MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Mon, Sep 8, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Natural gas-powered tractor to boost ag science research at Penn State; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Albany’s energy plan is a direct threat to rural New York; NATIONAL: Natural gas rally stalls below resistance as fundamentals weigh; Who are the top USA land drillers and customers?; INTERNATIONAL: Oil drops to lowest since May ahead of OPEC+ talks; OPEC+ agrees further oil output boost from October to regain market share; Panama launches canal gas pipeline project for interoceanic energy corridor; India will keep buying Russian oil, FinMin says; EU vows to cut off Russian gas within three years.

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION

Natural gas-powered tractor to boost ag science research at Penn State
Penn State University
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has partnered with CNH and the Penn State Corporate Engagement Center to receive New Holland’s fully methane-powered T6.180 tractor—the industry’s first and only production natural gas-powered tractor—for one year. Stationed at the 2,200-acre Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center in Rock Springs, the tractor, which features advanced precision-farming, autonomy, and connectivity technologies, will support more than 80 interdisciplinary research projects—spanning tillage, planting, haying, raised-bed prep, and pest management—and also provide hands-on teaching opportunities in sustainable agriculture, alternative energy, and precision agronomy, aimed at advancing student learning and farm efficiency. [MDN: What’s this? A little common sense is creeping into Penn State?! How can that be? It would be nice to see more CNG tractors on farms.]

OTHER U.S. REGIONS

Albany’s energy plan is a direct threat to rural New York
Wellsville (NY) Sun/Legislator Gretchen Hanchett
New York State’s Draft Energy Plan is labeled unrealistic and dangerous for rural communities, demanding full electrification without infrastructure, funding, or viable alternatives. The outdated and under-capacity grid cannot support mandates for electric heat, vehicles, or school buses—particularly in cold, hilly regions where charging stations are scarce and bus weight damages fragile roads. Natural gas, described as a reliable, affordable lifeline in Allegany County, remains essential. Local lawmakers—Senators Borrello and O’Mara and Assemblyman Sempoliski—are pushing for delays, pilot programs, and cost-benefit reviews to reflect rural realities and prevent failure under this plan. [MDN: NY Democrats have lost their collective minds. Perhaps it’s time for Upstate to refuse to follow their edicts?]

NATIONAL

Natural gas rally stalls below resistance as fundamentals weigh
FX Empire/James Hyerczyk
U.S. natural gas futures posted a modest gain last week, settling at $3.048—up 1.70%—but failed to build momentum above key resistance. The move extended a two-week rally but stopped short of triggering a breakout, as cooling weather forecasts, elevated production, and robust storage levels capped bullish enthusiasm. Traders turned defensive into the weekend, unwilling to chase prices higher without a clear demand catalyst. [MDN: Hey, at least the price is still closing above $3. That’s progress in our book.]

Who are the top USA land drillers and customers?
Rigzone/Andreas Exarheas
Enverus released its updated rankings of the top U.S. land drillers and drilling customers for Q1 2025, based on its Enverus Core data platform. Helmerich & Payne led drillers with 16.4 million feet drilled across 859 wells, followed by Patterson-UTI, Nabors Industries, Ensign Energy, and Precision Drilling. Among customers, Exxon ranked first with 5.0 million feet drilled across 225 wells, with EOG, ConocoPhillips, Occidental, and Chevron rounding out the top five. Enverus emphasized the rankings reflect evolving strategies, efficiency, and innovation in drilling. Industry representatives praised Enverus for providing critical, real-time intelligence to remain competitive in a rapidly changing market. [MDN: Interesting that the #1 and #2 land drillers in the U.S. are NOT SLB or Halliburton (the two largest in the world), but H&P and Patterson-UTI.]

INTERNATIONAL

Oil drops to lowest since May ahead of OPEC+ talks
Bloomberg/Alex Longley, Mia Gindis
Oil prices fell to their lowest since May, with West Texas Intermediate settling at $61.87 a barrel ahead of an OPEC+ meeting on Sept. 7, where Saudi Arabia will push for more production increases to offset lower prices with higher volumes. WTI dropped 3.3% this week, closing at $65.50 a barrel, extending a 14% decline this year as rising output from OPEC+ and other producers fuels supply surplus concerns. Analysts warn that further increases could pressure prices further. Weak U.S. job growth, geopolitical tensions over Russian crude, and additional supply from Guyana and Brazil have deepened bearish sentiment, leaving the market skewed to the downside. [MDN: Still in the $60s.]

OPEC+ agrees further oil output boost from October to regain market share
Reuters/Ahmed Rasheed, Alex Lawler, Ahmad Ghaddar
OPEC+ has agreed to raise oil production by 137,000 barrels per day starting in October—a modest increase compared with the roughly 555,000 bpd boosts seen in August and September—as part of a strategic effort led by Saudi Arabia to regain market share while responding to a forecasted global demand slowdown. The move inaugurates a surprise early unwinding of the second tranche of production cuts (about 1.65 million bpd), following the full reversal of a prior tranche totaling 2.5 million bpd since April. [MDN: The Bloomberg story from Friday said oil closed down, anticipating the Sunday meeting. This Reuters story follows that meeting. It just dawns on us that Saudi Arabia is intentionally trying to screw Trump over. They did it during this first term and they’re doing it again now. Which is why we MUST get off all international imports of oil to this country. Let’s use our own oil first, take over the refineries that are Saudi-owned (that import Saudi oil into this country), and kick them out. It’s time.]

Panama launches canal gas pipeline project for interoceanic energy corridor
Reuters/Natalia Siniawski
Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino has announced the launch of a new interoceanic gas-pipeline energy corridor along the Panama Canal during an official visit to Japan, marking the first major initiative in its broader infrastructure platform. The Panama Canal Authority has authorized a competitive selection process—prequalification begins in 2025 and the final concessionaire will be selected by the fourth quarter of 2026. This project is a key part of the canal’s revenue-diversification strategy, aimed at expanding services, increasing cargo capacity without using more water, and reinforcing Panama’s role as a global trade hub. [MDN: Interesting. Panama will construct a natural gas pipeline that runs alongside the Canal (that WE built), providing 6,500 jobs to build it and 9,600 jobs to operate it, which is certainly a switch. The country is looking for new ways to leverage the Canal without having to run more ships through it.]

India will keep buying Russian oil, FinMin says
Bloomberg/Ruchi Bhatia
India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the country will continue buying Russian oil despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands to halt purchases, stressing India must prioritize its economic interests. India, the largest buyer of Russian seaborne crude, benefits from discounted barrels that ease its import bill, though the move has angered Washington. In retaliation, Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, impacting over half of exports to the U.S. and posing risks to growth. Sitharaman dismissed U.S. accusations of India acting as a “laundromat” for Russia and noted India seeks deeper trade talks with China while preparing relief measures for exporters. [MDN: Fine, that’s their prerogative. Maybe it’s time for 100% tariffs on all Indian goods? See how they like losing complete and total access to our markets?]

EU vows to cut off Russian gas within three years
Energy Live News
The European Union has reaffirmed its plan to cut off Russian oil and gas by 2028, despite opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, while strengthening energy ties with the United States. EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen stressed the move is necessary to stop funding Putin’s war and reduce energy blackmail, but said Brussels would not accelerate the timeline under U.S. pressure. Russian gas imports have dropped from 45% of EU supply in 2021 to 13% this year, with U.S. LNG set to fill much of the gap through a $250 billion annual supply pledge. Legal proposals will be finalized next month. [MDN: We’ll believe it when we see it. The EU is spineless and has made these promises before, not following through.]