U.S. drilling activity showed mixed signals this week as different rig count providers reported divergent weekly moves against a backdrop of solid year-over-year gains. The latest WellDatabase US Rig Report (dated July 24, 2026) puts the active U.S. rig count at 575, up 1 from the prior week and up 47 from a year earlier. […]
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Matador Resources Company (NYSE: MTDR) announced on July 23, 2026, a pair of strategic bolt-on acquisitions in the Delaware Basin totaling approximately $1.475–$1.48 billion. The larger deal involves the purchase of Paloma Permian LLC, an EnCap Investments portfolio company, for $1.275 billion in cash. A smaller complementary transaction with Ridge Runner Resources II LLC (also […]
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ENB Pub Note: This article was first run on RHG Phoenix Petroleum’s Blog. We will be interviewing them on the podcast soon. Halliburton executives signaled a positive outlook for North American oilfield activity in 2026 during the company’s second-quarter 2026 earnings release and conference call on July 21, 2026. The Houston-based oilfield services giant highlighted recent gains […]
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Incoming UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing to back increased North Sea oil and gas activity, including potential approvals for the Jackdaw gas field and Rosebank oil field, as part of an early policy push focused on energy security, jobs, and economic growth. Burnham, who formally took office today after succeeding Keir Starmer, has […]
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The latest WellDatabase US Rig Report (dated July 18, 2026) shows the U.S. active drilling rig count at 567, marking a solid +11 week-over-week (WoW) increase and +37 year-over-year (YoY) gain. This reflects resilient drilling activity amid a stable-to-rising trend over the past 12 months, with the count holding in the mid-to-high 500s range. Key […]
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In a development that echoes broader regional efforts to reduce vulnerability to the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, ExxonMobil is emerging as a key partner in Iraq’s drive for energy self-sufficiency—particularly by ending its costly and geopolitically sensitive dependence on Iranian natural gas. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met directly with ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods in […]
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Riyadh/Dhahran, July 17, 2026 — Saudi Aramco has awarded Halliburton a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year contract for integrated stimulation and completion services supporting unconventional gas development, with a key focus on the massive Jafurah Basin in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. This award underscores Aramco’s aggressive push to scale one of the world’s largest unconventional gas programs outside […]
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Chevron Corp. is set to sign non-binding memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the Iraqi government on Friday, advancing negotiations for major investments in two of Iraq’s key oil fields while joining efforts to develop pipelines that would allow Iraqi crude exports to bypass the vulnerable Strait of Hormuz. The move signals deepening U.S.-Iraq energy ties […]
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A long-dormant shale gas reservoir in Alberta is getting a second life — this time as a promising oil play. Companies are targeting the sandstone layers of the Basel Belly River formation in the Willesden Green area southwest of Edmonton, using modern fracking techniques to unlock light oil in what was historically a gas-focused zone.alamy.com […]
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In a significant development for U.S.-Iraq energy relations, President Donald Trump hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House on July 14, 2026. The meeting focused on deepening strategic ties, advancing major oil and gas investments, and discussing infrastructure projects—including a revived pipeline that could bypass the volatile Strait of Hormuz. Trump also […]
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