Midland, TX, is the epicenter of the Permian Basin. As the largest crude oil hub in the region, it boasts about 20 MMbbl of crude oil storage and extensive downstream connectivity, with the ability to deliver to local refineries, Wichita Falls, Cushing, Nederland, Houston and even Corpus Christi (albeit indirectly). It’s also where Midland WTI pricing is assessed, shaping much of the broader oil market in the region and even around the world. In today’s RBN blog, we discuss why Midland is the center of it all.
Canadian crude output is rising, requiring new export routes. As traditional pathways face constraints, the U.S. Rockies—especially the Guernsey, WY hub—are emerging as key corridors for moving Canadian heavy crude to downstream markets, including the Gulf Coast.
Midland earned its moniker in 1884 as the midway rail point between Fort Worth and El Paso. Founded in 1881, its early days revolved around railroads and shipping cattle to market, but the discovery of oil in the 1920s rapidly transformed the town into the hub of the Permian’s booming oil business. In 1923, the Santa Rita No. 1 well, which is generally viewed as the Permian’s first commercial well, sparked interest in what became the prolific Yates Oil Field and played a critical role in fueling this transformation, injecting significant wealth into the region. The well proved that the Midland Basin held vast oil reserves, propelling the town of Midland’s growth as the center of the region’s oil operations.
Figure 1. Permian Crude Oil Pipelines. Source: RBN Crude Oil Permian
In the decades since, the Midland area (dashed red oval in Figure 1 above) has cemented its place at the heart of Permian oil production. But how does Midland fit into the broader landscape of Permian takeaway capacity? Simply put, it’s the hive — the center of the action when it comes to receiving and sending out West Texas crude.
There have been ups and downs along the way. In 2013, Midland seemed poised to cement its status as a major oil town with ambitious plans for the Energy Tower, a 59-story skyscraper that would have been one of the tallest buildings in Texas — and the tallest outside Houston and Dallas. Just a year later, however, oil prices began to plummet, drastically reducing investor confidence in the project, which was officially scrapped by 2016. The failure of the Energy Tower project became a stark reminder of the volatility that defines commodity-dependent towns. While Midland had “arrived” on the global oil stage, the canceled plans underscored how quickly fortunes can shift in oil markets, where boom-and-bust cycles often dictate the economic landscape.
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About the song
“Center of the Universe” was written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Steuart Smith. It appears as the eighth song on Disc 2 of the Eagles’ seventh studio album, the double-disc Long Road Out of Eden. “Center of the Universe” is a gentle love ballad featuring acoustic guitars and lush layered harmonies that the Eagles are known for. Personnel on the record were: Don Henley (lead vocals, drums, percussion, guitar), Glenn Frey (backing vocals, guitar, keyboards), Joe Walsh (backing vocals, guitar), and Timothy B. Schmit (backing vocals, bass).
Long Road Out of Eden was recorded between 2001-07 at various locations and produced by the Eagles, Steuart Smith, Richard F.W. Davis, Scott Crago, and Bill Szymczyk. It was the first album released after Don Felder left the band in 2001 and the last album made with Glenn Frey before he died in 2016. The double album was released in October 2007 and went to #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and has been certified 7x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album won two Grammy Awards. Five singles were released from the LP.
The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. The original band members met while working with Linda Ronstadt in the early 1970s. They released their debut album, Eagles, in 1972. They have released seven studio albums, three live albums, ten compilation albums, and 30 singles. They have sold over 200 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling musical groups. They have won six Grammy Awards and are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and have received Kennedy Center Honors. Nine members have passed through the group since its formation. Original members Glenn Frey died in 2016 and Randy Meisner in 2023. The band continues to record and tour with Don Henley being the only founding member in the group. They will be appearing at The Sphere in Las Vegas through March 2025.
