This week’s rig count from Enverus Foundations showed a major decline of 17 rigs, as the nation’s total number of oil and gas rigs slid to 860 as of the week ending Dec. 14. That includes a decline of four rigs in the Anadarko Basin leaving 87 in operation. The Williston Basin in North …
Regulators squabble over closing winter storm utility rate cases
An attempt by Oklahoma Corporation Commission chair Dana Murphy to the cases regarding the 2021 winter storm costs for four utilities turned into heated exchanges with Commissioner Bob Anthony who accused her of a “coverup.” During the Thursday morning meeting, Commissioner Anthony again raised charges that the Commission failed to hold public hearings on …
Do something to save the Ogallala Aquifer—Kansas Water Authority
The Kansas Water Authority decided this week it’s time for the state to stop draining the Ogallala Aquifer and save it fore future generations. Meeting in the northwest Kansas city of Colby, members unanimously approved a move urging the state government to take steps to stop the decline of the aquifer, which stretches across Western Kansas …
Energy department hands out more geothermal energy funding
While the University of Oklahoma moves rapidly ahead with a geothermal project to help heat Tuttle schools, the Energy Department announced this week $15 million in funding two similar projects, one in Colorado and another in California. A $9 million grant went to a project entitled “Geothermal Limitless Approach to Drilling Efficiencies in the …
Colorado campus heated by sewage?
One can only imagine the slang descriptions used by students at the National Western Center and Colorado State University’s growing Denver Spur campus about the heat provided by sewage. That’s right, sewage. The Colorado Sun reported how energy is pulled from one of Denver’s main sewage lines and transferred to clean water pipes at …
Democrats boast of climate change accomplishments
House Democrats who sat on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released a report this week and proclaimed they delivered on their pledge to urgently address the costly climate crisis. Chair Kathy castor released Solving the Climate Crisis 2022: Key Accomplishments and Additional Opportunities, a majority staff report highlighting key accomplishments made by Congress to …
I-40 traffic flowing again after repair of major pothole
Some might have called it the Mother of All Potholes—a 20 foot pothole on I-40 near Calumet in western Oklahoma. It’s been repaired but not before several vehicles were damaged this week following heavy rains. Click here for Fox 25 News
Rep. Mullin says House energy work was special
As he prepares to leave the U.S. House and become a U.S. Senator in January, Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin says he’s especially proud of the time he served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In a note to constituents, the Republican Representative, who won the November election to succeed retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe, …
Williams Cos expands gas pipeline holdings with $1.5 billion purchase
Tulsa-based Williams is expanding its natural gas pipeline holdings with the $1.5 billion acquisition of Southwest Gas Holdings’ MountainWest Pipelines Holding Company. The all-cash deal involves more than 2,000 miles of interstate gas lines primarily in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado operated by MountainWest. The systems total nearly 8,031 million dekatherms a day of transmission …
Other energy headlines
** Members of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis say more remains to be done as the panel wraps up its work ahead of the new Congress. ** President Biden wants Americans to know gas prices are falling fast—and he deserves the credit. The average pump price has plunged from $5 per gallon in June …