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EPA examining gas drilling in southwestern Pa.

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:00:04 -0600

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is examining the impact of natural gas drilling in southwestern Pennsylvania.

EPA spokeswoman Bonnie Smith tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (http://bit.ly/xTN4xH ) that the agency began investigations in late September.

"The EPA is assessing the findings of our air, water and hazardous waste investigations in Washington County," said Smith, an EPA spokeswoman in Philadelphia.

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Summary Box: Cyprus opens oil, gas drilling area

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:00:04 -0600

HERE'S THE DRILL: Cyprus has launched a second licensing round for offshore exploratory drilling as hopes grow that potential oil and gas discoveries will buoy the eurozone country's sagging economy.

GROWING INTEREST? An initial licensing round in 2007 generated interest only from U.S. company Noble Energy.

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Dover to purchase Maag Group for undisclosed sum

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:15:06 -0600

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. (AP) — Industrial parts manufacturer Dover Corp.

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Cyprus opens area for oil, gas exploration

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:00:31 -0600

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus has launched a second licensing round for offshore exploratory drilling as hopes grow that potential fossil fuel deposit discoveries will buoy the eurozone country's sagging economy, even though the efforts are raising tensions with Turkey.

An announcement on the Cypriot Commerce Ministry's website Monday invites license applications in the next 90 days to search for mineral deposits inside 12 of 13 sections that together make up the island's 19,700 square mile (51,000 square kilometer) exclusive economic zone off its southern coast.

The announcement was first published Feb.

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Alaska power plant under scrutiny for coal ash

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:00:05 -0600

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Already under watch by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Fairbanks is coming under scrutiny by the environmental agency again after a resident complained of black dust near a power plant downtown.

The EPA received a petition by the resident last May, investigated in September and found enough questions to warrant an investigation, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported (http://bit.ly/x65Qt7 ).

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Natural gas training facility will allow Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology enrollment to double

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:35:06 -0600

BY SILAS ALLEN sallen@opubco.com

Officials at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee say the new Chesapeake Energy Natural Gas Compression Training Center will allow the natural gas compression program to double its enrollment.

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Devon landman leads American Association of Professional Landmen

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:40:10 -0600

BY PAULA BURKES pburkes@opubco.com

Devon's Jack Richards is serving as president of the American Association of Professional Landmen.

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Report: Non-Solyndra energy loans could cost $3B

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:45:47 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government could lose nearly $3 billion on Energy Department loans for green energy programs — far less than the $10 billion Congress set aside for the high-risk program, according to an independent review.

The White House ordered the review after criticism of a $528 million loan to Solyndra Inc., a California solar company that went bankrupt.

The review, led by former Treasury Department official Herb Allison, looked at 30 loans or loan guarantees totaling $23.8 billion that were offered to green energy companies and auto makers such as Ford and Nissan.

The review did not involve Solyndra or Beacon Power Corp., a Massachusetts energy storage company that also went bankrupt after receiving a federal loan.

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State mineral board collects $3 million in sale

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:15:03 -0600

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The State Mineral and Energy Board collected about $3 million during its February sale for petroleum rights on state and local government land and waterbottoms.

The agency said Friday that it sold rights to 34 leases covering about 6,600 acres.

Of the 34 tracts, 29 were in southern Louisiana and five were in northern Louisiana.

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Earnings schedule for week of 2/13/2012

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:11 -0600

Major companies tentatively scheduled to report quarterly earnings next week:

Monday

No major announcements expected.

Tuesday

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

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Utility panel: closings could impact Ohio rates

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:30:05 -0600

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Utility regulators say the closings of six coal-burning power plants could end up bringing higher electricity rates to much of northern Ohio.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio says the closings may have a significant impact on FirstEnergy Corp.'s electric prices several years down the road.

The commission this week took a first step at intervening by telling federal energy regulators that it's keeping an eye on the issue.

FirstEnergy's decision to shut down several of its coal plants in Ohio and surrounding states means there will be fewer plants to meet the demands for power.

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Audit clears State Department in Keystone review

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:16:04 -0600

By DINA CAPPIELLO

The State Department's internal watchdog cleared the agency Thursday of any impropriety in its review of a permit for a controversial pipeline that that would carry Canadian oil produced from tar sands to refineries along the Texas Gulf coast.

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Oklahoma energy briefs

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:03:05 -0600

Oklahoma energy briefs

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More natural gas producers using their own product

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:08:22 -0600

BY JAY F. MARKS jmarks@opubco.com

The country's leading natural gas producers are doing their best to fuel demand for their product by using it themselves.

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Repsol YPF begins to drill for oil, gas in Guyana

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:45:04 -0600

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — The Spanish-based oil company Repsol YPF has started drilling its first well in Caribbean waters off the South American nation of Guyana.

The 6,500-meter (21,000-feet) well targets an area that experts say could hold up to 15 billion barrels of oil and 42 trillion cubic feet (1.2 trillion cubic meters) of natural gas.

Repsol YPF is partnering with Canada-based CGX Energy Inc.

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Sarkozy refuses to shutter aging nuclear plant

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:45:46 -0600

FESSENHEIM, France (AP) — French President Nicolas Sarkozy is refusing to shut down an aging nuclear plant that has become a symbol of growing resistance to atomic energy in the country.

The future of nuclear energy in the country has become a campaign issue as the presidential election approaches this spring — in part because of the earthquake and tsunami disaster at Japan's Fukushima plant last year.

But Sarkozy, who lags in the polls, said Thursday while visiting the plant in Fessenheim that it would be a huge mistake and a "scandal" to close it and lay off its workers.

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Pa. fines Chesapeake Energy $565K for violations

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:30:53 -0600

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has fined a gas driller more than $500,000 for three separate violations.

Chesapeake Energy Corp.

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Oil industry group urges Congress to limit federal regulation

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:46:12 -0600

BY JAY F. MARKS jmarks@opubco.com

The American Petroleum Institute is turning to Congress for help as the oil and natural gas industry faces inquiries from eight different federal agencies.

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Democrats in Congress question federal drilling oversight

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:13:09 -0600

By MATTHEW DALY

The report focuses on drilling activity that occurred on federal land in 17 states during three administrations, two Democratic and one Republican.

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List of drilling violations on public lands

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:30:46 -0600

State-by-state listing of violations cited by Department of Interior to energy companies drilling for oil and gas on public lands, February 1998 to February.

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South Africa's close ties to Iran under scrutiny

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:30:09 -0600

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African energy and chemicals company is reviewing investments in Iran.

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Oklahoma energy group told federal oversight is likely coming to oil field

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:10:11 -0600

BY JAY F. MARKS jmarks@opubco.com

Consultant Richard Spears predicts federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing is coming because of vocal opposition to the practice, which he maintains is vital to oil and natural gas production.

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Colorado lawmakers try to save wind tax credit

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:15:02 -0600

DENVER (AP) — Colorado lawmakers from both parties are trying to save a federal incentive for the wind industry.

Eight members of the congressional delegation signed a letter Tuesday asking for an extension of the wind energy production tax credit.

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Oklahoma energy news briefs

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:10:21 -0600

From staff reports

Oklahoma energy news briefs

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Sierra Club moving away from natural gas, Chesapeake cash

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:55:06 -0600

BY JAY F. MARKS jmarks@opubco.com

The Sierra Club officially is distancing itself from natural gas producers. The environmental group took more than $26 million from Chesapeake Energy Corp.

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Oklahoma in line for about $382 million in transmission projects

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:49:11 -0600

BY JAY F. MARKS jmarks@opubco.com

About $382 million worth of new transmission lines and related equipment are expected to be built in Oklahoma, part of about $1.7 billion worth of electrical grid improvements approved this week by the Southwest Power Pool.

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Oklahoma energy briefs, Feb. 3

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:06:16 -0600

Oklahoma energy briefs, Feb. 3

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Oil industry hopes to avoid additional federal regulations

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:06:16 -0600

BY JAY F. MARKS jmarks@opubco.com

The oil and natural gas industry cannot meet the United States' energy needs if federal officials continue to put burdensome new regulations on its activities, officials said.

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First Energy of Ohio gets boost from closing plants

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:06:09 -0600

By JONATHAN FAHEY

NEW YORK — Instead of complaining about clean air rules, maybe utilities should cheer them.

Sometimes, the rules lead to big gains.

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Lobby open, plaza nearing completion as SandRidge Commons development continues

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:28:13 -0600

BY STEVE LACKMEYER slackmeyer@opubco.com

A tour of SandRidge Energy's headquarters in downtown Oklahoma City reveals work is nearing an end on the main tower's lobby while work is gearing up on the adjoining Braniff Building and construction of a new amenities building.

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