MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Jan 29, 2026 [FREE ACCESS]

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Powering Pennsylvania in the ‘demand decade’; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Freeport LNG mulls rescheduling cargoes as heating demand surges; Exxon begins commercial CCS project with CF industries in Louisiana; NATIONAL: Coal-fired generation rose to meet demand during Winter Storm Fern; Winter storm wrecks power lines as hundreds of thousands are still without power; Democrats must learn to say ‘all of the above’ on energy; US crude, natural gas production recover after winter storm ravages output; Climate alarmists are often wrong but never in doubt; US shale production could fall by 400,000 barrels per day if prices dip to $40 a barrel; Energy wisdom needed with candidates running for public office; INTERNATIONAL: Trump Iran threat pushes oil higher; Europe likely to remain a key outlet for U.S. LNG.

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION

Powering Pennsylvania in the ‘demand decade’
Broad + Liberty
In the article, Stephanie Catarino Wissman highlights Pennsylvania’s pivotal role in the “demand decade,” a period of surging energy needs driven by AI, manufacturing, and population growth. As the nation’s second-largest natural gas producer, Pennsylvania’s energy industry supports 400,000 local jobs and significantly bolsters the U.S. economy. However, Wissman warns that restrictive policies, legal hurdles, and infrastructure bottlenecks threaten this leadership. She advocates for pragmatic solutions, including permitting reform and prioritizing affordability over ideology, to maintain energy security. Ultimately, leveraging Pennsylvania’s abundant resources and workforce is essential to meeting global demand while ensuring a reliable, affordable power grid. [MDN: Wissman is the executive director of the American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania, based in Harrisburg. She says this year, the focus must be on three critical areas: infrastructure, access, and international competitiveness. Click to read the full article.]

OTHER U.S. REGIONS

Freeport LNG mulls rescheduling cargoes as heating demand surges
Bloomberg
Following a severe U.S. cold snap that sent domestic natural gas prices skyrocketing, Freeport LNG is reportedly negotiating cargo rescheduling and potential cancellations with its long-term buyers in Europe and Asia. While the Texas-based facility officially downplayed weather-related disruptions, ship-tracking and feedgas data revealed a significant operational ramp-down starting last Saturday. As domestic heating demand drove regional prices to extreme peaks, the facility’s export loading halted. Although operations began recovering this Tuesday, the private discussions regarding delivery delays highlight the logistical strain extreme winter weather places on the delicate balance between domestic supply and international export commitments. [MDN: It appears that Freeport buys its gas on the spot market (not under long-term contract). Some regional hubs spiked to $53/MMBtu, and in some cases, to more than $200 MMBtu. At those prices, Freeport can’t make money, which is why they want to delay shipments.]

Exxon begins commercial CCS project with CF industries in Louisiana
Reuters
Exxon Mobil has launched commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) operations in Louisiana, partnering with CF Industries to transport and store two million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually starting in 2025. This initiative highlights Exxon’s strategic expansion into underground CO2 storage, a process increasingly adopted by major energy firms to mitigate industrial emissions. Beyond the CF Industries collaboration, Exxon has secured agreements with partners including AtmosClear, Lake Charles Methanol II, Linde, and Nucor to manage additional output. The company plans to scale its CCS footprint across Texas and Louisiana, targeting three new projects and a low-carbon data center by 2026. [MDN: We think it’s kind of foolish to chase after CCS, but the market seems to be demanding it. Some day people will look back at this time in history and laugh their rear-ends off.]

NATIONAL

Coal-fired generation rose to meet demand during Winter Storm Fern
U.S. Energy Information Administration – Today in Energy
During the week ending January 25, 2026, Winter Storm Fern triggered a 31% surge in coal-fired electricity generation across the Lower 48 states. As output from wind, solar, and hydropower declined, coal’s share of total generation rose to 21%, making it the second-largest energy source behind natural gas at 38%. While natural gas usage also increased by 14%, coal’s rapid ramp-up underscored its role as a critical backup during extreme weather. This trend mirrors past responses to severe cold snaps in 2021 and 2025, highlighting the grid’s continued reliance on coal to maintain stability when demand surges or other sources fail. [MDN: Wind and solar bombed out during the big winter storm, and coal had to take up the slack. Natgas kept chugging right along. Thank God for fossil energy!]

Winter storm wrecks power lines as hundreds of thousands are still without power
Institute for Energy Research
Winter Storm Fern caused widespread destruction across nearly half the United States, leaving over a million people without electricity and resulting in an estimated $115 billion in losses. The article emphasizes that reliable baseload power from natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy maintained the grid when solar and wind production failed due to extreme cold and limited sunlight. While battery storage proved inadequate for long outages, the Department of Energy’s emergency waivers allowed fossil fuel plants to operate at maximum capacity. Despite the outages, regions like Texas successfully relied on thermal sources for nearly 90% of their power, underscoring the importance of dispatchable energy during severe weather. [MDN: Again, fossil energy saves the day. Unreliable renewables are not up to the challenge, especially during cold and snow.]

Democrats must learn to say ‘all of the above’ on energy
Washington (DC) Post
In this op-ed, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe argues that while recent bipartisan efforts to lower electricity costs are a positive step, they are insufficient to meet rising national energy demands. He advocates for a comprehensive “all of the above” energy strategy that incentivizes nuclear, wind, solar, and natural gas. By prioritizing reliable, cost-effective sources such as gas-fired power plants, McAuliffe suggests the government can lower utility bills and drive economic expansion. He urges Democrats to act decisively, emphasizing that a clean-energy future depends on maximizing a diverse energy portfolio to ensure long-term affordability and reliability. [MDN: We hate to say it because we’re no fans of McAuliffe, but he’s right. He is being reasonable, which is rare in the Democrat Party. Will others from his party listen? Doubtful, but one can hope.]

US crude, natural gas production recover after winter storm ravages output
Reuters
Following a severe winter storm, U.S. oil and gas producers are restoring operations as infrastructure recovers from record disruptions. Domestic crude output losses have narrowed to approximately 600,000 barrels per day—about 4% of total production—down significantly from a peak deficiency of 2 million barrels. While the Permian Basin and North Dakota faced substantial outages, North Dakota’s production is nearly back to full capacity. Similarly, natural gas output is rebounding, with current losses at 12 billion cubic feet per day compared to Monday’s peak of 18.1 billion. With milder weather forecasted, analysts expect production to stabilize without further curtailments. [MDN: As natgas production comes back online, the cash (spot) price is falling back to earth. See our post today about the NYMEX price for yesterday.]

Climate alarmists are often wrong but never in doubt
The Empowerment Alliance
Gary Abernathy critiques climate alarmists for a history of failed dire predictions, ranging from 1970s cooling trends to more recent warnings of disappearing nations and ice caps. He argues these inaccuracies undermine scientific credibility. Contrastingly, Abernathy highlights economist Noah Kaufman, who advocates for a grounded approach acknowledging the limits of climate modeling and the “unknowable” nature of long-term environmental damages. Abernathy concludes that a shift toward respectful, calm, and less accusatory dialogue is essential. By moving away from fear-driven rhetoric, he suggests society can foster more constructive public discussions regarding climate policy and its inherent uncertainties. [MDN: Such common sense and reasonableness. What a breath of fresh air! The more wrong the extreme left is with their climate predictions, the more they double down and insist you believe them. As we so often say: Follow the money. There’s a reason these congenitally wrong people keep espousing the same wrong predictions year after year. They’re making money from it. Climate doom is a business.]

US shale production could fall by 400,000 barrels per day if prices dip to $40 a barrel
Reuters
U.S. shale oil production in 2026 depends heavily on OPEC’s market strategies and global pricing, according to Rystad Energy CEO Jarand Rystad. If OPEC aggressively increases volume and prices drop to $40 per barrel, U.S. output could fall by 400,000 barrels per day. Conversely, production may remain flat if prices stay near $60, provided OPEC maintains current supply levels. Additional demand from China could push prices to $70 if they build significant inventory. With 2025 production estimated at 9.7 million barrels per day, the sector’s growth remains precariously tied to international geopolitical shifts and global demand. [MDN: The upshot is that the thug dictators of OPEC+ are in the driver’s seat. Unfortunately.]

Energy wisdom needed with candidates running for public office
America Out Loud News
True leadership requires “Energy Wisdom”—a deep understanding that modern life relies on more than just electricity slogans. The article argues that while renewables are vital, they remain tethered to petroleum-based supply chains, petrochemicals for 6,000+ essential products, and complex mineral mining. Beyond intermittent sources, the text champions nuclear power as a necessary pillar for reliable baseload energy. By moving past “electrify everything” rhetoric, candidates must acknowledge the hard truths of industrial physics and global geopolitics. Ultimately, national resilience demands leaders who grasp how energy, materials, and ethics intersect to sustain our complex civilization. [MDN: A strong plea for those seeking to run for office to grow an energy brain and quit repeating trite global warming slogans. It’s time for people to grow up.]

INTERNATIONAL

Trump Iran threat pushes oil higher
Bloomberg/Rigzone
Oil prices climbed to a four-month peak, with West Texas Intermediate settling above $63, following President Trump’s warning of a potential attack on Iran if it refuses to negotiate a new nuclear deal. These escalating geopolitical tensions have injected a significant risk premium into the market, driving prices up over 10% this month despite previous forecasts of a global glut. While Iran signaled openness to diplomacy, it also vowed an unprecedented response to any U.S. aggression. Gains were somewhat tempered by a strengthening dollar and mixed inventory data, yet tightening supply structures continue to bolster bullish market sentiment. [MDN: WTI for March delivery was 1.3% higher to settle at $63.21 a barrel. Brent for March settlement was up 1.2% to settle at $68.40 a barrel.]

Europe likely to remain a key outlet for U.S. LNG
RBN Energy
Following a record-breaking 2025, the United States has solidified its position as the world’s leading LNG exporter, driven by soaring feedgas demand and key terminal development milestones. Europe is expected to remain a primary outlet for these accelerating exports as the European Union continues its strategic shift away from Russian natural gas. While a significant $750 billion trade deal underscores this energy partnership, the sector faces near-term challenges regarding potential price and volume pressures. Nevertheless, expanding infrastructure and production capacity in basins like the Haynesville are poised to meet sustained long-term global demand. [MDN: For all of their snobbery and fussing (and hatred of Trump), the Euro weenies will still buy our LNG. That’s the upshot.]