The turmoil over crude oil production in Venezuela following the U.S. capture of leader Nicolas Maduro last weekend sent prices up more than 3% on Thursday. Oklahoma energy stocks soared with the oil prices. While President Trump prepares to meet Friday with American oil and gas leaders to discuss restoration of the Venezuelan energy industry, …
January 8, 2026 archive
Geothermal Power development to include New Mexico
New Mexico is one of 13 states to be part of a national effort to expand geothermal power for the nation’s electric power grid. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) launched the new, 13-state effort to expand the use of firm, flexible geothermal power on the nation’s grid. Led by the National Association …
Weather satellites to be subject of Congressional hearing
While Oklahoma experienced severe weather, including tornado warnings this week, a U.S. House committee announced plans to hold a hearing to examine the role of the nation’s weather satellite architecture in supporting national security. The announcement by Rep. Brian Babin, Chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee said the hearing will review how …
Fermi leaders not phased by loss of major AI investor at Amarillo
Weeks after former Texas Gov. and U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry and his billionaire partner Toby Neugebauer experienced a loss of a prospective major investor in their effort to build world’s largest private energy grid and AI campus at Amarillo, Texas, they are busy pushing ahead with the project. They call their company Fermi …
Invenergy at work for Oklahoma Panhandle wind power project
Steps are underway for the development of Oklahoma’s latest windfarm, a 300-turbine project in the Panhandle. Filings by the Southwest Power Pool indicated the States Edge Energy Center is a proposed 2-gigawatt wind energy project in Cimarron County and Texas County. The Invenergy project would be located between Guymon and Boise City. “States Edge …
Non-profit sues to stop Sand Springs data center project
A proposed data center in Sand Springs has led to a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit group, Protect Sand Springs Alliance. The organization announced it had filed a lawsuit (CV-2026-00002) in Osage County District Court in an effort to stop the project that will be considered by the Sand Springs city planning commission later …
Will rains ease growing drought in Oklahoma?
Just as the latest report showed growing dryness across Oklahoma, there’s hope this week’s thunderstorms might have brought some relief. The U.S. Drought Monitor showed a nearly 5% increase in the category of “abnormally dry” areas of the state. Much of the increase was recorded in the southwest and the southcentral regions of Oklahoma. …
Energy Brief: Policy, Power and Global Energy Moves
Policy and Regulation ** The Trump administration filed a lawsuit seeking to block natural gas hookup and appliance restrictions in two California cities, arguing the local rules violate a 1975 federal law. Power Generation and Grid ** An Anschutz Corporation subsidiary proposed a 2,000 MW gas generation facility in southern Wyoming to complement the nearby …
Battery storage project rejected in Kansas county
As Oklahoma sees a battery energy storage system under development near Enid, a similar project has been rejected by Sale County Commissioners in central Kansas. The Battery Energy Storage System proposed by Plus Power, a company headquartered in Houston, Texas, had originally won unanimous approval from the county’s planning board but county commissioners on a …