More Kansans Fear Increase in Quakes Due to Wastewater Injection Wells

Concerns over whether wastewater disposal wells will cause earthquakes prompted officials in Lawrence, Kansas to recently call on the state corporation commission to change its rules. The governments of Douglas County and Lawrence want changes to the state regulations after an energy company proposed to pump wastewater into wells in rural Eudora, according to a …

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Linn Energy Unloads $285 million in Assets to Focus on STACK and SCOOP

Houston-based Linn Energy Inc. likes to say it focuses its national drilling effort in the SCOOP and STACK in western Oklahoma and recently made its point with the $285 million sale of assets in the Williston Basin. The company sold its interest on Oct. 23 in nearly 20,000 net acres in North Dakota, South Dakota …

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State Senate Stuns Oil and Gas Industry—-Urges House to Raise Gross Production Taxes

In something of a surprise move, the Oklahoma Senate on Thursday approved a resolution urging the State House to raise gross production taxes on oil and gas wells as a way to resolve the state’s budget crisis. It drew an immediate rebuke from oil and gas groups. “The continued erosion of tax policy that has …

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Hacker Hits Corporation Commission Headquarters

Someone hacked into the computer system at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission this week leaving most computer services offline as of Thursday. The Commission was quick to indicate there was no compromise of sensitive data. “We detected an attack and have engaged the State CyberCommand and OMES staff to protect and restart the systems,” OMES spokeswoman …

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OCC to Hear PSO Rate Hike Request

A consortium of energy consumers in the state is preparing to go before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to fight a $150 million rate hike by Public Service Company of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers, a group of large energy users has filed testimony in response to PSO’s 28% base rate hike request. Tom Schroedter, executive …

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Study Links Wastewater Disposal Wells to Earthquakes in Colorado and New Mexico

Oklahoma isn’t the only place where scientists are linking wastewater disposal wells to earthquakes. Researchers at the University of Colorado’s Department of Geological Sciences are making the same new claim of recent earthquakes in what is called the Raton Basin located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. They contend the deep underground wells have …

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Activist Says Starting a Riot Was Justified to Protect the Environment

An American Indian activist charged with inciting a riot during the protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline claims he will use a “necessity defense” in justifying his civil disobedience last year. Chase Iron Eyes will take his argument before a judge on Nov. 3 after pleading not guilty to inciting a riot and criminal …

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Tracking Pipeline Vandalism

Days after Oklahoma Congressmen Frank Lucas and Markwayne Mullin and 78 others in the House expressed concern about the safety of America’s pipelines, a new database was released by Energy Builders that tracks criminal attacks on the energy infrastructure. Called the Energy Infrastructure Incident Reporting Center, the project’s unveiling came after members of the House …

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Inhofe Pleased With Senate Committee Approval of EPA Nominees

Oklahoma’s senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, praised the committee approval of four nominees for positions at the Environmental Protection Agency and the nomination of Paul Trombino III to be Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration, according to a press release issued Wednesday. “I am pleased …

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Van Crash Injures Several Halliburton Workers Near Calumet

At least five people were hurt Wednesday morning when a Halliburton van overturned and crashed on a Canadian County road. Reports by News 9 indicated eight people were in the van when it crashed around 6:20 a.m. near 164th and Calumet Road. The vehicle rolled several times. At least one of the injured was flown …

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