A day after President Trump predicted a quick end to the war with Iran, crude oil prices plummeted, falling from a high of $119.50 a barrel on Monday morning to the lower $80 in the U.S. It didn’t mean there was any drop in the attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran’s missile …
Technology to be focus of Corporation Commission meeting
While dealing with power demands from proposed data centers, transmission lines, battery storage systems and rate requests from utilities, Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners are also faced with technology challenges. It will be the discussion of a meeting Wednesday by the regulators whose sole topic is “Educational presentations and discussion on Advanced Transmission Technologies and other grid-enhancing …
Power grids consider joint transmission project in Oklahoma and 3 other states
The Southwest Power Pool and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator joined forces to consider a possible transmission project involving parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. The project would possibly involve two sets of 500-kV projects to provide reliability, economic and transfer benefits across their southern seam, according to a report by the two power …
NextEra Energy avoided paying all of $2.5 million fee for Enid solar farm
When NextEra Energy started work on its 2,000-acre Skeleton Creek solar farm near Enid, it attempted through negotiations to lower its $2.5 million construction permit fee. The company wanted to pay $15,000 but eventually, with enforcement from the State Attorney General’s office, and eventually, through negotiations, managed to pay only $500,000. An investigation by …
No drilling yet in Argentina by Continental Resources
Nearly two months after Continental Resources announced it had signed an agreement to conduct drilling operations in Argentina, the company has yet to see any production. “At the time of this filing, our 2026 activities in Argentina have no production or revenues and represent an immaterial portion of our consolidated assets,” stated the company …
Energy briefs
** Exxon is asking shareholders to approve moving its formal incorporation from New Jersey to Texas, citing a more favorable legal and regulatory environment. New Jersey has the highest corporate tax rate in the nation. ** Advocates and Texas officials in the petrochemical hub of Corpus Christi warn of a “water emergency” within months that could disrupt …
State House approves bill to create natural gas laboratory in Oklahoma
A trip to Washington state last year to visit the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory sparked Rep. Nick Archer to wonder….why shouldn’t Oklahoma have a similar laboratory focused on natural gas and other energy research? It’s the story behind his HB3176 which won passage Tuesday in the House on a 51-37 vote. Archer, a Republican from …
US exports of oil fell in 2025
Despite becoming the world’s biggest producer of crude oil in the past decade, surpassing Saudi Arabia and Russia, the U.S. exported less oil in 2025 than in 2024, according to a new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The EIA said annual oil exports from the U.S. fell 3% from the previous year and …
A Democrat joins a Republican in bipartisan effort to protect Oklahoma ratepayers from large energy users
Rep. Amanda Clinton (D-Tulsa)said that she will join Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) as a co-author of House Bill 2992, legislation aimed at protecting Oklahoma electric ratepayers as energy demand from data centers continues to grow across the state. HB 2992 is now eligible to be heard on the House Floor. Clinton previously authored House Bill …
Why Bill Gates nuclear plant approval in Wyoming is important to Kansas
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s recent approval of a Bill Gates nuclear power plant in Wyoming could prove to be critical to a similar project in Kansas. The approved permit was for TerraPower’s Natrium nuclear power plant outside Kemmerer, Wyoming. The Kemmerer Unit 1 plant is the first commercial nuclear reactor to be approved …