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Senator Accuses Clean Power Plan Opponents of Running Propaganda Machine
While Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe is well known for his stands against some of the Environmental Protection Agency and its Clean Power Plan, Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is making his own charges against Clean Power Plan opponents. He’s accusing them of running a well-oiled “propaganda machine” that he claims is supported by …
New Drilling Rules in Pennsylvania Likely to Affect Oklahoma Firms Drilling in the State
In a move that will directly affect Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf struck down efforts to create tougher regulations of the oil and gas drilling industry in the Marcellus Shale region of the state. It’s where Chesapeake has nearly made its home for the past several years, becoming a major player …
Breitling Energy CEO Hit with SEC Lawsuit Accusing him of Misspending $80 million
A Dallas energy company executive stands accused of defrauding investors of nearly $80 million, money he allegedly spend on private jets, personal escorts and gentleman’s clubs. The Securities and Exchange Commission, in the filing of a lawsuit in Dallas accused Chris Faulkner of spending at least $30 million to “maintain a lifestyle of decadence and …
Judge Rules ETE has Right to End Merger with Williams Cos.
A judge in Delaware has ruled against the efforts of Tulsa-based Williams Companies to continue with a $38 billion merger with Energy Transfer Equity of Dallas, Texas. Delaware Judge Sam Glasscock issued a 62-page opinion and denied the request of Williams to prevent ETE from ending the proposed merger over the lack of a needed …
State and ConocoPhillips Reach $3.7 million Settlement in Double Dipping Lawsuit
Accused in lawsuits of profiting from pollution, ConocoPhillips has agreed to a $3.7 million settlement with the State of Oklahoma. The agreement was signed this week and in it, ConocoPhillips admitted to no wrongdoing nor liability, according to documents obtained by OK Energy Today. The agreement ended a 2013 lawsuit filed by the State accusing …
AG Mum about Impact of VW Scam Settlement
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has yet to say whether the offer by Volkswage to pay more than $10 billion to settle claims in the emissions cheating scandal will apply to the lawsuit he recently filed in Oklahoma City federal court. A request by OK Energy Today for a comment from Pruitt’s spokesman was not …
Another Plains All American Pipeline Spill in California
The latest oil pipeline spill along the Pacific coast of California again involves Plains all American Energy, the same firm whose pipeline resulted in a grand jury indictment over alleged lax operations. This time the spill involved about 29,000 gallons of crude oil near Ventura, California but the oil did not reach the beach. However, …
Law Firms Across the Nation Hail the Judge’s Decision on Fracking in Wyoming
Law firms across the U.S. are hailing a Wyoming federal judge’s ruling that struck down the Obama administration’s fracturing rules as a huge win for the oil and gas industry. The U.S. District judge ruled the U.S. Department of the Interior had no legal authority to involve itself in creating fracking control rules on federal …
Oklahoma and the U.S. Drop Rig Counts
Rig counts for the U.S. and Oklahoma fell over the past week with Oklahoma losing four and the national count dropping by three, according to data released by Baker Hughes Company of Houston, Texas. Oklahoma’s count slipped to 54 compared to the 105 oil and gas rigs the state had one year ago this week. …
Senator Inhofe and Others to Hold EPA Accountable on Enforcement of Rules
Coming this week in Washington, D.C.—–a hearing by a U.S. Senate subcommittee into the EPA’s enforcement and compliance programs. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S,.D.) will chair the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight hearing on June 29. The official hearing is called “Oversight of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency …