Financial

Rising crude oil prices provided a powerful tailwind for Oil-Weighted E&Ps, while plunging natural gas prices wounded Gas-Weighted producers after a bountiful Q1. Today, we review the Q2 2026 results of the 37 publicly traded E&Ps we cover and analyze the remarkably wide performance gap they reveal.

There has been no 11-figure upstream M&A since Devon Energy and Coterra Energy announced their $21.4 billion merger in early February, just a few weeks before the war on Iran started and the Strait of Hormuz was closed. But other, somewhat smaller — but still noteworthy — deals continue to happen.

Over the past 16 years, BP has undergone multiple restructurings of its upstream portfolio, interrupted by a shift to — and then from — one of the sector’s most ambitious energy transition strategies. Today, we chronicle the evolution of one of the industry’s most significant integrated companies.

The first half of 2026 was a tale of two commodity markets as crude oil prices surged during the spring while natural gas prices retreated after an exceptionally strong winter rally. Today, we examine which oil and gas producers outperformed and why investors rewarded certain business models over others.

M&A activity in the oil and gas minerals/royalty space had quieted during a prolonged wave of major E&P consolidation. As that activity winds down, rising realizations for both oil and gas have spurred a major consolidation among royalty trusts as well as a recent successful initial public offering.

For decades, the major integrated oil companies have been judged by their global scale, diversified business models and shareholder returns. But are their U.S. upstream businesses competitive? Today, we provide answers that may surprise many investors.

After years of prioritizing balance sheet repair and shareholder returns, upstream E&Ps are facing a dramatically different commodity environment. With cash flows rising, producers faced pressures to reassess priorities as hydrocarbon prices increased. Today, we look at how they responded.