Diamondback Energy’s new Midland Basin wells’ results are rising, not sputtering out. SM Energy’s Midland results are overcoming the E&P’s “science-heavy” spell.

In the heart of the Midland Basin, two pure-play Permian operators are delivering a clear message in mid-2026: well productivity is holding up—and in key cases improving—amid ongoing efficiency gains across the broader Permian. Recent Hart Energy/Oil and Gas Investor analysis highlights Diamondback Energy’s (FANG) new Midland Basin wells showing a strong rebound in early […]

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Texas data center pause puts 20% of US pipeline at risk of delay: BNEF

Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s directive pausing new data center interconnections to the ERCOT grid has placed nearly one-fifth of the entire U.S. data center development pipeline at risk of delays, according to analysis from BloombergNEF (BNEF). The move, announced August 3, 2026, requires a comprehensive audit of energy use, water consumption, financing, ownership, and community […]

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Can the UK and EU Survive the Energy Crisis by Tripling Down on Net Zero?

The Renewable Treadmill of Financial Death The Renewable Treadmill of Financial Death is a topic that David Blackmon , The Nemeth Report (Dr. Tammy Nemeth) and I will be covering at our new time at 9:00 Central this Monday. The following week at 9:00, we have a special edition of the Energy Realities Podcast with Dr. Joseph Fournier, another great Substack […]

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Hormuz Crisis Is Rewriting the Global LPG Trade

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the 2026 Iran-related conflict has fundamentally altered global liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) trade flows. Middle Eastern exports from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Iran slowed sharply as tanker traffic collapsed and infrastructure faced risks or attacks. Before the escalation, roughly 54 oil, chemical, and LPG […]

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German Energy Policy Meets the Real World: Evonik CEO Christian Kullmann Says the Energy Transition Has No Value Whatsoever

Evonik CEO Christian Kullmann has delivered a blunt verdict on Germany’s Energiewende. In July 2026 interviews with the Rheinische Post and others, the head of one of Germany’s largest specialty chemicals companies stated that the energy transition has cost around €1,000 billion—and delivered “nothing.” “Wir haben nicht genug Gaskraftwerke. Wir haben eine Netzinfrastruktur wie in […]

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Global Energy Market In Flux with Russia, Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandab Strait and drought in the EU all in play

The global energy landscape remains highly volatile in early August 2026, shaped by overlapping geopolitical, security, and climate pressures. Disruptions centered on Russia’s refined product exports, ongoing uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, escalating risks in the Bab el-Mandab Strait, and a severe drought across Europe are tightening supplies of crude oil, petroleum products, LNG, […]

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China Approves Eight New Nuclear Plants, Including Four With Hualong One 2.0 Tech

China’s State Council approved the construction of eight new nuclear reactor units on July 31, 2026, during an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang. The projects, spanning four provinces, represent a total investment exceeding 170 billion yuan (approximately $25 billion) and continue the country’s aggressive expansion of nuclear capacity as a cornerstone of its […]

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Williams Cos. Reaches Deal to Buy Momentum Midstream for Up to $5.5 Billion

Tulsa-based The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE: WMB) has signed an agreement to acquire Momentum Midstream in a strategic transaction valued at up to $5.5 billion, establishing a premier position in the Haynesville Shale to serve expanding Gulf Coast LNG, power, and industrial demand. The deal, announced alongside Williams’ strong second-quarter 2026 results on August 3, […]

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