July 20, 2020 archive

Oil futures settle higher as positive COVID-19 vaccine trial results ease demand concerns

  A slight gain in crude oil prices was seen Monday in trading as analysts believe it was due to news of positive results from an earlier COVID-19 vaccine trial. The news might have helped offset the pandemic’s risk to economic recovery and energy demand. West Texas Intermediate August oil finished the day 22 cents …

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Boeing expands operations at Tinker Air Force Base with new hiring plans

  A $20 million project at Tinker Air Force base will result in expanded modernization efforts for the Air Force’s nearly 70-year old B-52 bomber and result in the hiring of a few hundred engineers. Boeing OKC announced it started construction on a new high-bay addition to its existing facility where the work will create …

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Halliburton’s 2Q losses grew to $1.7 billion

  A second quarter net loss of $1.7 billion or $1.91 per diluted share was announced Monday by Halliburton Company, months after the firm shut down, laid off hundreds of workers and eventually closed its command center in El Reno, Oklahoma. It was an increase from the $1 billion or $1.16 per diluted share reported …

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Rainfall and wind surprise Panhandle residents

Those thunderstorms of the past week to 10 days in Oklahoma have left residents of the Panhandle surprised—-it rained. It even caught State Climatologist Gary McManus off guard who, in his Monday Oklahoma Mesonet update took note of how nearly 3 inches of rain fell near Boise City. “Hey now, even during the worst of the …

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Ghost town’s research site gets permanent protection in Colorado

  A ghost town near Crested Butte, Colorado that has served as a scientific research site for nearly a century will be preserved as the result of a conservation easement. The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, a town only accessible by skis, foot and fat bicycles in the winter has attracted scientists from across …

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Noble Energy acquired by Chevron in $5 billion deal

    Noble Energy, the firm founded by the late Lloyd Noble in Ardmore, Oklahoma has been snatched up by Chevron in a $5 billion all-stock deal. Chevron said on Monday it would buy Noble Energy in a $5 billion all-stock deal, bolstering its shale presence as a plunge in crude prices have made assets cheaper. The deal, …

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Survey shows how feeble the energy industry has become in Oklahoma and the region

  The results of a recent Federal Reserve Bank survey show the COVID-19 pandemic and its harmful impact on energy firms in Oklahoma and six other states could lead to more businesses closing their doors. To say they are on shaky ground is not a reference to the earthquakes in Oklahoma and surrounding states. About …

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Firm gets contract to teach drivers about electric vehicles

  A Southern Colorado firm keeps winning contracts with the state’s Energy Office. 4CORE has been awarded the ReCharge contract by the Colorado Energy Office for the seventh consecutive year, according to the Durango Herald. This program provides the region with electric vehicle education, outreach and support for the adoption of EVs and promotes and …

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North Dakota oil production dropped 30% in May

    Grim oil and gas statistics show how badly the industry in North Dakota, the nation’s number two oil-producing state, has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported that with COVID-19 upending petroleum demand, North Dakota’s oil production fell 30% in May, hitting a monthly low not seen in seven years. …

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Energy news in brief

** Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D) has been implicated in a massive bribery scandal involving utility company ComEd, and Illinois’ Democratic governor J.B. Pritzker has stated that Madigan “must resign” if the allegations against him are true. Madigan strongly denies any wrongdoing. ** Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison has agreed to pay a $200 million fine in relation to …

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