** British oil major BP plans to write down up to $17.5 billion in assets after oil prices collapsed during the coronavirus pandemic. The supermajor said the value of the company’s assets is expected to fall by as much as $17.5 billion during the second quarter, when coronavirus-related travel restrictions plunged demand for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. ** A drilling revival may …
$2 million asbestos cleanup to begin at vacant Tulsa building
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the City of Tulsa are partnering to clean up asbestos in the Abundant Life Building also known as the Diamond Building at 1720 S. Boulder Ave. in Tulsa. The Abundant Life Building was constructed in 1957 as the international headquarters of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association, Inc. …
Net metering fight goes before FERC
A petition in front of federal regulators to effectively overturn net metering policies nationwide faced overwhelming bipartisan opposition on Monday from state regulators, members of Congress, public power groups and others. Though several utilities filed to intervene on the petition, including Pacific Gas and Electric, Xcel Energy and Duke Energy, none filed comments by the June 15 deadline, …
Fight develops over national forest mining road in Colorado
A fight has grown over a coal company’s bulldozing of nearly one mile of a new road into the Gunnison National Forest east of Montrose, Colorado. Mountain Coal Company has bulldozed about a mile of new road into the Gunnison National Forest’s Sunset Roadless Area barely two months after a federal court ruling that …
Small refineries await an EPA decision on waivers
The Environmental Protection Agency has yet to act on a petition filed by small oil refineries hoping to get waivers from this year’s Renewable Fuel Standard mandates. The Wynnewood Refinery is one of those that lost a Denver federal appeals court decision earlier this year and at last word, the company still had the …
Prosperity Hub to create new jobs in Lawton
Intuit, the California company that launched a Prosperity Hub program promising 3,000 jobs in the U.S. is bringing the program to Lawton, Oklahoma. Working with the Sitel Group, the two plan to create at least 75 new jobs in the southern Oklahoma region. Intuit Inc., maker of TurboTax, QuickBooks and Mint, announced its Prosperity Hub …
ONE GAS honored for safety record
For the third year in a row, Tulsa-based ONE Gas has been awarded the Safety Achievement Award for Excellence in Employee Safety by the American Gas Association for exemplary employee and vehicular safety. ONE Gas’ safety scores place the company among the safest of all natural gas distribution companies nationwide. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ONE …
Gasoline prices continue rising in Oklahoma and the rest of the country
The growing demand by Americans for more gasoline is sending gasoline prices upward as the nation rushes to free itself from the lockdown caused by the coronavirus. Oklahoma gasoline prices rose 6 cents a gallon in the past week to reach a new average of $1.82 according to AAA Oklahoma. A week ago, the …
Arkansas regulators rule against Entergy in solar power rate case
The Arkansas Public Service Commission has refused to approve a plan by Entergy to charge a special rate for power generated by a new solar power facility. The growing solar power industry saw it as a blow to their business according to the Arkansas Business report. They recently won a PSC order, over Entergy objections, preserving a special rate …
More jobs at risk in Oklahoma
While the oil and gas industry has lost 100,000 jobs this year, other industries are suffering too. The Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development reports that The Children’s Place will be closing 300 stores nationwide. Oklahoma has 8 stores in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton and Ardmore. It’s unclear if any of the 8 will be among …