With temperatures expected to hit their highest level of the year on Tuesday, crews of Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Gas and Electric reported major progress in returning electrical power to thousands who lost it during the weekend severe weather. Efforts of rural electric cooperatives appeared to be going slowly. At mid-day …
Rep. Cole complains of Biden administration’s overregulation and overreach
Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole is targeting what he calls the “overreach, overregulation and red tape from the federal government.” In his weekly column, the Republican Representative said it’s what he heard constituents complaining of most during a trip back to the Fourth District. They told Cole how the crushing weight of the government isn’t …
Patterson-UTI expands again with latest merger
The recently announced $5.4 billion merger of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. will likely see an impact on Patterson’s operations throughout Oklahoma and the Mid-Continent region. The two firms announced last week to combine in an all-stock merger of equals transition, one that will create an industry leading drilling and completions …
Diesel fuel prices nearly a dollar cheaper than one year ago
Just as gasoline prices plunged 31% in the past year across the U.S., falling from more than $5 a gallon to about $3, so have diesel fuel prices paid by most truckers. The average price for a gallon of diesel fuel in Oklahoma was $3.44 as of Tuesday, two cents cheaper than a week …
Oil companies race to grab land for deep storage of carbon dioxide
The latest land grab by oil and gas companies? It’s the storage of carbon dioxide and the big energy giants are eager to lease land for deep storage of CO2. Just as Oklahoma farmers and ranchers experienced high dollar leases offered to them several years ago when the STACK and SCOOP plays gave birth …
Coterra Energy and the politics of drilling in Pennsylvania
The Houston oil and gas firm Coterra Energy is known in Oklahoma for its exploration in the Anadarko Basin. But it seems the company’s historic settlement made last fall to pay more than $16 million to build a public water line in Dimock, Pennsylvania has turned into a political football for Gov. Josh Shapiro. …
Oklahoma to use sale of carbon credits to plug abandoned wells
If former Vice President turned environmentalist Al Gore can buy carbon credits to offset his massive electricity use at his Tennessee mansion and his trips around the world, then perhaps the same maneuver can be used in the plugging of abandoned wells in Oklahoma. Sounds far fetched? Not really. As the Oklahoman reported this …
Lucas accuses Commerce Inspector General of revealing identity of a whistleblower
Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas and California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee have accused the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce of revealing the identity of a whistleblower. Lucas chairs the committee and with Lofgren, sent a letter to the Inspector General after the Committee …
Evergy backtracks on renewable energy efforts in Kansas and Missouri
Environmentalists in Kansas got something of a slap in the face this week as Evergy, the state’s largest electricity utility, revealed a cutback in clean energy plans. Instead, it plans to keep open its oldest coal plant for years to come and has no plans to add solar power until 2026, reported the Kansas …
ONEOK and Magellan make proxy filings in their proposed $19 billion merger
Proxy statements are on file for shareholders of ONEOK and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. to decide whether to approve ONE’s $18.8 billion acquisition of the Tulsa-based company. Filings were made this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission but they did not specify any date or time of the shareholder meetings. “We are requesting …