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Click here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! “There are always and only two trains running. There is life and there is death. Each of us rides them both. To live life with dignity, to celebrate and accept responsibility for your presence in the world is all that can be asked […]
The post The Last Days at Camp appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreCybersecurity threats and internet fraud are growing concerns for oil and gas service companies in the Permian Basin. While high-profile breaches involving major corporations make the headlines, cybercriminals are not targeting big companies exclusively. According to Accenture’s 2023 Cost of Cybercrime Study, 43 percent of cyberattacks target small businesses. In the oil and gas industry, companies often […]
The post Securing the Patch: How Oilfield Service Companies Can Protect Against Rising Financial Cyber Threats appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! Delaware Basin natural gas prices have suffered versus gas from other regions for years. The gap between Henry Hub and Waha Hub pricing is well known, by now. The primary factor driving Waha Hub discounts has been insufficient pipeline takeaway capacity relative to rapidly […]
The post Multiple Factors To Boost Delaware Gas Producers appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThere is a huge amount of news lately pertaining to our industry. Okay, it is really all about AI and the explosion of data centers. The #1 most talked about topic these days is data centers. There is no one in second place. Nothing else seems to matter. Power for data centers will need be the greenest form of […]
The post AI, Data Centers, Rig Counts, and No Complaints appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! Anyone who has been around Ben Shepperd more than a few times—and over the years there have been hundreds if not thousands of members of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association have been around him that much or more—has seen him hand out awards. […]
The post PBIOS Picks the Right Guy appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThe landscape is changing regarding what your staff needs in terms of benefits. I reviewed a 2022 Society of Human Resource Management report and a 2025 March McLennan report. Before I start boring you with a little data, be aware that [if you are a decision-maker in your workplace about employee benefits] it is time […]
The post Employee Benefits: What You Need to Know appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! In 2024, Rystad’s Vice President/North America Oil and Gas Matthew Bernstein spoke at a conference where he said the oil industry was entering “Shale 4.0,” reaching a mature and long-term industry view that had been lacking before. Similar to a child pressing through […]
The post Four-Point-O is the term to know appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreWhen I first was asked if I wanted to be in the safety profession, I politely said heck no. I had numerous reasons for not wanting the role, so I gracefully declined. Safety records—ours, and those of other companies like ours—were becoming an issue with customers in operations. We did not meet the standards or […]
The post “Pressure Control” in Sales and Safety appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! The shale revolution 20+ years ago opened a new era of production for the United States and the Permian Basin in particular—while still leaving the vast majority of the oil in the ground. Over the years, engineers have worked on opening up […]
The post Stimulating Conversations appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThe Eagle Ford’s center of gravity hasn’t shifted so much as sharpened. Production is broadly steady with modest gas-side growth, operators are leaning into longer laterals and bolt-ons rather than big rig adds, and the Corpus Christi export complex keeps widening the outlet to global markets—especially for LNG. The result is a basin that’s cash-efficient, […]
The post Eagle Ford 2025: Steady Output, Export Tailwinds, and Disciplined Growth appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! In the September 2025 issue we share the story of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum at its milestone 50th anniversary. What I want to share here is the particular genius that is the oil and gas industry, and the way that that genius […]
The post Genius on Display appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! MIDLAND, TEXAS—A lot of different words could be used to describe the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, but here is one that will ring true for many, especially for the young: magical. The Petroleum Museum is a magical place. Surrounded by its wondrous collections […]
The post Oil’s Citadel appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreEarnings and Warnings Continue. Few beats, few hits, more misses, and almost everyone lowered guidance. That [was] the earnings report for the OFS sector [in late July]. As an analyst and investor, what you did last quarter matters most. It gives me insight into the trailing market. But what happens now? That is what matters. And what is happening now, for […]
The post The Comeuppance of BKR, the Price of Plastics, and the Pride of Texas appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! Liquids emitted by oil wells are by nature harsh and corrosive in most cases. That includes the crude oil and the associated water. Between paraffin buildup and corrosion breakdowns, the oil industry must constantly fight to keep the liquids flowing and inside the infrastructure. […]
The post Keeping the Pipeline Flowing appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreWelcome back to everyone’s favorite topic—safety! I say that because most of the people that read anything about safety are safety people. Some people in operations will glance through safety articles on the chance there may be something new or a new rule or ruling from OSHA, MSHA, EPA, NIOSH, FMCA, or—if they operate in […]
The post Back to the Beginning: Training appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read more“Information is a source of learning. But unless it is organized, processed, and available to the right people in a format for decision making, it is a burden, not a benefit.” —C. William Pollard, author and former CEO of ServiceMaster (1938-2025) “Knowledge is power,” said Sir Francis Bacon in 1597, but 400 years ago […]
The post Making Information Technology Work appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreI continue to hear around the Basin that majors are moving a lot of staff to Houston. It is understandable. There are many contributing factors. In the past week, I learned that a nurse and a teacher were leaving for Houston with their newly transferred spouses. Transfers are good if you want to advance and […]
The post The World of Work is Changing appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreAfter a bumpy first half, the year 2025 has put the Permian Basin’s oilfield services (OFS) sector squarely in the squeeze. Crude and gas prices have softened from 2023–24 highs, leaving exploration and production (E&P) budgets tighter, drilling schedules leaner, and pricing power tilting back toward operators. Yet this is also a cycle of reinvention: […]
The post The Permian’s Oilfield Services in 2025: Pain Points, Bright Spots, and a Path Forward appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreBaseload Fuel. The output of Spanish gas-fired power plants has jumped 58 percent since the April 28th nationwide outage. The hope is to better stabilize the network after record usage of air conditioning has been seen this year across Europe. You know, the more reliable power generation. Soar Like an Eagle. We have all been told […]
The post It’s a Changing World… and Then There’s the Whole AI Thing appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! It has to be fairly common knowledge by now that the Paramount+ streaming series Landman is returning for a Season 2. Yes, by sometime in November you can once again follow your favorite Permian Basin-based characters as they carry on with their winsome […]
The post The Show That Makes the Basin Relate-able appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreEach year this particular topic—safe operation of forklifts—is overlooked by too many, to the detriment of the everyday worker. There are numerous people who are accustomed to operating a forklift. However, there are significantly fewer people formally trained and certified in forklift operations. This fact in and of itself illustrates a huge gap. Due to […]
The post Forklifts and Lift Training appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! In today’s data-driven oil field, having a system that manages and accurately interprets that data, in as close to real time as possible, is now a basic necessity. NOV and Lufkin are both using advanced systems to better manage production at various stages of […]
The post Artificial Lift That Thinks for Itself appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreMIDLAND, TEXAS—The Permian Basin Petroleum Association (PBPA) on Aug. 12 welcomed the ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas vacating the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) 2022 listing of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LPC) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The decision follows FWS’s own admission that the listing rule […]
The post PBPA Secures Legal Victory Against Endangered Species Act Abuse appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! Is Induced Seismicity a punk band or a geologic event? If you said, “Geologic event,” you’d be correct. If you guessed, “Punk band,” please let us know which clubs you’ve been visiting. You are sitting at home in Midland, and you hear a […]
The post Getting Grounded on the Seismicity Issue appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreIt’s time to review what unemployment insurance is costing your organization. Job growth is up, but employers are hesitant to hire more employees and reluctant to let go of those they have fought so hard to hire in the past few years. Suppose your organization does plan to lay off employees. In that case, your […]
The post Unemployment Insurance Brings a Cost appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! The exporting of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has changed the game for producers of those molecules in every basin in recent years. The rising export demand, starting when LNG exports began in 2016, has helped raise natural gas from the $2 per million […]
The post LNG Changes Everything appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreIn the second half of 2025, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is expected to average around $66 per barrel, reflecting elevated geopolitical risk premiums—particularly due to tensions in the Middle East—while tempered by ample global supply growth. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) raised its mid-year forecast accordingly and now expects WTI to gradually decline to […]
The post WTI and Permian Gas Price Trends appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreDespite the Permian Basin being the second-biggest natural gas producing region in the United States, gas is a byproduct—and often a nuisance—here. But to keep the oil flowing, the gas must also flow, even when sales prices are negative. Fortunately, infrastructure keeps being built, and the famously negative prices at the Waha hub near Pecos […]
The post The Rising Stature of Gas appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreGreetings! While contemplating what topic I would write about, I came across an educational video from a safety company. In this video, a certified safety professional discusses a bill, introduced by Representative Andy Biggs, aimed at abolishing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This safety professional delved into the bill’s contents, as well as […]
The post OSHA/DOGE appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreRegardless of the exact status of environmental regulations, the oil and gas industry is working toward getting cleaner. Drilling and production activities often create material that’s more wasted than wanted, and methods for dealing with that are getting cleaner and safer. And in some cases, they’re turning trash into treasure, as with extracting minerals from […]
The post What’s Going Down appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreFORT WORTH, TEXAS—Billed as the largest shale event of the year, the Super DUG 2025 oil and gas conference gathered the faithful to this city and its Convention Center for two information-packed days of speakers, sessions, panels, and pronouncements, as well as a trade show and a full slate of off-premises receptions, parties, performances (including […]
The post SUPER DUG appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreLast year, the Permian Basin Petroleum Association created a set of recommended practices to combat oilfield crime, incorporating physical, cyber, and operational security measures. The Association took the initiative to the next level, citing the prevention of industry theft as a PBPA legislative priority and advocating at the Texas Capitol for related legislation. “The legislature […]
The post Count It a Successful Session appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreAuthor Stephen Covey viewed failure not as a setback but as a chance to learn, reflect, and adjust one’s approach. He believed that failure occurs only when we give up and stop trying. He emphasized the importance of reflecting on past mistakes and learning from them, and suggested that businesses are built not only on success but […]
The post Training our Local Workforce appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreMIDLAND, TEXAS—The pop-pop-popping had long since died down and the food and festivities had started up when the news of who-won-what began to circulate. The shooting portion was over but the cooking competition was still in play at the Permian Basin Petroleum Association’s annual Clay Shoot and Pit King Challenge, held again at Jake’s Clays. […]
The post They Blasted, They Cooked, and They Made Merry appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreWith the Fourth of July almost upon us, I’d like to share something about the spirit of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. That spirit was what gave us the great nation we have inherited. And without that spirit, it is unlikely we will keep this treasured possession—a nation that holds not only freedom […]
The post What the Fourth Means appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreHow the development, validation, and large-scale deployment of online solids management systems is saving operators money by releasing flowback equipment sooner, minimizing equipment damage due to solids carry-over, and reducing the need for shutdowns and confined space entry cleanout operations. Pounding Sand Oil and gas wells seldom produce a nice clean stream of hydrocarbons. A […]
The post One Hundred Octopi and Counting: Lessons in Online Solids Management appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreViper Energy (VNOM) presents a compelling case for investors seeking exposure to the energy sector through a mineral rights business model. The company is about to complete a transformative “Drop Down” transaction with parent company Diamondback Energy (FANG) that promises to significantly reshape Viper’s production profile in 2025. This is a transaction that was discussed at […]
The post Viper’s Royalty Model: Worth a Look appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! Change comes to every sector of the oilfield, working its way through the various niches. Sometimes it comes by technological advance, sometimes by economic realities asserting themselves, sometimes by scarcity—or abundance—of resources. And sometimes it comes from ripple effects of mergers, acquisitions, and […]
The post Getting a Line on Wireline appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreWelcome and salutations! We may be going into some tough times, not that we as Americans—or as members of the oil and gas community—haven’t had our share already. One topic that is prevalent in our industry and often skirted or glossed over is mental health. It is a given that our industry is a “dog […]
The post Mental Health is Also Health appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! This month being the month that holds Father’s Day (June 15), I’m going to share a story of a father. It just happens that the story I know best is the one I know from my own dad, Jess Mullins, Sr. He’s been […]
The post Hitting the Mark: A Father’s Day Tribute appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreMy Ethics class interviewed a successful Harvard MBA who also had a law degree from another Tier One university. He worked for many years in the oil and gas industry, including, at one point, working for three Fortune 500 Corporations in Midland, Houston, San Antonio, India, and Abu Dhabi. Our interviewee, who wants to be […]
The post Financial Maturity or Lack of appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! The boom/bust cycle has challenged the oil industry in many ways over the decades. Since the turn of the millennium, the newest challenge has been how to adopt new technology when there’s the frantic activity of a boom one minute and the layoffs and […]
The post What’s So Smart About Artificial Intelligence? appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreExxonMobil announced April 2 that Karen T. McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions Company, was to retire effective May 1. The Board of Directors appointed Matt Crocker president, ExxonMobil Product Solutions Company and vice president Exxon Mobil Corporation. He succeeded McKee May 1. Crocker, who has been ExxonMobil’s President/Global Business Solutions since 2023, joined the […]
The post Permian People June 2026 appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreClick here to listen to the Audio verison of this story! The flurry of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity over the last two years has changed the minerals landscape in the Permian Basin, along with most producing basins in the United States. Fewer operators control larger acreages. Also, the definition of what constitutes a […]
The post The Changing Landscape of Leasing and Minerals appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreWith only a few dozen hours remaining in the regular session, Texas lawmakers have sealed the fate of thousands of bills and are now focused on reconciling House and Senate versions of passed legislation. The Texas Legislature meets in a regular session every two years, convening on the second Tuesday in January of every odd-numbered […]
The post Down to the Wire appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreODESSA, TEXAS—The Odessa Country Club on April 7 was the locale for a gathering of some of the best human beings in West Texas and New Mexico as the Permian Basin Petroleum Association held its annual “Spring Swing.” This golf tournament, a four-man scramble, was played over two courses simultaneously. Beautiful weather greeted the full […]
The post Spring Swing Was a Beautiful Thing appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreAs we discussed a few months ago, the Permian Basin is starting to feel the impact of AI data centers creating demand for natural gas fired electricity. Chevron and Diamondback Energy are two of the larger players engaging in projects to power AI data centers. For investors, those deals barely move the needle for a […]
The post New Era Helium appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThere is a new sheriff in the White House, and with his administration embracing the oil and gas industry, excitement and relief has permeated throughout. Although the doors of possibility have now opened upon a gleaming prospect of four prosperous years ahead, certain of the industry’s lingering challenges will need solutions if growth is to […]
The post Electrifying the Permian appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThe NTSB estimated a total of nearly 24 million flight hours in 2007, when 6.84 of every 100,000 flight hours yielded an airplane crash while 1.19 of every 100,000 yielded a fatal crash. This was down from an all-time high of 9.08 accidents per 100,000 hours in 1994. It is an old statistic that I’m […]
The post In the Air or on the Ground, Safety Is Still Safety appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThe old saying about change and things staying the same may itself need to change, especially in the energy sector. “The more things change, the more they continue to change,” would better codify the rapid acceleration of new technologies and landscapes. And with carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS) ramping up in response to environmental […]
The post Taking Carbon Captive appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreWhen it comes to managing, planning, and staffing during significant transitions—here are some things to ponder. In current times I feel a little like the character Alice, from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, wherein she says, “I wonder if I shall fall right through the earth! How funny it’ll seem to come out among the […]
The post Tough Transitions appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreGeographically, the New Mexico side of the Permian Basin seems small—only five of the region’s 54 counties are there. But those five—mainly Lea and Eddy—account for 29 percent of the Basin’s total production, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Lea and Eddy rank second and third in the Permian as well […]
The post New Mexico: Taking Stock appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreWith the session’s signature issue—school vouchers—seemingly settled, lawmakers have turned their attention to deadlines and their domino effects, including a coveted spot on the intent calendar, required for a bill to make it to the chamber floors. The 89th Regular Session convened on Jan. 14. Upcoming deadlines include: May 12:House bill first reading deadline. May […]
The post Eighty-Ninth Texas Legislature: One Month Countdown appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreVolatility at the start of the Trump Administration might present the last chance to buy Delaware Basin oil and gas stocks on the cheap, in my opinion. The recent goal of maximizing oil production over gas production seems to be flipping and the investing public is not quite in emotional chase mode yet. That gives […]
The post Pounding the Table on PR and CTRA appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThe month of March is known for wind. Which we’ve experienced plenty of in the last month. And of course April is known for showers. But let me tell you, April is no slouch in the wind department. As you’re probably seeing right now, wherever you stand, in the Permian Basin. As I write these […]
The post Dust, Wind, and More appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreThe month of March is known for wind. Which we’ve experienced plenty of in the last month. And of course April is known for showers. But let me tell you, April is no slouch in the wind department. As you’re probably seeing right now, wherever you stand, in the Permian Basin. As I write these […]
The post Dust, Wind, and More appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreAs a whole, the oil patch is a tight-knit community, especially in the Permian Basin, where almost everyone is in the business one way or another. And the welding community seems to be particularly close-knit—or more precisely, welded together. Here are stories of two entrepreneuring welders—Daniel Rodriguez of Shadow Welding and Jaron Tuttle of Tuttle’s […]
The post Welded Together appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreIn February, I asked a couple of questions about ethics. Later that month, President Trump fired the head of the Office of Ethics. No comment. Now, I am moving on to the ugly term: trimming the fat. Who and what will it hurt, and who and what will it help? When it is all said […]
The post Change Happens—and in 2025 it Happens Fast appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
Read moreYou are probably aware that the water problem in the Permian Basin is dire—it is the desert, after all. But the issue isn’t so seemingly obvious. Of course, as a natural resource, water is scarce in the Permian, and that is an issue that in itself places constraints on growth and development. But that is […]
The post The Produced Water Challenge appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.
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