Author's posts
Oklahoma’s municipal bond market effort to resume after two-year absence
The Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority, the state’s largest issuer of tax-backed debt, will return to the municipal bond market on Thursday for the first time since 2022. The Authority is scheduled to price nearly $168 millionof fixed-rate State Facilities Revenue and Refunding Bonds, designated the Series 2024A and 2024B Bonds, to refinance outstanding bonds saving roughly $10 …
US crude oil supplies increased in past week but Cushing stock stocks were steady
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported the national crude stocks grew from 457.3 million barrels of oil reported on April 5 to 460 million barrels as of April 12. It marked another increase since March 29 when the national crude storage amounted to 451.4 million barrels. Cushing’s total of crude oil in storage …
Attorney General says public needs to see confidential records in his lawsuits over winter storm market manipulation
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is asking a judge to determine whether confidential records used as the foundation for his “market manipulation” lawsuits against two energy firms have to remain confidential during any trial. Five days after his office sued two Texas energy firms and accused them of illegally profitting off high natural …
BLM bidding rule could affect Oklahoma oil and gas companies with operations in Wyoming
An oil and gas industry group in Wyoming is giving serious thought to heading to court to fight the Biden administration over its early-April rule that will make it more difficult for some oil and gas firms from bidding for energy leases on public lands. Here’s why the consideration of the Petroleum Association of …
Brace for cooler weather in Oklahoma
Cooler weather is on its way to Oklahoma and the weekend might even push temperatures in the Panhandle to near freezing levels. But Gary McManus, State Climatologist with the Oklahoma Mesonet and Oklahoma Climatological Survey says it should be no surprise because the average last freeze date in the Panhandle is actually later in …
Ground broken on Turner Turnpike expansion project
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority took another step toward widening the I-44/Turner Turnpike to six lanes between Oklahoma City and Tulsa with a groundbreaking Tuesday afternoon in Wellston for a bridge reconstruction project. Widening the corridor through a series of projects is a highlight of the ACCESS Oklahoma long-range plan. Joining OTA Executive Director Joe Echelle …
Texas Panhandle city hit by Russian hackers
Muleshoe, Texas attacked by Russian hackers? It’s the claim of experts from US cybersecurity firm Mandiant who believe a January cyberattack caused a water tower tank to overflow. Muleshoe, in north Texas was the victim as two other towns in north Texas also took precautionary defensive measures after they detected suspicious cyber activity …
Energy quick reads
** Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called on Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to resign Tuesday following a heated exchange over her past financial transactions. Hawley’s tense back-and-forth with Granholm came during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing held to review the Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2025 budget request. The Missouri Republican excoriated the energy secretary for violating the …
Lankford grilled IRS commissioner about tax breaks for Chinese firms but not American companies
Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford took on the IRS during a Senate committee hearing this week wondering why the Biden administration gave tax breaks to a Chinese EV battery plant while ruling against a U.S. firm. It was during a Senate Finance Committee hearing entitled “The President’s Fiscal Year 2025 IRS Budget and the IRS …
Oklahoma Attorney General gets nod to look into complaints against airlines
Attorney General Drummond announced a new initiative that gives him the authority to investigate consumer complaints about the actions of airline carriers and ticket agents. While such investigations historically are the sole purview of the federal government, AG Drummond recognized the need for additional consumer protection efforts and recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) …
