August 27, 2020 archive

Latest layoff victims of COVID-19 are workers in Norman’s Aramark operation and AVIS in Tulsa

More than 200 workers will lose their jobs at Aramark’s National Center for Employee Development in Norman because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 40 AVIS workers in Tulsa are losing theirs too. The uniform-supplying company notified Oklahoma’s Office of Workforce Development with the required WARN or Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter. The notice …

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Judge stops Wyoming oil and gas drilling on public lands because of sage grouse

    A federal judge this week stayed part of his ruling tossing oil and gas leases in Wyoming greater sage-grouse habitat, but suspended oil and gas operations on the parcels pending an appeal. Judge Brian Morris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana in May tossed out 440 oil and gas leases in …

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Oil and gas industry supports more control for Colorado’s local governments

  The oil and gas industry makes it clear to Colorado regulators who are considering revamping state rules that local governments should control decisions about the impact of oil and gas production. Colorado’s two largest oil and gas producers, Occidental Petroleum and Noble Energy, told the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission that under a …

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GOP candidate for state oil and gas regulatory agency faces fraud accusations

  Running for the Texas Railroad Commission, Republican Jim Wright finds himself under fire over state environmental rules and lawsuits that accused him of fraud in the oil and gas industry. The owner of an oilfield waste services company, Wright denies wrongdoing and blames his problems on a Democratic Party smear job according to a …

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Energy news in brief

** The federal government can be sued for negligence in the Flint water crisis, a judge said Wednesday, citing the failure of regulators to timely act as good Samaritans and blow the whistle on lead in the water supply. The decision comes days after the state of Michigan said it’s willing to pay $600 million to settle a …

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U.S. EPA has not decided on biofuel mandates, refinery exemptions: Wheeler

  EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler told reporters this week the agency had not yet made a decision on 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations or on small refiner waiver requests. Wheeler could not assure that the agency will decide the 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) by the Nov. 30 deadline due to the impact of the COVID-19 …

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Devon Donates to 21 Emergency Responder Organizations in Western Oklahoma

(A Geary volunteer firefighter teaches Devon’s Dawson Weathers how to use the foam sprayer, which was purchased with support from Devon in 2019.) As part of its commitment to supporting emergency responders in the company’s operating areas, Devon Energy donated to 21 organizations in western Oklahoma. “Emergency responders must have the proper tools to do their …

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US Resumes Oil, Gas Auctions with Major New Mexico Sale and higher prices in Oklahoma

  The government’s first oil and gas lease sale in five months kicked off this week but attracted weaker bidding in New Mexico while some sales were made in Oklahoma. The average price for the three Oklahoma tracts of land in Custer, Dewey and Ellis counties was $119 an acre, higher than recent sales in …

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Williams sets goal of 56% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

  Williams  announced its climate commitment, setting a near-term goal of 56% absolute reduction from 2005 levels in company-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The move puts the company on a positive trajectory to be net zero carbon emissions by 2050. By setting a near-term goal for 2030, the company plans to leverage its natural …

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U.S. Army Corps asks appeals court to reverse Dakota Access pipeline ruling

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers  wants an appeals court to reverse a ruling which scrapped an environmental permit that allows the Dakota Access crude oil pipeline to operate on U.S. land. Earlier this month, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to detail options by the end of …

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