Powder River

Chesapeake Energy Corp. won’t discriminate between its oil and natural gas properties this year as it looks to keep unloading assets in an ongoing quest to get leaner and cut another $2-3 billion of debt from its balance sheet.

Houston-based Genesis Energy LP is holding an open season through Dec. 22 to test support for a 140-mile-long crude oil gathering system in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin (PRB).

Oneok Partners LP said it plans to invest $440 million in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin to buy a natural gas liquids (NGL) processing facility and to upgrade related infrastructure.

Strong growth in oil production — especially in the Permian Basin — propelled Devon Energy Corp. to record the highest average daily production rate in its history during the second quarter of 2013, as the company also saw positive test results in the Woodford Shale.

While it is putting more emphasis on its utilities longer term, Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. is focused shorter term on “proving up and capturing substantial value” from its oil and natural gas properties in the Mancos Shale plays in the San Juan and Piceance basins, along with new-found interest in Powder River Basin oil, CEO Dave Emery said Tuesday during a second quarter earnings conference call.