The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has launched a campaign to attract private firms interested in helping with the state’s federally-funded well plugging program. In a recent announcement, the Commission explained that the state issued a “new solicitation” for those interested in becoming part of the program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In the …
Corporation commissioners stick to state’s Open Meeting Act
Theoretically, if two of Oklahoma’s three Corporation Commissioners hold even an informal gathering where issues at hand are discussed, it is considered an illegal meeting. Such is the case in point raised last week during the contentious public discussion prior to the commission’s 2-1 vote in favor of approving nearly $6.6 billion in fuel …
Fatigue crack blamed for massive oil spill on Keystone pipeline in Kansas
The formal determination of the cause of the Keystone Pipeline leak that flooded 500,000 gallons of crude oil into a Kansas creek last December was announced Friday by operator TC Energy. “The primary cause of the rupture was a progressive fatigue crack that originated at a girth weld connecting a manufactured elbow fitting to …
PSO promotes fuel-free power program along with Earth Day
Public Service Company of Oklahoma boasted on Earth Day over the weekend that its $2.4 billion renewable energy plan involving the acquisition of three solar farms and three more wind-farm operations will reduce customers bills. In taking note of Earth Day, the utility said its proposed Fuel-Free Power Plan will more than double its …
Sputtering investigations into winter storm costs
Depending on how you look at it, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s “handling” or “mishandling” of the 2021 Winter Storm Uri costs and how they are being passed along to consumers, is similar to how Texas authorities took care of the situation. Vows to get to the bottom of things were at best, not kept. …
OGE adds more workers to restore power lost in tornadoes
The tornadoes and severe weather that hit central Oklahoma in the past week left so much extensive damage that Oklahoma Gas & Electric increased its number of crews to 2,800 to help restore power. By Friday night, about 60% of customer power had been restored from a peak of 23,000 that lost power Wednesday …
Williams and other firms make $9 million settlement over air pollution
Tulsa’s Williams Companies was one of three companies reaching a more than $9 million settlement with the federal government for air pollution at gas processing plants and compressor stations. Williams and MPLX LP and WES DJ Gathering LLC fka Kerr-McGee Gathering L agreed to pay a combined $9.25 million in civil penalties and make improvements …
Oil and gas rig activity rebounds in Oklahoma and the nation
For the first time in a month, the nation’s oil and gas rig count rebounded as did the number of active rigs in Oklahoma in the past reported Baker Hughes Co. on Friday. Oklahoma saw a gain of one rig to reach 56 total. A year ago, there were 51 rigs in the state. …
Fast energy reads
** The Biden administration is planning to announce strict carbon limits on existing and future power plants for the first time — plants which currently generate 60 percent of America’s electricity.Three people briefed on the administration’s plans told the New York Times that under the EPA’s new rules, almost all coal and gas-fired power plants would have to cut …
Biden creates new Environmental Justice office
Environmental justice for all—it’s what President Biden said was the goal of the executive order he signed on Friday creating a new office of Environmental Justice within the White House. The order requires federal agencies to notify communities of toxic substances are released from a federal facility. “This is about people’s health. It’s about …
