Light, sweet crude oil prices for April delivery gained slightly on the New York market Mar. 17 to remain under $49/bbl while oil prices dropped in early Mar. 20 trading following a higher weekly rig count total. Source: News

The US drilling rig count climbed 12 units to 768 during the week ended Mar. 10, according to Baker Hughes Inc. data. The count has now risen in 8 straight weeks, 6 of which have been double-digit increases. Source: News

Lessons passed down from Permian pioneer Joe M. Parsley to his son-in-law Scott Sheffield and then to Scott’s son Bryan Sheffield hold true for any US onshore operator outside of their lineage. Source: News

The new US Energy Secretary intends to keep federal research in his department strong and vibrant, he told employees on his first day on the job. Source: News

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave US transportation systems barely a passing grade, D+, when it issued its 2017 Infrastructure Report Card on Mar. 9. Energy systems received the same mark, with potential problems looming for electricity as well as oil and gas.   Source: News

Two months into their historic experiment, agreements to cut oil production in support of crude prices provide more questions than answers. Source: News

Executives of Energy Transfer Partners LP (ETP)breathed sighs of relief during January and February when newly inaugurated US President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to advance work on the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Army Corps of Engineers subsequently granted an easement needed to complete construction on the project. Source: News

Howard Midstream Energy Partners LLC (HEP) has added Roy Patton as chief commercial officer and executive vice-president and Brett Braden as general counsel and senior vice-president. Both appointments are effective immediately. Source: News