.


Submitted by Joyful Girl (not verified) on Sat, 11/29/2014 - 3:13am.
Acknowledging that we have a problem with racism & excessive police force and believing that an unarmed teen doesn't deserve to die is NOT the same as defending his criminal behavior. Debating whether or not he was a good kid allows us to ignore the greater issues. We can make it about one police officer's mistake rather than critically examining the overall system.
Submitted by writegrrrl on Tue, 11/25/2014 - 11:11am.
What's weak is a person who comes here and chooses to comment anonymously. That's what's weak. You know what else is weak? Implying that a person deserves to die--deservse to be shot at 12 times--because that person allegedly didn't show respect for another person or property.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/25/2014 - 9:49am.
The facts presented in this case show clearly that Micheal Brown had no respect for private property or authority, and you, Rachel, choose to defend this behavior.
Submitted by Mike Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/25/2014 - 9:18am.