Oil Producers Optimistic

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) – The price of a barrel of oil has remained above $60 as figures show the national stockpile has fallen for the 10th week in a row.
The Casper Star-Tribune reports that the national benchmark closed at $65.51 Thursday, compared to a mid-$40s low hit in June. The crude oil prices are at their highest point since 2014 because of the inventory drawdown.
Steve Kirkwood, of Kirkwood Oil and Gas, says Wyoming firms that have waded through a low-price environment for two years are looking ahead again.
State regulators received 1,736 applications for permits to drill in December, a 174 percent jump from December 2015.