MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Sep 10, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Babcock & Wilcox, Denham partner to convert coal plants to gas for data centers; U.S. Interior Sec. Doug Burgum to deliver SHALE INSIGHT 2025 closing keynote; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Proposal for 100MW natgas-powered data center campus rejected in N. Carolina; NATIONAL: DOE seeks proposals for AI data centers, energy projects; USA oil output at all time high but growth slowing; Climate zealots must be stopped from abusing courts for political goals; US LNG builders go modular to battle rising costs; Senate to confirm trove of energy, environment nominees; INTERNATIONAL: Oil rises on Israeli strikes in Qatar; TotalEnergies CEO says US LNG drive may cause global oversupply; Exxon expects EU to sign long-term US gas deals.

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION

Babcock & Wilcox, Denham partner to convert coal plants to gas for data centers
Babcock & Wilcox
Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises (B&W) and Denham Capital’s Sustainable Infrastructure arm have struck a strategic partnership—announced September 10, 2025—to convert existing coal-fired power plants into gas-fired generators of electricity for data centers across the U.S. and Europe. B&W will contribute engineering, technology, and environmental expertise, while Denham will lead development, financing, and market deployment. This collaboration aims to swiftly deploy cleaner natural gas-powered solutions, leveraging existing interconnected assets to meet an estimated 65 GW of data center electricity demand between 2025 and 2028. [MDN: Babcock & Wilcox is headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Nice to see companies in the M-U working on projects to use more M-U molecules.]

U.S. Interior Sec. Doug Burgum to deliver SHALE INSIGHT 2025 closing keynote
Marcellus Shale Coalition
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will address the SHALE INSIGHT® 2025 Conference in Erie, highlighting how Appalachian natural gas supports the Administration’s energy leadership, technological innovation, and global competitiveness. Building on nearly $100 billion in Pennsylvania energy and digital infrastructure investments, the conference will cover grid reliability, power generation, AI and data center impacts, infrastructure expansion, and downstream opportunities. Speakers include energy executives, regulators, and Senator Dave McCormick, with sessions on Appalachia’s role in utilities and energy innovation. Technology and University Research Showcases will feature AI, emissions management, and next-generation systems, emphasizing the region’s contribution to U.S. energy security, economic growth, and high-quality jobs. [MDN: Shale Insight sounds like the place to be next week! The conference runs from Sept. 16-18 in Erie, PA. Get more details here.]

OTHER U.S. REGIONS

Proposal for 100MW natgas-powered data center campus rejected in N. Carolina
Data Center Dynamics/Dan Swinhoe
Local officials in Tarboro, North Carolina, have rejected Energy Storage Solutions LLC’s proposal for a natural gas-powered data center campus. The $6.4 billion project, planned on 52 acres along Anaconda Road, included two 25MW and one 50MW data centers, an on-site substation, and a 250MW battery storage system, fueled by nearby Piedmont Natural Gas. The company proposed using a “carbon sponge” system to capture emissions, but the Town Council denied a special-use permit, citing insufficient research. Residents raised concerns over environmental and community impacts, and a petition opposing the development has gained over 770 signatures. Goforth Solar acquired the site in March. [MDN: That’s OK. Energy Storage Solutions can relocate this project to more favorable states, such as PA, OH, or WV. Forget the Tar Heels. They don’t want $6.4 billion pumped into the local economy.]

NATIONAL

DOE seeks proposals for AI data centers, energy projects
U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a Request for Application inviting U.S. companies to propose AI data center and energy generation projects at Idaho National Laboratory, marking the first solicitation under President Trump’s initiative to strengthen American AI leadership. The DOE has identified 44,000 acres for projects that pair cutting-edge AI infrastructure with advanced power sources such as nuclear, geothermal, or thermal storage. Companies will fully fund, build, and operate the facilities under potential long-term leases. Proposals will be judged on readiness, financial strength, and regulatory plans, with initial applications due November 7, 2025, and rolling submissions thereafter. [MDN: This is the way to do things. Get private companies to build (fund) their own projects, but the U.S. government will promise to be a long-term customer. That way, no up-front taxpayer money is involved in boondoggles where shysters take off with our money, and we, the taxpayers, are left with nothing. We only pay these companies for services rendered, once they are rendered. Trump is brilliant, as usual.]

USA oil output at all all-time high, but growth slowing
Rigzone/Andreas Exarheas
U.S. crude oil production hit a record 13.58 million barrels per day in June 2025, surpassing prior highs, but growth is slowing, according to Standard Chartered analysts. While Texas remains the largest producer, its output has fallen below its 2024 peak, signaling possible state-level declines. Year-on-year growth has decelerated to 328,000 barrels per day, and analysts project U.S. production could peak at 14.34 million barrels per day by March 2026 before declining. Factors such as reduced rig counts, strategic pullbacks, and low prices are constraining growth, though higher rig productivity and increased hedging may help balance future output. [MDN: Could, maybe, might…so-called analysts always couch their predictions with these empty words. The news here is that oil production in the U.S. is at new all-time highs, and NOBODY knows when that will slow down and change.]

Climate zealots must be stopped from abusing courts for political goals
RealClearEnergy/Gary Abernathy
In recent years, political disputes once confined to campaigns and legislatures have increasingly shifted to the courts, with opponents of Trump administration policies on immigration, government size, tariffs, and environmental rollbacks filing lawsuits to block his agenda. Climate activists, joined by states and cities, have aggressively sued fossil fuel companies, accusing them of deception and responsibility for climate change, a trend that has surged since the 2015 Paris Accord. However, many such cases are being dismissed, including Charleston’s suit against Exxon and Chevron, with judges ruling climate policy belongs to federal branches, not courts. Critics argue this judicial “weaponization” undermines democracy. [MDN: This column is 100% correct. It’s time to block these sleazy attempts by the left to abuse our court system for their political objectives—objectives they can’t win during elections. Let’s put them out of business!]

US LNG builders go modular to battle rising costs
Reuters/Mark Shenk
U.S. liquefied natural gas developers are increasingly turning to modular construction—fabricating liquefaction plant sections offsite and assembling them onsite—to counter mounting costs from supply-chain constraints, steel tariffs, and labor shortages. Firms such as Venture Global, Glenfarne’s Texas LNG, and Commonwealth LNG are adopting this approach to reduce labor needs, accelerate schedules, and boost cost certainty. Commonwealth, for instance, is relocating over 10 million work-hours offsite. Originating with Russia’s Novatek on Yamal LNG, modular builds also enable phased expansions in remote or smaller locations. Yet risks include transportation damage and complex coordination, prompting developers to reshape EPC contracts and assume more construction risk. [MDN: Venture Global is the poster child for this type of modular construction. However, Venture Global is also the poster child for sleazy business practices and screwing its contracted customers out of shipments for years at a time by using contract loopholes to claim the facility isn’t quite ready yet.]

Senate to confirm trove of energy, environment nominees
POLITICO/E&E Daily
Senate Majority Leader John Thune is initiating changes to Senate rules to allow large groups of lower-level administration nominees to be confirmed by simple majority, potentially speeding approval for President Trump’s picks for the EPA and the Departments of Energy, Interior, and Agriculture after prolonged delays. The nominees include Jessica Kramer for the EPA’s water office and Katherine Scarlett for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, both with bipartisan support. Republicans, citing Democratic obstruction of unanimous consent and voice votes, aim to prioritize nominees with cross-party backing, declaring the move necessary to restore precedent and ensure timely staffing for presidents. [MDN: The Democrats have gone WAY beyond acceptable behavior. They are completely unhinged and psycho. We hope to God they never regain power. EVER. Good for Thune in approving Trump’s picks over the heads of these obstructionist jerks. Chuck Schumer (Senate Minority Leader) is the worst of the worst. We’re ashamed he’s our Senator.]

INTERNATIONAL

Oil rises on Israeli strikes in Qatar
Bloomberg/Mia Gindis, Alex Longley
Oil prices inched higher as traders weighed escalating geopolitical tensions after Israel carried out its first strike in Doha, targeting Hamas leaders, though they survived. West Texas Intermediate rose 0.6% to $62.63 a barrel, while Brent climbed to $66.39. The attack risks undermining U.S.-led peace efforts and complicating Israel’s regional energy ties, though analysts noted oil markets remain resilient unless infrastructure or supply routes are directly hit. Meanwhile, Ukraine intensified drone strikes on Russian energy assets, pressuring refinery output. Markets also eyed OPEC’s plan to restore idled production and potential U.S. rate cuts, with crude still down 13% this year. [MDN: You know, the real news here is that Qatar is not some pimple of a Middle Eastern country that is “friendly” to the U.S. NO. Qatar harbors (and funds) terrorists, and has for years. The government and its people are NOT to be trusted, EVER. Even with this strike, oil remains firmly in the mid-$60s, which is perfect.]

TotalEnergies CEO says US LNG drive may cause global oversupply
Reuters/America Hernandez, Emily Chow
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne warned on September 9, 2025, at the GasTech conference in Milan that the U.S. is building “too much” liquefied natural gas capacity, and if all planned projects proceed, a prolonged global LNG oversupply could emerge. He also noted that a final investment decision (FID) on additional units at the Rio Grande LNG project—where TotalEnergies holds stakes—was expected later that day. While cautioning about oversupply, Pouyanne emphasized that the U.S. nonetheless offers abundant energy investment opportunities. [MDN: Kind of offensive that a Frenchman is lecturing us that we’re building too much LNG export capacity. He displays the mindset of the typical leftist, which is that the world will (and should) always stay static, as it is now. He makes no allowance for African and other Third World countries to grow and expand their use of natural gas (instead of cow dung) as a fuel source. Or that CNG may take off as the preferred vehicle fuel, instead of unreliable EVs. Etc. The world is constantly changing, and the beauty of capitalism is that we will adapt to economic conditions. We’re not a socialist command-and-control (by government weenies) economy. Not yet, anyway. Tell Mr. Pouyanne to eat some more frog legs.]

Exxon expects EU to sign long-term US gas deals
Financial Times/Malcolm Moore
ExxonMobil expects the EU to sign multi-decade contracts for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) as part of a $750 billion energy pledge, signaling Europe’s shift toward long-term reliance on American fossil fuels. Exxon’s Peter Clarke said Europe is now the top market for U.S. LNG, with countries beginning to embrace long-term deals after years of preferring spot purchases to protect climate goals. Italy’s Eni and Germany’s Sefe have already signed contracts, following U.S. pressure to cut Russian gas ties. With U.S. LNG accounting for 55% of Europe’s imports, America could soon supply three-quarters, supported by major new export projects. [MDN: If Europe wants to follow through on its state pledge to be free and democratic, it needs to buy U.S. LNG. Our LNG is cleaner than Russia’s (or Qatar’s), and it doesn’t support wars and terrorism. It’s time for Europe to put its money where its considerably fat mouth is.]