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☆ Natural-Gas Prices Plunge, and Drillers Dial Back
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Ryan Dezember | David Uberti | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Chesapeake Energy says it will drop three of the 14 rigs drilling on its properties this year. Natural-gas prices have dropped more than 65% since mid-December and this week hit their lowest level since 2020’s pandemic lockdown, leading producers to throttle back drilling in a dramatic turn in the market for the heating and power-generation fuel. Expensive natural gas was a major contributor to inflation over the past two years, pushing up the price of electricity and staying warm as well as manufacturing costs for fertilizer, steel, glass, aluminum, plastic and cardboard.

☆ Russia could regain its spot as the world's premier oil exporter despite sanctions, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia could reclaim the top spot as the biggest oil exporter globally, according to Bank of America. The Kremlin's larger-than-expected exports this year have given the oil market a surplus. Meanwhile, Russian oil drillers tapped the most fields in more than 10 years in 2022, according to Bloomberg. Despite sanctions aimed at crippling the Kremlin's oil revenue and limiting its ability to transact internationally, the influx of Russian oil to the global market has helped create a surplus. Finally, Russian crude oil headed to the Middle East is now considered locally produced, allow less scrutiny over the flow of the barrels.

☆ Big Oil mega-deals would put investors on the spot
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( George Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

So are Shell (SHEL.L), BP (BP.L) and TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), but investors value U.S. oil majors way higher than European ones. $473 billion Exxon and $331 billion Chevron trade at 6 times expected EBITDA for 2023, twice the average of $210 billion Shell, $154 billion Total and $109 billion BP. One reason why is that as oil prices have soared, American drillers look more attractive than European ones that are also pressing into potentially lower-return renewable energy. Imagine Chevron or Exxon acquired BP for $170 billion, factoring in a 30% premium to its market capitalisation, plus debt. Any cross-border deal would see Chevron’s Mike Wirth or Exxon’s Darren Woods take a big bet on continuing high oil prices, and also attract political heat.

☆ Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the market Thursday: Sell-off Day 2, P&G outlook raise
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Club holding Procter & Gamble (PG): earnings-per-share in fiscal second quarter of 2023 of $1.59 matches estimates; revenue of $20.77 billion slightly beats. Club holding Apple (AAPL) has been holding in at roughly 22x forward earnings estimates compared to the S & P 500's 17.5x multiple. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

☆ Shale oil wraps up an underwhelming year, girds for lower growth
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Liz Hampton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies U.S. gains stifled by inflation, aging wells, investor demandsWeaker shale oil production growth lies ahead for 2023Dec 30 (Reuters) - The shale oil patch this week closes the door on a disappointing year while bracing for weaker output gains in 2023, hamstrung by rising costs, dwindling reserves and pressures to hold down spending. He predicted 300,000 bpd to 400,000 bpd of increased shale production in 2023. Civitas grew volume about 4% year-over-year, and anticipates similar growth this coming year as it prioritizes free cash flow and balance sheet strength over growth. OLD WELLS PUMP LESSPioneer and other shale producers are experimenting with oil recovery techniques that could eventually squeeze more oil out of older wells. In the near-term, Sheffield warned oilfield inflation, which ran around 10% to 15% this year, will persist and limit production growth.

☆ U.S. poised to become net exporter of crude oil in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The United States is also the leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, where growth is expected to soar in coming years. But the United States consumes 20 million barrels of crude a day, the most in the world, and its output has never exceeded 13 million bpd. Last month, U.S. government data showed net U.S. crude oil imports fell to 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd), the lowest since record keeping began in 2001. To become a net exporter of crude, the United States needs either to boost production or curtail consumption. The U.S. exported an average of 3.1 million bpd of fuels through September this year, EIA data showed, down from the 3.2 million bpd in the same period in 2019.

☆ OPEC's U.S. shale worries subside as it cuts forecast
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Alex Lawler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Tuesday, OPEC trimmed its forecast for 2023 growth in U.S. tight oil, another term for shale, to 780,000 barrels per day. The group kept its 2022 forecast unchanged at 590,000 bpd, having steadily cut the figure from 880,000 bpd in July. from OPEC's monthly oil market reportU.S. shale oil drillers over the last two decades helped to turn the United States into the world's largest producer. OPEC+ in October made its biggest output cut since the pandemic took hold in 2020. Rapid growth in shale has previously caused problems for OPEC, as when it helped to create a supply glut during 2014-2016.

[1/3] A natural gas flare on an oil well pad burns as the sun sets outside Watford City, North Dakota January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Cullen/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Major energy companies are not doing enough to prevent the worst effects climate change despite public promises to fight the problem, a U.S. House panel said about documents released on Friday that it got in a probe. Shell's Smith said the House panel's probe failed to uncover evidence of a climate disinformation campaign. "Today's new evidence makes clear that these companies know their climate pledges are inadequate, but are prioritizing Big Oil’s record profits over the human costs of climate change." The House panel previously released a memo on Sept. 14 showing that oil majors "greenwashed" their record on climate change "through deceptive advertising and climate pledges - without meaningfully reducing emissions."

☆ Exclusive: Shale oil producer Continental Resources names Doug Lawler as CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Liz Hampton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 6 (Reuters) - U.S. shale producer Continental Resources will name operating chief Doug Lawler as its new chief executive officer, according to a person familiar with the matter on Tuesday. Lawler was CEO at shale gas producer Chesapeake Energy (CHK.O) before joining Continental in February. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Continental is one of the largest U.S. oil and gas shale drillers with a focus on North Dakota's Bakken shale. Lawler ran Chesapeake Energy for eight years, including through a bankruptcy process that it completed in 2021. He has been credited with whittling away at Chesapeake's $13 billion in debt and an ill-timed bet on shale oil just ahead of a oil price crash.

U.S. shale production costs are soaring and there is no sign that tight-fisted investors will change their demands for returns rather than investment in expanding drilling. At Helmerich & Payne (HP.N), one of the largest drilling contractors, its R&D budget will rise only $1 million, from 2022's $27 million. The U.S. government expects overall oil production to reach a new peak next year, but it has several times this year cut its forecasts. Shale production declines rapidly after peaking compared to conventional oil wells, falling about 50% after the first year. Lower production rates are "a longer-term prospect," said Mike Oestmann, chief executive of shale producer Tall City Exploration.

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☆ Eni’s $6 bln Neptune swoop will be a haggle-fest
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( George Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Eni (ENI.MI) is hunting for a bargain in the North Sea. Italy’s $52 billion oil major is mulling a bid for oil and gas producer Neptune Energy, Reuters reported on Wednesday, for an equity value of around $5 billion to $6 billion. Given Neptune’s owners CVC Capital Partners, Carlyle (CG.O) and China Investment Corporation last year wanted to list the business for $10 billion, Eni may have to haggle a bit. The UK government recently extended its windfall tax on North Sea drillers to 2028. And the Italian group’s own North Sea expertise may help it argue that the mooted offer price is generous.

☆ Biden Interior rule would limit methane leaks, gas flaring from public lands drilling
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The primary component of natural gas is methane, which is odorless when it comes directly out of the gas well. In addition to methane, natural gas typically contains other hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane, butane, and pentanes. The BLM's proposed rule comes after the Environmental Protection Agency said it would expand its 2021 methane rule to require drillers to identify and plug leaks at every well site across the country. Western and national conservation groups said the proposal marks a critical first step but should be strengthened to eliminate gas flaring. The BLM is accepting comments on the proposed rule for 60 days and a final rule is anticipated next year.

☆ Exxon Mobil Has a Potash Problem in the Permian Basin
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Collin Eaton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Permian Basin, the largest U.S. oil field, stretches from West Texas to southeast New Mexico. A vital crop nutrient that lies underground near oil and natural-gas reserves is holding back Exxon Mobil Corp.’s development of a key asset in the booming Permian Basin. Unlike many of its rivals in the largest U.S. oil patch, the Texas oil company shares a sizable chunk of its land with mining companies that extract potash and other minerals used to produce fertilizer from underground mines, blocking drillers’ direct access to bounties of oil-soaked rocks.

☆ ‘Deep Geothermal’ Promises to Let Drillers Go Deeper, Faster and Hotter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Benoît Morenne | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Current geothermal plants, like this one near Calipatria, Calif., operate mostly where subterranean heat is closer to the Earth’s surface. Deep geothermal could tap more heat sources and be a game-changing alternative to fossil fuels. A group of startups and researchers are developing technologies to expand the output of geothermal energy. Geothermal plants produce steam from underground reservoirs of hot, porous rocks saturated with water, and channel it into electricity-making turbines or pipes that heat buildings. Although the energy is virtually free of carbon emissions, its adoption has been limited because drilling gets more expensive and more difficult as it goes deeper.

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden told the COP27 climate conference in Egypt on Friday that global warming posed an existential threat to the planet and promised the United States would meet its targets for fighting it. "The climate crisis is about human security, economic security, environmental security, national security, and the very life of the planet," Biden told a crowded room of delegates at the U.N. summit in the seaside resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. Biden said global crises, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, were not an excuse to lower climate ambition. U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech at COP27 climate summit, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, November 11, 2022. "It's radio silence on loss and damage finance," Singh said, calling Biden "out of touch with the reality of the climate crisis."

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the COP27 climate conference in Egypt on Friday, saying the global climate crisis posed an existential threat to the planet and promising that the United States was doing its part to combat it. "The climate crisis is about human security, economic security, environmental security, national security, and the very life of the planet," Biden said, before outlining steps the United States, the world’s second-biggest greenhouse gas emitter, was taking. It came even as a slew of crises - from a land war in Europe to rampant inflation - distract international focus. "Against this backdrop, it's more urgent than ever that we double down on our climate commitments. Upon arrival, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told U.S. President Joe Biden that Egypt has launched a national strategy for human rights and is keen to develop in that regard.

☆ COP27-US targets methane in 'relentless' emissions focus
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It would also force methane emissions reductions from flaring equipment and create a system to detect leaks from "super-emitter" sites quickly so operators can repair them faster and local community residents are aware. The EPA said the stronger rules would reduce methane from the oil and gas industry by 87% below 2005 levels and would help the United States to meet its commitment under the Global Methane Pledge to cut methane emissions economy-wide by 30% this decade. OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY LOBBYINGThe oil and gas industry had urged the agency to exclude hundreds of thousands of low-producing wells on the grounds frequent monitoring would be inefficient and costly. It dovetailed with a U.N. announcement on Friday that it will launch a global public database of methane leaks detected by space satellites to encourage companies and governments to plug them. The EPA will take public input on the methane rule until Feb. 13, 2023 and plans to finalize it by the end of that year.

☆ UK energy IPOs get a vote of minimal confidence
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - In one sense, Ithaca Energy’s initial public offering on Wednesday was a success. But a 6% drop below its 250 pence listing price on its first day of trading suggests it’s not all good news read more . Ithaca, owned by Israel’s Delek Group (DLEKG.TA), has a newly minted equity value of roughly $2.9 billion, and $1.4 billion of net debt. And Ithaca might have to rethink key growth projects, like oilfield Cambo, if the UK elects a potentially more anti-fossil fuel Labour government in the coming years. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Market sees divided government after the election as a positive, and a thin GOP majority is good enough
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

That would be viewed as a positive by markets, which generally view gridlock in Washington as a good thing and clearly prefer divided government to the current Democrat-controlled Congress. Therefore, there is no declaration yet of victory for either party in the House or Senate. "We think Republicans will have the [House] majority, but it's going to be a very narrow majority," said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James. "The more you can keep the fight between the House and Senate, that slightly reduces some of the brinksmanship out there." "Sector-focused policy changes would be even more limited under a divided Congress than under Republican control," the Goldman analysts note.

The oil price jump helped push U.S. inflation to the highest level in 40 years. But the sale also bled the SPR, meant to be a protection against shocks in energy markets, to the lowest level since May 1984. And it helped to sour U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia which sided with Russia in early October in a deep oil production cut. Biden said on Oct. 19 the United States is ready to tap the SPR again early next year to rein in prices. Reporting by Katharine Jackson, Timothy Gardner and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Tim Ahmann, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The United States is among over 100 countries that have pledged to cut their methane emissions 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels. They also say smaller wells often produce only insignificant methane emissions that don't warrant the cost and effort of a monitoring program. The problem, environmentalists say, is that collectively, the smaller wells produce a massive amount of climate-damaging methane. Exempting wells that produce less than 6 barrels per day would effectively exclude more than 80% of those marginal wells from the EPA rule, according to KIOGA. The supplemental ruling could also address the industry's use of flaring, or the deliberate burning of excess natural gas from well sites, which can also lead to methane emissions.

The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell three to 768 in the week to Oct. 28, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said in its closely followed report on Friday. , ,Despite this week's rig decline, Baker Hughes said the total count was still up 224, or 41%, over this time last year. U.S. oil rigs fell two to 610 this week, while gas rigs decreased one to 156, their lowest since July. For the month, drillers added three rigs, after activating six oil rigs and cutting three gas rigs. That was the first monthly decrease in gas rigs since August 2021.

☆ Oil prices settle up; China demand hopes outweigh recession worry
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Laila Kearney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBrent crude settled at $93.50 a barrel, up $1.12, or 1.2%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) settled at$85.05 a barrel, up 54 cents, 0.6%. Swings in the U.S. dollar, which typically moves inversely with oil prices, added to choppy trade. China, the world's largest crude importer, has stuck to strict COVID-19 curbs this year, weighing heavily on business and economic activity and reducing demand for fuel. U.S. oil rigs rose two to 612 this week, their highest since March 2020, while gas rigs were unchanged at 157.

☆ Traders Raise Bets Against Energy Stocks, Fearing Rally Will Fade
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Akane Otani | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Within the energy sector, traders are the most short on drillers and companies refining and marketing oil and gas. More traders are betting that energy stocks’ big 2022 rally won’t last. Short interest in U.S. energy stocks has risen to 3.9%, the highest level since October 2020, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. That means that 3.9% of energy shares available for trading are being held by short sellers. Within the energy sector, traders are the most short on drillers and companies refining and marketing oil and gas and the least short on transportation and storage companies.

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