August 2016 archive

Oklahoma’s Oil Bust Affects Local Retailers, Mall Owners

An Oklahoma City shopping mall and high-end retail tenant are experiencing the indirect effect of the oil and gas industry’s economic downturn. Iowa luxury retailer, Von Maur, opened its 30th store in Quail Springs Mall in October 2014. The 155,000 square foot store is the fourth anchor at the mall. Von Maur offers upscale brand-name …

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WTI and Brent Crude Post Modest Increases on Friday

Oil futures managed to hold on to a slight gain on Friday, according to Bloomberg MarketWatch. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, October West Texas Intermediate crude rose 31 cents, or 0.7%, to settle at $47.64 a barrel. For the week, prices lost about 3% following gains over the last three weeks. On London’s ICE …

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Canada Tops the Baker Hughes Rig Count, Adding 25 Rigs

The number Canadian rigs surged dramatically while the U.S. rig count fell by two this week, according to the Baker Hughes rig count released on Friday. Canada garnered the most activity this week, adding 25 rigs for a total of 146. Canada is down 50 rigs when compared with data from a year ago. The …

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Permits to Drill August 29, 2016

Creek County WILSON #5, August 26 2016 10 18N 10E CSWNENW API: 03705440 Lat: 36.058460384081506, Long: -96.2383179933764 RIVENDELL GROUP LLC SH, RC, 2400 ft, RED FORK(1950) Creek County BLEVINS #1, August 26 2016 04 18N 10E CSESENE API: 03728568 Lat: 36.06935283352288, Long: -96.24501913818496 RIVENDELL GROUP LLC SH, RC, 2642 ft, PRUE(1789) Grady County GENE CARROLL …

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Williams Announces $250 Million Stock Purchase From Williams Partners

The Williams Companies Inc. announced Friday that it will purchase 6.975 million common units from Williams Partners L.P. for approximately $250 million. The price per common unit of $35.84 is equal to the average of the high and low trading prices of the Partnership’s common units on the New York Stock Exchange for each of …

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FTC Approves Tesla Bid to Acquire SolarCity

The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday approved electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors, Inc.’s bid to purchase SolarCity Corp. for $2.6 billion. The FTC fast-tracked the deal “because the merging companies have few or no overlaps.” Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, said in July that merging Tesla with SolarCity would create the “world’s only vertically integrated sustainable …

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Protestors Voice Concern Over Pipeline at Norman Board of Adjustment Meeting

Several dozen Norman citizens attended a Wednesday night Board of Adjustment meeting in the city council chambers to voice their concern over a proposed oil pipeline, according to a report by Grant Hermes of News 9. The Red River Pipeline would stretch 350 miles from Longview, Texas to Cushing, Oklahoma. A portion of the line …

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First Trial Set for Williams in Deadly 2013 Louisiana Plant Explosion

A state district judge in Louisiana has cleared the way for the first civil trial brought by workers injured in a fatal 2013 plant explosion and fire at the Williams Olefins complex near Baton Rouge. Two men were killed and 114 workers were injured in the June 13, 2013 blast at the facility located in …

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PSO Seeks $132 Million Rate Increase with Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Attorneys for Public Service Company of Oklahoma presented arguments to Oklahoma regulators on Wednesday, seeking a rate increase of nearly $132 million. PSO attorney, Jack Fite, said the utility is entitled to reimbursement from customers for improvements made to the system. The company spent nearly $884 million since 2014 on system upgrades and air pollution …

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Key Energy Services Restructuring, Plans to File Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Houston-based oilfield service company Key Energy Services Inc. plans to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware by November 8. Under the company’s restructuring plan, Platinum Equity LLC would become its largest shareholder, according to a report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday. Holders of senior notes would own about 95 …

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