March 2017 archive

Energy Bills to get House Committee Hearings Monday

Some energy-related bills are going before a State House Appropriations and Budget committee on Monday. SB475 by Senate President Mike Schulz deals with the state’s gross production tax and the required filing of certain reports. The bill calls for reports to be filed disclosing the actual soil of oil on which the 12.5% gross production …

Continue reading »

Layoffs at ConocoPhillips in Bartlesville Following $13 billion Canadian Deal

  The sale of its heavy crude and gas operations in Canada means ConocoPhillips will lay off 170 jobs at its Bartlesville offices. Most of the layoffs will involve finance positions but corporate officials have yet to offer detailed explanations. The nearly $13 billion deal was with Cenovus Energy which is paying $10.6 billion in …

Continue reading »

Tulsa’s Williams Partners Makes $200 million Swap of Gathering Systems

In a $200 million dollar deal with three other firms, Tulsa-based Williams Partners L.P. has increased its holdings in two gathering systems. Williams wrapped up the separate transactions this week with Western Gas Partners, LP, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. of Dallas. The deal includes $200 million paid to Williams Partners and …

Continue reading »

Energy Transfer Makes $300 million Investment in Sunoco Convenience Stores

Even as Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. prepares to be fully operational with its $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline, the Dallas company has completed investing $300 million in Sunoco L.P., a firm that operates more than 1,300 convenience stores across the country. The investment is a purchase of shares in Sunoco’s Series A Perpetual Preferred Units. …

Continue reading »

Tulsa’s Crosby Group Hires New CFO and Vice President

Oilfield equipment manufacturer The Crosby Group in Tulsa announced the hiring of Laura Murphy-Wolf as Vice President and Chief Financial officer. Her hiring was effective March 31. She most recently was the CFO of Faro Technologies, a leading global 3D measurement, imaging and realization technology company. She previously spent six years in senior financial positions …

Continue reading »

Nebraska Starts Public Comment Period on Keystone XL Pipeline Request

Nebraska state leaders have started accepting comments from those for and against TransCanada’s plans to build the Keystone XL pipeline through the state. The Nebraska Public Service Commission just started an 8 to 12-month review of the pipeline and plans public hearings beginning this month and continuing through June. One group’s ginning up opposition. It’s …

Continue reading »

Lawsuit Challenges Keystone XL Pipeline Permit

The plan by TransCanada to restart its efforts to build the Keystone XL pipeline has run into a lawsuit filed by a coalition of environmental groups. The coalition including the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council and other groups challenged TransCanada’s federal permit saying much more environmental scrutiny is needed. Their lawsuit contends the initial …

Continue reading »

Oil Flowing in Dakota Access Pipeline

After months of delay caused by environmentalists and Native American protesters, the Dakota Access pipeline in North Dakota is moving oil and soon cash will be flowing into developer Energy Transfer Partners. The oil started flowing his week through the 1,200-mile pipeline that cost $3.8 billion.  Full operations aren’t expected for a few more weeks. …

Continue reading »

Oklahoma Bar Association Investigating Complaint Against Scott Pruitt

The Oklahoma Bar Association is investigating a complaint filed by a University of Oklahoma law school professor against former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, according to a report by The Tulsa World. The complaint alleges the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator violated bar association rules by lying under oath during his January confirmation hearing. …

Continue reading »

Crude Oil Prices Leap Over $50 a Barrel on Thursday

Jumping above $50 a barrel on Thursday, crude oil prices surged ahead for a third straight session, according to Bloomberg MarketWatch. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May West Texas Intermediate crude rose 84 cents, or 1.7%, to settle at $50.35 a barrel. On the London ICE Futures Exchange, May Brent crude, the global benchmark, …

Continue reading »