January 2021 archive

Enverus reports growth in oil and gas rigs in the US

The U.S. rig count increased slightly in the past week according the weekly review provided by Enverus Rig Analytics. The Austin, Texas company said its study of rig activity showed an increase of five to 431 as of Jan. 27. That represents a 9% increase over the past month. However, the number remains 48% below …

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GOP House members file bill against Presidential Permits with Canada and Mexico

  Oklahoma’s delegation in the US House along with 38 other Republican Representatives introduced a bill Thursday encouraging and promoting the construction of energy infrastructure across border lines with Canada and Mexico. The Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act was filed a week after President Biden cancelled the US permits allowing construction of the Canadian-based Keystone …

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Energy news in brief

** The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) was deployed Thursday night to the scene of a fatal chemical release at Prime Pak Foods in Gainesville, GA. According to initial reports, a release of liquid nitrogen led to six fatalities, nine others were transported to the hospital, with three in critical condition and six in …

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President’s nomination of New Mexico Congresswoman for Interior draws opposition

  President Biden’s anti fossil fuel industry moves have sparked opposition by Republicans in Congress to his nomination of New Mexico Democratic Congresswoman Deb Haaland to be the administration’s new Interior Department Secretary. Her confirmation hearing could be a bumpy one. GOP members are preparing to fight her nomination when she goes before the Senate …

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Energy group takes Biden to court over his oil and gas drilling ban

  At least one energy group isn’t giving up without a fight against President Biden’s banning of new oil and gas exploration on federal lands. The Western Energy Alliance went to federal court in Wyoming on Wednesday with a lawsuit against the order. The suit filed by the Denver, Colorado-based group claims Biden’s order exceeded …

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New Mexico faced with split congressional delegation over Biden’s freeze

  New Mexico’s congressional delegation is split over the actions of President Biden in targeting the oil and gas industry and freezing new drilling permits for federal lands. While one of the state’s U.S. Senators supports the actions, its freshmen Republican Rep. Yvette Herell who represents the region of New Mexico where the Permian Basin …

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Ovintiv reports two more large producers in Oklahoma’s STACK

        More completion reports filed this week show how Denver-based Ovintiv Mid-continent Inc still managed to find big producing wells in Oklahoma’s STACK play last year despite the massive slowdown industry-wide caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company reported two wells drilled on a single pad in Kingfisher County with combined production …

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Drilling permits on federal lands still approved despite Biden freeze

  Despite President Biden’s freeze of new drilling permits on federal lands, his administration still approved at least 31 new drilling permits including in the state of New Mexico. Bloomberg reported at least nine permits were granted by the Bureau of Land Management for wells in Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming. They went to Jonah …

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Dakota Access line lawyers told to prepare for next hearing in their legal fight

  A federal judge in Bismarck, North Dakota has taken back control of the legal fight over the Dakota Access oil pipeline after the D.C Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld his ruling to force the Army Corps of Engineers to do a full environmental impact review. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg set …

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Congresswoman Bice picked for House Armed Services Committee

  For now, newly-seated Oklahoma Congresswoman Stephanie Bice won’t be a member of any energy-related U.S. House Committee. Instead, she will serve on the House Armed Services Committee and is expected to be confirmed next week by the House Republican Conference. “I’m proud to represent the interests of Oklahoma’s Fifth District on the House Armed …

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