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OIPA News

Senate preps for energy duel

July 28, 2010

Battle lines are being drawn in the U.S. Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democratic leaders unveiled its energy bill. Full Story >>

Environmentalists use offshore spill to push onshore regulations

July 26, 2010

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has given environmentalists new hope in pushing for more stringent regulations on oil and gas production in the United States. Full Story >>

Leading Democrat tells Pelosi to leave fracking regs to states

July 19, 2010

North Dakota's Earl Pomeroy, a noted Blue Dog Democrat the the U.S. House of Representatives, is asking leadership to turn down any new regulations on hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Offshore restrictions headed onshore

July 30, 2010

BP's accident in the Gulf of Mexico could lead to tighter restrictions for onshore producers as lawmakers continue to weight the safety procedures for drilling. Full Story >>

OIPA participates in EPA's fracking forum

July 12, 2010

The EPA's first meeting to determine the scope of the agency's study on hydraulic fracturing drew a crowd of 600 in Fort Worth, including OIPA's Angie Burckhalter. Full Story >>

Study: New fracking regs will add $500,000 to cost of well

July 09, 2010

A new study by consulting firms Tudor Pickering Holt and Reservoir Research Partners says new regulations on hydraulic fracturing, either at the state or federal level, would add $500,000 to the cost of every well drilled. Full Story >>

Independence Day highlights nation's energy dependence

July 07, 2010

Thomas J. Pyle, the president of the Institute for Energy Research and the American Energy Alliance, says our nation has celebrated its independence while facing increasing dependence in our energy sector. Full Story >>

Waxman bill put on hold

July 01, 2010

A bill by California Congressman Henry Waxman that would impose new regulation on both offshore and onshore drilling has been put on hold. Full Story >>

EPA seeks public comments on fracking

June 30, 2010

The EPA has announced four public informational meetings to seek stakeholder input into developing its proposed plan to study the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water. Stakeholders are requested to pre-register online at least 72 hours before each meeting. Full Story >>

Annual meeting video, photos now online

June 24, 2010

More than 500 people attended the OIPA's 2010 Annual Meeting, and highlights from the conference are now available. Full Story >>

Gulf spill put in perspective

June 22, 2010

The Associated Press has put the Gulf oil leak in perspective, pointing out the amount of oil spilled into the Gulf would fill the New Orleans Superdome just one-seventh of the way up. Full Story >>

HBO to air natural gas film

June 20, 2010

An award-winning film that takes on natural gas drilling will air on HBO tonight. Full Story >>

Tax legislation aimed at independent producers fails in Senate

June 16, 2010

The U.S. Senate has defeated legislation that would have had detrimental affects on Oklahoma’s crude oil and natural gas industry and the state as a whole. Full Story >>

Inhofe shows support for independents on Senate floor

June 15, 2010

Oklahoma's Jim Inhofe showed his support for independent oil and natural gas producers on the Senate floor, defending the use of the expensing of intangible drilling costs and percentage depletion. Full Story >>

Environmentalists cash in on Gulf spill

June 14, 2010

The spreading oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has environmentalists turning the tragedy into opportunity. Full Story >>

Citing Gulf spill, Hinchey said FRAC Act needed

June 03, 2010

New York Congressman Maurice Hinchey continues to beat his hydraulic fracturing drum, this time sending a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to push for a vote on his FRAC Act. Full Story >>

Natural gas production hits highest level in 30 years

June 01, 2010

The country's natural gas production in March reached its highest level in 30 years the Energy Department has announced. Full Story >>

UPDATED House committee to consider fracking regulations today

May 26, 2010

Rep. Diane DeGette, D-Colo., is expected to offer an amendment today in the House Energy and Commerce Committee requiring public disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Pennsylvania eyes severance tax, calls oilfield workers criminals

May 25, 2010

Pennsylvania lawmakers are mulling a severance tax on natural gas production as activity in the Marcellus Shale continues to ramp up. The state needs the money, at least according to the governor's office, to combat the criminals shipped into the state by drilling companies. Full Story >>

Natural gas makes gains in energy bill

May 24, 2010

Natural gas is on the minds of American lawmakers, with the recently unveiled American Power Act including incentives for increased natural gas use. Full Story >>

North Dakota governor tells EPA fracking is under control

May 20, 2010

North Dakota Governor John Hoeven has had a series of meetings with EPA leaders, telling them, effectively, that things are under control. Full Story >>

Climate change discussions to resume in June

May 19, 2010

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hasn't given up on climate change legislation and says his Democratic caucus will meet in June to discuss how to move the bill forward. Full Story >>

Gas prices may have peaked

May 18, 2010

After analysts repeatedly said gasoline prices would pass the $3 mark this summer, it now appears fuel prices along with crude oil prices have peaked. Full Story >>

Chesapeake gets Outside support

May 06, 2010

Outside, a magazine devoted to the people and politics of outdoor recreation, named Chesapeake Energy one of its 50 Best Places to Work. Full Story >>

Gulf spill leads to political posturing

May 05, 2010

As government and industry officials continue to weigh the environmental and economic impacts of BP's offshore accident that continues to leak oil into the Gulf, some lawmakers are, predictably, using the catastrophic event to push for alternative fuels and punishment for the oil and gas industry. Full Story >>

See highlights of the Wildcatter Invitational

May 04, 2010

The OIPA's Wildcatter Invitational Golf Tournament was held April 26 at Oak Tree National with the team of Don Fischbach, Rick Muncrief, Ryburn McCullough, and Blake Nelson finishing in first place. Full Story >>

Independents fight to save incentives

May 03, 2010

Plans by the Obama administration to scrap billions of dollars in tax provisions has independent producers across the nation, including Oklahoma's Devon Energy, up in arms, Full Story >>

Spill doesn't stop need to drill

May 03, 2010

New York Times energy correspondent Jad Mouawad says offshore drilling will not be slowed by the recent spill in the Gulf because the country needs the oil and the jobs. And don't forget the fact that most new oil discoveries lie deep beneath the world's oceans. Full Story >>

EPA chief defends fracking study

April 29, 2010

The head of the EPA defended the agency's newest study of hydraulic fracturing in Congress, saying the completion technique could contaminate water supplies. Full Story >>

Sullivan says federal fracking oversight unnecessary

April 28, 2010

Oklahoma Congressman John Sullivan, along with Arkansas Democrat Mike Ross, called on their fellow lawmakers to resist efforts to increase federal regulation on hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Illegal immigrants delay climate change

April 27, 2010

Say what you want about illegal immigration, but this weekend the controversial subject forced Senators hoping to unveil climate change and energy legislation to change their plans. Full Story >>

Cushing storage causing contango

April 27, 2010

Cushing oil storage tanks are all but overflowing, and storage costs have soaring to the highest level in four months. Full Story >>

Ward to receive Republican Party award

April 22, 2010

OIPA board member Lew Ward will be the recipient of the Ronald Reagan Award, an award presented every other year, one to a man and one to a woman in Oklahoma by the Oklahoma Republican Party. Full Story >>

Inhofe continues climate battle

April 20, 2010

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe continues to be the leading voice when it comes to opposing climate change legislation and in an interview with the political newspaper Politico, he continues his efforts. Full Story >>

Pickens promotes gas in D.C.

April 15, 2010

T. Boone Pickens, the grand poobah of oil and gas prognostication, appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee, telling members of the powerful House committee the nation's energy policy should be focused on converting the nation's large trucks and buses to natural gas. Full Story >>

Senators push for Earth Day energy bill

April 14, 2010

Senate leaders pushing for an energy bill that tackles climate change are pushing for an Earth Day deadline, and thanks to President Obama's recent move to open more of America’s coastlines to oil and natural gas production, negotiations are now focused on drilling. Full Story >>

Will the Keystone pipeline really be 'open for business'?

April 13, 2010

Bowing to political pressure in North Dakota and Montana, TransCanada executives said they will consider letting oil producers there into the Keystone XL pipeline. Full Story >>

Will TransCanada build a pipeline to Beijing?

April 13, 2010

Forget Tulsa and Houston, Alberta and Beijing are becoming the new oil capitals of the world. Chinese companies are investing heavily in Canada's oil sands as crude prices move upwards and Asia's most-populated country searches for new energy sources to fuel its growth. Full Story >>

Crude oil shortages expected

April 12, 2010

The U.S. military says the world will face serious oil shortages by 2015 in a Joint Operating Report from the US Joint Forces Command. Full Story >>

Chasing waterfalls

April 08, 2010

In the Fort Worth suburb of Mansfield, Texas, where urban natural gas drilling is prevalent thanks to the the Barnett Shale, city council members have asked Chesapeake Energy to spruce up its pad sites. With waterfalls. Full Story >>

North Carolina the next natural gas hot spot

April 05, 2010

The emergence of horizontal drilling has tapped new natural gas fields across the country as companies bore their way into shale basins. The newest find? North Carolina.
Full Story >>

Pickens goes to war for energy

April 05, 2010

Noted oilman and natural gas proponent T. Boone Pickens was too young for World War II and too old for Vietnam. But in his role as an energy evangelist, he's finally found a way to serve his country. Full Story >>

Obama's oil move raises questions

April 02, 2010

President Obama's announcement on offshore drilling has political and energy pundits across the nation offering opinions, and the Houston Chronicle's Loren Steffy says Obama's oil move raises more questions than answers. Full Story >>

What a difference a year makes

April 01, 2010

In 2008, in the midst of a presidential campaign, Barack Obama blasted John McCain's proposal to increase oil and natural gas drilling off the coast of Florida. At the time, Obama said such a move would only "worsen our addiction to oil." Full Story >>

Obama's drilling plan gets mixed reviews

April 01, 2010

President Obama announced the opening more of America’s coastlines to oil and natural gas drilling, but his big news was met with skepticism from Oklahoma oil and gas producers, including a trio of OIPA board members. Full Story >>

Gas producers seek more oil

March 31, 2010

Economics are driving large natural gas producers to seek more oil as natural gas prices continue to weaken. Full Story >>

Another day, another anti-frac documentary

March 30, 2010

Hydraulic fracturing and natural gas in general have become hot topics for documentary makers. Some show the benefits of energy exploration. Most don't. 
Full Story >>

Naturally speaking

March 24, 2010

CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer, a proponent of natural gas production, interviews New York Rep. Maurice Hinchey, questioning his support of additional hydraulic fracturing regulations. Full Story >>

Industry pushes for pro-fracking language in climate bill

March 24, 2010

After an exhausting debate on health care, Congressional leaders are looking to the energy industry to rally support for climate change legislation by including language that would protect hydraulic fracturing from additional EPA regulations. Full Story >>

Inhofe continues energy industry support

March 22, 2010

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe continues to be the leading advocate of the oil and natural gas industry in the nation's capital, defending the use of hydraulic fracturing and continuing his battle against Al Gore and global warming hysteria. Full Story >>

Say what? Study says climate laws needed to reduce gasoline prices

March 19, 2010

The Natural Resources Defense Council has investigated gasoline prices and determined Oklahoma residents are vulnerable to increased gasoline prices. Their answer to fix the problem, stringent climate and energy legislation that would all but end the use of crude oil as a source of transportaion fuel. Full Story >>

Independents take aim at oil shale

March 18, 2010

Gas-rich shales have been the recent focus of independent producers, and the expertise gained from gas production in the shale is now being used to drill for oil locked in similar formations. Full Story >>

Barbara Boxer's big fat head

March 17, 2010

Barbara Boxer, the Senate's leading cap-and-trade proponent and Sen. Jim Inhofe's nemesis on the Environment and Public Works Committee, is seeking her fourth term this year. Her primary opponent is former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who's behind in the polls but leading in campaign ad creativity. Full Story >>

Boren continues fracking defense

March 16, 2010

Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren continues his support of the oil and natural gas industry, this time joining Pennsylvania's Tim Murphy in penning a letter to their House colleagues who continue to question hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Alert the EPA: Wind energy making people sick

March 16, 2010

You know how environmentalists like to say hydraulic fracturing can lead to health problems, even though no one really has any proof? Turns out, folks in Iowa feel the same about wind power. Full Story >>

Exxon chief says natural gas not viable for cars

March 15, 2010

Exxon Mobil chief executive Rex Tillerson says efforts to convert America's automotive fuel of choice to natural gas is misguided. Instead, proponents of the fuel should be encouraging more natural gas power generation. Full Story >>

Newspaper continues natural gas support

March 15, 2010

The Oklahoman, the state's largest newspaper, is an unabashed fan of natural gas. The paper's editorial board continued that support today, saying the nation's fossil fuel economy is far from extinct. Full Story >>

Halliburton says no merger necessary

March 11, 2010

After watching its two largest competitors grow through mergers, Halliburton says it has no plans to make a major acquisition. Full Story >>

Natural gas getting it's due

March 09, 2010

An editorial in Oklahoma's largest newspaper says praise for natural gas is good for the Sooner State. Full Story >>

What are drilling costs in euros?

March 08, 2010

After watching American energy companies start a shale gas revolution, Europe's biggest oil companies are combining the countryside in hopes of tapping gas reservoirs previously seen as untouchable. Full Story >>

Lucas works to block EPA on greenhouse gases

March 03, 2010

Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas has joined Republican leaders in an attempt to prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Full Story >>

OIPA heads to Washington

March 02, 2010

Leaders from the OIPA will be in the nation's capital this week as part of the IPAA's annual fly-in, a face-to-face lobbying campaign that will put independent producers in meetings with lawmakers and aides from about 70 congressional offices. Full Story >>

Thompson defends hydraulic fracturing

March 01, 2010

State Rep. Mike Thompson came to the defense of hydraulic fracturing in an opinion piece in The Oklahoman, saying federal investigations into the commonly-used oilfield technique have been driven by environmental extremists. Full Story >>

Natural gas vs. coal

March 01, 2010

With natural gas all but left out of President Obama's initial energy plans, industry lobbyists have been hard at work over the past year promoting the clean-burning and abundant fuel, encouraging utilities to switch from coal to natural gas. Full Story >>

Isn't 'global warming' supposed to make it warm?

February 25, 2010

Oklahoma has seen it's fair share of winter weather recently. First, there was a blizzard in December. Then an ice storm in January. With more snow on the way, the state's senior senator, Jim Inhofe, is continuing his opposition to Al Gore and the former vice president's global warming theories.
Full Story >>

This guy wants you to go green

February 25, 2010

Hip-hop stars are leading a new charge for a sweeping climate and energy bill, with DJ Biz Markie (pictured) and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas highlighting the joint efforts of environmentalists, urban advocates and pop stars focused on energy policy. Full Story >>

Speaker says GPT could stabilize budget

February 24, 2010

How Oklahoma uses proceeds from gross production taxes could be the key to a stable state budget, Speaker of the House Chris Benge said. Full Story >>

Oh, Canada

February 24, 2010

Remember when former OIPA Chairman Harold Hamm told us Canadian oil would erode the market for Oklahoma crude? Well, the Canadians must have heard it too, because they're saying the same thing about American natural gas. Full Story >>

OIPA answers hydraulic fracturing questions

February 23, 2010

OIPA President Mike Terry answered questions about hydraulic fracturing from the state's largest newspaper. Full Story >>

Wyoming lawmakers approve wind tax

February 22, 2010

The Wyoming House of Representatives has sent a bill to the Senate that would levy a tax on the state's wind energy production. Full Story >>

House panel studies fracking

February 19, 2010

The two Congressman who brought you cap-and-trade and now turning their attention to hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Energy company mergers on the rise?

February 18, 2010

Energy company mergers have made headlines in recent months, with Exxon Mobil buying XTO Energy for $31 billion and Total paying $800 million for a share in Chesapeake Energy’s Barnett shale gas holdings. And some analysts say the number of mergers will continue to increase.
Full Story >>

Texas takes on EPA greenhouse gas decision

February 18, 2010

The state of Texas is suing the EPA, saying the federal agency used tainted data when ruling that greenhouse gases threaten the public. Full Story >>

Adelson pushes for repeal of GPT incentives

February 17, 2010

State Senator Tom Adelson came up with a novel way of helping the state overcome it's current economic strife. His idea is to increase taxes on the industry that already accounts for roughly 25 percent of all taxes paid in Oklahoma. Full Story >>

EPA says state fracking regs just fine

February 16, 2010

An EPA director says state regulators are doing a good job overseeing hydraulic fracturing and there's no evidence the process causes water contamination. Full Story >>

Oil and gas prices helping state budget

February 15, 2010

Facing a budget shortfall of historic proportions, Oklahoma lawmakers got some much-needed good news thanks to the oil and natural gas industry. Full Story >>

Climate change hearing canceled, Inhofe builds igloo

February 15, 2010

What's the definition of irony? Washington's blizzard forced the cancellation of a Senate committee hearing on climate change. Full Story >>

Chamber of Commerce to fight EPA

February 15, 2010

The nation's Chamber of Commerce will challenge the EPA's decision to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, the first step in challenging the Obama administration on global warming. Full Story >>

Maybe the Green Berets really are green

February 12, 2010

The Obama administration's defense review mentions "climate change" 19 times, dedicating three of the review's 105 pages to the topic. As a comparison, China was mentioned 11 times, Iran five, Russia four and North Korea three times. Full Story >>

SMU prof says Obama's energy policy needs dose of reality

July 30, 2010

Bernard Weinstein, the associate director of the Maguire Energy Institute, says Obama's energy plans threaten the nation's economy and security. Full Story >>

OIPA speakers square off

February 10, 2010

Boone Pickens, the keynote speaker at the 2007 Annual Meeting, and Robert Bryce, the author who headlined the 2008 Fall Conference, have differing views on America's energy independence. Full Story >>

Freeze the frack

January 14, 2010

With the nation's environmental attention focused for the moment on hydraulic fracturing, one Canadian company claims it has a solution. Full Story >>

IOGCC head defends fracking

January 14, 2010

Former OIPA Chairman Mike Smith, who now heads the IOGCC, came to the defense of hydraulic fracturing during a Q&A with the state's largest newspaper. Smith says the 60-year-old technology has proven to be safe, and additional regulations would result in an expensive delay for oil and gas producers. Full Story >>

Inhofe called an enemy to the planet

January 13, 2010

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe isn't upset Rolling Stone called him one of the "planet's worst enemies." He is, however, a little peeved he wasn't ranked higher. Full Story >>

Boren blasts Salazar

January 08, 2010

In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren announced his opposition to rule changes regarding domestic oil and gas production on federal lands. Full Story >>

Gore gets cold shoulder

January 08, 2010

A two-ton ice sculpture has returned to the front of a Fairbanks, Alaska, liquor store. Full Story >>

Things are looking up

January 07, 2010

Industry and market research firm IBISWorld recently identified the best-performing industries for 2010 and oil and gas production made the list. Full Story >>

Two birds, one stone

January 07, 2010

You know there's people out there that hate "Big Oil." They also hate "Big Tobacco." What if they could hate both at the same time? Full Story >>

CBM presentations available

January 07, 2010

Presentations from the 2009 Mid-Continent Coalbed Methane and Shale Gas Symposium are now available. Full Story >>

Fox calls shale a new 'gold rush'

January 06, 2010

Shale gas exploration got the attention of Fox News' "Job Hunt" series, with the news network exploring "the new American gold rush of the 21st century." Full Story >>

Democratic Senators announce retirement

January 06, 2010

A pair of Democratic Senators announced they would not seek re-election and Republicans are already favored to take one seat. Full Story >>

Green energy slowed by turtles, rich people

January 05, 2010

America's march toward a green energy future is moving at a turtle's pace, literally. Full Story >>

Enviros threaten shale lawsuit

January 05, 2010

The Natural Resources Defense Council is threatening to sue New York if the state approves proposed rules for natural gas development in the Marcellus Shale. Full Story >>

Politics slow down climate change legislation

January 04, 2010

Election-year politics will slow down attempts at broad climate-change legislation and could derail the effort altogether. Full Story >>

Celebrate Christmas, cause global warming

December 23, 2009

You know how everything we really, really like now causes global warming — our cars, our jobs, our drilling rigs. Well, Christmas isn't exempt. Full Story >>

A tale of two presidents

December 22, 2009

This isn't technically oil and gas related, but it is an interesting look at the world of politics. Full Story >>

Newspaper finds good news in gas

December 22, 2009

The Oklahoman, the state's largest newspaper, is on board with promoting natural gas. Full Story >>

Inhofe says climate conference a failure

December 21, 2009

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe spent 18 hours in the air and four hours on the ground for the United Nations climate change meeting ensuring his point of view was heard. Full Story >>

Read the fine print

December 17, 2009

Exxon's planned purchase of XTO could hinge on Congress putting more regulations on hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Congressmen offer input on EPA study

December 16, 2009

Twenty-two Democratic Congressmen have sent a letter to EPA head Lisa Jackson with their advice on the agency's review of hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Buy music, help kids

December 16, 2009

Bronco Drilling's in-house musician Jeff Wood has a new album, and proceeds from its sale will benefit children's charities. Full Story >>

Americans eyeing European shale

December 15, 2009

The success of natural gas production from shale formations has two U.S. companies heading overseas. Full Story >>

Documentary explores Haynesville shale

December 14, 2009

A new film explores the financial and personal impact of the Haynesville shale. Full Story >>

Exxon continues natural gas expansion

December 14, 2009

Exxon took a big step in its entry into shale gas production with today's announcement the major oil producer will purchase XTO. Full Story >>

Tide turning on climate change?

December 03, 2009

The "Climate-gate" scandal has shined a new light on the science of climate change, and people are taking notice. Full Story >>

SemGroup emerges from bankruptcy

December 02, 2009

Tulsa-based SemGroup has emerged from 16 months of bankruptcy with a new leader, a new corporate structure and a mission to rebuild its name. Full Story >>

Pump prices didn't change driving habits

December 01, 2009

A year and a half ago, gasoline prices in Oklahoma were pushing $4, and many energy experts said those record prices would put an end to our love affair with the pick-up and SUV. It didn't. Full Story >>

Technology trumps natural gas trends

December 01, 2009

Every year we hope a long, cold winter drives up the demand for Oklahoma's natural gas. Turns out, seasonal weather trends may not have that much of an impact. Full Story >>

What would Gary England do?

November 24, 2009

Many TV weather presenters have shied away from the topic of climate change, but a New York Times report says that may be changing. Full Story >>

This just in: Global warming causes AIDS

November 24, 2009

We've heard a lot of wacky theories from global warming alarmists, but this one might be the wackiest. Full Story >>

L.A. oil

November 23, 2009

Oil flows beneath Los Angeles, but few people realize how close they are to the urban drilling. Full Story >>

Filmmakers take on cap-and-trade

November 23, 2009

The OIPA's favorite filmmakers are back in the news, this time penning an op-ed criticizing the environmental hysteria aimed and oil and gas. Full Story >>

Popeye the drilling engineer?

November 19, 2009

While we're in the 60s, here's Popeye proving that success in the oilfield is sometimes the result of a little luck and a lot of brute strength. Full Story >>

You can't say that again

November 19, 2009

In a show of irony, here's a 1962 Humble Oil advertisement. Full Story >>

Green energy creating jobs (in China)

November 18, 2009

Plans for a giant wind farm in Texas will create thousands of jobs, but most of them will be in China. Full Story >>

Judge rejects global warming trial

November 17, 2009

A federal judge will not debate the topic of global warming in the case of a college student charged with disrupting an auction of oil and natural gas leases. Full Story >>

Devon sell-off attracting suitors?

November 17, 2009

Devon Energy's announcement that it would sell all of it offshore and international properties may have some major oil companies thinking merger. Full Story >>

Moran biography available

November 16, 2009

The life of OIPA board member Melvin Moran is the subject of a new book. Full Story >>

EPA tells lawyers to edit video

November 13, 2009

A husband/wife team of EPA lawyers have been told to make changes to a YouTube video they posted that is critical of climate change legislation. Full Story >>

New Yorkers go crazy for fracking

November 12, 2009

A New York City public hearing on natural gas drilling descends into chaos. Maybe it is true if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Full Story >>

Climate bill put on hold

November 12, 2009

Senate Democrats have now said time has run out for climate change legislation this year. Full Story >>

Bartlett to be Tulsa mayor

November 11, 2009

OIPA board member Dewey Bartlett will be Tulsa's next mayor after defeating Tom Adelson in Tuesday's election. Full Story >>

Are we running out of oil?

November 10, 2009

An unnamed source in an English newspaper says the International Energy Agency has underplayed a looming shortage of crude oil. Full Story >>

Environmentalists find friend in EPA appointment

November 09, 2009

Environmentalists are celebrating the appointment of Dr. Al Armendariz as the EPA's Region 6 administrator. Full Story >>

IEA says gas glut coming

November 05, 2009

The push for alternative energy sources will mean a glut of natural gas according to the International Energy Agency. Full Story >>

Climate change debate cooling off?

November 04, 2009

The push for climate change legislation has fallen so far down the list of priorities in Congress one key committee chairman says it might have to wait until after the 2010 elections. Full Story >>

Keystone pipeline concerns rancher

November 04, 2009

Harold Hamm isn't the only one who is worried about the impact of TransCanada's Keystone pipeline. Full Story >>

Petrohawk has power

November 04, 2009

Arthur Berman, the Sugar Land, Texas, consultant who made headlines when he said production from shale plays may not be the long-term answer to the country's energy woes, is out of a job at World Oil Magazine, and he claims it was pressure from Petrohawk Energy that ended his tenure as a contributing writer. Full Story >>

Boycott won't slow Senate climate bill

November 03, 2009

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will begin work today on climate change legislation despite the threat of a boycott from Republican members of the committee. Full Story >>

Senator says cap-and-trade a no-go

November 02, 2009

Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, saying his constituents have not been sold on a cap-and-trady system, has announced the climate bills offered will not pass the Congress this session. Full Story >>

Boren touts natural gas on 'Mad Money'

October 30, 2009

Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren appeared on CNBC's "Mad Money," touting natural gas as an important fuel source for the nation's future and debunking concerns about hydraulic fracturing. Full Story >>

Pickens promises success for plan

October 30, 2009

T. Boone Pickens returned to his alma mater in one of his final town hall meetings to promote the Pickens Plan. Full Story >>

Republicans threaten Senate bill boycott

October 30, 2009

Led by Oklahoma's Jim Inhofe, Republican members of the Senate's environmental committee are threatening a boycott to slow the advancement of the Senate's climate change bill Full Story >>

North Dakota moving up

October 29, 2009

U.S. Energy Department data says North Dakota has surpassed Louisiana as the fourth-largest oil-producing state in the nation. Full Story >>

Inhofe in a hostile climate

October 28, 2009

As his Senate environment committee takes up climate change legislation, Sen. Jim Inhofe has found himself at the center of the storm. Full Story >>

SemGroup reorganization approved

October 27, 2009

SemGroup received court approval on Monday for its reorganization plan, clearing the way for it to exit bankruptcy after 15 months of feuding. Full Story >>

The polar bears are coming (Updated)

October 27, 2009

Former Vice President Al Gore and his global warming compatriots have blamed the use of fossil fuels for destroying the habitat of polar bears. Now the bears are fighting back. Full Story >>

The recession-proof city

October 26, 2009

Oklahoma City has been touted as recession proof and much of the state's economic buffer relies on the energy industry. Full Story >>

Green on green crime

October 22, 2009

Green is taking on green in West Virginia, where environmentalists are fighting the construction of a wind farm. Full Story >>

Benge testifies before Congressional caucus

October 22, 2009

House Speaker Chris Benge testified before Congress about his legislative efforts to secure natural gas as a viable transportation alternative fuel option as opposed to foreign oil. Full Story >>

Boren, Inhofe introduce natural gas bill

October 21, 2009

Oklahoma lawmakers have authored a bill that would ease regulations on natural gas conversion kits for vehicles. Full Story >>

Tom Coburn: Oklahoma's GQ Senator

October 20, 2009

GQ, the men's magazine focused on fashion, has got a thing for Oklahoma's junior senator. Full Story >>

Public thinks little of climate change

October 20, 2009

With House and Senate versions of a bill and the EPA threatening to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, climate change has become a popular topic in Washington. Everywhere else, not so much. Full Story >>

Oil companies sued for hurricane damage

October 20, 2009

A court ruling from the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans may open the floodgates for lawsuits against oil and gas producers. Full Story >>

Energy opinions offered

October 19, 2009

In The Oklahoman's editorial pages, a pair of energy experts weighed in on the issues facing the state's oil and natural gas producers. Full Story >>

Emanuel a natural gas proponent

October 14, 2009

The nation's energy policy debate has become a showdown between Ds and Rs in Washington, but natural gas producers may have one of their biggest proponents in President Obama's White House Chief of Staff. Full Story >>

GOP maverick could help climate change bill

October 13, 2009

South Carolina's Lindsey Graham has become the GOP's newest Senate maverick. The man who replaced Strom Thurmond in office has discussed legislative compromises with Sen. John Kerry in negotiations on the Senate's climate bill giving Democrats hope that they've found the missing link in defeating a Senate filibuster. Full Story >>

Filmmaker confronts Gore

October 12, 2009

Phelim McAleer, one of the two Irish filmmakers who served as the keynote speakers at the OIPA's 2009 Annual Meeting, got his chance to question former Vice President Al Gore on Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." It didn't go so well. Full Story >>

Cramer: Bet on natural gas

October 08, 2009

CNBC's "Mad Money" man Jim Cramer says King Coal is in store for a let down, and natural gas is waiting in the wings to take its place as America's fuel source of choice. Full Story >>

Oil prices going up?

October 07, 2009

Boone Pickens, the CEO of BP Capital and notorious OSU supporter, says oil prices will continue to climb. Full Story >>

New views on climate change

October 07, 2009

The climate change debate has reached the classroom, and according to New York middle schoolers, we're all going to die. Full Story >>

Producers eye South Texas shale

October 06, 2009

Unconventional gas production already makes up close to 40 percent of U.S. natural gas output. And that number is only going to rise in the coming years. Full Story >>

Fall Conference presentations available

October 06, 2009

Presentations from the 2009 OIPA Fall conference are now available to download. Full Story >>

Oil industry gets new 'villian'

October 02, 2009

There's a new villian in the oil patch and America is watching. Full Story >>

Which way will it go?

October 01, 2009

Which way are natural gas prices going? It depends on who you ask.
Full Story >>

'Fence sitters' to determine cap-and-trade

October 01, 2009

The future of the Senate's cap-and-trade bill will rely on the decision of 21 'fence sitters.'
Full Story >>

Senate climate legislation unveiled

September 30, 2009

The U.S. Senate will unveil it's official version of climate change legislation today, but an unofficial debut of the bill has already caused a stir. Full Story >>

Big Oil eyes natural gas

September 23, 2009

Shale plays have gotten the attention of independent oil and natural gas producers, and now "Big Oil" is eyeing shale basins.
Full Story >>

Energy execs head to Washington

September 18, 2009

Executives from the nation's largest energy producers are ramping up their efforts to promote natural gas in Washington, D.C.
Full Story >>

The benefit of climate change legislation

September 17, 2009

Michael Morris, president of AEP, says climate change legislation could be a good thing. If written correctly, action from Congress would at least keep the EPA from regulating carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act. Full Story >>

Producers, SemGroup reach agreement

September 17, 2009

An agreement between SemGroup and the bankruptcy court's Producers Committee may allow Oklahoma oil and gas producers to receive some of the millions of dollars they are seeking by late this year or early 2010. Full Story >>

Inhofe, Dems agree?

September 16, 2009

During a speech on the Senate floor earlier this month, Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe read a number of quotes from Democrats raising concerns with cap-and-trade. Full Story >>

Study: Oil and gas really important

September 10, 2009

A new study released this week points out the obvious, saying the oil and natural gas industry is really, really important to the United States.
Full Story >>

OERB launches new campaign

September 09, 2009
TOPICS: OERB, Natural gas, EPA

OERB has launched a new line of television, radio and print ads aimed at educating the public about America’s factual and realistic energy situation.
Full Story >>

Bartlett wins primary

September 09, 2009
TOPICS: OIPA, Natural gas, EPA

OIPA board of directors member Dewey Bartlett is one step closer to becoming Tulsa's mayor.
Full Story >>

Coal a roadblock for natural gas

September 08, 2009

Natural gas producers have been touting the product they produce for years, uncovering vast new reserves and encouraging utilities to use the low-cost fuel for electricity generation.
Full Story >>

Brown to join Wildcatters Hall of Honor

September 08, 2009
TOPICS: OIPA, Natural gas, EPA

OIPA board of directors member Pete Brown will be the newest member of the Wildcatters Hall of Honor. Full Story >>

Betting on oil

September 02, 2009

Prominent peak oil expert Matthew Simmons may be on the losing end of a bet he made on the price of oil in 2010. Full Story >>

Merger a sign of natural gas rebound?

September 02, 2009

Baker Hughes' $5.5 billion bid for BJ Services could be a sign of good things to come for natural gas producers.
Full Story >>

Louisiana assessor sues producers

August 31, 2009

The property assessor in Louisiana's Terrebonne Parish has sued 31 oil and gas companies for more than $100 million based on information provided by Oklahoma-based Visual Lease Services.
Full Story >>

Oil and gas still targeted in budget

August 27, 2009

Independent producers remain under attack in President Obama's proposed budget.
Full Story >>

OIPA members offer testimony

August 26, 2009

U.S. Reps. Mary Fallin and Jason Altmire led a field hearing on the nation's energy policy and its impact on small business Tuesday, and the OIPA was well represented.
Full Story >>

Bartlett gets Tulsa World endorsement

August 21, 2009
TOPICS: OIPA, OIPA, EPA

OIPA board of directors member Dewey Bartlett was called "head-and-shoulders the best choice" in Tulsa's Republican mayoral primary.
Full Story >>

Inhofe continues cap-and-trade debate

August 20, 2009

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe continues the argument against cap-and-trade legislation and is one of hundreds of lawmakers on all levels of government to sign the Americans for Prosperity "No Climate Tax Pledge."
Full Story >>

Houston rally focuses on climate change

August 19, 2009

Hundreds of people showed up in Houston Tuesday for a lunchtime rally that served as a celebration of the oil and natural gas industry and a protest against Washington's energy policies.
Full Story >>

Arena Resources to be on CNBC

August 18, 2009

Tulsa-based oil and gas explorer and producer Arena Resources Inc., an OIPA member company, will be one of five companies profiled in a CNBC special on the nation's fastest-growing companies. Full Story >>

It's an energy tax

August 18, 2009

American Solutions, an organization led by Newt Gingrich, is pushing to defeat cap-and-trade legislation, calling the bill a tax on energy. Full Story >>

Coal goes on the offensive

August 17, 2009

Coal's well-funded lobbying group today launched a television ad campaign featuring ordinary people talking about the importance of low-cost electricity. Full Story >>

Sullivan criticizes energy report

August 13, 2009

U.S. Rep. John Sullivan has criticized a recently-released report that claims Oklahoma is one of 10 states not currently working toward reducing its dependency on oil. Full Story >>

Energy helps OKC defy recession

August 12, 2009

Oklahoma City's employment rate is low and personal income is soaring thanks, in part, to the state's oil and natural gas industry. Full Story >>

EPA denies Inhofe request

August 11, 2009

U.S. EPA Adminstrator Lisa Jackson has denied a request from Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe to perform a new economic analysis of the House-passed climate and energy bill. Full Story >>

Another day, another attack

August 11, 2009

The western U.S. has become a breeding ground for opposition to the oil and natural gas industry, and the newest attack comes on film. Full Story >>

Moderate Senators threaten climate bill

August 10, 2009

Ten moderate Senate Democrats from states dependent on coal and manufacturing sent a letter to President Obama saying they would not support any climate change bill that did not protect American industries from competition from countries that did not impose similar restraints on climate-altering gases. Full Story >>

Widcatter Wednesday schedule set

August 10, 2009

The OIPA’s Wildcatters Wednesday luncheons resume in September at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. Full Story >>

Oil earnings lag behind average

August 04, 2009

Second quarter 2009 earnings reports clearly show the recession's impact on the energy sector. Full Story >>

Is an oil crunch looming?

August 03, 2009

The International Energy Agency says global oil production is likely to peak in 10 years — a decade earlier than most governments estimate. Full Story >>

New lobbying money helps climate bill

July 31, 2009

A stream of new money flowed into the U.S. House of Representatives during debate on the recently-passed cap-and-trade bill, and millions of dollars of fresh cash came from groups hiring climate lobbyists for the first time. Full Story >>

Oklahoma AG enters SemGroup debate

July 30, 2009

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson has asked an appeals court to let the state Supreme Court, instead of a federal bankruptcy judge, decide laws determining hundreds of millions of dollars owed to oil and gas producers following SemGroup's 2008 bankruptcy. Full Story >>

OIPA represented at crude oil hearing

July 29, 2009
TOPICS: OIPA, Crude oil, EPA

Members of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission were told an increased flow of crude oil into Cushing could have a major impact on Oklahoma producers, and OIPA leaders spelled out the potential problem during a special meeting called by Commissioner Jeff Cloud. Full Story >>

Inhofe explains fracking in Senate

July 28, 2009

U.S. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, delivered a floor speech highlighting the nation's vast reserve of energy resources recoverable through hydraulic fracturing techniques. Full Story >>

Q&A with Frank Harrison

July 27, 2009

OIPA board member and Bronco Drilling CEO Frank Harrison was the focus of The Oklahoman's most recent Executive Q&A. Full Story >>

Utility regulators oppose fracking regs

July 24, 2009

Oklahoma's Corporation Commissioners have already joined the growing list of those opposed to federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing, and now they're signing up their friends. Full Story >>

Past their peak?

July 24, 2009

Only 14 of the 54 oil producing nations in the world are still increasing their oil production. Full Story >>

N.D. holds cap-and-trade key

July 23, 2009

In the global warming debate, sparsely populated North Dakota could prove to be the deciding factor. With two Democratic Senators, both of whom sit on committees holding court on the House climate bill, the state known for its badlands could possess crucial swing votes. Full Story >>

Gas production nears nuclear blast site

July 23, 2009

In 1969, a nuclear device three times as powerful as the bomb dropped on Hiroshima was detonated 8,400 feet below Colorado. Today, Colorado's gas rich Piceance Basin is drawing producers, putting it at the heart of the hydraulic fracturing debate. Full Story >>

CEOs offer differing views

July 22, 2009

The CEOs of two of the largest oilfield service companies in the country offer slightly differing views on the near future of the industry. Full Story >>

Top lawyer plugs natural gas

July 21, 2009

Natural gas producers have found an unlikely ally in noted environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy, the Natural Resources Defense Council's senior attorney and head of water conservation group Waterkeepers. Full Story >>

Boren unhappy with House bills

July 21, 2009

Oklahoma's lone Democrat in Washington, D.C., Congressman Dan Boren gave a less-than-enthusiastic appraisal of his party's energy proposals. Full Story >>

Climate debate gets heated

July 20, 2009

A Senate hearing on clean energy went awry, when Harry Alford, the president and chief executive of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, claimed the discussion was tinged with racial overtones. Full Story >>

Catsimatidis to resign from Semgroup committee

July 20, 2009

New York billionaire John Catsimatidis is stepping out of the Semgroup LP re-organization and will resign from the company's management committee. Full Story >>

OCC sets furlough dates

July 16, 2009

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has announced when its offices will be closed and employees placed on unpaid furlough because of funding cuts. Full Story >>

Natural gas impacts state budget

July 15, 2009

Lower natural gas prices are making an impact on Oklahoma's budget, and Treasurer Scott Meacham says a budget shortfall is probable in coming months. Full Story >>

SemGroup amends reorganization plan

July 14, 2009

An amended reorganization plan filed by SemGroup LP gives oil and natural gas producers more for the oil sold to the marketing company prior to its bankruptcy. But the 8 cents on the dollar offer is far short of the $414 million owed. Full Story >>

Bartlett files for mayor's race

July 14, 2009
TOPICS: OIPA, Natural gas, EPA

OIPA board member Dewey Bartlett Jr. was one of eight people to officially enter the Tulsa mayor's race. Full Story >>

Star's death shines light on estate tax

July 14, 2009

The much-publicized death of Michael Jackson has shined a new light on estate taxes as experts sort through his holdings with an eye on the tax bill they will generate. Full Story >>

Cap-and-trade supporters at odds over bill

July 13, 2009

The House-approved cap-and-trade legislation already faces a battle in the U.S. Senate, and now, former proponents of the idea are reluctant to support the bill. Full Story >>

Ups and downs remembered

July 13, 2009
TOPICS: OIPA, Crude oil, EPA

One year ago, crude oil prices reached a historic high. Market volatility followed, and the ups and downs of the crude oil market over the past year has proven difficult for producers. Full Story >>

DeGette pursues hearing, study on fracing

July 10, 2009

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette is moving ahead with her bill to put hydraulic fracturing under federal oversight while also seeking a study to gather more data on the practice. Full Story >>

EPA has inconvenient voice

July 10, 2009

An EPA research analyst claims his report on global warming was squashed by supervisors fearing a “very negative impact" on the agency. Full Story >>

Inhofe applauds support for CNG

July 09, 2009

Will Work With Oklahoma's senior Senator says his colleagues will pass a bill this year promoting the use of natural gas as transportation fuel. Full Story >>

Fleming gets first-hand look at fracing

July 08, 2009

The U.S. Congressman, opposed to changes in the regulation of hydraulic fracturing, tours a Chesapeake drilling site in the Haynesville Shale. Full Story >>

OPEC: Recession crimps crude demand

July 08, 2009

OPEC says the drop in crude oil demand worldwide will take four years to recover. Full Story >>

Paying a steep price

July 02, 2009

Devon Energy CEO Larry Nichols says cap-and-trade bill unfairly targets oil and natural gas producers. Full Story >>

Impacts estimated for fracing regulations

July 02, 2009

Federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing would cost the United States billions of dollars and decrease oil and natural gas exploration by 20 percent. Full Story >>

Global oil demand expected to drop

July 02, 2009

The International Energy Agency says global demand for crude oil over the next five years will be lower than previously forecast. Full Story >>



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