US House Committee approves rural electric cooperative grant program bill

  The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee this week passed two bills from Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin including one to create a grant program for rural electric cooperatives to develop renewable energy storage projects. The committee on a voice vote passed H.R. 4447 which is the Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy or EASE Act …

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A weak Wednesday for energy companies and their trading

  Despite a slight jump in oil futures in the U.S. and Europe, energy companies in Oklahoma or those with operations in the state for the most part saw a drop in the values of their shares in Wednesday’s trading. Alliance Resource Partners had a 3 cent or nearly 1% drop to $3.05. Blueknight Energy …

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Oil prices finish higher but US futures are still under $40

  Oil futures finished higher Wednesday, with U.S. prices reclaiming less than half of the more than 7% drop suffered in the previous session as worries over the demand outlook, driven by the pandemic, continued to limit crude’s upside potential. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $1.29, or …

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Sierra Club accuses OK Governor of undermining US Supreme Court ruling to help oil and gas

  Native American environmentalists accuse Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt of undermining the July 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that stated much of Eastern Oklahoma falls within Indian reservations. The Oklahoma Chapter of the Sierra Club reported it’s the cry of environmentalists after the governor announced his intention to ask the courts to remove environmental authority …

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Report says ban on public lands drilling in a Biden administration would leave hundreds of thousands jobless

  Oil and gas groups led by the American Petroleum Institute say some states will be devastated if a ban on federal leasing and public lands were to take effect. As part of his energy plan, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has vowed to push for an end to new oil and gas drilling leases …

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FEMA comes up with millions to help stop flooding in eastern Oklahoma County

  It’s taken at least 7 years, but the federal government’s finally given $3.5 million to help do something about the flooding of the North Canadian River in Oklahoma County. Sen. James Lankford said the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a grant of $3,566,250 to restore and stabilize the bank of the river to prevent …

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OKC and others compete to become US Space Command headquarters site

  Oklahoma City isn’t ready to publicly discuss its application, but it is among cities in at least 26 states hoping to be selected as the site of the new U.S. Space Command headquarters. The Air Force in May announced an open bidding process that allows any state with large military bases to compete and …

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Energy news in brief

** ONEOK, Inc. took part this week in the Barclays CEO Energy-Power Virtual Conference. Its investor materials including updated volume information are available at www.oneok.com. **  President Trump signs an executive order reinstating an Obama-era moratorium on oil drilling off the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. ** Democrats and environmental groups quickly criticized Trump’s move as a self-serving …

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Bankruptcy doesn’t deter Chesapeake from drilling in Pennsylvania

  Even as it deals with a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy is among those companies that acquired permits for more drilling in Pennsylvania during the month of August. But indications show the company is not among major operators with an interest in a large number of permits to drill. The state’s Department …

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Wynnewood refinery operators take biofuels mandate fight to US Supreme Court

  Operators of the Wynnewood refinery have taken their Renewable Fuel Standard fight to the U.S. Supreme Court. CVR Energy along with HollyFrontier Corp.which operates a refinery in Tulsa filed petitions asking the high court to review a January ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Friday was the deadline to ask the …

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