Obama opposes GOP bill on Keystone XL oil pipeline

WASHINGTON — The White House says President Barack Obama opposes a House bill that would speed approval of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas.

• President Barack Obama

Franken challenges Energy Department on gas prices

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Al Franken is blaming the recent spike in Minnesota gas prices in part on the Department of Energy’s decision to stop publishing refinery maintenance reports two years ago.

• Al Franken

Polk officials hear pipeline plans

CROOKSTON, Minn. – Already Polk County’s biggest taxpayer at $2.7 million annually, Enbridge Pipelines soon may be paying twice that much.

• Sandpiper Pipeline

ND oil boom prompts Texas company to expand

DICKINSON, N.D. -- The building boom brought on by the oil boom has brought many new companies to North Dakota.

• Adam Carson

Farmer-led company to build $1.5 billion fertilizer plant

VALLEY CITY, N.D. — Darin Anderson uses a starter fertilizer for his 2013 corn; he looks behind him in the tractor cab to see the product flowing through “sight monitors” on his planting rig that verify the stuff is traveling properly through nozzles.

• Darin Anderson
• Grand Forks City Council OKs water agreement for proposed fertilizer plant

NorthWestern peaking plant operating in SD

ABERDEEN, S.D. — NorthWestern Energy has started operating a natural gas fired plant in Aberdeen to help meet electricity needs during times of peak demand.

Shares of Raven Industries fall on 1Q profit drop

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Shares of Raven Industries Inc. tumbled Monday after the industrial products maker said its fiscal first-quarter net income fell 26 percent, as sluggish economic conditions hurt sales at all of its businesses.

US gas prices up 11 cents over past 2 weeks

CAMARILLO, Calif. — A new survey finds Minneapolis has the highest gas prices in the Lower 48 states.

ND lawmakers opposed to new fracking rules

DICKINSON N.D. -- The U.S. Department of the Interior released an updated draft of rules on hydraulic fracturing Thursday, but it appears those on both sides of the fracking issue are unhappy with the proposal.

Group worried about improper disposal of oil field material

WILLISTON, N.D. — Landfill employees here discovered at least two “hot loads” this week, illustrating why a group of North Dakota citizens is worried about the proper disposal of radioactive waste that comes with oil production.

• Eric Olson

US rig count is unchanged, ND gains 3

HOUSTON — Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. remains unchanged this week, at 1,769.

• Oil Rig

Oil patch prompts utilities to boost capacity

BISMARCK – Ample supplies of natural gas, and sharp increases in demand for electricity in North Dakota’s Oil Patch, have prompted utilities and cooperatives to boost capacity.

Xcel Energy proposing 2 power plants in ND

FARGO, N.D. – Xcel Energy is proposing two new natural gas-fired power plants 70 miles south of here to meet electricity needs at times of peak demand.

Tribal members walk out of Keystone meeting

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Tribal representatives walked out of a meeting with U.S. State Department officials who came to Rapid City to discuss concerns about the Keystone XL pipeline project.

Interior issues new drilling rule on public land

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Thursday it will require companies that drill for oil and natural gas on federal lands to publicly disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. The new “fracking” rule replaces a draft proposed last year that was withdrawn amid industry complaints that federal regulation could hinder an ongoing boom in natural gas production.