May 2024 archive

Oil and gas rig totals fall again across Oklahoma and the U.S.

  The nation’s oil and gas rig numbers took another decline in the past week and included a fall for the number of rigs in Oklahoma. Baker Hughes reported on Friday Oklahoma’s count dropped by two rigs, leaving 43 active oil and gas rigs. It compares to 51 rigs reported a year ago. Nationally, the …

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Mullin raises concern about lack of Air Force commitment to Vance Air Force Base

  The nation’s Air Force leaders got an earful of questions and complaints about its Air Bases in Oklahoma from Sen. Markwayne Mullin during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. As a member of the committee, he questioned witnesses during a  hearing held by the Airland Subcommittee as members explored Air Force modernization in review …

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US House to take up FAA reauthorization act after Senate voted for approval

  The U.S. House is expected this week to take up the Senate-approved federal aviation bill, one supported by Oklahoma U.S. Senators James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin. The Senate voted Thursday to pass the reauthorization bill which will renew authority for the agency for the next five years. Lankford and Mullin were among the 88 …

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Ascent takes on natural gas price slump and proves strong

  Oklahoma City’s Ascent Resources Utica Holdings appears to be one of the nation’s natural gas producers that hasn’t been greatly impacted by the slump in national gas prices. The company revealed its first quarter financial report showing $86 million in net income and $218 million in adjusted net income, results that Ascent Chairman and …

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Attorneys General oppose government’s new appliance rules

  Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has joined other state attorneys general in a comment letter opposing the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) direct final rule that will prescribe energy conservation standards for appliances, including refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers and freezers. The fight against the Energy Department did not include Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond who has been actively …

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Energy briefs

** Former President Donald Trump is more than happy to fulfill the oil and gas industry’s wish list if he’s reelected — but he has an asking price. Trump reportedly solicited top oil and gas executives to give $1 billion for his campaign to return to the White House, vowing in return to undo many of President Joe Biden’s …

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Crude oil traders wonder if prices will rebound after Friday’s $1 drop

Not only did crude oil prices take a dollar-a-barrel slide in Friday’s trading but Oklahoma energy stocks recorded losses for the day. It came after U.S. central bank leaders indicated higher-for-longer interest rates, an action that could slow demand from the world’s leading crude consumers. West Texa Intermediate crude dropped $1 or 1.3% to settle …

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Attorney General sacks State Treasurer’s legal counsel in energy discrimination lawsuit

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond obviously didn’t like the ruling by an Oklahoma County District Court judge regarding the lawsuit filed against the state treasurer over enforcement of the state’s energy discrimination elimination Act. He fired the hand-picked attorneys who represented Treasurer Todd Russ in the lawsuit filed by state retiree Don Keenan who challenged …

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Crude oil prices made gains on Thursday reaching highest levels since late April

Information that suggests there could be increasing fuel demand from the U.S. and China on Thursday led to gains in crude oil prices. Analysts felt the gains would have been stronger had it not been for energy data also showing gasoline and diesel demand last week was the weakest since the 2020 coronavirus epidemic. West …

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State regulators are told their agency is clean when it comes to competitive bidding

  The State Auditor’s recent audit that found alleged competitive bidding violations because of policies at the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services was the topic of discussion at Thursday’s Oklahoma Corporation Commission meeting. What Commissioners Todd Hiett and Bob Anthony learned was their state agency is in full compliance with the Oklahoma Purchasing Act and …

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