U.S. refiners are operating near full tilt, with utilization rates holding above 96% amid record refining margins, a global diesel squeeze, and disruptions from Russian refinery outages and Middle East tensions. The latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Weekly Petroleum Status Report for the week ending July 17, 2026, shows U.S. refineries running at 96.1% […]
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On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, extreme Texas heat drove air-conditioning demand that pushed the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid past 91 gigawatts for the first time. Unofficial real-time figures from ERCOT’s website showed a peak around 91,300 megawatts near 5 p.m. CT, with system-wide demand data indicating highs near 91,089 MW. This shattered […]
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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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New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on July 14, 2026, imposing the country’s first statewide moratorium on new large-scale data centers. The order halts permitting for facilities requiring 50 megawatts (MW) or more of electricity for up to one year while regulators study impacts on the electric grid, water resources, and local […]
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The AI-driven data center boom is reshaping U.S. energy demand, with hyperscalers (Microsoft, Meta, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and others) pouring hundreds of billions into new facilities that require massive, reliable, 24/7 power. Natural gas—via pipelines, turbines, onsite generation, and supporting equipment—is emerging as a critical bridge fuel due to its dispatchability, speed of deployment, and […]
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This article first ran yesterday on the Energy News Beat Substack. From the wood fires that warmed homes and fueled early industry in 1776 to the sophisticated mix powering AI data centers, electric vehicles, and global exports today, energy has been the invisible backbone of American prosperity, innovation, and geopolitical strength. The U.S. Energy Information […]
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This article was first published on the Energy News Beat Substack. In energy markets, the key metric that separates crude oil prices from what consumers ultimately pay at the pump is the crack spread—the difference between the cost of crude oil feedstock and the market value of refined products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet […]
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Dallas Fed Energy Survey and Market Impact The U.S. oil and gas sector is showing clear signs of accelerating activity in the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest Dallas Fed Energy Survey. Executives report stronger business conditions, improved outlooks, and rising capital spending, even as input costs and operating expenses climb. This momentum […]
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Phillips 66 Chairman and CEO Mark Lashier issued a clear warning on June 24, 2026, at the Reuters Global Energy Forum in New York: refining and petrochemical earnings face greater volatility due to ongoing uncertainty from disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Lashier highlighted how uncertainty in crude supply and shipping lanes causes refining margins […]
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Chevron Corporation and Microsoft have signed a landmark 20-year power purchase agreement to supply electricity to a major data center campus in West Texas. The deal centers on a large natural gas-fired power plant being developed in partnership with investment firm Engine No. 1, marking one of the largest collaborations to date between a U.S. […]
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