Crude oil prices grew by $1 a barrel in Thursday’s trading and Oklahoma energy stocks recorded a strong day with some firms seeing 8% and 9% gains. The oil price jump came after figures showed U.S. consumer prices unexpectedly dropped in December, presumably by optimism over China’s demand outlook. West Texas intermediate crude for …
January 2023 archive
Water contamination lawsuit against oil and gas company remains alive in OKC federal court
An Edmond couple who sued Houston-based Apache Corporation, blaming its oil and gas operations for polluting their water wells recently lost some of their challenges in Oklahoma City Federal Court. But the lawsuit by Kindall and Andrew Donehue is still alive, based on decisions by U.S. Chief District Court Judge Anthony DeGuisti. The judge’s …
Delegation votes to reverse Biden administration’s dangerous course of action
The US House on Thursday voted overwhelmingly in support of a resolution making it clear the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve should be protected from China and oil from the Reserve should not be sold to the Communist country. All five Oklahomans in the House supported H.R. 22- the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from …
North Dakota sues to end freeze on federal oil lease sales
The state of North Dakota went to court to sue the U.S. government and the Biden administration for freezing oil lease sales on federal lands. North Dakota contends the freeze resulted in a loss for the state of nearly $9 million a month from canceled leases reported Inforum. Click here for Inforum
Evergy blames renewable energy additions and inflation for higher capital expenditures
Capital expenditure plans by Evergy, the largest electricity utility in Kansas, grew more than $1 billion and the giant company blames inflation as well as the addition of more renewable energy. It could result in higher electricity rates this year in Kansas reported the Kansas Reflector. Click here for Kansas Reflector
Nebraska senators target state’s largest utilities with bill to ban solar and wind farms
Two State Senators in Nebraska filed a bill this week to block the state’s largest electric utilities from constructing or acquiring renewable energy operations or using eminent domain to carry out the acquisitions. The Senators represent most of the Nebraska Panhandle as well as part of the Sandhills in the northern part of the …
New Mexico regulator quits after only a few weeks on the job
Whoops. Looks like New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham didn’t do a deep enough exploration of whether one of her appointees to the state’s Public Regulation Commission was qualified. Brian Moore resigned this week after admitting he lacked the required education qualifications reported the Albuquerque Journal. Click here for Albuquerque Journal
Oklahoma’s General Revenue Fund collections are still growing
A new report shows Oklahoma’s General Revenue Fund collections in the first half of the 2023 Fiscal Year gained more than 13% compared to the previous year. The report by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services indicated collections in December totaled $767.6 million, an amount that was $78.3 million or 11.4% more than …
Headlines of more stories
** Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., filed a bill Wednesday that would require Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his staff to fly commercial until a Southwest Airlines debacle and a Federal Aviation Administration computer glitch that caused thousands of flight cancelations Wednesday were fully investigated and resolved. ** A Colorado dentist accused of setting a fire that damaged …
Kratos picks up contract for new hypersonic Air Force missile
Kratos, the drone maker that created a plant in Oklahoma City a few years ago, added another feather in its hat this week when its Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Division won a contract for production of parts for a new hypersonic missile for the Air Force. The new experimental missile will be capable …