Wyoming Energy News

April 26. 2018

The School of Energy Resources features information about the energy industry on a weekly basis. Here is a recap of this week’s stories.

Baker Hughes Rig Counts

Baker Hughes reports the total rig counts this week.

• The U.S. rig count is down 21 rigs from last week to 991, with oil rigs down 20, gas rigs down 1, and miscellaneous unchanged at 0.
• The U.S. rig count is down 30 rigs from last year’s count of 1,021, with oil rigs down 20, gas rigs down 9, and miscellaneous down 1.
• The Wyoming rig count is down 2 rigs to 32.
• The Colorado rig count is up one rig to 32.
• The New Mexico rig count is down one rig to 104.
• The North Dakota rig count is down to 58 rigs.
• The Texas rig count is down 9 rigs to 491.

Opening Prices from Bloomberg Energy April 26

• West Texas Intermediate (WTI) opened at $65.13, up from last week’s opening price of $63.75.
• Bret Crude opened at $74.20, up from last week’s $71.63.
• Natural gas opened at $2.50, almost the same as last week’s opening price.

News

• Wyoming Public Media reports that Occidental Petroleum has entered the bidding war for Anadarko, and may focus more on developing Anadarko’s Wyoming assets if they are able to outbid Chevron.
• According to Wyoming Public Media, the Wyoming State Geological Survey has developed a new tool that will allow scientists to identify and focus on particular minerals underground and have a better idea of where to put their efforts during production.
• AP News reports that a federal judge claims that the Interior Department has wrongfully avoided environmental reviews prior to making the decision to resume coal sales from the United States, causing another setback for President Trump's attempts to boost North American Energy production. 
• The Casper Star Tribune reports that Aethon Energy's controversial 4,000 well development plan has advanced and released the draft of their federal environmental review for the project. The plan remains highly contested by downstream water users who are concerned about the discharge from the production of the proposed well expansion. 
• Business Wire reports that Energy Transfer LP and Phillips 66 Partners LP announced that Bayou Bridge Pipeline, LLC launched a non-bidding expansion open season to solicit shipper interest for expanded joint tariff service received from certain connecting carriers onto the Bayou Bridge Pipeline system. 
• North American Wind Power reports that the TransWest Express Transmission Project has won Wyoming approval, concluding state permitting and continuing the momentum of the project designed to provide Western energy markets with access to diverse wind resources.
• Rocky Mountain Power reports that PacifiCorp has released and updated economic study of its coal fleet that will inform how the company meets the long-term energy needs of its customers. The study was conducted as part of the company's 2019 Integrated Resource Plan. 
• Yahoo! Finance reports that the University of Wyoming will support the next stage of technology development of pristine coal benefication technology that will incorporate advanced upgraded technology. The goal of Clean Coal Technologies, Inc. is to run of mine coal into a cleaner-burning and more efficient stabilized solid fuel.