Eagle Ford drilling activity drops more than one-third in one year's time

Low crude oil prices are continuing to take their toll as new figures show that drilling activity in the Eagle Ford Shale has fallen by more than one-third in just one year’s time.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading on midday Friday at just above $45 per barrel, a price that reflects near six-year lows.

Figures released on Friday by oil giant Baker Hughes show declines in active drilling rigs across the board and marking 12 weeks of drilling activity declines for the Eagle Ford.

Got…

Duke Energy will add 51 megawatts of commercial solar power in N.C. by spring

Construction has started on Duke Energy Renewables’ two solar farms, totaling 32-megawatts, tentatively designated the final two phases of the 52-megawatt project for selling clean energy to three Washington, D.C., institutions.

Meanwhile, the Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE:DUK) unit has completed construction of one 14-megawatt farm and one 5-megawatt farm that are likely to start providing power to Dominion Power in eastern North Carolina by the end of the month.

Together with the 20-megawatt first…

BMO Harris, XL Specialty reach accord in dispute over Truland payments

Truland Group Inc.’s largest secured creditor and the surety that backed the company’s projects have reached a settlement over one of the electrical contractor’s last projects before filing for bankruptcy.

The proposed settlement between creditor BMO Harris Bank N.A. and surety XL Specialty Insurance Co. resolves a dispute over money one of Truland’s affiliates was paid less than two weeks before the Reston-based company abruptly shut down in July 2014, laying off hundreds of workers and impacting…

Company blasts D.C. councilmember for asking mayor to scrap $66M inmate health contract

The CEO of Corizon Health Inc. — a Tennessee-based company that is under consideration for a $66 million D.C. inmate health care contract— is accusing D.C. Councilman David Grosso of undermining the city’s procurement process.

On Monday, Grosso, I-At large, sent a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser asking her to reopen the bidding process for the jail contract rather than reintroducing the Corizon contract before the council. Corizon CEO Dr. Woodrow Myers Jr. responded in his own letter, saying the…

Architect Michael Graves' impact on Greater Washington

Internationally acclaimed architect Michael Graves, who grew to prominence with iconic postmodern works and later designed household products for Target and JC Penney, died Thursday at his home in Princeton, New Jersey. He was 80. Graves died of natural causes, according to a statement posted on his firm’s website.

His impact on Greater Washington, a region generally defined by its classical federal buildings and height restrictions, is more substantial than you would initially think.

Among his…