DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Companies building an oil pipeline from North Dakota across the Midwest into Texas say they’ve completed project financing and sold a share of the pipeline to another company to pay down the debt. Energy Transfer Partners, Sunoco Logistics Partners and Phillips 66 said Tuesday they completed borrowing the remaining $2.5 billion needed to complete the ...
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Pittsburgh’s Kennametal cutting 1,000 in drilling slowdown
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh-based Kennametal Inc. says it’s cutting 1,000 jobs over the next 15 months, citing weak demand for the coal-mining and gas-drilling cutting tools it makes. The company announced the cuts to its 12,000-strong workforce on Monday, but didn’t say what facilities will be affected. Kennametal had more than 14,000 employees, including 5,000 in the United States, just ...
Read More »Dakota Access Pipeline foes gather at North Dakota Capitol
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline have gathered on the grounds of the North Dakota Capitol to protest. The Capitol this week is the site of a special session of the Legislature that was called by Gov. Jack Dalrymple to address state budget woes. The opponents are calling for Dalrymple and legislators to put a halt ...
Read More »Sweeney ties gas-tax impasse to Christie’s Trump support
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A top New Jersey Democrat says Republican Gov. Chris Christie opposes new legislation to raise the gas tax and pay for road and bridge work because he’s “auditioning” for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Senate President Steve Sweeney predicted Monday the stalemate over transportation funding might not be resolved until after the election. The comment comes ...
Read More »Pipeline construction equipment damage in suspected arson
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Machinery located at three oil pipeline construction sites in central Iowa was found extensively damaged by fire Monday in what the company building the pipeline called a shameful act. There’s little doubt the fires were intentionally set along the Dakota Access pipeline, said Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty. Damage to a bulldozer and other large ...
Read More »Payments from 2012 BP settlement $7.9 billion so far
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The office that processes claims for businesses and people who suffered economic losses from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill says it has approved payments totaling $8.5 billion as of June 30. Of that, $7.9 billion in claims has been paid. The figures are in the latest federal court filing from Michael Juneau, the administrator ...
Read More »Truck spills about 5K gallons of oil, saltwater mixture
HALLIDAY, N.D. (AP) — A truck that rolled over in Dunn County spilled more than 5,000 gallons of a mixture of oil and saltwater over the weekend. The North Dakota Department of Health says the incident happened Saturday about seven miles north of Halliday. The department says the truck spilled about 5,040 gallons of produced water and about one-fourth of ...
Read More »Kuwait raises gasoline prices, following Gulf neighbors
KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Kuwait will raise its subsidized gasoline prices by as much as 83 percent beginning in September, becoming the last Gulf nation to do so as low global oil prices continue to gnaw away at governments across the region. Kuwait’s Cabinet announced the decision on Monday, with the biggest price hike coming for its premium-grade gasoline. As ...
Read More »Natural gas conversion company wants to dissolve
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Maine natural gas company that faced a $250,000 fine this year following a potentially “catastrophic” gas leak is asking the state to dissolve an affiliate. On Friday, Summit Natural Gas of Maine asked the state Public Utilities Commission to dissolve Natural Gas Conversion Company, which launched in 2014 to help Mainers convert home heating systems ...
Read More »North Dakota gasoline prices continue to fall toward $2 mark
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Gasoline prices continue to fall in North Dakota, with many stations now around the $2 per gallon mark. AAA puts the statewide average at $2.19 and Gasbuddy.com at $2.17. Both estimates are more than 50 cents a gallon cheaper than last year at the same time. AAA says about one-fifth of North Dakota gas stations are ...
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