Uranerz gets Pumpkin Buttes property

Uranerz Energy Corp. has acquired an undivided 81 percent interest in NAMMCO mineral properties covering over 75,000 acres in the Pumpkin Buttes uranium mining district of the Powder River Basin.

Uranerz now controls about 108,982 acres of mineral properties in the area, a press release indicates.

Uranerz also entered into an agreement with United Nuclear, a limited liability company owned by the sellers of the NAMMCO properties, to operate a joint venture under the name "Arkose Mining Venture."

The venture will initiate an exploration program, part of which will be aimed at the Nichols Ranch, Doughstick and Collins Draw areas.

Pipeline starts interim service

Rockies Express Pipeline LLC announced that interim service with capacity of about 1.4 billion cubic feet per day began Jan. 12, on approximately 500 miles of Rockies Express-West from the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colo., to an ANR delivery point in Brown County, Kan.

This section also includes delivery points to Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission, Northern Natural Gas Co. and Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America.

The remaining 213-mile pipeline section will continue eastward to Audrain County, Mo., and is expected to be in service in early February, according to a press release.

Casper businesses recognized

More Casper business people have been recognized by the Downtown Development Authority for their contributions to the downtown area.

Tim Anderson of Bank of the West was recognized for over six years of service as a board member and executive board member for the Downtown Development Authority.

Annita and Hank Neubauer's SOL - A Modern Shoe Source will receive a Building Renovation Award for an interior and exterior makeover at 103 E. Second St.

Serge D'Elia, owner of Elixirs@303, will received a Building Renovation Award for the new addition to his 303 Restaurant, located at 303 S. Wolcott St.

The three joined nine recipients previously announced.

Forum focuses on Workers Comp

The Wyoming State AFL-CIO, Equality State Policy Center and Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association will hold a forum Monday on the Workers Compensation System.

It will begin at the Parkway Plaza Hotel in Casper at 7 p.m. The forum include labor, legal and public policy experts.

For more information, contact Christopher Fleming at 801-883-9481.

Worland exec completes training

Mike Willard of Worland has graduated from the Institute for Organizational Management, organized by the United States Chamber of Commerce.

Willard is director of the Worland-Ten Sleep Chamber of Commerce.

Strathmore amends deal

Strathmore Minerals Corp. has amended a provision of its JV agreement with American Uranium Corp. on its Pine Tree-Reno Creek uranium project in Wyoming.

American Uranium has agreed to increase its exploration and development expenditures from $5 million to $12.375 million to earn an initial 22.5 percent interest in the project.

American Uranium announced a development program at its Reno Creek deposit in the Powder River Basin.

Analysis of historical data, including 1,100 drill holes, acquired from Power Resources convinced the company that a vigorous development program should begin early this year, according to a press release.

Firms provide fire funds

BW Insurance Agency and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company have provided a $5,687 grant to the Campbell County Fire Department to purchase new safety equipment and high-visibility gear to ensure safety at accident scenes, a press release states.

The department will spend about $2,200 on vests for rescue personnel. The specially-designed vests have striping and reflective tape.

Campbell County firefighters will use the remaining money for road warning signs and durable reflective sticker packages to put on vehicles.

Daniel ranchers recognized

The Wisconsin-based Sand County Foundation and the Wyoming Stock Growers Association will present the Leopold Conservation Award to Pape Ranches of Daniel as part of the 2007 Wyoming Environmental Stewardship Awards program.

Pape Ranches, which is operated by Norman and Barbara Pape, their sons, Fred and David, and their families, use many conservation practices to keep the operation economically and environmentally sustainable, according to a press release.

They place high emphasis on grazing management and use sagebrush on their land to increase forage production for cattle and wildlife. The family also uses fencing to maintain naturally occurring windbreaks and to allow for the passage of wildlife.

Schlumberger reports earnings

Oil field services company Schlumberger reported 2007 revenue of $23.28 billion versus $19.23 billion in 2006.

Fourth-quarter revenue reached $6.25 billion versus $5.93 billion in the third quarter of 2007, and $5.35 billion in the fourth quarter of 2006.

State awards highway grants

Contracts totaling $17.9 million for five highway projects were awarded by the Wyoming Transportation Commission last week.

Hedquist Construction of Mills won the largest contract with a bid of $16.2 million for reconstruction of nearly one mile of the Yellowstone Highway in Douglas. It includes replacing a bridge over the North Platte River.

Gillette's S&S Builders won a $523,00 contract for rehabilitation of the U.S. Highway 16 bridge over the railroad tracks in Newcastle.

S&S also received a $367,000 contract for rehabilitating decks of two bridges on I-25 north of Cheyenne.

CC&G Inc. of Lander was awarded a $559,000 contract to replace a bridge on Upper Nowood Road.

A new road closure system will be installed at the I-80 Curtis Street Interchange in Laramie under a $255,000 contract awarded to Modern Electric Co. of Casper.

Wyo picks up one rig

HOUSTON - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States fell by 12 last week to 1,732.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Louisiana gained eight rigs, and Alaska and Wyoming each picked up one. Colorado lost nine rigs, Texas lost five, Oklahoma lost three, and California and New Mexico each lost one.

Of the rigs running nationwide, 1,401 were exploring for natural gas and 323 for oil, Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday. Eight were listed as miscellaneous.

Baker Hughes has tracked rig counts since 1944. The tally peaked at 4,530 in 1981, during the height of the oil boom. The industry posted several record lows in 1999, bottoming out at 488.

Farmers market meeting set

An organizational meeting to discuss a downtown farmers market will be held Jan. 26 from 9 a.m. until noon in the downstairs board room of Bank of the West, 300 S. Wolcott, in Casper.

The meeting is open to everyone. For more information, contact Pat Nagel at 265-1421 or Tina Wulf at 236-6710.