June 15, 2018 archive

Commissioner begins TV ads in campaign for Lt. Gov.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy has released her television ad in her campaign for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor. The ads started airing on Thursday while supporters were given a first look via email on Wednesday. “For part of the commercial, it’s me, sitting in my home, talking to the voters. I wanted to …

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Rig count remained same in Oklahoma but dropped nationally

The nation’s oil and gas rig count dropped by 3 in the past week to reach 1,059 while Oklahoma’s count remained at 140. The U.S. included the addition of one oil rig to reach 863 while the number of gas rigs fell by 4 to 194. In the past year, the nation’s count grew by …

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Indian tribes lose South Dakota Supreme Court appeal in fight against Keystone XL pipeline

A setback was handed a handful of Indian tribes when the South Dakota Supreme Court dismissed their appeal of the state regulators’ approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. The high court said the lower court that had affirmed the state’s approval lacked jurisdiction to hear their cases. The ruling went against the Cheyenne River Sioux …

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STACK and SCOOP producing more wells in Oklahoma

The largest well of those filed in the latest completion reports for Oklahoma produced more than 1,300 barrels a day for Oklahoma City-based Devon Energy. It was a continuation of the Sonoyta wells in Blaine County, one of the active counties that make up the STACK. The Sonoyta 23_26-17N-10W 3HX was spudded in October of …

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Sierra Club contends Oklahoma judicial nominee is an extreme idealogue

  Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Patrick Wyrick might have narrowly won a recommendation from the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to be confirmed as an Oklahoma City federal judge, but the Sierra Club thinks his ties to an energy company should disqualify him. The committee voted 11-10 on Thursday to send his nomination to the full …

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Judge stops drilling and fracking in Santa Fe National Forest

A federal judge in New Mexico has ordered the Bureau of Land Management against moving ahead with plans to carry out hydraulic fracturing and oil exploration on federal land in the Four Corners area. Senior U.S. District Court Judge M. Christina Armijo set aside the leases on nearly 20,000 acres and ordered the Bureau of …

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Drought remains stubborn in Oklahoma

Despite recent rains, the stubborn drought in Oklahoma is returning as much of western Oklahoma and the Panhandle are under an extreme drought classification. The latest Drought Monitor published by the National Drought Mitigation Center shows nearly 24 percent of the state is in an extreme category.  About 36 percent is classified as being in …

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Sierra Club plans anti-Pruitt rally as NAFTA environmental ministers gather in OKC

  The Oklahoma Sierra Club is planning a “Boot Pruitt” rally this week in Oklahoma City. The group plans the rally Wednesday, June 27 next to the Cox Convention Center starting at 11:30 a.m. An email notice said the rally would be held to focus on the “failings” of Pruitt as Administrator of the EPA. …

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Inhofe’s support for Pruitt is wavering

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt must know he’s in trouble when one of his mentors and long-time friends suggests maybe it’s time for him to resign. The suggestion is from Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe who was interviewed on the Laura Ingraham radio show and told Ingraham that Pruitt “has really done some things that surprised …

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