Chron Biz Journal 

  • Feds: BP well no longer a threat to Gulf - It's not in danger of leaking oil, the government's spill response chief said, but the job of plugging the well is not yet complete.



    • Talk About This
  • Trend toward smaller homes bucks Texas-size tradition - A trend to build and buy smaller homes has reached Texas, where everything is bigger. Part of the reason is the weaker economy, but other factors are at work, too.



    • Talk About This
  • Officials demand answers after Mariner platform fire - Regulators, lawmakers and the company itself began investigations into why a Mariner Energy production platform caught fire, forcing 13 workers into the Gulf of Mexico.



    • Talk About This
  • Court tells Skilling he can't get out on bail - Jeff Skilling was denied a request to be released from prison on bail while he appeals his 2006 fraud convictions. The U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans Friday denied Skilling's request in a one-sentence ruling that didn't provide an explanation.



    • Talk About This
  • Forum to offer views on safety of deep-water drilling - At a public forum in Houston on Tuesday, oil and gas company representatives are expected to try to assure federal regulators that offshore drilling is safe and the industry is better able to respond to spills.



    • Talk About This
  • Safety board ventures offshore for BP spill probe - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, which investigated the explosion at BP's Texas City refinery five years ago, is looking at BP again.



    • Talk About This
  • Blowout preventer is lifted off well in the Gulf - BP said the blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico was removed from its well Friday afternoon.



    • Talk About This
  • Employers add jobs, offering a bit of reassurance - Private employers hired more workers over the past three months than first thought, a glimmer of hope for the economy ahead of the Labor Day weekend.



    • Talk About This
  • Q&A: For landscape architect, it's a labor of love - Landscape architect Lauren Griffith of Lauren Griffith Associates designed the renovated Market Square Park downtown which debuted last week. She also collaborated on Discovery Green and other public spaces in Houston. She talked about the landscape architecture business in Houston and how effective public spaces can spur development around them.



    • Talk About This
  • Texan returns after leaving his job as GM's chief - A day after he stepped down as CEO of the country's biggest automaker, Ed Whitacre had already ditched his suit and tie was back in San Antonio meeting with old friends in his office.



    • Talk About This