Vital Shareholders Approve Crescent Merger: Why a Multi-Basin Strategy Matters More Than Ever

Vital Energy shareholders approved Crescent Energy’s $3.1 billion acquisition on December 14, clearing the final hurdle for a transaction that will close on December 15, 2025. With the vote complete and Vital shares set to be suspended from NYSE trading, the deal marks a defining moment—not just for the two companies, but for how independent oil and gas operators are positioning themselves for the next phase of the U.S. shale cycle.

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Hyperscale AI & Data Centers

A hyperscale data center is a utility-scale computing facility designed to run cloud and artificial intelligence workloads at massive scale. Unlike traditional data centers, hyperscale facilities require gigawatt-level, 24/7 electricity, forcing developers to secure long-term, industrial-grade power supplies—often by financing their own energy infrastructure.

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Sabalo II Operating: A Case Study in Modern Shale Development Discipline Andrews County, Texas on the Spotlight lease

Sabalo II Operating, LLC is a privately held oil-focused operator with an active development footprint in the Permian Basin, specifically in Andrews County, Texas. The company’s recent drilling program highlights a disciplined, factory-style shale approach that prioritizes execution efficiency in the subsurface while deliberately pacing surface infrastructure investment.

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Imperial Petroleum’s Q2 2025: A Bigger Fleet, Strong Profitability, and a Market Poised for Upside

Imperial Petroleum Inc. (IMPP) entered 2025 with bold ambitions — and its latest earnings release shows those ambitions taking shape. In the second quarter alone, the company expanded its fleet by more than 50%, deepened its position in both the tanker and dry bulk markets, and continued a multi-year streak of consistent profitability.

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Chevron’s Digital Edge: How Technology and Rig Strategy Powered a High-Performance 2025

Chevron entered 2025 with a clear mandate: scale development efficiently, compress cycle times, and unlock more value from every acre across its U.S. portfolio. The company’s competitive advantage increasingly comes from the convergence of advanced AI, next-generation completions, and a highly optimized rig fleet tailored to each basin. Two technologies…

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Offshore Supercycle Begins Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

On December 11, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) completed Lease Sale Big Beautiful Gulf 1 — the first offshore auction under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA). Despite a smaller dollar total than the last sale in 2023, the auction delivered the highest bids-per-acre seen since 2017, underscoring renewed confidence in the Gulf’s future as a pillar of American energy security.

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INEOS USA Takes Over South Texas Facility Permit From Expand Energy

INEOS USA Oil & Gas LLC has acquired ownership of a Texas New Source Review (NSR) air permit previously held by Expand Energy, signaling a shift in development activity at the Gibson South Unit DIM B pad north of Asherton, Texas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) completed the change-of-ownership filing on December 2, 2025, issuing Permit #146718 with no additional delays or technical revisions.

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Varas Energy’s Pipeline Permit Transfer Signals a Bigger Shift in South Texas Oil and Gas

Privately funded operator Varas Energy has taken a major step toward long-term, conventional oil and gas development in South Texas. On December 5, 2025, the Texas Railroad Commission approved a new T-4 pipeline permit (No. 10739) authorizing Varas to operate more than 150 miles of natural gas gathering lines across eight counties in the region. The system was formerly filed under Hugoton Operating Company, Inc., a bankrupt operator undergoing Chapter 11 restructuring.

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