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How AI is Driving the Next Wave of Oil & Gas, Energy Innovation

AI, artificial intelligence, has been in the news a lot lately, particularly in the Marcellus/Utica region. Most of the stories we’ve brought you deal with huge new AI data centers being built in the M-U region, requiring a big increase in electricity to power them. Most of the electricity comes from natural gas-fired power plants. But this post is not about AI data centers, it’s about how energy companies, like Encino Energy, are using AI to drill better, faster, cheaper, and smarter. It’s about how AI is helping our companies become better at what they do—extracting and flowing natural gas and oil. Read More “How AI is Driving the Next Wave of Oil & Gas, Energy Innovation”

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Surging Interest in Building Data Centers in PA; 6 Announced So Far

In early April, MDN brought you the exciting news that THE largest gas-fired power plant in the country, along with a MASSIVE data center complex, will be built at a former coal-fired power plant site in Indiana County, PA (see Largest Gas-Fired Power Plant in the U.S. Coming in Western Pa.). The site will be transformed into a more than 3,200-acre natural gas-powered data center campus, complete with a 4.5 gigawatt Marcellus-fired power plant. Not long after, we told you about another announced data center and gas-fired power plant, this one coming to Washington County, PA (see ‘Another Data Center Announced for SWPA; Range to Provide NatGas’). Liberty Energy Inc., Imperial Land Corporation, and Range Resources announced a strategic alliance to support the development of a state-of-the-art gas-fired power plant and data center within the Fort Cherry Development District in Robinson Township. However, those aren’t the only two announced data center projects in the Keystone State. Read More “Surging Interest in Building Data Centers in PA; 6 Announced So Far”

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Indiana County, PA Locals LOVE New Data Center & Gas-Fired Plant

In early April, MDN brought you the exciting news that THE largest gas-fired power plant in the country, along with a MASSIVE data center complex, will be built at a former coal-fired power plant site in Indiana County, PA (see Largest Gas-Fired Power Plant in the U.S. Coming in Western Pa.). The site will be transformed into a more than 3,200-acre natural gas-powered data center campus, complete with a 4.5 gigawatt Marcellus-fired power plant. So, what do the locals think of this project? Nervous? Fearful? Not in my backyard? No! None of those reactions. The locals LOVE this project and the jobs and economic impact it will have in the Homer City area. They call it a “game-changer” and can’t wait for construction to begin. Read More “Indiana County, PA Locals LOVE New Data Center & Gas-Fired Plant”

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Microsoft Hits Pause Button on $1B Data Centers Near Columbus, OH

A number of data centers have been announced in Licking County, in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. They all will need enormous amounts of electricity to operate. MDN recently told you about three gas-fired power plants planned for New Albany, including one from PowerConneX and two from Williams subsidiary Will-Power (see Multiple Utica-Fired Power Plants Planned for New Albany, Ohio). Among those building data centers in Licking are Meta (i.e., Facebook), Cologix, and Amazon Web Services. Microsoft was supposed to invest $1 billion to build three data center campuses in Licking County, located in New Albany, Heath, and Hebron. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced it has indefinitely hit the pause button on all three projects. Read More “Microsoft Hits Pause Button on $1B Data Centers Near Columbus, OH”

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Elon Musk’s xAI Data Center in Memphis Uses Mobile Gas-Fired Power

Mobile gas-fired turbine rig

Forbes reports that when Memphis, Tennessee’s grid couldn’t provide all the electricity needed to power Elon Musk’s xAI’s new Colossus data center, the company turned to “a quick and dirty solution” of using mobile natural gas turbines. The Forbes reporter says these power plants on wheels are “usually a last resort during emergencies” and not a permanent solution. Data centers nationwide have started using them as a stopgap solution. At least four mobile units are at the xAI site in Memphis, possibly more. The concern is that they not only generate lots of electricity but also pollutants like nitrous oxides (NOx) and formaldehyde. Read More “Elon Musk’s xAI Data Center in Memphis Uses Mobile Gas-Fired Power”

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AI Takes “Center Stage” at CERAWeek, Leads to Faster, Cheaper O&G

Artificial Intelligence (AI) “took center stage in many sessions” at last week’s CERAWeek by S&P conference in Houston. But maybe not for the reasons you may think. Lately, MDN has brought you a flurry of stories about AI data centers and the monsters they are with respect to the amount of energy they consume. A day doesn’t go by that we don’t see stories of plans and announcements to generate more electricity (typically using gas-fired plants) to feed these beasts. While AI data centers and the need to supply them with gas-fired power were discussed last week at CERAWeek, the AI we’re talking about is how energy companies in all sectors (upstream, midstream, and downstream) are using AI to do their jobs faster, cheaper, and better. Read More “AI Takes “Center Stage” at CERAWeek, Leads to Faster, Cheaper O&G”