Governor Says Gross Production Tax Hike is On the Table Along With Other Ideas

  “The fact is, you cannot lock up votes and say ‘unless you give me 100% of everything I want, I’m gonna take my toys and go home’, you just can’t do that.” It’s how Gov. Mary Fallin describes the growing battle between Republicans and Democrats in the legislature over how to resolve the state’s …

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Historic Oil and Gas Pieces Lost in Weekend Storm at State History Center

Those 75-mile-an hour winds that hit Oklahoma City over the weekend devastated some oil and gas historical items located at the Oklahoma History Center. Among the losses…a restored wooden derrick and a derrick installed at the Capitol in 1934 and relocated just 12 years ago when the new history center opened. “What we’re doing right …

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House Democrats Say It’s Time Republicans Stopped Protecting Wealthy Oil and Gas Industry

  It might not be the kind of ‘line drawn in the sand’ by President Obama a few years ago, but one has been drawn by Democrats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives in what has become a growing war over taxes on the oil and gas industry. “The message is this—-it’s time to come …

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Pruitt—-Administration is Not Turning Its Back on Clean Environment

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt says critics of President Trump’s executive order declaring an end to President Obama’s “war on coal” have it wrong. Writing this week in the Washington Times, the former Oklahoma Attorney General stated the Trump administration is not turning its back on a clean environment and regulation altogether. He said the “war …

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Current Economic Recovery Won’t Help This Year’s Legislature

As Oklahoma City University economist Dr. Russell Evans looks at Oklahoma’s economy and how this year, the legislature is strapped with a financial crisis, he believes next year will be a far different story. He predicts the economic recovery is already underway in the state, one led by the oil and gas industry improvements. “The …

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Oklahoma Energy Index Moves Higher Again

With increased employment in the oil and gas sector in the state, the Oklahoma Energy Index has moved higher marking the eighth month i the last 10 that industry activity has grown. “The industry improvement shown in eight of the last 10 months is a sign for optimism,” said Chris Mostek, senior vice president of …

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Pruitt Hit With Another Letter From Democratic Senators

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s decision to back out of being a speaker at an Oklahoma Republican party fundraiser now has Democrats on a U.S. Senate Committee wanting to know more about it. After all, it was their letter and complaint that he had violated the Hatch Act which prompted the former Oklahoma Attorney General to pull …

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Former Chaparral Energy President Gets Company Plane and $3 million Cash

In an amended annual report filed May 1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Oklahoma City-based Chaparral Energy revealed more of its financial transactions following its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The SEC report showed the federal Bankruptcy court approved a retirement agreement with former Chairman and CEO Mark A. Fischer. While his base salary …

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House Sponsors of Some Energy Bills Reject Senate Amendments

One after another, numerous bills in the State House this week were sent to conference committees because sponsors didn’t like the way they had been handled or amended in the Senate. Some pertained to the energy industry in the state while others focused on 4-day class weeks in schools or the death penalty. ‘I feel …

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Gasoline Prices Drop 5 Cents a Gallon in Oklahoma, Reaching $2.10 Average

  Gasoline prices continue dropping in Oklahoma, reaching a new statewide average this week of $2.10 according to a weekly release from AAA Oklahoma. The organization reports gasoline prices in the state have fallen 5 cents over the past seven days and they are down a dime from the 2017 high of $2.20 recorded on …

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