Author's posts
New Mexico wants to double oil and gas industry permitting fees
It’s not just a small increase that New Mexico regulators propose in oil and gas permitting fees to help fund staff to process applications and enforce rules. In some cases, it would be more than doubling the existing fees. Environment Secretary James Kenney recently informed a legislative committee that the big jump in fees …
Commissioner Hiett wants more time to respond to lawsuit by 3 legislators
Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett wants more time from the State Supreme Court to respond to the lawsuit filed against him by three legislators. He filed a motion on Friday requesting a 14-day extension of time after the Court responded to the lawsuit by Reps. Tom Gann of Inola, Kevin West of Moore and …
Chesapeake and Southwestern Energy merger moves closer to completion
The $7 billion merger of Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy and Houston-based Southwestern Energy is closer at hand. After a delay caused by the Federal Trade Commission which wanted more documents and details of the deal, now the two companies anticipate a closing early in the fourth quarter. It’s what Chesapeake CEO Nick Dell’Osso said over …
Texas officials consider oil and gas operations caused 5.1 magnitude earthquake
The Texas Railroad Commission wasted little time in starting an investigation into whether oil and gas operations and wastewater disposal wells were linked to last week’s 5.1 magnitude earthquake that rattled the Permian Basin. The quake was centered about 28 miles north of Midland and was one of the strongest recorded in Texas history. …
Energy briefs
** An agriculture industry watchdog sues Arkansas-based Tyson Foods for misleading consumers by marketing “climate friendly” beef and pledging to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 despite the near impossibility of mass-producing beef in ways that benefit the climate. ** Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) expressed optimism this week that lawmakers would soon reach a deal to extend radiation …
Ethics questions are raised about a southeast Oklahoma solar project and a state legislator
Questions are being raised about the ethics of State Rep. Justin Humphrey and his profiting from a proposed huge solar farm in southeast Oklahoma. The 5,000-acre solar project is proposed by Orested, a Denmark company. Click here for KOSU Radio
Court approves Mammoth’s settlement with Puerto Rico over 2017 hurricane payments
Oklahoma City’s Mammoth Energy Services Inc. says a Title III Court judge has approved a settlement agreement the company reached regarding a fight over delayed payments from Puerto Rico for the firm’s power restoration work following 2017 Hurricane Maria. The settlement was with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and won approval …
Williams Cos. gift to support Engineering, Energy and Business at OU
(Williams President and CEO Alan Armstrong meets with University of Oklahoma summer interns and Williams employees in the rotational program who graduated from OU.) The University of Oklahoma announced that a significant gift from Williams will allow the university to grow student support and mentorship programs, as well as degree offerings across multiple …
The spectre of armed EPA agents targeting small businesses and car owners
The auto website known as TheAutoWire.com raised some recent questions about to what extent the Environmental Protection Agency, working in force with the Justice Department, might go in targeting those with so-called “emissions defeat devices.” It pointed out that the latest target of the EPA’s endeavours was Rudy’s Performance Parts which was hit with …
Crude prices dipped Friday but finished with a gain for the week
Crude oil prices ended up lower on Friday, but still managed a second straight week of price gains. Prices were helped by the interest rate cut announced by the Feds, plus a drop in the U.S. crude stocks. Both Brent and WTI finished up more than 4% for the week. West Texas Intermediate crude …