The delayed merger of Great Plains Energy Incorporated and Westar Energy, Inc. in Kansas City has been approved by both regulatory bodies in Kansas and Missouri. And the merger will create a company with a new name—Evergy, Inc. The Kansas Corporation Commission and the Missouri Public Service Commission approved the stock-for-stock merger of equals which …
National Public Works Week
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) praised the passage of S. Res. 528, a bipartisan resolution designating this week as National Public Works Week. The resolution encourages the public to recognize and celebrate the important contributions that public works officials make every day to improve public infrastructure in the United …
DEQ Hosting Tire and Scrap Metal Collection in Stroud
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality says a turnpike maintenance facility in Stroud will be a drop-off site for used tires, old pharmaceuticals and scrap metal on June 9th. The DEQ and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office are co-sponsoring the day of disposal. “Proper disposal is necessary because tire dumps and scrap metal piles may …
Demand for Diesel Fuel Grows as trucks Haul Oil out of Permian
A review of one sector of the energy exploration in the Permian Basin where several Oklahoma firms are active shows a growing demand for diesel to fuel the thousands of trucks in the area. One report indicated the diesel is not only for fueling the oil and gas rigs but the trucks moving oil as …
Federal Judge nominee faces criticism over his ties to Scott Pruitt
His relationship with Scott Pruitt and Oklahoma City’s Devon Energy prompted critical questions of Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Patrick Wyrick during his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing to be a federal judge. Democrats on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee were critical of Wyrick’s role in a 2014 incident where then-Attorney General Scott Pruitt used a Devon …
Anadarko and Delaware Nation to get EPA Financial Help
No dollar amount was revealed, but the Environmental Protection Agency announced this week it is offering assistance to help the Delaware Nation in Oklahoma under a Trump Administration plan to promote agriculture and rural prosperity. The assistance is through the Local Foods, Local Places initiative that helps communities reinvest in their neighborhoods and improve quality …
Memorial Day Weekend Gasoline Prices Continue Climbing
As we head into the long Memorial Day holiday weekend, gasoline prices continued to soar reaching a national average of $2.96 a gallon while Oklahoma drivers pay $2.70 per gallon of unleaded regular. AAA Oklahoma reports the Oklahoma average compares to $2.64 just a week ago and $2.47 a month ago. Lawton continues to have …
25 Wastewater Disposal Wells Affected by Latest Earthquake Directive from Corporation Commission
Two energy companies are those directly affected by this week’s Oklahoma Corporation Commission directive to shut down or drastically curtail wastewater well operations near Crescent following a series of recent earthquakes. They are Stephens Energy Group LLC based in Fort Smith, Arkansas and White Star Petroleum LLC headquartered in Oklahoma City. Stephens was under a …
$1.75 billion Cash Tender Offer Announced by ConocoPhillips
A cash tender offer totaling $1.75 billion in outstanding notes has been announced by ConocoPhillips. The Houston-based company with large operations in Oklahoma is offering to purchase a lengthy series of outstanding notes ranging from 2.4% up to 6.95%. The offer includes varying amounts for each of the different classes of notes. The tender offer …
ExxonMobil says its greenhouse gas reduction measures are working
ExxonMobil says its greenhouse gas reduction measures could lead to significant improvements in emissions performance over the next two years including a 15 percent drop in methane emissions and a 25 percent cut in flaring. Thanks to leak-detection-and-repair efforts designed by its partner, XTO Energy, methane emissions were cut by 2 percent in the past …