Recovering from Monday’s stumble and buoyed by new government data anticipating a rise to $50 a barrel by next year, oil futures turned the corner on Tuesday to recoup recent losses, according to Bloomberg MarketWatch. June West Texas Intermediate crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $1.22, or 2.8%, to end trade at $44.66 …
Category: General
USGS Studies Show Water Contamination from Wastewater Disposal Site
The U.S. Geological Survey has released studies that for the first time show water-quality impacts directly due to what it called an unconventional oil and gas wastewater deep well injection disposal site. Two recent studies were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Missouri and Duke University. They indicated the presence of …
OIPA Comments on Legislative Activity
Oklahoma’s largest oil and gas advocacy group is concerned that energy legislation is pending with less than three weeks remaining in the state’s 2016 legislative session. House Bill 2177 was introduced in February 2015 by House Speaker Jeff Hickman (R-Fairview). A carryover from last year’s session, HB 2177 provides for an alternate development method to …
State House Speaker Agrees—-It’s Time to Cut CNG Tax Credit
Oklahoma Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman (R-Fairview) agrees that the tax credit created several years ago to help the then-struggling CNG industry get off the ground in Oklahoma should be cut because of the state’s budget crisis. “I don’t think it will have a major impact,” said Rep. Hickman, in an interview with …
Three State Airports Share $800,000 in State Airport Grants
Improvements are expected to begin soon at various airports around the state because of $800,000 in grants from the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission. The grants for West Woodward Municipal Airport, Anadarko Municipal Airport and Clinton Municipal Airport come from the Commission’s three-year Capital Improvement Program or Construction Program. “Our local airports are gateways to the world …
DEQ Taking Comments or Requests for State Implementation Plan Under Clean Air Act
Oklahoma’s Department of Environmental Quality says it is taking public comments and any requests for a public hearing on a proposed Infrastructure State Implementation Plan under the Clean Air Act. The SIP is for the 2012 Primary Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standard. The DEQ will take requests for hearing until 10 …
Legislator Wants Study of New Turnpikes and Spending of Taxes
One Oklahoma legislator wants a new study on the viability of new turnpikes in the state. Rep. Lewis Moore, R-Edmond wants the study done on turnpikes, the distribution of motor fuel taxes, motor vehicle taxes and what he calls an end to the “cross pledging” of turnpikes “so we can keep the original promise to …
Rig Counts Across U.S. and Oklahoma Fell Again
Oklahoma’s oil and gas rig count fell by 3 in the past week while the nation’s count slipped by 5, according to the latest figures from Baker Hughes Company. Oklahoma’s decline left the state with a count of 57 working oil and gas rigs. Nationwide, the count fell to 415, down 479 from a year …
Sen. Lankford Tells Feds It’s Time to Remove Beetle from Endangered Species Act
Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford has joined the call for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist the American Burying Beetle from the Endangered Species Act. In a letter to Director Daniel Ashe, the Senator argued the presence of the beetle and its protected status has a “real impact on local economies and infrastructure …
Senate Committee Cuts Tax Credits in Two Energy-Related Bills
Two energy-related bills are among several approved by the Oklahoma Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget as the legislature gets serious about resolving the $1.3 billion budget shortfall. One goes after tax credits meant to help Oklahoma’s CNG industry. Senate Bill 1581 limits the amount of tax credits for investment in clean-burning motor fuel …