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Baker Hughes U.S. Rig Count Gained 2 Rigs, Utica Gained 1 Last Wk
Finally, some good news to report on the U.S. and Marcellus/Utica rig count. Last week, the national rig count added two rigs after adding one the prior week, the first time we’ve added rigs for two weeks in a row since April of this year. We ended the week with 539 active rigs. In some even better news, the Utica Shale in Ohio added a rig last week, the first rig added to the M-U count since July 25. In fact, the combined count (37) has not been this high since May 23. Break out the party hats! Read More “Baker Hughes U.S. Rig Count Gained 2 Rigs, Utica Gained 1 Last Wk”
Earlier this month, MDN told you that the “deep Utica” was a hot topic at the recent Hart Energy DUG Appalachia Conference held in Pittsburgh in late August (see 
On August 17, Eureka Resources’ Williamsport Second Street facility (one of the three previously operated by Eureka) leaked some of its stored untreated wastewater, which ended up in the nearby Susquehanna River via a storm drain (see 
On Friday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed eliminating the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), which mandates annual emissions reporting from over 8,000 facilities and suppliers. This move aims to save American businesses up to $2.4 billion in compliance costs. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin emphasized that the GHGRP, while established under the Clean Air Act, does not directly contribute to improving air quality or public health. The proposal aligns with President Trump’s executive orders and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which defers certain reporting obligations until 2034. The EPA will seek public comments before finalizing the rule. 
The oilfield is rapidly transforming as AI and automation replace many traditional roughneck roles, shifting work from mud-soaked rigs to remote data monitoring. So claims a new article appearing in Fortune magazine. Since 2014, the U.S. has lost 35% of its oil, gas, and mining jobs—about 270,000 positions—while companies like Chevron, BP, and ConocoPhillips remain profitable by cutting costs through technology. Autonomous drilling, AI-driven fracking, and data analytics enable longer wells, faster operations, and fewer rigs, thereby reducing labor needs. 
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Watching the end game of New York’s climate madness begin to play out; NATIONAL: Trump’s top envoys tell Europe U.S. will double gas exports in 5 years; INTERNATIONAL: Oil holds steady amid Russia sanction uncertainty; The junking of science by the climate cult; Greta Thunberg leads hundreds of activists in massive blockade at major industrial site; EU could quit Russian gas within a year, US energy chief says.