Next year could be a solid year for the oilfield compared to recent ones. As the price of oil rises, industry officials are starting to see minimal improvement in the oilfield economy. But they anticipate the oil and gas industry could see substantial improvement in 2020, said Frank Fink, St. Mary Parish economic development director. West Texas Intermediate crude oil has risen from about $43 per barrel in January to $58 Wednesday, according to nasdaq.com. Gasoline prices in the area have recently gone up from roughly $2 per gallon to $2.30 or $2.40, Fink said. Several St. Mary businesses are ...