RBN’s Daily Energy Blog and Insights sharpen your energy IQ through fundamentals-based analysis that makes sense of North America’s energy market dynamics.
Several projects in the works would expand crude oil pipeline takeaway capacity out of Western Canada. But, given the pace of production growth there, will enough takeaway space come online in time to prevent pipeline capacity shortages and the price dislocations that come with them?
Natural gas prices in the Permian spent the first half of the year in the red. Then, in mid-June, Kinder Morgan flipped a switch and now Waha prices are back above zero. The “switch” was a compression expansion on Gulf Coast Express, which added a desperately needed 570 MMcf/d of takeaway capacity.
The Future of Fuels bi-annual report by RBN's Refined Fuels Analytics provides an in-depth analysis of the U.S. and global refinery industries, focusing on crude oil and fuel market dynamics, supply and demand, alternative fuels, refinery capacities, and price forecasts to help stakeholders navigate the evolving energy landscape.
Gas outflows from the Permian to the East declined week-on-week despite rumors of a Hugh Brinson start.
The ethane ratio-to-natural gas has been on a wild ride during 2026. In late January when the price of natural gas soared in response to Winter Storm Fern, the ethane-to-gas ratio was crushed to the lowest level in at least 20 years.
Over the past 18 months, Gulf Coast dock capacity capable of handling either LPG or ethane has grown significantly. It’s something relatively new called “flex capacity,” and it’s a darned good thing it’s online. Without it, both LPG and ethane export capacity would already be maxed out.
U.S. oil and gas rig count gained seven rigs to 588 for the week ending July 17 according to Baker Hughes data, as Permian (+3), Anadarko (+2) and All Other (+2) all posted gains while all other basins held steady.
In Western Canada, the gas-directed rig count rose by 2 to 59 rigs, while the oil-directed rig count gained 20 to 136 rigs, for the week ended July 17, according to Baker Hughes data.
The Crude Voyager is a weekly analysis of U.S. Gulf Coast loading activity that explains the ebbs and flows of crude loadings, destinations, and geopolitical issues impacting U.S. exports. It outlines the major paths for laden tankers hauling U.S. crude all over the world and reflects the change in tanker departures to the main regions that consume U.S. crude.
Plug Power said July 13 it has agreed to sell its planned Graham, TX, green hydrogen project (#9 in map below) to Stream Data Centers for up to $76.5 million. As noted in this week’s Hydrogen Billboard, the transaction represents a growing trend in hydrogen and related clean-energy projects, as industrial sites with substantial power access are increasingly being redirected toward data centers because those projects can often generate higher and faster returns than energy-transition infrastructure.
Demand for natural gas in Northeast and pipeline capacity out of Appalachia are poised to grow in the coming years, but will production follow suit? Even if market conditions improve, it’s not a done deal. Today, we look at which producers are best positioned to grow if conditions warrant.
Crude oil sourcing for the three refining regions in Louisiana couldn’t be more different from each other. In today’s RBN blog, we examine crude oil flows into and out of the Bayou State, assess supply/demand balances, and explore why is could be increasingly important to understand those balances.
