The ability to add capacity to an interstate pipeline is commonly described as either “capacity additions” or “market need.” The technical configuration of a proposed project…
Production growth in U.S. shale is rapidly evolving to be based upon scale, quality of the underlying assets, and integration of operations rather than drilling intensity.…
Large-scale interstate pipeline projects typically go through the federal review process incrementally, rather than as a single approval. Entry into the FAST-41 permitting framework, however, is…
Large-scale investment in pipelines is rarely an indicator of a company’s shifting strategic direction. More often than not, these investments represent continued long-term planning by companies…
The performance of an Upstream Natural Gas Development operation is typically measured using multiple metrics. The way that continued improvement takes place for operations, such as…
Regulatory requirements in California refining operations are increasingly influencing planning decisions — a new framework is emerging for how refineries plan their long-term viability. For decades,…
Most expansions in pipelines progress sequentially as each review progressively narrows down uncertainty and defines what is ultimately buildable. One of the most critical of the…
Corporate re-domiciling is typically done without impacting the day-to-day operations of a company; however, it provides insight into how a company perceives its future strategic focus.…
A number of factors suggest that significant and enduring increases in refinery performance are unlikely to occur rapidly. The majority of the productivity enhancements and increases…
Major pipeline expansions do not usually generate news until after construction starts or service begins; however, the bulk of the work that determines the success of…
While the time of year brings much focus to the time when actual bids for oil and gas leases are submitted, and the winners are announced,…
The “invisible” nature of energy efficiency in the refining business means that these benefits are usually not noticed by the general public. Rather, this type of…
It’s unlikely that pipeline projects receive much media attention while they’re being developed. Much of the work done on these pipelines develops slowly over time and…
It seems as though oil and gas lease auctions get attention from the public at large only when the sales date is approaching. At this point,…
A quiet partnership between the Marathon Petroleum refinery in St. Paul Park and area schools has started to gain attention. On the surface, it is just…
Pipeline projects are sometimes quietly rolled out, especially if they deal with established long-haul systems. However, Kinder Morgan’s recent developments regarding the Gulf Coast Express (GCX)…
Oil and gas lease notices typically go under the radar; however, the federal land agency’s latest announcement has quickly generated interest. While the sale appears routine…
The size of a refining network is generally difficult to visualize when you look at a single plant. However, when you see all of the separate…
As large-scale pipeline projects do not typically start their journey with physical construction, progress toward construction is determined early on in the process through documentation, reviews,…
The primary decision that determines what will be leased in an offshore lease sale is generally made before a lease can actually be issued. Likewise, the…
Refining operations usually don’t receive much fanfare. Instead, you see a series of smaller improvements (i.e., equipment replacements, schedule changes, etc.) that, over time, show why…
Energy infrastructure projects typically do not follow a straight line. The way in which we measure the progress of large energy projects is more commonly determined…
Offshore lease sales usually don’t get people’s attention until there’s a deadline approaching and bidders start submitting bids. However, by that time, most of the key…
Workplace corporate citizenship is typically a silent and unpublicized function — an ongoing part of daily routine instead of a public announcement. Many times, it is…
While changes to pipeline tariffs are generally viewed as unremarkable because they are expressed in specialized language and lack fanfare, their impact is significant and usually…
Federal land decisions rarely feel like a pressing issue when they first come onto the scene. Most times, they show up as notices written in procedural…
Renewable diesel expansions are generally quiet in the energy space; however, Valero’s ongoing expansions to its Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) joint venture with Darling Ingredients are…
While some of the recent pipeline announcements made headlines (e.g., the 2B project for the Permian), a less noticed announcement has the potential to be just…
Beginning with a federal leasing notice, which usually goes unnoticed, especially when it involves small acreage, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) announcement regarding a new…
Increased dividends from major refiners are often seen as signs of steady performance; however, Valero’s recent dividend announcement has caught many people off guard. The dividend…
Infrastructure projects are usually quiet in early-stage permitting, but Williams’ Socrates development in central Ohio has started to attract an increasing amount of attention. The Socrates…
BLM announced an online auction for oil and gas leases set for March 12, 2026. While there were only eight parcels being offered at a total…
Valero’s plans for the idling of their Benicia facility have sparked a small amount of interest in Northern California regarding a change in how fuels are…
Most recent pipeline expansion announcements are normally quite low-key when the new line is built on an existing pipeline corridor; however, many people in the Southeast…
Most offshore leasing announcements do not generate much excitement or urgency, but the most recent announcement from BOEM has generated more interest in the Gulf region.…
The majority of investors view the dividend announcements from energy companies as simply another piece of information to add to the overall narrative of the company’s…
As Kinder Morgan launches a second open season for the Western Gateway Pipeline, along with Phillips 66, and with plans for a planned reversal of one…
Most people do not typically think about the steps prior to when an oil and gas lease reaches an auction block; however, those first few steps…
While many renewable fuel updates go unnoticed, the recent activity from Marathon Petroleum may indicate a different story. Marathon Petroleum continues to develop and grow its…
When pipeline announcements are made in the Southeast, they rarely create excitement. The recent announcement by Kinder Morgan to expand its Cumberland pipeline has generated a…
Geological assessment usually doesn’t become a part of public conversation; however, the USGS’s new evaluation of the large-scale deep shale formations in the Permian Basin is…
There have been a few times when a large refiner’s earnings results have deviated from the norm; however, Marathon Petroleum’s recent announcement has garnered relatively quiet…
Pipeline tariffs typically do not generate significant public interest; however, the recent developments regarding Kinder Morgan’s rate structures have generated a quiet degree of curiosity. As…
Offshore leasing decisions often are made with little public notice as they proceed through the federal process; however, the recent Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)…
Phillips 66’s latest capital budget is generating a lot of interest among stakeholders. On the surface, there seems to be nothing especially interesting or controversial about…
Midstream updates generally don’t constitute large enough events to disrupt the normal operating rhythm of the energy sector; however, Enterprise Products’ most recent quarterly earnings report…
The news concerning U.S. Government land decision-making normally comes slowly to those who live in the Dakotas; however, in recent weeks, there has been a flurry…
Investors generally believe energy companies’ earnings follow some consistent trends, similar to those that decline into quiet quarterly statements. However, from time to time, a very…
Most people anticipate that corporate mergers will become background news stories as they grow larger. However, sometimes when the routine appears to have returned to normal,…
Although many people consider Federal Land Notices from the BLM as a normal part of their lives, the information contained within them can add to the…
