Seven months after an historic winter storm resulted in rolling blackouts and Oklahoma utilities scrambling to find fuel to power electricity production, those same firms are going before state regulators to discuss the upcoming winter season. Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners will meet Tuesday morning and hear presentations by the companies on perspectives related to natural …
Oil groups argue against protections for lesser prairie chicken
The federal government’s move to prevent the extinction of the lesser prairie chicken in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and parts of New Mexico has drawn the opposition of the oil and gas industry. Comments were recently filed in the Federal Register in which industry leaders argued that listing the chicken as endangered under the Endangered …
Colorado high court won’t hear appeal over $100 million lawsuit against fertilizer plant
The Colorado Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment about a biogas plant that generated complaints about the smell from neighbors in Weld County. Click here to read Colorado Sun.
Kansas regulators turn aside consumer requests
The Kansas Corporation Commission has rejected the efforts of a consumer advocacy group to explore the records of a utility after its customers were hit with $1 billion in natural gas bills during the February winter storm. Click here for Lawrence Journal-World
Energy news in brief
**Royal Dutch Shell Plc is gearing up to restart oil pipelines off the U.S. Gulf Coast, potentially moving the region’s top driller one step closer to restoring some production shut by Hurricane Ida. Most of the pipelines will be ready to operate within a week, according to a person familiar with the matter. **OPEC could revise …
Baker Hughes rig count increases in US—holds steady in Oklahoma
The latest Baker Hughes rig report showed the rig activity in Oklahoma remained at 32, unchanged from a week ago while the nationwide count increased by 6, reaching a total of 503 rigs. The U.S. count included 7 more oil rigs to reach a total of 401 while the number of gas rigs declined …
Natural gas-fired power burn sets June record
Natural gas-fired power generation across all sectors averaged 5.0 million megawatthours (MWh) per day in June 2021, 4% higher than the previous average June record set in 2020 reported the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Electric Power Monthly. Despite daily natural gas spot prices at the Henry Hub averaging $3.26 per million British thermal units (MMBtu)—twice as …
Oil rallied on tight U.S. supplies but the rally didn’t help Oklahoma energy stocks
The growing signs of crude oil supply tightness as a result of Hurricane Ida in the U.S. caused oil prices to reach nearly $73 a barrel on Friday. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 2.3% or $1.58 to finish the day at $69.72 a barrel. Global benchmark Brent crude made the same 2.3% gain on …
Maverick wind farm now serving PSO customers
The second of three new wind facilities serving Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) customers has begun commercial operation. Located southwest of Enid, the 287-megawatt (MW) Maverick facility is part of the 1,485-MW North Central Energy Facilities (NCEF) project. “PSO customers expect clean, renewable energy to be a growing part of our energy portfolio, …
What “Old Farmer’s Almanac” predicts this winter
If you’re a line repairman or work on oil and gas rigs in Oklahoma, the Old Farmer’s Almanac suggests it will probably be another tough winter in 2021 and 2022. The 230-year old publication claims its predictions are 80% accurate and this year, its annual forecast says the upcoming winter will be the “season …
