Articles by David Wethe

Oil-Field Lawsuit Offers Rare Insight Into Harassment Complaints

A lawsuit set for trial in July against the world’s largest provider of drilling services will offer rare public testimony about the plight of women working in America’s oil fields. Jessica Cheatham, who worked as an engineer for SLB, previously …

Oklahoma Quake Upgraded to 5.8 Mag, More Waste Wells Shut Down

Oklahoma drillers are being ordered to shut more fracking wastewater wells just as the U.S. Geological Survey is upgrading last weekend’s earthquake to a record magnitude. The Environmental Protection Agency said it has ordered the closure of 17 additional disposal …

5.6 Mag Oklahoma Quake Matches Record

Oklahoma registered one of its biggest earthquakes on Sept. 3 even after state regulators have beefed up limits on disposing oilfield waste and the rate of tremors had started to slow somewhat from unprecedented levels last year. The tremor in …

BP Raises Liability by $5.2 Billion for Deepwater Horizon Spill

BP Plc has raised the total liability from the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, which triggered the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, by $5.2 billion to $61.6 billion before tax. The London-based company expects to take a $2.5 billion …

Safety an Issue as Oilfield Companies Cut Costs During Downturn

A deadly oil well explosion in Texas’ Permian Basin this week offers a cautionary note of the industry’s challenges as companies cut costs during a market downturn. Even as deaths in the industry have climbed much less than the breakneck …

Halliburton Agrees to $1.1 Billion Gulf Oil Claims Settlement

Halliburton Co. agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle a majority of lawsuits brought over its role in the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The agreement is subject to court approval and includes legal fees, the Houston-based company …

Gas Well Fire Continues to Burn in Penn.; One Missing, One Injured

Chevron Corp. said a Pennsylvania well continues to burn for a second day as the company seeks to shut off the flow of natural gas at the site south of Pittsburgh. “We are developing a site-specific safety plan to identify …