OKLAHOMA BUSINESS BRIEFS

Agriculture secretary plans visit to OKC

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue plans to visit the Oklahoma City area on Wednesday.

His schedule includes an 11:15 a.m. luncheon round table discussion with Oklahoma’s congressional delegation and state agricultural leaders at Cattlemen’s Restaurant, 1309 S Agnew Ave. He also has a 2:45 p.m. speaking engagement at an event in Norman that involves the creation of the Farm Production and Conservation Leadership program. That event will be at the National Center for Employee Development, 2701 E Imhoff Road.

Perdue also plans to address FFA Oklahoma members and state agricultural leaders at the Oklahoma National Stockyards Co. in Oklahoma City, at 2501 Exchange Ave., at 4:15 p.m.

Boeing says KC-46 has finished certification tests

The KC-46 Pegasus tanker has completed receiver certification testing with the U.S. Air Force involving B-52 and F/A-18 aircraft, Boeing Co. announced on Monday.

News of the certifications came as the aircraft manufacturer and the Air Force continue to work through issues that are impacting planned delivery of the first planes to the military.

The Air Force and Boeing had anticipated the first tanker would be delivered to the service before the end of this month, but that since was pushed back as the partners continue to work through issues involving the aircraft’s refueling system.

The KC-46’s addition to the Air Force’s fleet is important to Oklahomans.

Pegasus aircrews will train at Altus Air Force Base, while the Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Force Base will take care of the planes at a maintenance center that is being built on the base’s south side.

Construction of that complex, on land the Air Force, Oklahoma County and Oklahoma City teamed up to buy, is well underway.

Chesapeake Energy closes sale on Utica Shale assets

A deal Chesapeake Energy Corp. announced in July involving the sale of its Utica Shale assets in Ohio closed Monday for $1.87 billion, the company announced Monday.

Officials have said the Oklahoma City-based oil and natural gas company will use proceeds from the sale to repay debt while also increasing drilling activity in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin.

In a related matter, the company also announced Monday it will redeem $1.4 billion in senior notes that originally were scheduled to be retired in 2022.

Officials said the redemption will be funded primarily with proceeds from the sale of the Utica Shale properties.