August 29, 2019
Xcel Energy has a new arrangement with the Federal Aviation Administration to use drones to inspect power facilities and lines in Texas and other states…..
August 28, 2019
Major oil operators will produce more than half of Permian Basin oil over the next five years, representing a shift in power that squeezes independents — and with Corpus Christi an increasing destination for oil and gas, permitting and execution delays will cause bottlenecks, a new white paper from Hastings Equity Partners and the University of Houston Energy Research predicts.
Texas ports need new accommodations for VLCCs, but the long-term outlook for O&G services companies can be good if they present cost savings or “incremental production.”
The report, Opportunities and Challenges in the Permian, says that with major O&G producers owning their own refineries they no longer need to purchase crude from independent producers, so locating new and foreign customers has become the job of independents…….
August 28, 2019; Originally Published July 11, 2019
The Texas State Securities Board has issued an emergency cease-and-desist order against some principal players at Woodland Resources LLC to stop fundraising efforts to retirees and others, tied to oil and gas programs……
August 27, 2019
Kansas-based MVP Holdings LLC is opening a Houston office to serve customers in South Texas and the Permian Basin.…
August 27, 2019
Texas Attorney General‘s Office lawyers argued on Friday for the constitutionality of a new law that an out-of-state company says could jeopardize its acquisition of a state electric co-op transmission line….
August 26, 2019
The Houston and Dallas offices of the international McGuireWoods law firm will have a new oil & gas mergers and acquisitions expert….
August 26, 2019
Royal Dutch Shell is taking another step into the electricity provider business with the purchase of an Australian company….
August 26, 2019
Despite granting Public Citizen‘s wish to take part in testimony in the licensing of a high-level radioactive waste dump in West Texas, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has rejected all but one of the public advocacy organization’s arguments against the licensing…..
August 26, 2019
The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $1,264,033 in fines involving 439 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ conference last week.
The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.
Eighty-seven dockets involved $424,539 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings.
Details on these Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC website here.…
August 26, 2019
With hot weather continuing in Texas, here’s a timely update — the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has upgraded its mobile app….
August 26, 2019
The former CEO of the America’s Natural Gas Alliance and high-ranking member of the American Petroleum Institute is the new president of the US Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute….
August 23, 2019
The number of active commercial oil & gas drilling rigs in the US dropped by 19, according to Friday figures from Baker Hughes GE, a two-year low….
August 23, 2019
Billionaire conservative activist and political donor David Koch died Friday morning at age 79….
August 23, 2019
In a major victory for TC Energy (formerly TransCanada) in Nebraska, the seven-judge state supreme court ruled unanimously on Friday that an alternate route for the Keystone XL Pipeline is acceptable….
August 22, 2019
President Donald Trump has been having trouble attracting energy company campaign contributions that will likely flow eventually, but such problems pale when compared to his possible GOP rivals, according to new reports from a Washington research organization.
Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) research indicates wide skepticism of Mr. Trump’s trade tariff efforts, despite his pro-energy agenda.
And while there are indications that the Trump 2020 campaign will be receiving unexpected support from a number of political sectors, and while research into expected donations is already underway, the fact that the vote remains well more than a year away renders much of the research speculative.
Still, oil, gas, coal and other energy money will likely be crucial to the entire election cycle again over the next 14 months, and the landscape will be even more complicated than the most recent election….
By Alex Mills
August 21, 2019
The automobile industry has searched for several decades for the solutions to the many problems it faces in developing vehicles powered by batteries solely.
General Motors (GM) has a long history in trying to develop its EV1 electric car but discontinued that effort in 2003, but continued to offer hybrid vehicles, which operate on battery power with gasoline powered engines as backup.
However, The Wall Street Journal reported this week that GM and Volkswagen say they see no future for hybrids and they will concentrate fully on electric vehicles.
GM will develop some 20 styles of electric vehicles (plug-in) during the next four year under the Chevrolet and Cadillac brands….
August 19, 2019
Texas is among 10 states set to receive a total of $181 million for upgrading rural electric systems, with Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative getting a good share…..
August 19, 2019
Some specific solar and wind electricity generation systems components are taxable for sales and use while others are exempt, according to a letter from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts….
August 19, 2019
A group of Sanchez Energy Corp.‘s unsecured debt holders asked a Texas bankruptcy court last Tuesday (8/13) to “put the brakes on the company’s request for Chapter 11 financing.”….
August 19, 2019
The Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission) issued a total of 912 original drilling permits in July 2019 compared 1,153 in July 2018. The July 2019 total included 836 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, eight to re-enter plugged well bores and 68 for re-completions of existing well bores. The breakdown of well types for those permits is 212 oil, 58 gas, 537 oil or gas, 93 injection, three service and nine other permits….