12-5-25

Texas Energy Report NewsClips

Friday December 5, 2025

Asterisk (*) denotes news stories that may be inaccessible because portions are behind a paywall

Good morning! Here are today’s Texas Energy Report NewsClips

WTI oil prices were poised for a weekly gain on Friday, supported by an expected Federal Reserve interest rate cut, escalating U.S.-Venezuela tensions and stalled peace talks in Moscow, though both oil benchmarks dipped from the previous day.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate dipped 10 cents, or 0.17%, to $59.57 a barrel, though it logged a gain of about 1.7% for the week, marking a second straight weekly increase.

Brent crude fell 3 cents, or 0.05%, to $63.23 per barrel by 0745 GMT. The contract was largely stable on the week.

Top Stories

US News – December 4, 2025

Chevron’s Gorgon LNG Project Secures $2 Billion Investment Nod

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Texas Monthly – November 27, 2025

What Does the Texas Railroad Commission Do? This Candidate Thinks It Fights “Radical Islamists”*

Now a prominent Republican wants to further expand the commission’s duties to include combatting the “Islamic invasion.” On November 12 Bo French, chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party, abruptly resigned from his position to launch his 2026 election campaign for the only open seat on the three-member commission, vowing in a press release to protect Texas oil and gas from “Iran and radical Islamists attacking our allies in the Middle East,” the Chinese Communist Party, and “Green New Scam artists waging war on domestic energy production.” The position “will be the best way that I can defend Texas, stop the Islamic invasion, and defeat the left,” he said on social media. “Our birthright is being taken from us, but together we can stop it.”

If you are wondering what, exactly, regulating the energy sector has to do with Islam, then you are not alone—almost immediately, French’s announcement was met by a mix of bemusement and mockery, with even fellow Republicans condemning what they said was a naked attempt to gin up online, right-wing outrage ahead of his primary with Jim Wright, a Republican who chairs the commission. French is the latest in a long line of chronically online Republicans who believe, with some evidence, that they can whip digital anger into a viable political career, regardless of whether it has anything to do with the actual job they hold or seek. (Earlier this year, Christi Craddick, a member of the commission who is running for Texas Comptroller, the state’s chief financial officer, paid for an X advertisement in which she promised to “hold the line” against transgender athletes in girls’ sports—breaking from what has otherwise been a standard-fare, Republican campaign in order to play to a red-meat social issue that is irrelevant to her prospective job.) …

French, who did not respond to an interview request, has proven similarly adept at stoking the most reactionary corners of the GOP base, then framing himself as their lone hero, unafraid to stand up to “the swamp” or “uniparty,” which they blame for their many woes. Since taking the helm of the Tarrant County GOP after losing two Texas House races—and as he has increasingly hobnobbed with a prominent fascist sympathizer—the 55-year-old has been perhaps the most controversial figure in the sprawling, ever-controversial political network funded by West Texas oil billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks. French praises his allies as “based,” and calls his detractors “gay” or “retards.” He frequently accuses non-white, elected officials of being terrorists or communists. “There are just some things where you can’t trust women TBH,” he wrote in response to a Kamala Harris 2024 campaign advertisement. And last month, as millions of low-income Americans were set to lose food stamps, French posted about the coming “chimp out.”

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E&E News By Politico – December 4, 2025

The US power market is getting messy. Here’s why.

Electricity markets used to be predictable. In 2025, they’re anything but. Coal is enjoying a revival, natural gas generation is down, and renewables are forging ahead despite political headwinds. Some of that is driven by annual idiosyncrasies like weather, which increased electricity demand this year, and President Donald Trump’s dismantling of environmental regulations and the Inflation Reduction Act. But most of the market’s upheaval is due to wider economic trends that burst into full view this year — namely, the growth in U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas and rising electricity demand from data centers.

“I feel like we’re at the edge of the storm,” said Ric O’Connell, the executive director of the consulting firm GridLab. “The storm is the load growth that is showing up in the next couple of years. The IRA is going away, and gas prices are potentially going to spike. The next couple of years could be messy.” The trends mark a fundamental shift from the previous decade, which was defined by stagnant power demand, low natural gas prices, coal plant retirements and a wave of renewable installations.

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KFDM – December 4, 2025

New contracts advance Gulf Coast storm protection plan

An ambitious, multi-billion dollar plan is moving forward with new design contracts to protect the Texas Gulf Coast from catastrophic hurricanes and storms, according to the Texas General Land Office. The plan encompasses an area stretching from Galveston to Jefferson County and extending to Orange County. The GLO says the contracts mark a major milestone toward construction.

“Everything is bigger in Texas – including the Coastal Texas Project, which is the largest coastal resiliency undertaking in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers history that will feature the largest barrier gate system in the world. We can no longer wait to implement this long-term resiliency strategy, aimed at safeguarding the largest port and petrochemical complex in the nation,” said GLO Commissioner, Dawn Buckingham, M.D.

The Latest TERse Tips

Over 2,000 customers were without power on Thursday afternoon in East El Paso, but no cause was reported — KFOX

Fitch Ratings has assigned an expected rating of ‘BB (EXP)’ to $2.0 billion par amount of senior secured notes to be issued by Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC — Fitch

Dallas could see a water shortage in 14 years but a new plan may prevent that — KERA

RWE Clean Energy has commissioned the Stoneridge Solar PV project in Texas, adding 200MW of solar PV and 100MW/200MWh BESS to its operational portfolio — the company is the US arm of German power firm RWE — Energy Storage

SmartestEnergy US, part of a global energy company helping businesses navigate the energy transition, has selected GridBeyond, a global smart energy company, as its technology partner to optimize battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the ERCOT market — the strategic partnership will leverage GridBeyond’s advanced price forecasting, bid optimization, and trading services for three BESS resources located in Texas — see the press release

DOGE employees who landed in environmental agencies in the early days of the Trump administration have departed from their government gigs as the bureaucracy-slashing operation has dwindled, according to Politico*

Russian officials have claimed that Moscow may deploy medium-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles to Venezuela, potentially invoking Cold War–era escalation reminiscent of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, according to Defense Express on November 4 — United24 Media

Oil & Gas Texas

Rigzone – December 4, 2025

Macquarie Places 20-Year Order from Texas LNG

Macquarie Energy LLC, part of trading and financial services multinational Macquarie Group Ltd, has signed a definitive agreement to buy 0.5 million metric tons per annum (MMtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 20 years from Glenfarne Group LLC’s Texas LNG project.

“This agreement, along with the three previously announced Texas LNG offtake agreements, brings Texas LNG one step closer to a final investment decision”, said a joint statement Wednesday. Earlier this year Glenfarne secured a 20-year contract to supply 0.5 MMtpa of LNG to Gunvor Group Ltd from Texas LNG.

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E&E News By Politico – December 4, 2025

Greens want ESA to protect Permian Basin plant from oil and gas boom*

Environmentalists sought Endangered Species Act protections Thursday for a flowering plant found in the oil-rich Permian Basin. Citing energy development as an existential danger, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service to list the Allred’s flax as threatened or endangered under the ESA.

“These beautiful orange flowers grow only on scattered gypsum outcrops in one of the most biodiverse deserts on Earth and they urgently need protection” said Krista Kemppinen, a senior scientist at the Center, in a statement, adding that “exploration and extraction of oil and gas resources could wipe these flowers out unless they’re protected under the Endangered Species Act.” According to the petition, much of the plant’s known and potential habitat across New Mexico and Texas overlaps with oil and gas leases that are being drilled or could be. Well digging, building construction and road dust related to energy development are all said to degrade or wipe out the habitat.

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KFOX – December 4, 2025

Cheaper gas might not be enough to drive consumer sentiment higher amid stubborn inflation

 The national average for a gallon of gas has dipped below $3 for the first time in over four years, according to AAA. Prices at the pump remain well above that mark in some states. Gas is most expensive in California at $4.51 a gallon. But the national average has dropped to $2.99 from $3.03 a year ago.

President Donald Trump has touted lower gas prices while calling overall affordability concerns “a con job by the Democrats.” “As an example, energy, gasoline, we’re now at about $2.50 a gallon,” Trump said at this week’s Cabinet meeting. “We’re going to be, I think, at $2 a gallon. We could even crack that at some point. I’d love to do it.” … What will happen to gas prices the rest of this holiday season? “I think they’re expected to stay kind of in this narrow band,” said University of Houston energy economist Ed Hirs. “I don’t think they’re supposed to go lower. Nobody’s thinking that. And so, it’d be wrong to say that. Is it going to be a little less expensive to go to grandma’s house? Yes. That’s a good thing. But there’s so many bad things associated with this.”

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Reuters – December 4, 2025

Shell-led LNG Canada’s second processing unit still down, sources say*

Shell-led LNG Canada’s second processing unit, known as Train 2, remains down nearly a month after its initial start-up, two sources told Reuters. The company said on November 20 that a re-start had been scheduled for December 1 and would last about two weeks. A spokesperson for LNG Canada said on Thursday it expects to provide an update later this week. Located in Kitimat, British Columbia, the complex is the first major LNG export facility in Canada and the first on North America’s West Coast with direct access to Asia, the world’s largest market for the liquid fuel. When fully operational, LNG Canada is expected to export 14 million metric tonnes of LNG per year.

Since starting up in July, the plant has had challenges, with its first train experiencing technical issues involving a gas turbine and refrigerant production unit. The company on November 6 announced it had started production from its second train, but data from financial firm LSEG has not shown an increase in exports since then.

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New Orleans Times Picayune – December 4, 2025

Controversial plan to sell water to Texas from this popular Louisiana spot is dead for now*

A developing plan to ship Toledo Bend Reservoir water to Texas is “dead” for now, following months of local and legislative opposition, and won’t be back for discussion “any time soon,” state authority officials said. But the officials who considered that deal also didn’t rule out the possibility of water sales at some point in the future, even as one Vernon Parish legislator promised this week to try to block them with a bill next spring.

Under the now-sidelined concept, Toledo Bend Reservoir would have supplied 200,000 acre-feet per year from Louisiana’s share of water in the lake on the western edge of the state. A Dallas company had plans to pipe that water potentially hundreds of miles west to growing population centers in Texas, where state officials say 25% of the population could face municipal water shortages by 2070 due to rising demand and shrinking supplies.

Two officials with the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana, which oversees the Louisiana side of Toledo Bend, said the lack of support from their sister agency in Texas for an important engineering study, as well as opposition from key Louisiana legislators and local parishes, led to the end of talks last month with the company, Aqueduct Partners LP.

Oil & Gas National & International

Politico – December 4, 2025

DOE advisory panel issues report urging permit overhaul

A federal advisory committee of energy industry leaders presented two reports to Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday, recommending sweeping changes to permitting requirements and more integration between the electric and natural gas industries. The two reports arrived five months after Wright asked the National Petroleum Council in June to provide analyses of how the U.S. could boost oil and gas production to meet the Trump administration’s “energy dominance” goals.

The emphasis from industry executives on changing permitting laws coincides with a push in Congress to amend decades-old laws that many lawmakers say have slowed the build-out of all kinds of infrastructure. “It’s reached the point where the money that gets wasted in the permitting process would disgust every American,” said Alan Armstrong, chair of the National Petroleum Council and executive chair of the Williams Companies, to reporters after the meeting. At a hotel in Washington on Wednesday, Wright called energy the “most important industry in the world” and dismissed concerns about climate change as overhyped.

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Politico – December 4, 2025

Congress axes Biden ANWR drilling limits*

The Senate voted Thursday to undo Biden-era restrictions on oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Congressional Review Act resolution, H.J. Res. 131, passed in the House last month and will now go to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature. Maine Sen. Susan Collins was the only Republican to vote against the legislation. No Democrats voted in favor. The final Senate tally was 49-45.

The legislation targets the Biden administration’s management plan for ANWR’s Coastal Plain. Alaska’s congressional delegation spent years fighting the Biden administration’s efforts to restrict drilling in the refuge after working even longer to open the area to development. Democratic lawmakers have argued that President Joe Biden’s drilling restrictions were necessary to protect wildlife, and they have condemned Trump’s recent moves to reopen the area for oil and gas leasing. But Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), speaking ahead of the vote Wednesday, said plans for ANWR drilling before Biden took office already restricted resource development to just a small section of the refuge and included significant environmental safeguards.

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Reuters – December 4, 2025

OPEC oil output slips in November despite agreed hike, survey finds*

OPEC’s oil output edged lower in November, despite an OPEC+ agreement to raise production for the month, due to outages in some members, a Reuters survey found on Thursday, bringing supply from the group further below its target. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped 28.40 million barrels per day last month, down 30,000 bpd from October’s total, the survey showed, with Nigeria and Iraq recording the largest declines.

OPEC+, comprising OPEC and allies including Russia, has slowed the pace of its monthly output increases amid concerns of a supply glut. Many members are running close to capacity limits and some are tasked with extra cuts to compensate for earlier overproduction, limiting the impact of further increases. Under an agreement by eight OPEC+ members covering November output, the five of them that are OPEC members – Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – were to raise output by 85,000 bpd before the effect of compensation cuts totalling 140,000 bpd for Iraq

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Upstream – December 4, 2025

US LNG project inks partnership with South Korea company

South Korea’s POSCO International has agreed to a preliminary liquefied natural gas offtake deal with Alaska LNG and will invest in the US project, according to an announcement from developer Glenfarne Group. As part of their strategic partnership, POSCO has agreed to a 20-year heads of agreement (HOA) for 1 million tonnes per annum (tpa) of LNG from the planned Alaska development. Glenfarne said it was the first HOA for Alaska LNG.

POSCO will also provide a “capital investment” in Alaska LNG, according to Glenfarne. The company did not disclose how much POSCO will spend on the project. In addition, POSCO will supply a “significant portion” of the steel needed to build an 807-mile (1300-kilometre) pipeline for Alaska LNG, Glenfarne said.

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Reuters – December 4, 2025

How an oil pipeline battle shows the US gaining sway in Iraq*

Iranian drones swept through the mountain air of northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region in mid-July, homing in on their targets: oilfields run by Americans. Fired by an Iranian-backed militia group within Iraq, likely in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites weeks earlier, one struck the Sarsang field operated by HKN Energy, a company owned by the son of Texas billionaire Ross Perot. Another hit a nearby field run by Dallas-based Hunt Oil.

By the end of the four-day assault, which also disrupted operations at a local company and Norway’s DNO, nearly half of the Kurdistan region’s production had been halted. The direct attack on U.S. interests enraged Washington, which had long felt Iraq was not doing enough to tackle pro-Iranian militias, and spurred it to ramp up a pressure campaign on Baghdad, according to nine sources familiar with the matter. That campaign ultimately led to Iraq reopening a key export pipeline for Kurdistan’s oil – a major concession that points to a tilt in the balance of influence within Iraq away from Tehran and towards Washington.

Utilities, Electricity & Renewables

MSN – December 4, 2025

5 US regions where energy shortage fears are becoming real

The American power grid is facing a reckoning. After decades of relative stability, multiple regions across the United States are now confronting genuine concerns about whether they can keep the lights on during extreme weather. The threat is real, not theoretical. The US and Canada could face power shortages in 2024. What makes this particularly alarming is the combination of aging infrastructure, rapid retirements of traditional power plants, and increasingly unpredictable extreme weather patterns.

Texas is the only state to have its own power grid. It doesn’t have significant connections to the grids that serve the eastern and western halves of the United States. This isolation has become both a point of pride and a source of vulnerability. In the Electric Reliability Council of Texas footprint, “surging load growth is driving resource adequacy concerns as the share of dispatchable resources in the mix struggles to keep pace,” NERC said.

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S&P Global Platts – December 4, 2025

US adds 11.7 GW of clean energy capacity in Q3, long-term uncertainty remains

The US clean energy industry had a strong third quarter adding 11.695 GW of capacity, while the American Clean Power Association warns of lingering policy and regulatory uncertainty that put future growth at risk. The Q3 clean energy additions increased 14% year over year, according to a Dec. 4 ACP statement. Strong momentum and policy tailwinds have supported the industry over the last several years, ACP said.

“The third quarter’s record results mask an unstable policy environment that is threatening our ability to meet our future energy needs,” ACP CEO Jason Grumet said in a statement. “The policy chaos at the federal level has seeped into every part of project timelines, stalling growth precisely when we need to meet demand and keep energy prices affordable for American families and businesses.”

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December 4, 2025

Winter is here, the most perilous period for the Texas electric grid. It’s struggling to keep up: Chris Tomlinson, Houston Chronicle*

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Politico – December 2, 2025

Trump admin releases $3.7B of delayed household energy aid*

The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in federal funds to help struggling families pay electric and gas utility bills. The disbursement to states and tribes last week of more than $3.7 billion in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, funds comes as the winter heating season bears down and utility bills skyrocket in many parts of the United States.

“This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), in a statement. “Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.” The record federal government shutdown in October and part of November delayed the release of the funds. LIHEAP, which is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, is used to help low-income families pay utility bills. Electricity and natural gas prices are set to spike this winter, following months and years of rising rates. NEADA says U.S. residential electricity prices increased 10.5 percent between January and August alone.

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Reuters – December 2, 2025

The Trump administration has renamed one of the country’s energy laboratories to remove the word ‘renewable’ in the latest effort to downplay electricity sources such as solar and wind power in favor of fossil fuels. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, based in Golden, Colorado, will now be known as the National Laboratory of the Rockies, the lab said on its website late on Monday. One of 17 Energy Department labs, it also pursues research in energy efficiency. It was set up by U.S. leaders including two of President Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans.

Former President Gerald Ford launched the Solar Energy Research Institute in the 1970s after the Arab oil embargo damaged the U.S. economy. Former President George H. W. Bush, a former Texas oilman, renamed the facility NREL, in 1991. The U.S. Energy Department said the name change reflects the administration’s broader vision for the lab’s applied energy research. The move aligns with other Trump actions on wind and solar power such as issuing stop-work orders on offshore wind farms and adding regulatory hurdles for wind and solar.

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Corpus Christi Caller-Times – November 26, 2025

Greening the Blockchain: How Bitcoin Mining Is Evolving Toward Sustainability

Across the globe, miners are rethinking how they power operations. Many are relocating to regions rich in renewable energy: hydropower in Canada, solar farms in Texas, and wind-powered grids in northern Europe. Geothermal energy from Iceland and El Salvador is helping to drive the transition. Some companies, like Crusoe Energy, have taken extra steps by capturing flare gas, or methane gas that would otherwise go to waste or be burned off. They convert this gas into electricity for mining. This method reduces emissions and transforms an environmental issue into a source of energy.

Mining companies that prioritize ESG, such as CleanSpark and Blockstream, are at the forefront of this movement. They attract investors who care about transparency and accountability regarding carbon emissions. These businesses show that Bitcoin mining can be both profitable and environmentally friendly. This opens the door to a new era of “green crypto.” People are now asking, “How quickly can Bitcoin become part of the clean energy transition?” instead of “Is Bitcoin bad for the planet?” And that is a question both investors and policymakers want answered.

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Utility Dive – December 4, 2025

US solicitor general tells Supreme Court to reject Duke Energy antitrust appeal

The U.S. solicitor general on Monday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to deny Duke Energy’s appeal challenging a lower court’s ruling in an antitrust lawsuit brought by independent power producer NTE Energy. In August 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit properly ruled that NTE Carolina’s antitrust suit against Duke could move ahead after it was dismissed by a lower court, according to U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer.

“This appeal arises out of a campaign by an established monopolist to stop a more efficient rival from disturbing its long-dominant hold over a regional energy market,” Sauer said. “Without ever competing with [NTE] on the merits (i.e., offering a better service), [Duke] was able to prevent [NTE] from operating its superior [generating] facility.”

Regulatory

Politico – December 4, 2025

Fired EPA dissent letter signers file appeal*

EPA employees fired after publicly criticizing the Trump administration’s treatment of science and their colleagues are now pushing back. Six former EPA staffers who signed an open dissent letter this summer and were later terminated are filing an appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, part of the legal team representing the employees, announced their appeal Wednesday.

The ex-EPA employees claim the agency fired them illegally for using their right to free speech to alert the public about their concerns. Their appeal to the board, which guards the civil service, is yet another chapter in the dissent letter saga at EPA, which has faced turbulent times under the Trump administration. In an interview with POLITICO’s E&E News, Joanna Citron Day, general counsel for PEER, said the firings were “totally and completely without merit” as the agency retaliated against public employees who were exercising their First Amendment rights.

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Politico – December 4, 2025

DOE axes ‘zero emissions’ building standard*

The Department of Energy is scrapping a Biden-era “zero emissions” building standard, adding to Trump administration efforts to reverse initiatives aiming to address climate change. In a Federal Register notice Wednesday, DOE said the definition is “not consistent with current administration priorities” and urged states, cities and organizations to no longer use it.

“The interaction of America’s 130 million buildings with our energy system should not be further complicated by arbitrary and imprecise federal guidance,” Lou Hrkman, principal deputy assistant secretary for critical minerals and energy innovation, said in a statement. DOE removed the definition from its website and said it would no longer provide technical assistance on the issue. The newly created Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation said in a statement the decision would promote “freedom of choice” and “relieve developers, investors, and building owners of indirect pressure to account for federal guidelines that never had the force or effect of law.”

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Capital & Main – December 3, 2025

Trump’s Anti-Climate Policies Are Driving Up Insurance Costs for Homeowners, Say Experts

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Politico – December 1, 2025

EPA pushes climate groups to close embattled grants*

EPA is pressing grant recipients of a Biden-era environmental justice program to take steps that would make the termination of their awards irrevocable — even as some of them are suing the agency to recover the funds. Earlier this year, the Trump administration told all 105 recipients of the Community Change Grant Program that their grants had been canceled because it was a “diversity, equity and inclusion” measure that contradicted the priorities of President Donald Trump.

The program, one of several environmental justice initiatives enacted under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, offered $1.6 billion in grants to help communities cope with risks related to pollution and climate change. Other IRA programs, such as the $3 billion Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants and clean energy initiatives like Solar for All, were also canceled over the course of the year. A slew of challenges filed by nonprofits and state and local governments are now winding their way through the courts.

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Politico – December 2, 2025

Rural areas are untapped climate saviors, report finds*

The fight against climate change is overlooking rural America as both a source and solution to rising greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report. Rural areas contribute a disproportionate share of emissions tied to climate change — but also can play a bigger role in tackling the problem than their big-city neighbors, said the report from a funding collaborative called the Rural Climate Partnership.

The partnership published the report, called a “Rural Reality Check,” on Tuesday as an update to its first such report last year. The partnership is a project of the Heartland Fund, a nonprofit organization “building power toward a thriving democracy, healthy climate, and shared prosperity across diverse communities in rural areas and small cities,” according to its website.

According to the report, about 38 percent of U.S. carbon emissions come from rural areas, where just 19 percent of the population lives. And while transportation is the biggest single source of greenhouse gas emissions, rural areas play an outsize role in emissions tied to sources like energy production and industry as well as farming, the report said.