Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained 16 rigs, New Mexico and Arkansas each added two and Oklahoma increased its numbers by one. Louisiana lost the most rigs, dropping by four, while California, Wyoming and North Dakota each lost one.  More »

Russia’s state-controlled oil company could team up and swap shares with Royal Dutch Shell in an Arctic offshore deal similar to one that fell through with BP this month, the prime minister said Friday.  More »

Faced with an activist right wing that questions the science linking pollution to changes in the Earth’s climate and also disdains big government, most of the Republican contenders have stepped back from their previous positions on global warming.  More »

A single-page document written a decade ago by operators of Japan’s crippled nuclear plant was enough to convince regulators that its reactors were safe from the worst waves an earthquake could muster.  More »

Oil prices fell on Thursday after the government said the economy grew at an annual rate of 1.8 percent in the first quarter. The commerce department cited high gasoline prices, weaker-than-expected consumer spending and government budget cuts as reasons for the sluggishness.  More »

While pump prices are down, they’re still about a dollar higher than last year’s Memorial Day holiday weekend.  More »

Sanctions against Venezuela’s state oil company for doing business with Iran will primarily affect U.S. businesses, the country’s foreign minister said Thursday. Asked whether Venezuela might consider suspending oil shipments to the United States, the minister said such actions could only be considered in “extreme moments.”  More »

Gov. Chris Christie called the 10-state compact a “failure.” The announcement thrilled conservatives, who have been dogging governors in Northeast states to abandon the effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions by having polluters pay for their fossil fuel output.  More »

The Houston-based company wants to add three underwater turbines to the dam in Central Texas. It would then sell the electricity generated to the city of Austin.  More »

The Just Beneath the Surface alliance aims to tout the industry’s economic contributions while addressing concerns over the methods used to tap the Marcellus Shale.  More »

As part of a plan to ease regulatory burdens on businesses, the Obama administration would eliminate requirements for trapping polluting vapors at gasoline stations.  More »

The move by Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality means companies that use hydraulic fracturing must meet additional requirements for public disclosure and protecting water resources.  More »