Author: Stu

Refinery Fire in New Orleans: Is This a Pattern?

On May 8, 2026, an explosion and fire rocked the Chalmette Refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana, just east of New Orleans. Operated by PBF Energy, the facility processes roughly 185,000–190,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and specialty products. The incident occurred around 12:50–1:00 p.m. CDT in an operating 17,500-bpd reformer […]

Chevron CEO Says Oil Storage Buffers Being Drawn Down

In a candid interview at the Milken Institute Global Conference, Chevron Chairman and CEO Mike Wirth delivered a sobering assessment of the global oil market: the industry’s traditional “shock absorbers” — commercial inventories in tanks, oil on tankers (including shadow fleet vessels), and strategic petroleum reserves — have been significantly drawn down in recent months […]

Utah scientists fear the proposed Stratos Project would generate enough heat to alter temperatures, strain wildlife and intensify environmental threats around the Great Salt Lake.

A massive hyperscale data center complex proposed for rural northern Utah has sparked intense debate among scientists, environmental groups, and local residents. Dubbed the Stratos Project, the development—backed by “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary—could become one of the largest data centers in the United States. Located in Hansel Valley in Box Elder County, at the […]

Devon Announces $8 Billion Stock Repurchase Following Landmark Coterra Merger

Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) has launched an aggressive $8 billion share repurchase program just hours after completing its all-stock merger with Coterra Energy, signaling strong confidence in the newly enlarged company’s cash-flow generation and long-term financial strength. The board-approved authorization, which represents nearly 15% of the combined company’s current market capitalization, runs through June […]

Cheniere Energy Raises 2026 LNG Output. What Does This Mean to Their Bottom Line?

Houston, TX – May 10, 2026 – Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE: LNG), the largest U.S. LNG exporter, delivered a blockbuster update in its Q1 2026 earnings release. The company not only posted record LNG export volumes but also raised its full-year 2026 financial guidance, citing higher production forecasts, stronger market margins, and optimization gains. This […]

Reporting from the Strait of Hormuz – Energy News Beat Stand Up

Have you ever seen one of my favorite movies, Groundhog Day? I feel like that right now as we are trying to report on the global energy crisis, and daily it is the Strait is open, ….closed,,, open,,, closed, …. Dolphins, removing mines,,,, clear ,,, wow. Ok, and Jeff, yes, AI thought they were creating […]

Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Set to Restart Amid Booming AI Power Demand

In a landmark move signaling a nuclear renaissance driven by surging artificial intelligence and data center energy needs, Constellation Energy is preparing to restart Three Mile Island Unit 1—now rebranded as the Crane Clean Energy Center—in Pennsylvania. The plant, which has been offline since 2019 for economic reasons, will once again deliver reliable, carbon-free baseload […]

Will Venezuela Export Stranded Gas through Trinidad?

Shell is actively exploring the development of Venezuela’s offshore natural gas resources, with plans to route production through Trinidad and Tobago’s existing infrastructure for export as LNG. In a February 2026 earnings call and subsequent Bloomberg TV interview, Shell CEO Wael Sawan confirmed ongoing talks with Venezuela’s government to advance offshore gas projects, specifically targeting […]

US Weekly Rig Operator Report

Week Ending May 8, 2026 U.S. Rig Count Edges Higher for Third Straight Week The Baker Hughes U.S. rotary rig count rose by 1 rig to 548 for the week ending May 8, 2026. Here is the Full WellDatabase Weekly Report We recommend getting a Subscription at WellDatabase! This marks the third consecutive weekly increase […]

Venezuela’s Faulty Power Grid May Set Back Economic Comeback

Venezuela’s long-suffering electricity system is once again flashing red warning lights. According to Bloomberg, the country has announced emergency measures after power consumption reached a nine-year high, raising the specter of widespread blackouts that could derail the nascent economic recovery following the dramatic political changes earlier this year. Installed generation capacity stands at roughly 37,000 […]