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Critics: Railroad Commission's new common-carrier pipeline rules don't adqequately protect landowners

AUSTIN-Oil and gas regulators will soon require pipeline operators to provide sworn testimony and supporting documents in their permit applications to verify their claim to be a common carrier-a status that may grant companies the authority to build pipe

Power companies amp up energy management

Electricity retailers in Texas are increasingly turning to technology to lure customers.

PUC calls on EPA to pull back CO2 rule

The Texas agency submitted comments to the federal government in which it called the new law “unworkable.”

ERCOT: Texas grid capacity sufficient through 2018

Texas should have sufficient electricity through at least 2018, according to new report by the state's top grid operators.

OPEC sets up survival game with smaller oil producers

The refusal of OPEC to curb crude oil output in the face of plummeting prices has set the energy world on a painful course.

Other Texas towns join Denton in challenging fracking

Reno, about 50 miles west of Dallas, is taking steps to challenge the industry after the past year brought the town its first recorded earthquakes.

Oil prices, stock plummet day after OPEC meeting

The price of West Texas Intermediate fell more than 10 percent Friday, heightening predictions the U.S. oil boom will slow substantially next year.

Plunging crude oil prices hammer energy companies

A decision by OPEC this week to maintain current levels of oil production is hammering major energy companies in the U.S. and abroad.

Signs emerge that Texas oil boom could be slowing

The drilling boom that has resurrected Texas’ oil industry is showing signs of slowing down. In West Texas, where a new generation of wildcatters has turned Midland into a boom town again, drillers are starting to pull back from marginal areas where prospects are less certain.

EFH companies at odds over $5.2 billion battery proposal; Oncor loses ally

Sibling companies Luminant and TXU Energy issued a statement Tuesday arguing against adjusting the power market to allow transmission companies like Oncor to own batteries.

EFH, Sierra Club settle environmental suits, $6.45M legal fees claim

The Sierra Club and bankrupt Texas electrical giant Energy Future Holdings have agreed to settle a handful of environmental lawsuits over the operation of the company's coal-fired power plants.

EFH companies at odds over $5.2 billion battery proposal

Power line company Oncor is facing opposition to a $5.2 billion proposal to install batteries across the state's power grid from an unlikely source - its own parent company Energy Future Holdings.

EPA rejects a Texas clean-air plan, orders pollution upgrades on some big coal plants

The plants are mostly upwind of urban North Texas, meaning their emissions often drift to the metropolitan area and further north to Oklahoma.

Republicans: Keystone pipeline down, but not out

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is promising the new Republican majority will quickly resurrect Keystone XL pipeline legislation killed by Democrats.

Oncor responds to PUC memo claiming maintenance cuts

A state report showing that Oncor cut maintenance spending on its power line network unfairly focused on a period after some of the worst storms in the region’s history, a top Oncor executive said in...

ERCOT says EPA’s CO2 plan would cause higher electric prices

The Texas grid operator also says the plan could affect power reliability by forcing coal plant shutdowns.

Keystone XL pipeline’s impact more muted than advertised

The Senate will vote Tuesday on the massive pipeline that’s become a flashpoint in the tug-of-war between energy states including Texas and climate activists counting on President Obama to kill it.

Keystone XL oil pipeline legislation passes House

The vote was 252-161 in favor of the bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in an effort to boost his chances to take Louisiana's Senate seat away from Democrat Mary Landrieu.

Baker Hughes says rival Halliburton aims to replace board

It says the move is an attempt to pressure its board after negotiations about a possible acquisition stalled.

October storms push Oncor to clear trees from power lines

The company has increased its tree-trimming ranks from around 600 workers to roughly 1,000, the company said.

Falling oil prices hit shale stocks, force pullback on fracking boom

Stock prices at some shale companies have fallen more than 25 percent since July.

Hunt utility trust announces IPO

The move by InfraREIT Inc. comes as the Hunts position themselves to bid on Texas’ largest power line company, Oncor.

Oncor proposes giant leap for grid, batteries

The Dallas utility is asking the state to authorize $5.2 billion in storage projects it says will lower bills and improve reliability.

Railroad Commission chief says agency will continue permitting in Denton despite fracking ban

This blog has been updated with a response from the vice president of Denton Drilling Awareness Group.

U.S. shale boom not exportable, says former Chesapeake CEO

Aubrey McClendon, the former CEO of Chesapeake Energy, said that the U.S. shale drilling boom is unlikely to be replicated in other countries.

Texas Oil and Gas Association, Texas Land Office sue over Denton fracking ban

Voters on Tuesday made Denton the first municipality in Texas to pass a ban prohibiting hydraulic fracturing, which is used to extract oil and natural gas from shale formations.

Saudi oil price cut likely to stimulate world economy

The lowest oil costs in years are likely to give motoring consumers a lift but may test U.S. petroleum producers and could pinch nations such as Russia and Venezuela.

Judge allows EFH to continue with Oncor auction, but with greater oversight

The Dallas-based power company must now negotiate with creditor committees on the timing and rules of the auction.

Outages, waits to have power restored put focus on Oncor's maintenance spending

The power utility has come under scrutiny since back-to-back October storms knocked out power to more than 500,000 customers in North Texas.

Exxon reports rising profits, despite low oil prices

Exxon Mobil recorded $8.1 billion in profits in the third quarter despite a steep drop in the price of crude since July.

In Denton, tension mounts ahead of fracking ban vote

Energy companies, environmentalists work to undermine each other in what would be Texas’ first local hydraulic fracturing ban.

Energy Future tells judge lender fight cost $6,000 an hour

Questions about fees are emblematic of the troubles besieging Energy Future’s $42 billion restructuring effort.

Oil-and-gas interests filling campaign coffers for Denton group opposed to fracking ban

The latest round of campaign finance reports, big oil and gas contributed more than $460,000 between Sept. 26 and Oct. 25. to Denton Taxpayers for a Strong Economy, adding to $225,000 previously contributed.

Texas Railroad Commission tightens drilling-waste disposal rules after earthquake scare

Critics say the rules do not go far enough in policing injection wells.

Texas Railroad Commission orders oil companies to check seismic data before drilling

The Texas Railroad Commission ruled Tuesday that oil and gas companies must check seismic data for 100 square miles before beginning to drill a waste disposal well.

More Texas oil and gas permits issued in September as drilling activity ramps up

Evidence is mounting that the fall in oil prices in recent months has yet to put a dent in drilling activity in Texas.

Oncor plans increased maintenance spending in 2015

Three weeks after storms cut power to half a million customers, the company still faces criticism over its readiness.

Oncor takes heat from regulators over storm preparations

The electric transmission company disputes findings by the PUC that it cut maintenance spending more than 20 percent even as it was adding customers.

Energy companies, environmentalists fund Denton fracking fight

The group fighting to ban the drilling practice is badly outgunned in the latest campaign finance reports.

PUC: Oncor cut maintenance spending as customer base grew

A report filed by Public Utility Commissioner Ken Anderson says Oncor cut its annual maintenance budget by $20 million between 2005 and 2013.

Anti-wind push makes strange bedfellows

As the Texas PUC weighs higher tariffs, wind developers have found an ally in coal and nuclear generators.

Judge OKs EFH bonuses

Bankruptcy judge approves $20 million in bonuses for EFH executives despite objections.

Complaints against Texas power companies rising

Complaints against power companies rose in 2014, following four straight years of decline, according to a report by the ratepayers group Texas Coalition for Affordable Power.

Falling oil prices threaten shale boom

Drilling activity holds steady, but companies ponder 2015 plans.

Energy-related exports keep Texas at top of states for overseas sales

You've heard the slogan: Texas, it's like a whole other country. Judging by the size of its foreign trade, that's not such a foreign concept.

Energy Future warns that IRS ruling could delay bankruptcy process

The power company said its tax bill for selling Oncor could potentially exceed $7 billion.

Energy Future Holdings reports $10.3M loss in August

Troubles continue for the Texas power giant, which filed for bankruptcy protection five months ago.

New law would bring dramatic changes to the Texas electricity grid

The Legislature is expected to decide in its next session whether to comply with the law or defy it.

Texas commission predicts CO2 rule would set off coal plant closures, destabilize state's power grid

Power executives described starkly different scenarios for their operations should federal carbon dioxide rules go into effect next year, as state hearings into pending federal carbon dioxide rules continued Tuesday.

Encana Corp. to pay $5.93B for Fort Worth-based Athlon Energy

The deal is the biggest announced purchase of a U.S. crude and natural gas producer by a Canadian company.

Litigation looms over state CO2 hearings

Lawmakers considering whether to comply with EPA rule, even as Texas prepares to litigate.

At regulatory agency, fight over how natural gas rates are set

Officials from over 200 Texas cities testified that proposed changes would likely deter challenges and lead to inflated rates.

At Energy Transfer, shale boom brings big growth and big debt

It commands one of the largest pipelines networks in the country, spanning 71,000 miles from coast to coast.

Texas drinking water tainted by natural gas operations, scientists find

A new study in a prestigious academic journal says fracking isn’t directly to blame. Rather, it suggests, faulty safeguards in gas wells allowed gas to migrate into groundwater supplies.

Oncor fighting ruling on so-called ‘phantom taxes’

The court filing comes six years into a legal fight with ratepayers groups that claim Oncor violated state law when it charged customers for federal taxes that were never paid.

Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate Steve Brown proposes 'water conservation plan' for fracking

Brown's plan would incentivize water reuse projects, increase local control in groundwater permitting and phase out permits for new hydraulic fracturing wastewater disposal wells.

Crude oil trading legend makes his boldest bet yet

Unfazed by recent losses, Andrew John Hall is going all in on the idea that the shale boom will end more quickly than expected, sending oil prices higher.

U.K. agency orders Dallas firm to stop pro-fracking ad

The Advertising Standards Authority says the newspaper ad is misleading, citing several claims.

Oil industry treats fracking foes differently in Texas, Colorado

In Texas, it’s fracking as usual. In Colorado, the oil industry is cutting back on trucks and tamping down on pollution.

Halliburton reaches $1B Gulf oil spill settlement

Tuesday’s deal avoids potentially bigger payouts and years of costly litigation.

ERCOT: Texas’ power grid in ‘better position’ for winter

New power plants and wind farms have increased the agency’s capacity 4 percent from a year ago.

Waco judge calls Sierra Club lawsuit over air pollution from power plants 'frivolous'

The environmental group has been targeting Luminant's East Texas coal plants for closure through the courts and public relations campaigns.

Gas prices at four-year low going into Labor Day weekend

The Energy Information Administration put the national average at $3.45 a gallon for regular, with prices across Texas and much of the South between $3 and $3.30.

East Texas coal mine closing

Luminant says the coal mine at its Big Brown power plant is shutting down by 2018.

Gas prices hit lowest pre-Labor Day level in four years

Anyone hitting the road for Labor Day weekend can take some solace at the pump, and the Energy Information Administration expects prices to keep dropping.

Exxon Mobil agrees to $1.4 million settlement in Louisiana pipeline spill

The pipeline rupture in Torbert spilled at least 117,000 gallons of oil, some of which flowed into a tributary of Bayou Cholpe which connects into the Intracoastal Waterway.

Exxon settles Louisiana pipeline spill for $1.4 million

Exxon Mobil has agreed to pay $1.4 million to settle a federal lawsuit over a 2012 oil pipeline spill outside Baton Rouge, La.

Oncor bidding on back burner

NextEra, Hunt pursuit of Oncor paused as EFH delays bankruptcy auction

EFH delays bankruptcy auction of Oncor unit coveted by NextEra, Hunt Consolidated

EFH said in its filing the decision to delay, "is based on extensive consultations with potential bidders and key creditor constituencies."

Schnurman: Texas powers down

Thanks to more efficiencies and higher standards, electricity use isn’t growing like it used to, even in Texas.

Lawmakers hope to fund monitors for quakes in North Texas fracking areas

They are responding to residents’ concerns about a series of small quakes last year.

A fight over Pappy Elkins Lake draws in XTO Energy

The Fort Worth company is accused by TCEQ of taking 1.4 million more gallons of water than it was permitted for.

As oil boom continues, there’s no end in sight for job growth

With unemployment below 3 percent in many Texas counties, hiring is testing drillers’ pocketbook.

LNG, CNG sales more than double Texas projections

Fueling stations continue to open across the state.

LNG, CNG sales more than double Texas projections

Sales of natural gas for motor vehicles are surging way ahead of state projections.

Deal for U.S., Chinese wind power mired in litigation

Tang Energy says Chinese company didn’t live up to promises

Mexico prepares to list oil fields open to foreign bids

Longtime oil monopoly Pemex will learn today which fields it gets to keep for future exploration.

New drilling rules to require operators to collect seismic data

Environmentalists say the proposed guidelines don’t hold drillers accountable

Fracking companies begin slow shift to recycling wastewater

Drought and falling aquifers are putting pressure on the booming industry.

Worker with Houston energy company is killed in Egypt

Apache Corp. didn't identify the longtime production employee but said he died Wednesday in an apparent carjacking.

Newest frontier offshore: fracking

Debate likely to follow as practice moves deep into gulf, other waters

Exxon drilling in Russian Arctic shows sanctions on oil lack bite

The sanctions don’t affect Exxon’s plans because its contract to hire a rig was signed before the measures were announced.

Exxon drilling plans turn dicey in trouble spots

International crises weigh on global operations.

Magnum Hunter to leave Houston for D-FW

The oil and gas company is headed by Gary Evans, who attended SMU and sits on the board of the Maguire Energy Institute.

Mexico's Senate approves rules for opening energy industry

With end of state monopoly, foreign companies will be able to compete for contracts.

Denbury reports $55 million loss on wrong-way bet on oil

Also, HollyFrontier’s profit fell to $176 million, and profits at Energy Transfer Partners continue to rise.

Atmos profit is up 18% as rate increase sought

Atmos profits climb to $46 million on Texas rate hikes

On Texas rate hikes, Atmos profits grow to $46 million

Natural gas utility Atmos Energy's profits grew 17 percent in the third fiscal quarter to $46.1 million, largely off rate increases to its Texas customers, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday.

Politicians, Texas companies still figuring out the new rules for carbon dioxide

EPA modeling suggests that by 2030 coal generation would be cut in half, to be replaced by natural gas plants, solar and wind power.

Pioneer Natural Resources production increases 4 percent

But profits fell to $1 million on derivative loss

Hunts selling East Texas oilfield holdings that made family's name to Vanguard

The 23,000 acres in the deal include the Daisy Bradford No. 3 well, which H.L Hunt bought from wildcatter Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner in the early 1930s.

Exxon production drops to lowest level in five years

The company reported $8.8 billion in profits on higher commodity prices and asset sales.

Texas oil drilling slips in June, production continues to rise

New data released by the Texas Railroad Commission shows oil drilling fell in June from a year ago.The state’s oil and gas regulator reported that 1,739 oil wells were drilled in June, a 5 percent drop.The...

Pemex predicts lowest output in 24 years as old fields dwindle

This will be the Mexico City-based company’s lowest annual output since at least 1990.

Energy Future Holdings pulls plug on restructuring plan

The company will open an auction for Oncor, its transmission arm, rather than follow the plan it filed when it declared bankruptcy in April seeking protection from its $40 billion in debts.

Study warns U.S. power grid will become too reliant on gas

A study by the energy research firm IHS warns the U.S. power grid stands to become far too reliant on natural gas in the decades ahead, as economic factors and new environmental regulations stand to push out power sources like coal and nuclear.

Lockheed goes global to build its nuclear business

Lockheed has entered into a deal with China to help build that country’s next generation of nuclear plants. The only hitch: The Chinese want their own engineers working on the project.

Dallas’ Hunt Consolidated hires former Energy Future Holdings executive

The move comes as the energy and real estate company seeks to take control of EFH’s transmission arm, Oncor.

Restructuring plan on the ropes, EFH warns judge

If terms aren’t worked out with creditors, it says, plan will be tossed

Florida power company NextEra outbids itself in fight for Oncor

NextEra topped its previous offer by $500 million with new proposal to give it control of Oncor and spin off Energy Future Holdings' power generation and retail businesses, Luminant and TXU Energy, into a new company.

EFH pulls out of Optim Energy auction

The bankrupt power giant has backed off plans to bid on a coal plant outside Waco.

Denton City Council hosting public hearing Tuesday night on proposed fracking ban

Special report: Texas stands to reap rewards as Mexico opens to energy exploration

As Mexico prepares to open its oil and gas fields to exploration by foreign companies for the first time in seven decades, expectations are high, especially for Texas companies.

For Texas companies, Pemex contracts have meant billions

Many analysts are skeptical that firms will take on the risks of producing oil and gas.

EFH asks court to delay hearings on Oncor

The bankruptcy judge said last week the company’s plans for future control of its power transmission subsidiary were “fairly thin.”

Energy Future Holdings bankruptcy at critical juncture as Oncor fight nears end

A fight for control of the transmission company is expected to be decided this week.

Hunt Consolidated enters fight for Oncor

The Dallas-based energy and real estate company tried to buy the transmission company once before.

Fidelity holds out and benefits on EFH bet

The investment company has seen the value of its $471 million of unsecured debt in EFH jump by as much as $200 million.

Export ruling sends Texas refiners' stocks tumbling

HollyFrontier, Valero, Marathon Petroleum Corp. and Phillips 66 all saw their share prices dive.

Energy Future investors float Oncor takeover via NextEra

A rival proposal to reshape EFH’s finances could delay the company’s plan to exit bankruptcy within 11 months.

Supreme Court mostly upholds EPA’s greenhouse gas authority

But in a divided ruling, the court accused the agency of overstepping its bounds and narrowed the scope of the rules.

Iraq violence threatening OPEC’s precarious balance

Group isn’t prepared to meet a spike in demand.

Ousted Chesapeake CEO makes another bet on shale

Aubrey McClendon announced a $4.3 billion deal to lease acreage across shale formations in Texas, West Virginia and Ohio.

Over 130 Texas cities are fighting $45 million Atmos gas hike

The Dallas-based utility says it needs the money to cover repairs and renovations to its aging pipeline network. The cities say it is trying to enrich its executives and shareholders at the expense of customers.

Solar power gains momentum after long struggle in Texas

Now vast swaths of ranch land have been optioned for large-scale developments usually only seen in California.

Texas PUC chair raises prospect of cost increase for wind farms

She said the federal tax credit for wind power was distorting the power market and could potentially push base-load generation like coal and nuclear off the grid.

Oil boom sends gusher of cash to Texas universities

The University of Texas and Texas A&M are reaping a windfall from what was once cattle grazing land as the hydraulic fracturing boom sweeps West Texas.

Report: No evidence that methane in Parker County wells tied to nearby drilling

There is no evidence that drilling in Parker County is connected to methane found in homeowners' water wells, said a Texas Railroad Commission report released Wednesday, according to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Study: It may be time for U.S. to lift ban on exports of crude oil

More oil in worldwide markets would lead to cheaper gasoline prices here, an industry study finds.

Exxon CEO takes on shareholders who want emissions cut

Shareholders’ proposal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions was rejected by the board and failed to achieve a majority vote.

Obama to propose rules to sharply curb power plants' carbon emissions

The proposed regulation, set to be unveiled Monday at the White House, would be the strongest action ever taken by a U.S. president to tackle climate change.

Exxon CEO: 'No viable pathway' to reduce carbon emmissions

Rex Tillerson pushed back against criticism from investors at his annual shareholder's meeting Wednesday the company was not doing enough to reduce emissions and combat climate change.

Railroad Commission: Texas oil production up, but drilling activity slides

Texas oil production stayed above 2 million barrels a day in March, a 25 percent increase from a year ago, according to preliminary estimates by the Texas Railroad Commission.

Cleaner air could mean higher electric bills

The Energy Department predicts retail power prices will rise 4 percent on average this year, the biggest increase since 2008.

Encana CEO surprises with success of whirlwind makeover

Encana Corp. is up 33 percent since Texan Doug Suttles became chief executive officer in June and his makeover of Canada’s largest gas producer is going faster than planned.

ERCOT: Renewable energy grew 12 percent in 2013

New lines last year let the West Texas wind play a growing role.

Creditors sue Energy Future Holdings for $665 million

CSC Trust contends the company is trying to avoid paying them a premium due under the terms of their debt contracts.

ERCOT: Texas renewable power grew 12 percent in 2013

The majority of generation gain came from wind farms, which continue to be built in large numbers in the Texas panhandle and along the Gulf Coast.

Creditors sue Energy Future Holdings for $665 million

A group of creditors in the Energy Future Holdings bankruptcy case are suing the power company, claiming its restructuring plan leaves them $665 million short.

Ross Perot Jr.'s company hits oil in Iraq

HKN Energy, a subsidiary of Hillwood International Energy, is one of a fleet of oil companies drilling in Kurdistan since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Dallas residents' gas bills to rise after council approves rate increase

Dallas residents can expect to see their average monthly gas bill increase by $2.08.

El Centro College finds lofty home for wind farm in downtown Dallas

Eighty turbines atop the historic Sanger Bros. building on campus are yielding substantial savings.

After quakes, Texas Railroad Commission considers stricter rules on drilling

A House subcommittee took testimony Monday on what role the natural gas industry might have played in a series of earthquakes around Azle.

Oncor is testing battery technology on grid

The company plans to install five refrigerator-size batteries in neighborhoods in South Dallas to see how the equipment performs as a backup during power outages.

After rash of quakes, Texas Railroad Commission considers stricter injection rules

Texas oil and gas regulators are considering stricter rules on the underground wells used to store waste water from oil and gas drilling after a series of earthquakes in North Texas less than six months ago.

Shale drilling pioneer Kent Bowker sees the fracking revolution pushing west

The geologist was part of a team that first extracted significant amounts of gas from a dense rock formation near Fort Worth in the late 1990s. Now he’s identified a sweet spot in the Rocky Mountains.

Obama EPA takes first step toward regulating fracking chemicals

After three years of delay, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today it’s considering rules requiring companies to send it details about the fluids used for fracking.

Atmos reports $17 million profit jump on rate increases, weather

The company reported it earned more than $133 million in the first three months of 2014, up 15 percent from a year ago.

Chesapeake Energy on track to make more cash than it spends for first time in decade

Chesapeake raised its full-year estimate of cash flow to $5.8 billion to $6 billion today, a 13 percent increase at its midpoint from the previous forecast. When combined with asset sales that have already topped $900 million this year, the proceeds will more than cover spending for the first time since 2001.

Encana buys Freeport's Eagle Ford assets for $3.1 billion

Freeport has been working on selling about $4 billion of its energy assets to help reduce debt and allow it to concentrate more on growth areas like the Gulf of Mexico.

Record profits level off at oil companies

Flattening prices and rising drilling costs are curbing revenues.

Gas bill hikes become the new norm in Dallas

Natural gas bills might be down because of the fracking boom. But that doesn't mean that customers are seeing all the benefit.

Chesapeake Energy's revival could mean going where founder didn't want to go: overseas

Chesapeake Energy Corp.’s Doug Lawler may take the company he inherited from founder Aubrey McClendon to the one place his deals-obsessed predecessor never wanted to go: overseas.

HollyFrontier profits fall again on weak refining margins

The Dallas-based oil refining company reported profits for the first three months of 2014 were down more than a half from a year ago to $164 million.

Dallas residents could face $2 monthly hike in gas bills

A deal worked out between Atmos and the City Hall staff would give the utility a $6.3 million overall increase in the city.

Inside the negotiations over Energy Future Holdings’ breakup

The long road to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing included high-powered gamesmanship.

Race for CoServ electric co-op board turns high-wattage

Transmission line proposals have jolted west Frisco neighbors into pushing their own candidate in the three-way race.

ERCOT says 6 new power plants will help meet Texans' summer electric needs

ERCOT, the operator of the electric distribution grid for most of Texas, said consumers could still be asked to conserve during extremely hot weather or in case of outages, despite the additional generating facilities to help avoid blackouts.

How big is the Energy Future Holdings bankruptcy? First hearing packs three courtrooms

The Dallas-based power provider today is seeking permission from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Sontchi to keep paying employees and key vendors while it reorganizes about $40 billion in debt under a plan negotiated with senior lenders.

Exxon Mobil reports dip in profits to $9.1 billion, despite strong growth in U.S.

Exxon Mobil reported first quarter earnings Thursday of $9.1 billion, down $400 million from a year ago.

ConocoPhillips Q1 profit slips slightly to $2.12 billion, but production improves

Bankrupt Energy Future Holdings reports $2.3 billion in 2013 losses

Long-delayed filing shows dire situation.

Energy Future Holdings to pay $97 million to obtain two years of financing

The company, which has said it intends to leave bankruptcy in 11 months, didn’t explain in a court filing why it was willing to pay more fees to obtain the loan for 13 extra months.

Russia seen as key to reviving Exxon's global output

Russia’s oil and gas riches are key to Exxon's plans for reviving output at the world’s biggest energy explorer. Exxon’s global production has fallen in 10 of the past 11 quarters.

EFH reports $2.3B loss for 2013 on day after bankruptcy filing

Energy Future Holdings was sitting on more bad news as negotiations leading up to its Chapter 11 filing played out over recent weeks.

Phillips 66 profit rises on sale of specialty products unit

Phillips 66, which was spun off from ConocoPhillips in 2012, agreed to sell Phillips Specialty Products Inc. to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in December.

Energy Future enters bankruptcy, proposes break-up

Under a proposal released by EFH management, the company will split its power generation and retail businesses, Luminant and TXU Energy, from its regulated transmission company, Oncor.

TXU Energy pledges service won’t be hurt by bankruptcy

Some competing energy retailers plan to intensify marketing efforts to lure customers away from the beleaguered company.

U.S. sanctions on Russian oil executive raise concerns for foreign investors

Analysts are worried that the sanctions against Igor Sechin are a prelude to tougher ones against his company, Rosneft, which works with BP and ExxonMobil.

Exxon's $900 billion Arctic drilling dream collides with reality of Ukraine politics

The company plans to start drilling in August in the Arctic’s remote Kara Sea — the centerpiece of Exxon’s global alliance with Russian state-controlled OAO Rosneft.

Keystone XL supporters push for quick Senate vote on pipeline

Pipeline advocates in the Senate, who include several Democrats on the ballot next fall as well as Republicans, hold a clear majority. They also may command more than the 60 votes needed to overcome blocking tactics by opponents.

BP's profits fall as it continues to sell off assets

Year-on-year comparisons are difficult to make at BP because the company has been downsizing rapidly to pay damages for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill as well as to finance share buybacks.

U.S. Supreme Court upholds power plant pollution rule; Texas led opposition

Attorneys general from 14 states, led by Texas, challenged the rule alongside Energy Future Holdings Corp.’s Luminant, Entergy Corp., Edison International, Peabody Energy Corp., AEP, Southern and the United Mine Workers of America.

Energy Future Holdings files for bankruptcy; company splitting up

EFH filed for Chapter 11 protection Tuesday morning after reaching a debt restructuring deal with creditors that eliminates more than half of its $40 billion in debt.

Energy Transfer Partners to pay $1.8 billion for Susser

The purchase of the owner of the Stripes gas station chain takes ETP far beyond its Texas pipeline roots.

Energy Transfer to acquire Stripes gas station chain, other assets for $1.8 billion

The deal adds to the network of 5,000 gas stations Energy Transfer acquired when it bought Philadelphia-based Sunoco in 2012.

For Energy Future Holdings, a colossal collapse but limited pain for buyout’s architects

The two private equity firms behind the failed $45 billion deal took steps that mean they and their clients will see little damage.

Clock ticking, bankruptcy near for Energy Future Holdings

The company will be in talks with creditors throughout the weekend, hoping to work out a final-hour debt restructuring.

Houston-based Baker Hughes to disclose its fracking chemicals

A U.S. Department of Energy official hails the move by the Houston-based company as "an important step in building public confidence."

EFH reportedly looks at two debt restructuring offers

Energy Future Holdings Corp.’s directors met Thursday to consider two creditor proposals for reorganizing the power producer in bankruptcy.

Trading firms accuse Texas power generator of electricity market manipulation

In a federal lawsuit in Houston, the trading firms allege that Houston-based GDF Suez “intentionally withholds electricity generation during times of tight supply, for reasons not explained by rational notions of supply and demand ... ."

GE plans to invest $1 billion a year in renewable power projects

That will build upon the $10 billion that GE has already invested in 17 gigawatts of mostly wind and solar plants since forming the unit in 2006.

Court filing says ship in Houston oil spill was speeding

In court documents filed earlier this month, Houston-based Kirby Inland Marine alleges the March 22 collision was caused by gross negligence on the part of Sea Galaxy Marine, the ship’s owner.

Plano company loses $3 million verdict in Wise County fracking case

Couple’s lawsuit said emissions from fracking on neighboring property caused them to get sick

Shale boom sends U.S. crude inventories to highest since 1930s

U.S. production has surged as the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, unlocked supplies trapped in shale formations in the central U.S., including the Bakken in North Dakota and the Eagle Ford in Texas.

Keystone XL pipeline debate shifts from Capitol Hill to Lincoln, Neb.

If the seven-member Nebraska Supreme Court upholds a lower court decision, TransCanada Corp., the Calgary-based company that wants to build Keystone, will need to apply to the state's Public Service Commission.

Halliburton sees recovery in North America’s fracking market

The recovery is being led by increased drilling in the oil-rich Permian Basin of Texas, as well as natural attrition.

U.S. delays review of Keystone XL pipeline

The Obama administration is extending indefinitely the amount of time federal agencies have to review the Keystone XL pipeline, the State Department said Friday, likely punting the decision over the controversial oil pipeline past the midterm elections.

Energy Future reaches deal with creditors; Chapter 11 filing imminent

Energy Future Holdings is close to reaching a deal with its creditors ahead of filing for bankruptcy protection in the next two days, the Dow Jones news wire is reporting.

$300k salary to fold sheets? Meet the new economics of the global oil boom

Out in West Texas and the Eagle Ford, entry level pay for oil field workers has gotten so high they're making more than some first year attorneys.

Oil glut develops along U.S. Gulf as inventory hits record levels

Driving the change are a trifecta of factors: The opening of the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline between Cushing, Okla., and Houston; strong U.S. oil production and the seasonal shutdown of refineries ahead of the summer.

T. Boone Pickens teams up with Wyoming firm to make, promote natural gas engines

The Texas millionaire’s energy hedge fund, BP Capital, is partnering with family-run Moser Energy Systems to create a new company — Mesa Natural Gas Solutions.

Chesapeake Energy's biggest investor grows more bullish on its stock

The outlook for Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake has improved because its CEO “has made substantial progress since taking the helm” in June, Southeastern Asset Management told its shareholders.

EFH misses SEC deadline, is positioned for bankruptcy filing

The Dallas-based power company filed a notice that it was again delaying the filing of its annual 10-K financial statement.

Activist investors force Big Oil to pay execs less, return more to shareholders

Exxon Mobil Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson’s total compensation dropped by $12.1 million to $28.1 million in 2013. John Watson, chief executive of Chevron Corp., saw his compensation fall by $8.2 million to $24 million in 2013.

Wind energy developers from around globe rush to Texas Panhandle, Gulf Coast

Wind developers from around the globe have rushed into the Texas Panhandle and Gulf Coast at a pace not seen since the industry’s early days in the mid-2000s.

4 years after BP spill, questions remain in Gulf Coast over long-term health effects

A medical settlement BP reached with cleanup workers and coastal residents following the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history could benefit an estimated 200,000 people.

Chesapeake Energy planning record $3 billion bond offering to refinance debt

Debt from Chesapeake has outperformed peers in the last year as billionaire investor Carl Icahn prods the Oklahoma City- based company to increase financial discipline by drilling fewer wells and selling assets.

Texans feeling impact as power outages worsen, study says

Americans are spending more and more time without power, according to a study by the research group Climate Central.

Chancellor Kent Hance reveals plans for big wind farm near Texas Tech campus

While in Washington for meetings with the Department of Energy and others, Hance told The Dallas Morning news that the university will soon break ground on a large new commercial wind farm at the former Reese Air Force Base.

Billionaire environmentalist wants California to enact 'extraction tax' on energy companies

Such a law would force energy companies to share as much as $2 billion of California’s oil wealth with residents.

$5 billion settlement clears way for Anadarko to grow globally - if it isn't bought first

Anadarko shares soared 15 percent to an all-time high after it agreed with the U.S. Justice Department to pay $5.15 billion to clean up 85 years worth of pollution left behind by its Kerr-McGee unit.

Exxon agrees to disclose fracking risks, quells shareholder action

The New York City Pension Funds, which controls $1 billion in Exxon stock, along with 13 other shareholders, had pressured the Irving-based company to be more transparent.