Houston-based Merge Electric Fleet Solutions said Sept. 28 it launched a program to deploy electric Ford F-150 Lightning trucks in Permian Basin.  The first-of-its-kind program will enable oil and gas operators and service companies to test electric trucks, determine if the trucks will meet their needs, and build fleet electrification plans.  Each qualified company will […]

Only one of the top seven counties in the Permian Basin reported a change in the drilling rig count for the week that ended Oct. 7.  Lea County, N.M., continues to lead Permian with 72 active rigs, according to Baker Hughes, followed by Eddy, N.M., with 38, Martin with 34, Midland with 31, Reeves with […]

State of Texas received at least $1 billion in production taxes from oil and gas in September (based on August sales) for the sixth consecutive month.  Glenn Hegar, comptroller, said Oct. 3 Texas received $552 million from oil production tax (up 41 percent from September 2021) and $480 million from natural gas production tax (up […]

Minneapolis-based Northern Oil and Gas said Sept. 30 it will acquire assets in Delaware Basin from Midland-based Alpha Energy Partners for $157.5 million.  The assets in Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico and Loving County in Texas include 2,800 net acres, 9.6 net producing wells, 2.8 net authorized or in-progress wells, and 21.2 net […]

Midland-based Diamondback Energy said this week it agreed to purchase all leasehold interests and related assets in Midland Basin of Fort Worth-based FireBird Energy in a cash and stock transaction valued at $1.6 billion.  Diamondback acquired 75,000 gross (68,000 net) highly contiguous acres for 5.86 million shares of Diamondback common stock and $775 million cash.  […]

Houston Chronicle reported this week that Railroad Commission of Texas is preparing an application to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assume responsibility for permitting of carbon storage wells.  Chronicle said Texas Attorney General’s office is reviewing state environmental laws to verify that they meet federal requirements.  When that is complete, commission officials said, Governor Greg […]

The Environmental Partnership, formed in 2017 by a group of 26 oil and natural gas companies to reduce emissions from oil and gas operations, recently issued its annual report on activities in 2021 in its six programs – leak detection and repair, pneumatic controller, manual liquids unloading, compressor, pipeline blowdown and flare management.  The group […]

Baker Hughes’ count of drilling rigs reached a 2022 high of 113 in New Mexico for the week that ended Sept. 30.  New Mexico added 2 rigs in the past week and 27 in the past year.  Also, as of Sept. 30 there were 344 rigs in Permian Basin (unchanged in past week, up 81 […]