Hydraulic Oil Tanks

Drivers on Highway 200 two miles west of Killdeer can see the Denbury Resources Inc. well that failed Wednesday and leaked more than 2,000 barrels of frac water and oil by the time it was capped Thursday afternoon.

KILLDEER  State officials are investigating an oil company to see if it followed fracturing regulations in the first blow-out and leak since pressure testing regulations went on the books two years ago.

A Texas oil company was still working to contain the leak Thursday night after more than 2,000 barrels of primarily frac water and some oil leaked out of the well.

Denbury Resources Inc. spokesman Ryan Jacob said the company is also conducting its own internal investigation into the root cause of the casing failure.

Killdeer oil spill being cleaned up, officials investigate - Bismarck Tribune

The big news out of Yamaha for 2011 is the addition of an Adventure model coming to the United States that looks ready to compete with the KTM 990 Adventure and BMW GS models for long-rang fun-seekers. Dubbed the Super Tenere, the go-anywhere-anytime machine is powered a 1200cc twin with a 270 degree crank, which has the pistons firing nearly at the same time to give a big-traction feeling almost like a giant single. The bike has two engine modes, three traction control modes, and ABS and UBS (Unified Braking System). The six speed feeds power through a shaft drive to the rear wheel, the rear shock has a hydraulic shock preload quick adjuster, the seat offers 25mm of height adjustment, and a six gallon tank can to take you WAY past the corner market you headed out for. This ticket to fun won't be ready to hit the highways and backroads until May 2011, so you have all winter to plan your springtime outings.

For 2011 the YZ line-up will have minimal changes, but even that can be seen as exciting news to some. Yamaha's motocross flagship, the YZ450, is the only model with actual changes, and those consist only of a new clutch push rod lever to improve clutch consistency over long motos, and a slightly larger gas tank to make it through those long rides. (from 6.0 to 6.2 liters).

But the absence of change should been seen as a good thing in one area, and its also one more year media rep Tim Olson will not have to eat his hat, as promised, if the two-strokes ever disappear. Yep, Yamaha is still selling its three smokers, the YZ250, YZ125 and YZ85. No changes to these machines, but with the state of the economy it's great news for people looking to get onto the fun, simple two-strokes.

The same "good" news for off-roaders is that the WR250F and WR450F will return as 2011 models. No changes to these models either, but they will be on showroom floors waiting for you to take them out to hit the trails.

New Adventure Model Comes To America - Dirt Rider Magazine

Drillers draw stronger warnings - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Caterpillar has announced it plans to break ground next month on a $120 million to $150 million plant in Victoria to manufacture two lines of hydraulic excavators. The plant, which will be at the Lone Tree Business Center, will employ about 500 people when it's fully operational in 2014.

City officials have said they plan to offer a 10-year, 100-percent abatement on improvements to the property. The 320 acres would still be taxed.

Tuesday's decision to continue ozone research in Victoria could help improve the business climate as well as help the city avoid federal sanctions.

The city council voted Tuesday to accept a $601,039 grant. The money would be used to continue a 10-year program of monitoring the city's air quality.

Air quality research grant could help Victoria grow - Victoria Advocate

Just west of Bellingham, a small fleet of reef–netters continues to make a living the way the Lummi tribe invented centuries ago. But these reef–netters aren't Lummis. On small barges anchored near a shallow reef, spotters in rubber boots and raingear cling to metal towers. They're on the lookout for sockeye salmon swimming toward Canada's Fraser River. It's a banner year for Fraser River sockeye and the people who catch them. KUOW's John Ryan reports from Lummi Island.

The morning fog hasn't quite burned off of Rosario Strait as an oil tanker heads south between Orcas and Lummi islands. Below the surface, thousands of sockeye head north. They're aiming for the Fraser River and their spawning grounds upstream. But Riley Starks and his crew have something else planned for them.

Starks' crew of five springs into action. Electric winches reel in a net suspended between their two small barges. The edges of the net rise to the surface, and the school of sockeye inside has nowhere to turn.

Starks races down a ladder to help his crew haul in the net by hand, as fast as they can. They want to get the fish out of the water, and the reef net back in the water, before the next school of sockeye passes through. The silver and green sockeye weigh about six pounds each. They thrash like mad as they're hoisted out of the water and put in a holding tank.

Fishing The Lummi Way - KUOW NPR