Foreign Buyers and Private Equity Positioned to Drive a Fourth-Quarter Upstream M and A

U.S. upstream oil and gas mergers and acquisitions are showing renewed momentum heading into the fourth quarter of 2026, with foreign strategic buyers and private equity sponsors emerging as key potential catalysts for a late-year surge. After volatility tied to geopolitical events earlier in the year tempered activity, dealmaking rebounded in the third quarter, and […]

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Permitting Reform Could Impact Consumers on Their Power Bills

America does not primarily have an energy shortage. It has a permitting shortage. A new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposal to streamline expansions of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities highlights both the opportunity and the limits of piecemeal reform. As energy analyst Stuart Turley notes, LNG expansion alone will not lower costs for consumers […]

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The GeoTES Revolution Solving California’s Energy Crisis with Oil and Innovation

In this episode of the Energy Newsbeat podcast, host Stu Turley sits down with David Blackmon (Forbes contributor and Energy Impacts podcast host) and Mike Umbro (energy innovator and founder of California for Energy and Science) to explore a groundbreaking solution to California’s energy crisis. The conversation centers on Geologic Thermal Energy Storage (GeoTES)—a revolutionary […]

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ExxonMobil Signals Soaring Refining Earnings as Downstream Boom Offsets Upstream Pressure

ExxonMobil’s preliminary third-quarter update has put refining front and center for investors. Higher refining margins are expected to add roughly $4.5 billion to downstream earnings compared with the second quarter—on top of the $4.1 billion the company already generated from refining in Q2. That surge comes even as upstream earnings face an estimated $1.3 billion […]

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How has OPEC’s production pre-war and current output under stress?

The Iran war that began around February 28, 2026, with U.S.-Israeli strikes and subsequent Iranian responses, has reshaped OPEC+ crude production and, more sharply, refined product exports. Pre-war levels (roughly February 2026) represented a relatively stable baseline after earlier OPEC+ quota management. Current output remains under significant stress from Strait of Hormuz disruptions, infrastructure attacks, […]

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ENB Weekly Rig Count Comparison of Baker Hughes, Enverus and WellDatabase — Rigs Are Up

As of mid-October 2026, U.S. drilling activity continues to firm. Baker Hughes reported its closely watched weekly rotary rig count at 603 for the week ending October 9 (up 5 week-over-week and up 56 year-over-year from 547). WellDatabase’s U.S. Rig Report dated 10.14.2026 showed 608 total rigs (up 6 week-over-week and up 52 year-over-year). Enverus’ […]

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