State figures for Oklahoma travelers have yet to be released but the Transportation Security Administration believes it will likely screenmore than 18.5 million travelers at the nation’s airport security checkpoints during the approaching Fourth of July holiday. The TSA said this year’s projection includes Tuesday, July 1, through Monday, July 7, with the highest …
June 2025 archive
Another lithium refiner gets nod for royalty rate by Arkansas regulators
Arkansas regulators approved this week a lithium royalty rate for a second lithium refining operator. It was a unanimous approval of a 2.5% rate by the Arkansas Public Service Commission for ExxonMobilsubsidiary Saltwerx. Last month, regulators approved a similar rate for the joint venture by Standard Lithium and Equinor. ExxonMobil called the approval …
Iowa Governor’s veto of anti-carbon pipeline bill apparently won’t be overriden
It appears advocates for a tough law targeting eminent use by a carbon pipeline proposed in Iowa don’t have enough support to override the governor’s veto of the measure. There is enough support in the Iowa House for a special legislative session but not in the Senate to counter the veto by Gov. Kim …
Broadband board meeting moved to June 30
The Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board will hold a Special Meeting at 10:15 a.m. on Monday, June 30, in the Commission Room of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, 200 NE 21st St., Oklahoma City. A previously scheduled meeting for Tuesday, June 24, at 4:00 p.m. at the same location was cancelled.
ERCOT leader confident of meeting summer electrical demands in Texas
As a heat dome hovers over the country, bringing 100 degree or greater temperatures, the head of ERCOT, the Texas grid, is confident it will be able to provide more than enough electricity to power air conditioners. ERCOT President Pablo Vegas also revealed in an interview that the grid has inspected more than 3,000 …
Energy briefs
** The U.S. Supreme Court rules that petroleum producers have standing to sue California over its vehicle emissions rules, saying the firms would be harmed by a gasoline car phaseout. ** Two large California oil refineries are shutting down, triggering mounting concerns from state legislators, industry groups and many others. The Phillips 66 and Valero’s Benicia …
New Mexico sues Air Force over ‘forever’ chemicals
“Forever” chemicals in existence at an Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico have led to a lawsuit againt the military by the state of New Mexico. The New Mexico Environment Department and New Mexico Department of Justice announced this week they had filed a new lawsuit ordering the U.S. Department of the Air …
Scott Mitchell talks energy with Jerry Bohnen—crude oil prices after US bombers attack Iran
The deadly exchange of missiles and bombs between Iran and Israel and the weekend decision by President Trump to use bunker busting bombs have affected crude oil prices. Which way might they go? It’s what Scott Mitchell talks energy with Jerry Bohnen about in today’s podcast.
Crude oil prices plunged as US waited for Iran’s response to bombing attack
Iran’s weak response to the U.S. bombing attack on its nuclear weapons development operations came in the form Monday of missiles fired at a US airbase in Qatar while crude oil prices fell 6% with no apparent interruption of the flow of oil out of the Middle East. No casualties were reported in the missile …
Texas operator ordered to shut down well connected to earthquakes
When Oklahoma experienced months of earthquakes some years ago, state regulators had wastewater well operators to curtail or reduce their operations. Now Texas regulators are doing the same thing and recently targeted one specific company following earthquakes in the Permian Basin. The Texas Railroad Commission took steps last week against Blackbuck Resources, a company …