The oil and gas industry cleared a major hurdle Monday in its path back to deep-water drilling, with the Obama administration’s approval of an offshore exploration plan that paves the way for Shell to drill three exploratory wells in the Gulf of Mexico. But the decision faces an almost-certain challenge.  More »

The state’s revived oil industry is adding $1 billion a year in tax revenue and fueling an employment boom but census figures exclude thousands of oil-field roughnecks living in “man camps” or motels as temporary residents. The census counted them in their home states, not North Dakota.  More »

Nearly a year after the Gulf of Mexico spill, the oil industry wants to get back to work, said Christopher Jones, the brother of one of the 11 men who died in the Deepwater Horizon explosion. But Congress still needs to do more to improve the safety of offshore drilling, Jones said today. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said drilling advocates appeared to be living in a fantasy land where the spill never happened.  More »

U.S. regulators don’t have to decide this month on certain Gulf of Mexico drilling permit applications delayed by a spill-related ban, a federal appeals court said.  More »

The Obama administration today took another step forward in drafting a five-year blueprint for the sale of drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico, by asking the public to weigh in with their suggestions on what areas should be up for grabs.  More »

President Barack Obama defended his administration’s energy policies and called for government action to curb the rapid rise in energy prices.  More »

Chesapeake Energy and Clarita Operating will comply with Arkansas regulators’ request they stop injecting natural gas well wastewater into several disposal wells in the area of a recent swarm of earthquakes. No definitive data has tied the wells to the small quakes, but Arkansas officials want to study the issue more closely.  More »

The number of natural gas rigs dropped by seven to 899 — a one-year low — while oil rigs climbed 18 to 801, the biggest one-week increase since early December, according to Baker Hughes.  More »

Noble, which has ordered construction of two of the industry’s most expensive drilling rigs this year, will buy a third ultra-deepwater vessel as contractors take advantage of higher crude prices and low shipyard costs.  More »

Environmentalist Tim DeChristopher was found guilty of making $1.8 million in false oil and gas drilling bids at a 2008 federal auction in a case that became a cause celebre among activists and Hollywood stars. A federal jury reached its verdict in about three hours, finding DeChristopher guilty of two felony counts of interfering with and making false representations at a government auction.  More »

Houston Democrat Gene Green led scores of lawmakers today in calling on the Obama administration to streamline the way it reviews offshore drilling proposals — a move they say is necessary for American prosperity and security.  More »

A Utah man hailed as a symbol of opposition to U.S. oil and gas drilling policy told a federal jury Wednesday that he had no advance plan to thwart a government auction where he won $1.7 million in leases he couldn’t afford. With bidder’s paddle No. 70 in hand, Tim DeChristopher said his plan in being there “was to wave a red flag about what was going on.”  More »