In the Bakkens of North Dakota where some Oklahoma energy companies have invested heavily, one Texas based firm is unloading its assets for $27 million in cash. Earthstone Energy Inc. based in Houston announced the sale “to an unaffiliated party” and the closing should be completed by the end of the year. “The sale of …
2017 archive
Rig Count: US Adds 8, Texas Adds 7 and Oklahoma Drops One
While the U.S. added to its weekly oil and gas rig count, Oklahoma’s count dropped by one to hit 122, according to figures from Baker Hughes Company. The latest oil and gas rig count report showed the national count is at 915 which reflects the addition of eight new rigs. Compared to a year ago, …
WTI, Brent Crude Jump on Friday, End Lower for the Week
Rebounding from a two-week low, oil prices surged on Friday, according to Bloomberg MarketWatch. December West Texas Intermediate crude jumped by $1.41, or 2.6%, to settle at $56.55 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, ahead of the contract’s expiration at Monday’s settlement. January Brent crude, the global benchmark, gained $1.36, or 2.2%, to end trading …
Comedienne Goes Obscene in Letter-Writing Campaign Against Pruitt
Comedienne Samantha Bee might have reached a new low in the attack of environmentalists against EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. Angry over Pruitt’s decision to repeal the Clean Power Plan, she has started a campaign of letters filled with obscenities concluding with the sentence: “Samantha Bee is not a dumb whore.” On the TBS show “Full …
Railroad Work to Close US 81 in Chickasha on Monday
On Monday, highway U-S 81 in Chickasha will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for railroad work by Union Pacific Railroad. The site will be just north of US 62 and traffic will be detoured on US 62 to SH-92 to SH-37. The Transportation Department is reminding drivers to plan extra time for …
FCC Starts Reforms at Controversial Lifeline Phone Program
The Federal Communications Commission has started to reform the controversial Lifeline low-income subsidy program, a move applauded by U.S. Sen. James Lankford who had pushed for reforms for years. The FCC voted recently 3-2 to redefine who is eligible for the additional tribal subsidy through the Lifeline Program. The project helps low-income Americans including Native …
House Speaker Says Wrong Salaries Are Being Cut
The pay of the legislators who make the decisions directly affecting Oklahoma’s energy industry—–wind, coal, electricity and oil and gas—-is being cut. And at least one legislative leader doesn’t like it. The Legislative Compensation Board voted Thursday to reduce the salaries of legislators by 8.8% effective in November 2018. But House Speaker Charles McCall was …
Coal Mine Production Slips in Oklahoma
A new federal government report reveals U.S. coal production dropped nearly 19% in 2016 and the same decline was reflected in Oklahoma’s coal mining operations. U.S. production dropped 18.8% year-over-year to 728.4 million short tons, the lowest annual production level since 1979. The report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicated the number of mining …
City of Mustang Forced to Approve Well Drilling in City Limits
Despite concerns of some residents, the Mustang City Council could not deny a request by Citizen Energy to drill two wells in the city limits. As the Mustang Times reported, the council approved conditional use permits for wells near SW 59 and Frisco Road. “State law dictates city councils cannot deny them the ability to …
TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline Temporarily Shut Down in South Dakota Following Leak
Following a massive leak of more than 200,000 gallons of oil in Amherst, South Dakota, Calgary-based TransCanada shut down a portion of its 2,687-mile Keystone Pipeline, according to a company press release issued on Thursday morning. The leak was detected following a drop in pressure overnight. The affected area is located in Marshall County, an …







