March 2020 archive

Oil hovers near $20 a barrel hitting an 18-year low

  A day after slipping closer to the $20 a barrel mark, oil prices gained slightly but still are devastating to the industry in Oklahoma, Texas and other states. Internationally, oil prices reached their lowest level since November 2002. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 39 cents in Tuesday’s trading before closing at $20.48 a barrel, …

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Developer moves ahead with Keystone XL Pipeline

  Despite the dramatic decline of oil prices and the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic, TC Energy Corporation is going ahead with construction of the nearly $8 billion Keystone XL pipeline project. “We appreciate the ongoing backing of landowners, customers, Indigenous groups and numerous partners in the U.S. and Canada who helped us secure …

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Downturn caused by virus leaves frac miners struggling for survival

  The frac sand mining industry in Minnesota and Wisconsin was already struggling before the coronavirus-related downturn made matters worse. Frac sand miner Jordan Sands in North Mankato, Minnesota was pushed into receivership recently after its banker declared a loan default. A few months earlier, Minnesota’s largest frac sand producer by far, the Kasota mine …

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Nebraska ethanol maker to suspend production in April, citing plummeting fuel demand

Nebraska-based Siouxland Ethanol is shutting its operations because of the low demand for the corn-based fuel additive in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Located in Jackson, Nebraska the company posted a “special alert” on its website this week, predicting U.S. ethanol production would have to be slashed by 50 percent before production could be …

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Southwest parks a lot of its planes

  Instead of flying from one major city to another in the U.S., Southwest airliners are being parked by the dozens, a result of a large drop in customers afraid to fly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. CEO Gary Kelly announced this week the airline is not only parking more planes, but is considering early …

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Pandemic forces Tallgrass Energy to hold virtual shareholders meeting

  Tallgrass Energy, LP in Kansas City, a major pipeline operator that carries crude to Cushing, Oklahoma announced it intends to hold a virtual upcoming shareholders meeting rather than one in person. The company announced it was due to the public health impact of the coronavirus pandemic and out of concern for the company’s employees …

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State’s revenue taking huge hit by low oil prices

  One Oklahoma energy expert is telling the Tulsa World that the fallen oil prices have resulted in the state losing $27 million a month compared to five weeks ago in energy production taxes. “It’s going to be tough,” said Tom Seng, director of the School of Energy Economics, Policy and Commerce at the University …

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U.S Department of Energy Names PSO a 2020 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year

  Efforts to protect the environment through energy efficiency have earned Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year designation. Each year, the DOE’s ENERGY STAR program honors a group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy …

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Energy news in brief

** EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler pressed state governors to designate drinking water and wastewater employees as “essential workers” during the novel coronavirus pandemic. ** Legislation sending just under $400,000 to a state board to use to kill problem wolves in Idaho has been signed into law by Gov. Brad Little (R). ** The Supreme Court determined oil refiner …

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Echo Energy remains out of new headquarters in OKC

An early victim to the coronavirus pandemic, Oklahoma City-based Echo Energy remains out of its newly-acquired offices at the former glass-enhanced 10-story office tower originally built as an expansion of SandRidge Energy. Leadership of the company just moved into the renamed Ziggurat located at 120 Robert S. Kerr Ave. in downtown Oklahoma City in early …

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