October 2023 archive

Empire Petroleum launches 2023-2024 drilling program in North Dakota

  Empire Petroleum Corporation announced this week the start of its 2023-2024 drilling program with the spud of a new well at its North Dakota asset in the Starbuck Field. “Yesterday, we spudded our first well in North Dakota marking the beginning of redevelopment plans aimed at unlocking significant opportunities across all of Empire Petroleum’s …

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Crude oil dropped again following Saudi Arabia’s pledge during war in Israel

Wednesday brought another day of tumbling crude oil prices as they slipped 2% while investors gained a little more confidence that supplies won’t be disrupted by the fighting in Israel and Gaza. Plus, OPEC producer Saudi Arabia’s pledge to stablize the market eased some of the worries. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, dropped $2.48 …

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New leadership chosen for Oklahoma Broadband governing board

The Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board has elected Dr. Jim Meek to serve as its chair and Amanda Mullins as its vice chair. The board selected Meek and Mullins by unanimous votes at its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 10. The pair will lead the nine-member board as it oversees expansion of reliable and affordable high-speed internet service throughout the state. Meek, of Okmulgee, is an appointee …

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Panasonic EV battery plant deal for Oklahoma still up in the air

Nearly six months after Pansonic Holdings Corporation reportedly stated it considered  construction of a new battery factory in Oklahoma, there has been no public movement or discussion on the topic. Kyodo News reported in April of this year that Panasonic, the company that chose Kansas for the site of a $4 billion battery plant following …

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Phillips 66 CEO defends company ties to Qatar

  The deadly and brutal attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel last weekend had Phillips 66 CEO Mark Lashier doing some quick defense of his company’s ties to Qatar. The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported Lashier made his comments as guest speeaker at the Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce forum. “I’m not an expert on politics, but …

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Wyoming legislators fight BLM takeover of millions of acres of state land

  Wyoming legislators are considering legislation to stand up in defiance of the Biden administration’s proposed plan to put 3.6 million acres of land in the state off-limits. The Bureau of Land Management plan resulted in sizzling opposition among legislators who have drawn up their response in the form of legislation that would prohibit state …

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Devon Energy allowed to move ahead with Louisiana lawsuit

  A Louisiana federal judge has ruled in support of Devon Energy in a lawsuit against Texas Pacific Oil Company. The case involved settlement by Devon of a separate lawsuit of which TP Oil was not a party but was a beneficiary. The original suit was filed by Wichita Partnership, Ltd. against Apache Corporation and …

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Short reads

** The White House is standing by President Biden’s statement earlier this year that climate change poses the largest threat to humanity, even as thousands of people have been killed or wounded after a radical Iran-backed terrorist group unleashed violence across Israel over the weekend. **  Navigator CO2 Ventures announced Tuesday that it is putting on hold …

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How Israeli war could affect Strategic Petroleum Reserve

  The nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the one drained by President Biden in an effort last year to lower nationwide gasoline prices, is in an even brighter spotlight because of the attack by Hamas on Israel and the declared war. Crude oil prices surged on Monday, then lowered slightly on Tuesday. Both Brent crude, the …

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Supreme Court turns aside Oklahoma challenge of social cost of greenhouse gas emissions

  A challenge by Oklahoma and eleven other Republican-led states to the Biden administration’s use of estimates for the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions in the issuance of regulations was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court turned away the appeal and did so without explanation or any published dissent. As a result, …

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