A Colorado coal company on Friday made it official: It’s trying to undo all limits on mercury emissions of coal-fired power plants. “EPA cannot continue to regulate coal fired power plants under section 112 after finding that there is no necessary and appropriate basis for such regulation,” Westmoreland Mining wrote in a Friday court document outlining its …
August 2020 archive
Oil and gas industry in New Mexico says the Democrats plan to ban fracking would be devastating
You think the jobless lines in New Mexico’s oil and gas industry are long now? Some industry people contend those lines would be nothing compared to those that might happen if Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden and his vice presidential running mate Sen. Kamala Harris get their wish to ban fracking. It’s the claim …
Energy news in brief
** The fossil fuel industry lost about 118,000 jobs from March to July — a 15.5% drop in employment for the sector. ** Turkey says its natural gas find in the Black Sea will likely be followed by further discoveries, altering the geopolitics of energy trade in its region. “It’s just the beginning,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim …
Program to plug 400 abandoned oil field wells kicks off in North Dakota
The state of North Dakota has launched a plan to plug hundreds of abandoned oil and gas wells in the state, a move that will keep nearly 1,000 oilfield workers employed through the rest of the year. An estimated 2,000 acres of oil infrastructure, gravel well pads and roads will also be returned to …
Noble Energy shareholders to decide $13 billion Chevron merger in October meeting
Shareholders of Noble Energy, Inc. are being asked to take part in a special meeting in October to approve the pending $13 billion combination with Chevron Corporation. Noble announced the meeting will be Friday, October 2 at 10 a.m. Central Time. Friday, August 21 was the record date for shareholders entitled to vote at …
Hundreds suffer water cutoffs in Amarillo after resumption following COVID-19 suspension
Sections The city of Amarillo, Texas has resumed water cutoffs after suspending them in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic and already more than 300 customers have lost their water this month. The Amarillo Globe-News reported that since Aug. 1, the city disconnected 345 water accounts for nonpayment. David Henry, the city’s communications manager, …
Midland-Odessa, Texas area shaken by earthquakes
The residents of Midland and Odessa, Texas were shaken early Monday morning by a 3.2 magnitude earthquake, following an earlier quake Sunday evening. Reports indicate the 3.2 shaker happened at 5:45 a.m. and struck in Midland County near the Ector and Midland County line. A 2.4 magnitude quake was recorded Sunday night, around 6 …
Nearly 58% of Gulf off-shore oil production shut down by storms
Offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico were evacuated well before Hurricane Marco hit the coast on Sunday. Reports indicated that as a result of Marco and threatening Tropical Storm Laura, energy operators had shut down nearly 58% or 1.07 million bbl/d of offshore crude production in the Gulf of Mexico. Also, …
Companies realize benefits of working remotely during pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has taught companies worldwide one thing—their employees can work remotely. And in many cases perhaps more efficiently. It largely depends on whether it is office work or field work. To some employees, it is clear that working at home remotely can make them more efficient without the usual office interruptions. Many workers …
Three indicted in OKC on oil royalty scam charges
An Oklahoma City federal grand jury has indicted three men on charges of diverting royalty proceeds to fictitious companies. One of the men, Casey Jobe of Edmond was a former division order analyst at Continental Resources. He along with Anthony Hilbers of Edmond and Brandon Colbert of Oklahoma City were named in the …