US Drilling Rigs Rise in Longest Streak Since 2022 on Hormuz Price Bump

Houston, TX – June 6, 2026 – U.S. oil-directed drilling rigs posted their sixth consecutive weekly gain this week—the longest upward streak in domestic exploration since mid-2022—pushing the Baker Hughes oil rig count to 431. The increase comes as higher crude prices, fueled by ongoing disruptions and geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, continue […]

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The Hormuz Squeeze Is Redrawing Global Oil and Gas Markets for Good – By Energy News Beat Channel

The Strait of Hormuz has long been the world’s most critical energy chokepoint—handling roughly 20 million barrels per day (b/d) of oil and a significant share of global LNG before the 2026 crisis. But Iran’s de facto closure of the strait since late February 2026, amid escalating conflict, has forced a permanent rethink. Even if […]

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The Inola Aluminum Smelter Project: What It Is and Potential Impacts for Investors and Consumers

A major industrial proposal is advancing in northeast Oklahoma at the Tulsa Port of Inola along the Verdigris River. The Inola Aluminum Smelter—formally known as the Oklahoma Primary Aluminum project—represents the first new primary aluminum smelter in the United States since 1980 and would become the largest ever built in the country. What Is the […]

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EIA Report Indicates Massive Draw

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report on June 3, 2026, covering data for the week ending May 29, 2026. The report reveals a significant tightening in U.S. petroleum inventories, with a massive combined draw in commercial crude oil and Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) stocks. Analyst Ole S. Hansen […]

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An Economic Assessment of the 765-kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan Brent Bennett, Ph.D. talks about An Alternative Approach to Enable Cost-Effective Growth

Texas is facing explosive electricity demand growth from the Permian Basin’s oil and gas operations, data centers, manufacturing, and electrification. In response, ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) have fast-tracked the 765-kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan (STEP)—including the Permian Basin Reliability Plan (PBRP)—a massive build-out of high-voltage transmission lines designed to import […]

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Data Centers Are Moving to Unincorporated Areas to Avoid Citizen Decision Impacts – Energy News Beat Exclusive Analysis

In rural Texas, a quiet but transformative shift is underway. Developers are increasingly siting massive data centers in unincorporated areas—where county governments have far less regulatory authority than cities—bypassing the kind of local zoning, public hearings, and citizen pushback that could slow or stop projects in more populated zones. This strategy is playing out dramatically […]

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