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Government’s Objection Brings Merger of Halliburton and Baker Hughes to a Halt
The $28 billion dollar merger between Halliburton and Baker Hughes, both headquartered in Houston was cancelled Sunday. The Securities and Exchange Commission was notified early Monday by the two companies after the Justice Department filed a civil complaint April 6 to stop the merger, claiming it would create a company so large that it would …
Quakes Rattle Southern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma While Scientists say Reduced Disposal Well Plans are Working
Even as early Sunday-morning earthquakes rattled southern Kansas and parts of northern Oklahoma, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey indicated they believe there will be fewer earthquakes in the region due to steps taken to curtail wastewater injection well use in both states. The prediction comes form Justin Rubinstein, a seismologist and deputy chief …
Bakken Blamed for Reversal in World’s Ethane Emissions
A discovery by scientists now blames North Dakota’s Bakken Shale formation for contribution 2 percent of the entire world’s ethane output. The formation, which also stretches into parts of Montana is being blamed, according to some reports for reversing a decades-long decline in global ethane emissions, according to a recent report in the Washington …
Rig Counts Slide in Oklahoma and across the Nation
Both the U.S. and Oklahoma rig counts suffered losses in the past week, according to the latest data released by Baker Hughes Company of Houston. Oklahoma suffered a loss of three more rigs, reaching a total count of 60 working oil and gas rigs. Nationally, the count dropped by eleven, reaching a …
Major Traffic Headaches Coming for OKC’s I-235 Drivers
State Transportation Commissioners will meet Monday to consider the single largest contract in the history of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Commissioners are expected to vote on approval of an $81 million contract with possible financial incentives for the project to reconstruct and widen I-235 and replace the NW 50th Street and BNSF railroad …
Tulsa Federal Judge Tosses Challenge to Merger of Williams Cos. and Energy Transfer Equity
Tulsa Federal Judge Gregory Frizzell has tossed a legal challenge filed against the merger of the Williams Companies, Inc. and Energy Transfer Equity of Dallas, Texas. The judge ruled against John Bumgarner, a Williams company retiree who was a senior vice president of planning and development for the company. He contended that statements made at the …
Small Earthquakes Spark Fracking Probe in Pennsylvania
While it’s become routine in Oklahoma to wonder about the connection between earthquakes and fracking sites, Pennsylvania has launched an investigation into a recent similar occurrence. The quakes that occurred around a fracking site in western Pennsylvania measured only 1.9 magnitude. But now the Pennsylvania Department of environmental Protection has started an investigation to …
Legislator calls Corporation Commission vote a “catastrophe”
One of those critical of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s decision to allow OG&E install a $500,000 scrubber at its coal-fired power plant at Red Rock is Rep. Richard Morrissette. The Oklahoma City Democrat is also a candidate for Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy’s seat and called the recent Commission vote a “catastrophe.” “For this state and …
Corporation Commissioners Defend Controversial Approval of OGE Coal Plant Plan
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s controversial decision allowing OG&E to install a $500,000 scrubber on its coal-fired Sooner Power Plant at Red Rock is being called a “catastrophe” by critics and a forced decision by “Big Brother” by one commissioner. It took only 8 minutes for the Commission to meet and make the decision, one …
Armed Services Committee Votes Against Protection for Greater Sage Grouse
The U.S. House Armed Services Committee, including Oklahoma Representatives Steve Russell and Jim Bridenstine turned back a move by a Democratic Representative to strip part of a national defense spending bill that included exemption of protection for the greater sage-grouse on military lands. The vote was 27-35 against removing the limits as part of …