Wyo rig count unchanged

HOUSTON - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States fell by 10 last week to 945, down nearly half from a year ago.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Colorado lost five rigs, Alaska lost four, Texas lost three, Oklahoma lost two and California and North Dakota each lost one. New Mexico added four rigs, Arkansas and Louisiana each added three while Wyoming was unchanged.

Of the rigs running nationwide, 741 were exploring for natural gas and 196 for oil, Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday. A total of eight were listed as miscellaneous.

A year ago, the rig count stood at 1,839. The U.S. count is down 53 percent since the end of August as weak energy demand has hampered oilfield activity.

Oil prices peaked at almost $150 a barrel in July before plunging. Light, sweet crude for May delivery rose $2.22 to $53.34 a barrel in trading Friday on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

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.

Union Telephone reorganizes

Union Telephone Co. has reorganized in what CEO and Vice President John Woody said is technically a merger but does not involve an outside company.

"Actually, it's just a reorganization of how the company's held," he said.

Woody said the action was taken mainly for legal and financial reasons.

"It won't change the ownership of the company or the composition of the company," he said.

UP reports lower profit

Union Pacific Corp. posted a lower profits in the first quarter, dragged by a 21 percent decline in carloads.

For the first three months of 2009, the Association of American Railroads says U.S. rail-car loadings were down 16.3 percent.

A blizzard in Wyoming coal fields, flooding in the Midwest and the national economic recession were among the factors blamed for the decline in rail traffic.

Casinos employ most workers

The Northern Arapaho Tribe's casino operations now employ the largest number of people in Fremont County with 560 total workers, according to a press release.

The Little Wind Casino at Ethete, which held its grand opening on April 4, boosted employment there to 60 workers, and ended a virtual tie between the casino operations and Fremont County School District No. 25 in Riverton for the most employees. The Riverton school district has 520 workers.

Work force summit slated

The 2009 Governor's Summit on Workforce Solutions will be held May 26-28 at the Snow King Resort in Jackson.

This year's keynote speaker is Don Tapscott, an internationally known authority on the strategic value and impact of information technology in today's business economy, according to a press release.

Sheep program passes

The U.S. sheep industry remain strongly behind a deduction on sheep sales to support marketing of American lamb.

Members of the U.S. sheep industry decided to continue the program by a vote of over 85 percent affirmative.

The referendum was conducted at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency offices during February. The result were made available last month.

Trust re-elects chairman

The Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust has re-elected Delaine Roberts of Etna as chairman of the board.

Kim Floyd of Cheyenne was re-elected vice-chairman at a meeting in Rock Springs, a press release indicates.

BNSF honors Wyo line

{M3BNSF Railway Co. has honored 86 shippers with BNSF's Annual Product Stewardship Award for the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail during 2008.

Among those recognized was the Bighorn Divide and Wyoming Railroad located near Shoshoni.

PR firm receives award

Jackson-based WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations has received a national award for a campaign created for the Lodge at Sun Ranch in Cameron, Mont.

Worden won the best travel, hospitality and destinations campaign category in the 2009 Bulldog Awards.

The competition is sponsored by Bulldog Reporter, which provides media news and intelligence for the public relations industry, according to a press release.

NOLS among best workplaces

The Lander-based National Outdoor Leadership School was named to Outside magazine's second annual "best places to work" list.

NOLS is recognized for offering employees flex-time options, ample vacation time and frequent "beer Fridays," among other things. The full list and related story is in the May issue of Outside magazine.

Safeway lowers 2009 outlook

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Grocery store operator Safeway Inc. on Thursday lowered its full-year outlook as weak sales and lower fuel prices persist.

The company now expects earnings of $2.10 to $2.30 per share in 2009, down from previous guidance of $2.34 and $2.44 per share. Analysts expect $2.23 per share. The company also cut capital spending to $1 billion from $1.2 billion.

The news came as the Pleasanton, Calif.-based company said first-quarter profit fell 25 percent to $144.2 million while revenue fell 8 percent to $9.24 billion.

Grocery stores are facing weak traffic and sales as consumers cut their spending and as competition among grocery sellers has increased.

EnCana names field leader

John Schmidt has been appointed Wind River Basin operations field leader by EnCana Oil and Gas USA.

He started on Friday and will be responsible for production, construction and midstream operations, according to a press release.

Schmidt was previously the Green River Basin operations field leader in the Rock Springs office.

He replaces Eddie Carpenter, who will become operations leader of EnCana's drilling and completion team in the Texas Mid-Continent Business Unit.

Firms receive safety awards

Several businesses were recognized at the state Department of Employment Safety Awards Conference held recently in Casper.

The ten award recipients and their respective categories were:

- Small general industry, Philips Welding Service, Gillette

- Large general industry, Georgia Pacific Gypsum, Lovell

- Small construction, NEW Electric, Gillette

- Large construction, TriStar Constructors, Evanston

- Large public entity, city of Green River

- Small oil and gas, Thunder Creek Gas Services, Gillette

- Large oil and gas, Chevron USA, Evanston

- Small mine, Cadlrock Mining, Douglas

- Large mine, Rio Tinto Energy America's Antelope Mine, Wright

- Small mine site contractor, Degerstrom Converters, Rock Springs

Insurance agent recognized

Sandy Widmer of Casper has qualified as a "championship" agent by Farmers Insurance for outstanding performance, according to a press release.

The recognition is based on such factors as an agent's sales volume and client retention.