In September 2025, the Railroad Commission of Texas approved a new pipeline permit for High River Res Operating, LLC, marking the formal transfer of over 1,000 miles of gas gathering lines from Scout Energy Management.
The Permian Basin remains the beating heart of U.S. shale production, but the strategy for unlocking its vast resource base is evolving. Companies like PA are rethinking their development approach to stretch core inventory further, sharpen returns, and stay competitive in an era where capital efficiency is king. Two of the most notable shifts—drilling more wells per section and deploying smaller, smarter fracs—are quietly reshaping the outlook for the next decade.
The United States is rapidly cementing its role as the world’s leading exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Three Gulf Coast projects—Plaquemines LNG, Corpus Christi Stage 3, and Golden Pass LNG—are at the heart of this transformation. Each is at a different stage of development, but all represent billions of dollars of investment and long-term bets on global gas demand.
Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG) Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE:CTRA) Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG) EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) Expand Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:EXE) (Chesapeake + Southwestern merger) APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA) Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) Civitas Resources, Inc. (NYSE:CIVI) Chord Energy Corporation…
The oil and gas sector may be facing daily volatility—just look at the XOP energy ETF, which recently suffered its worst daily performance since early August—but Baker Hughes continues to carve out a strong position in the global energy transition. Under the leadership of CEO Lorenzo Simonelli, the company is strategically diversifying beyond traditional oilfield services and leaning into long-term growth themes: natural gas, LNG exports, digital efficiency, and the rise of power-hungry data centers.
Halliburton, one of the world’s largest oilfield services providers, is the latest to announce staff reductions as the U.S. oil industry faces rising costs, falling prices, and heightened volatility. According to sources familiar with the matter, the company has quietly rolled out workforce cuts over the past several weeks, with at least three business divisions losing between 20% and 40% of employees.
At the center of this transition is Michael Wirth, Chairman and CEO of Chevron, who has spent more than four decades in the industry. Under his leadership, Chevron is pursuing a dual strategy—strengthening its oil and gas portfolio through major acquisitions like Hess, while simultaneously investing in lower-carbon technologies such as renewable diesel, hydrogen, and geothermal energy.
The AI revolution is turbocharging demand for natural gas, and EQT is emerging as the central supplier. The company’s combination of cost discipline, infrastructure focus, and environmental leadership makes it a key player in America’s twin goals of AI competitiveness and energy security.
From its experimental beginnings to its role in America’s energy independence, the Bakken story is one of persistence, innovation, and scale. Today, the basin continues to set benchmarks for drilling efficiency and technological advancement, with leading operators, counties, and contractors driving its growth.
ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is moving forward with one of its largest workforce reductions in recent memory, announcing plans to cut 20%–25% of its global staff by year-end 2025. With approximately 13,000 employees worldwide, the move is expected to impact 2,600 to 3,250 positions, according to multiple reports.
