MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Tue, Sep 9, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: WV leads coalition urging Supreme Court to keep pipeline case in fed court; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Gas production in Permian reached new highs; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas futures settle higher; Gas roars back into the power mix; Wright dismisses global climate efforts as “silly”; INTERNATIONAL: Oil steadies after OPEC+ output hike.

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION

WV leads coalition urging Supreme Court to keep pipeline case in fed court
Clarksville (WV) WV News
West Virginia, joined by nine other states, filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to keep a critical case over Michigan’s attempt to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline in federal court. Line 5, which runs under two Great Lakes, transports over 20 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids daily, serving multiple states (including OH and PA) and Canada. Michigan’s attorney general sued to close part of the line, but the case was remanded to state court on procedural grounds. West Virginia argues the pipeline’s closure would threaten energy security, raise fuel costs by $23.7 billion, and implicate international treaties. [MDN: It’s crazy that this case is in a state court. It needs to be in federal court. Kudos to WV AG JB McCuskey for heading up the effort in the amicus brief filed last Friday.]

OTHER U.S. REGIONS

Gas production in Permian reached new highs
RBN Energy/John Abeln
Production of natural gas in the Permian Basin averaged 22.2 Bcf/d over the week ending September 8, up 0.1 Bcf/d from the week prior. Production in August averaged 21.9 Bcf/d, up 0.4 Bcf/d month-on-month and about 1 Bcf/d higher than production levels in the spring. August production was also 1 Bcf/d higher than during the same month last year. Production receipts on interstate pipelines have increased in the past two months, accounting for about 70% of total production growth over the period. Increased flow on the El Paso Pipeline has been the primary driver of the increase, although flows are higher on the other interstates as well. So far, the market has been able to absorb this growth, and Waha cash prices have remained above zero. However, as we enter the shoulder season with decreasing Mexican and domestic demand, price pressure in the basin will build – particularly if there is significant pipeline maintenance in the fall. [MDN: The Permian continues to creep up on the M-U as the second-largest producer of natural gas in the U.S. That basin can more easily build new pipelines to flow gas than we can here in the M-U, putting them at an advantage over us.]

NATIONAL

U.S. natural gas futures settle higher
Wall Street Journal
U.S. natural gas futures get the week off to a positive start with some higher weather-driven demand seen for later this month, and LNG feedgas flows steady. National demand will remain light the next six days due to comfortable highs of 60s-80s over the northern half of the U.S., NatGasWeather.com says in a note. That increases for the 7-15 day period as most of the country warms above normal, the forecaster adds. Nymex natural gas settles up 1.4% at $3.090/mmBtu. [MDN: Thanks to warmer weather, the NYMEX price has stayed above $3.]

Gas roars back into the power mix
OilPrice.com/Irina Slav
Over the first five months of 2025, the U.S. added 15 GW of new power capacity, mostly solar, but the bigger story is the sharp rise in planned gas-fired generation. According to Global Energy Monitor, 114 GW of new gas capacity is under construction or planned—a doubling from last year—driven by soaring electricity demand from AI data centers. Despite recent wind and solar gains, developers are turning to gas for reliability, as intermittent renewables cannot meet constant demand. Alongside 36 GW of hydro and 8 GW of nuclear projects, dispatchable power dominates the pipeline, though turbine supply and cost challenges loom. [MDN: While unreliable solar nibbles at the edges, natural gas is the champ, stepping up to meet major increases in demand due to AI data centers. It’s undeniable that renewables are unreliable.]

Wright dismisses global climate efforts as “silly”
POLITICO/Climatewire
Energy Secretary Chris Wright dismissed global emissions-cutting efforts, calling the Paris Agreement “silly” and net-zero by 2050 “a crazy, bad idea,” arguing it’s impossible and would worsen economic conditions and living standards, making “everyone poorer and their lives worse.” He said he plans to promote natural gas during his upcoming European trip. Wright’s remarks came after his Council on Foreign Relations appearance, where he characterized international climate goals as impractical. These statements stand in sharp contrast to climate scientists’ consensus that fossil fuel pollution is driving dangerous increases in extreme heat, droughts, floods, and other severe weather. [MDN: Chris Wright is a refreshing breath of air, speaking the truth after years of obsequious genuflecting to the climate gods. Finally, someone willing to boldly proclaim the blunt truth, and do so unapologetically.]

INTERNATIONAL

Oil steadies after OPEC+ output hike
Bloomberg/Alex Longley, Mia Gindis
Oil prices steadied as traders weighed OPEC+’s modest October production hike of 137,000 barrels per day against Saudi Aramco’s cut in crude prices to Asia, signaling weaker demand. West Texas Intermediate rose 0.6% to $62.26 a barrel, while Brent settled at $66.02, though gains faded after Saudi Arabia’s move. Analysts noted the increase marks a reversal of earlier cuts as the group seeks market share, but actual supply may fall short due to capacity limits. With forecasts of a surplus and weaker demand outlook, prices remain stuck in a $62–$67 range despite geopolitical and political factors shaping market sentiment. [MDN: We like the price “stuck” in the $62-$67 range. It’s perfect.]