Texas Energy Report NewsClips
Friday February 13, 2026
Asterisk (*) denotes news stories that may be inaccessible because portions are behind a paywall
Good morning! Here are today’s Texas Energy Report NewsClips
Oil prices slipped on Friday and were on track for a second weekly decline on receding concerns of a U.S.-Iran conflict that could affect supply.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 12 cents, or 0.2%, to $62.72 after falling 2.8%.
Brent crude oil futures were down 6 cents, or 0.1%, at $67.46 a barrel at 0448 GMT after falling 2.7% in the previous session.
Prices gained earlier this week on concerns the U.S. could attack key Middle Eastern producer Iran over its nuclear programme but comments on Thursday from U.S. President Donald Trump that the U.S. could make a deal with Iran over the next month drove prices lower in the previous session.
Top Stories
CNBC – February 12, 2026
The Trump administration on Thursday revoked a landmark scientific finding that serves as the legal foundation for federal regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions, in a devastating blow to efforts to combat climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding, established under President Barack Obama in 2009, classified carbon dioxide, methane and four other greenhouse gases as a threat to public health and welfare.
It underpins Clean Air Act emissions standards and rules for cars and light trucks, power plants, and oil and gas industry facilities. “This is about as big as it gets,” President Donald Trump said at the White House with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “Under the process just completed by the EPA, we are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding.”
____________________________
Texas Tribune – February 12, 2026
In a contest to regulate Texas’s oil and gas industry, one Republican wants to talk DEI and China
The Republican primary election for a seat on the Texas governing board that regulates the oil and gas industry has oscillated from how the agency should bolster its regulatory force to a proposed crackdown on Islamic and Chinese influence in the state’s oil fields. Four Republicans want to unseat Jim Wright, the incumbent who is at the end of his six-year term as one of three commissioners for the Texas Railroad Commission.
Most have argued that the agency must tighten the reins on the oil and gas industry. But one candidate thinks the agency has allowed diversity efforts and foreign influence to go unchecked, saying China is acquiring Texas land and expanding its influence on the state.
____________________________
Fox News – February 12, 2026
Inside Chevron’s flagship refinery tapping into Venezuelan crude after Maduro’s capture (+ video)
Chevron’s flagship Gulf Coast refinery is processing its first Venezuelan oil shipment since the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas last month, turning heavy, tar-like crude into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for American consumers. “We’ve been [in Venezuela] for a long time, and it looks like things are starting to go better for both the Venezuelan people and I would say for the American people too, because what’s going to happen is the more that oil that flows to a place like Pascagoula or some of the other refineries here, it drives down the cost,” Andy Walz, President of Downstream, Midstream & Chemicals at Chevron, told FOX Business in an exclusive interview Thursday.
“That oil is going to be cheaper, it’s closer, and it’s going to help these refineries run the way they were designed, so I think it’s a really good thing.” Walz’s comments were among the first public acknowledgments by Chevron of processing Venezuelan crude in U.S. refineries under the company’s renewed sanctioned operations. FOX Business was granted exclusive access inside Chevron’s facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi on Thursday, where correspondent Lauren Simonetti reported near distillation units processing Venezuelan oil that arrived weeks ago.
____________________________
S&P Global Platts – February 12, 2026
TotalEnergies targets AI-driven growth with premium power deals for data centers
TotalEnergies is securing a roughly 10% premium on some renewable power sales by bundling electricity with land, grid access and battery storage for data center development, company executives said Feb. 11, as artificial intelligence-driven demand continues to reshape corporate power markets. The integrated model — which goes beyond traditional power purchase agreements — enables TotalEnergies to sell power at above-average rates while accelerating the build-out of its renewables pipeline, according to Stephane Michel, president of the company’s gas, renewables and power segment.
Michel cited a recently agreed 1-GW solar PPA with Google in Texas that includes options to co-locate a 1.5-GW data center — with TotalEnergies offering land and a grid connection — as well as battery storage installation.
The Latest TERse Tips
Any US-Iran war would threaten energy security and could lead to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, warns the secretary of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday — Iran International — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration earlier this week advised U.S.-flagged commercial vessels to stay as far from Iran’s territorial waters as possible and to verbally decline Iranian forces permission to board if asked, according to the guidance
Politico implies attempts to sue fossil fuel companies billions of dollars to account for climate-fueled damage to states, such as wildfires and floods, are being adopted by Democrats at several governmental levels, while one Republican is vowing to fight back
Russia’s Volgograd oil refinery suspended oil processing on Wednesday after a Ukrainian drone attack triggered a fire at the plant — Oil Price — another Russian refinery near the Arctic Circle was hit Thursday morning, according to some reports
Southbound natural gas flows out of the Haynesville Shale topped 5 Bcf/d in late 2025 after two new pipelines entered service, boosting Gulf Coast supply while Permian Basin takeaway additions remain months away — Natural Gas Intelligence*
Crypto Industry Targets Al Green, a Texas Democrat Who Voiced Concerns — a crypto-backed super PAC plans to spend $1.5 million against Mr. Green, a member of the House Financial Services Committee who has expressed concerns about cryptocurrency — The New York Times*
One Austin company has developed a private AI platform that can run from a phone rather than relying on large data centers — “We try to get it on device, running in an environment that’s sustainable,” said Tyler Mauer, co-founder of webAI — the company develops AI models that target specific domains like health care and military operations — Spectrum News
Soluna Holdings, Inc. has received approval from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to begin energizing its Project Kati 1, an 83 MW wind-powered data center campus in South Texas — Investing
The Texas power grid gets poor marks in a report card by consulting firm Grid Strategies and non-profit advocacy group Americans for a Clean Energy Grid — Axios
A Texas oil field worker has been detained in one of Mexico’s most dangerous prisons for nine months after crossing the border in an “honest accident” while his family pleads for his safe return — AOL
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright visits Venezuela to assess oil industry overhaul — Associated Press/KXAN
Entergy Corporation reported fourth quarter 2025 earnings per share of 51 cents on an as-reported and an adjusted (non-GAAP) basis, and for the full year, the company reported 2025 earnings per share of $3.91 on an as-reported and an adjusted basis — see the press release
Five workers were hospitalized after fire on Monday at Valero’s Ardmore OK refinery — the fire was put out quickly — KTEN
Canada eyes boosting fines for industrial emissions — Prime Minister Mark Carney is turning to factories and power plants to cut emissions, after scrapping a consumer carbon tax last year — Politico*
Oil & Gas Texas
Reuters/Fidelity – February 11, 2026
SM Energy is seeking buyers for Eagle Ford natural gas assets, sources say
SM Energy ( SM ) has launched the sales process for some of its natural gas-producing assets in the Eagle Ford shale basin of South Texas as it looks to trim debt following its near $13 billion merger with Civitas, three sources familiar with the matter said. SM Energy ( SM ) closed the merger last month and took on around $5 billion of Civitas net debt as part of the all-stock deal.
*The company earlier announced plans to raise at least $1 billion from divestitures within the first year of the deal completion to cut debt and shore up its balance sheet. SM Energy has not previously disclosed which assets it planned to part with. The Eagle Ford assets that SM Energy is marketing would likely fetch more than $500 million, one of the sources said.
____________________________
Bloomberg – February 12, 2026
Venezuela Plans to Grant More Oil Blocks to Chevron, Repsol*
Venezuela plans to grant more oil-production land to Chevron Corp. and Spain’s Repsol SA as the Trump administration pushes for private companies to rebuild the nation’s energy sector, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Officials in Caracas are poised to award the exploration and production blocks as soon as this week, the people said. Giving US and European companies more access to Venezuela’s oil-rich territory is a key piece of US President Donald Trump’s push to revive the nation’s dilapidated energy sector while eroding China and Russia’s local influence.
On Thursday, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright toured a project operated by Chevron in Venezuela’s Orinoco oil belt and told reporters that the opportunity for cooperation between the US and the South American nation is immense following the capture of former Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Wright said the US would release additional licenses “soon,” with companies like Chevron seeing benefits from an increase of as much as a 30% in production in the next 18 to 24 months. “Chevron is being enabled to massively grow their business here. They’re the largest producer in Venezuela today, and they’re going to be able to both expand the reserves they have and expand their operations,” Wright said.
____________________________
MSN – February 12, 2026
TotalEnergies announces 40% stake sale in two exploration licenses in Nigeria to Chevron
TotalEnergies has agreed to sell a 40% stake in two offshore exploration licenses in Nigeria to Chevron, with the aim to enhance collaboration between the French and US energy giants, the company said on Monday. After the sale, TotalEnergies will continue to operate the site with a 40% stake, sharing responsibilities with Chevron and South Atlantic Petroleum. The transaction with Chevron will be completed once standard conditions are met, including obtaining regulatory approvals, it said.
This new joint venture highlights TotalEnergies’ worldwide offshore exploration partnership with Chevron, after acquiring a 25% working interest in a portfolio of exploration leases offshore the US in June, which includes 40 blocks operated by Chevron. “After launching our joint venture in US offshore exploration in June, we’re delighted to now expand our collaboration to Nigeria to unlock new resources in the West Delta basin,” said Nicola Mavilla, Senior Vice-President Exploration at TotalEnergies. “This new joint venture aims at derisking and developing new opportunities in Nigeria, in line with the objectives of the country.”
____________________________
Louisiana Illuminator – February 11, 2026
Louisiana bets big on ‘blue ammonia.’ Communities along Cancer Alley brace for the cost.
From her home in Donaldsonville, less than three miles from the world’s largest ammonia plant, Ashley Gaignard says the air itself carries a chemical edge. The odor, she said, is sharp and lingering. Years ago, when her son attended an elementary school about a mile from the massive CF Industries ammonia production facility, he would begin wheezing during recess, she recalled. His breathing problems eased only after he transferred to a school several miles farther away.
“I’m not against progress,” Gaignard said. “We are against development that poisons and displaces and disregards human life.” Now, along Louisiana’s Mississippi River corridor, fertilizer giant CF Industries and other companies are placing multibillion-dollar bets on “blue ammonia” — a product made from fossil fuels but with extra technology to capture planet-warming gases and pipe them underground for storage.
____________________________
ProPublica – February 12, 2026
Salty, Oily Drinking Water Left Sores in Their Mouths. Oklahoma Refused to Find Out Why.
In the summer of 2022, months after Tammy Boarman and her husband, Chris, moved into their newly built “forever home” 30 miles from Oklahoma City, the plants in their yard began to turn yellow. The shrubs wilted, though Tammy watered them often. And the couple began to notice a salty taste in their drinking water. The water came from a private well, drilled the year before, and they hoped that the bad taste would fade with time and with the help of a water softener.
But the problem grew worse. Their ice maker expelled large clumps of wet salt, which, when rubbed, dissolved into an oily, foul-smelling substance. The couple knew that some oil and gas extraction took place nearby. Down dirt roads and behind stands of oak trees in their neighborhood, pump jacks nodded up and down, pulling up oil. This is a common sight in Oklahoma. Several studies estimate that about half the state’s residents live within a mile of oil and gas wells.
Oil & Gas National & International
Reuters – February 12, 2026
US-led oil sales from Venezuela to bring in $5 billion in months, energy chief Wright tells NBC News
Oil sales from Venezuela controlled by the U.S. have totaled over $1 billion since the capture of President Nicolas Maduro in January and in the next few months will bring in another $5 billion, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright told NBC News on Thursday. Much of the oil is being refined in U.S. refineries, and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has handed over proceeds from the sales to Venezuela’s interim government, he added.
“Sales today are over a billion dollars, and in fact, we have sort of short-term agreements over the next few months that will bring in another $5 billion,” Wright said in the interview on his second day of a visit to Venezuela. Wright toured facilities in the Orinoco heavy crude belt with officials from U.S. oil company Chevron on Thursday, having met with Interim President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez a day earlier. He is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country since the U.S. capture and removal of Maduro six weeks ago.
____________________________
Reuters – February 12, 2026
Global shipping industry sticks with green investments, despite carbon price delay*
The shipping industry’s biggest players are shrugging off Trump administration opposition to a global carbon price and are forging ahead with billions of dollars in emissions-reducing investments, according to company officials and a Reuters analysis of data. Europe, Brazil and a host of other nations are pushing the sector, which is responsible for nearly 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, to go green. But, in October, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, the world’s two largest oil producers, successfully spearheaded efforts to postpone by one year a decision on the International Maritime Organization’s proposal of a $380-per-metric-ton levy.
Some analysts and industry observers initially warned that the absence of such a global framework added complexity to companies’ planning and could cause some to pause their green investments. But in interviews with 15 shipping companies, ports, bunker suppliers and marine technology companies, 10 told Reuters that regional regulations, long investment lead times, and expectations of a continuing trend towards decarbonisation all argued in favor of staying the course.
____________________________
S&P Global Platts – February 12, 2026
IEA sees narrower oil surplus after January production slump
The International Energy Agency has revised down the magnitude of the global oil supply glut it foresees in the first quarter of 2026 after weather-related outages and sanctions pressure slashed output in January, it said Feb. 12. In the latest edition of its closely-watched monthly oil market report, the IEA said that the world’s oil producers pumped 1.2 million barrels per day less supply in January, observing what it called an “exceptional plunge” that should recover in the coming months.
The surprise contraction was driven by extreme winter weather that shut in over 1 million b/d of North American production, coupled with prolonged disruptions at Kazakhstan’s key CPC export terminal, the IEA said.
____________________________
E&E News By Politico – February 11, 2026
Alaska gas pipeline project work could start in April*
Developers of a major liquefied natural gas project in Alaska are aiming to begin initial pipeline-related work as soon as mid-April, according to a new filing with federal regulators. Early activity on the Alaska LNG project would include building 20 construction camps, 46 sites to store pipes and around 100 construction bridge crossings, the implementation plan showed.
Glenfarne Group is the lead developer of the Alaska LNG project, with the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. involved as a minority owner. The 119-page filing last week with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission offers new insight into the pipeline’s construction timeline, which Glenfarne hopes to have mechanically completed in 2028, with first in-state gas delivery in 2029. “Glenfarne is rapidly advancing Alaska LNG to deliver reliable, affordable energy for Alaskans, backed by some of the biggest names in energy and construction,” said Tim Fitzpatrick, a Glenfarne spokesperson, in a statement Monday. “This implementation plan describes the next steps for early works activities to achieve that objective.”
DeSmog – February 12, 2026
The Oil Industry’s Latest Disaster: Trillions of Gallons of Buried Toxic Wastewater
A cache of government documents dating back nearly a century casts serious doubt on the safety of the oil and gas industry’s most common method for disposing of its annual trillion gallons of toxic wastewater: injecting it deep underground. Despite knowing by the early 1970s that injection wells were at best a makeshift solution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) never followed its own determination that they should be “a temporary means of disposal,” used only until “a more environmentally acceptable means of disposal [becomes] available.”
The documents include scientific research, internal communications, and talks given at a December 1971 industry and government symposium. And they come from multiple federal agencies, including the EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The documents show there may be little scientific merit to industry and government claims that injection wells are a safe means of disposal — putting drinking water and other mineral resources in communities across the country at risk of contamination, and jeopardizing local economies and public health.
____________________________
JD Supra – February 11, 2026
New York Again Tries To Block Constitution Pipeline: Flaster Greenberg PC
For the last decade, the New York State Department of Conservation (DEC) has been trying to usurp the power of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) by withholding the granting of state certifications that are otherwise allowed under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) pertaining to the siting of interstate oil and gas pipelines through any “waters of the United States.”
While previously the right obligation of states to issue CWA certifications had been considered to be a largely administrative, if not perfunctory, task, then New York Governor Andrew Cuomo changed all of that in 2016 when he determined – as a matter of broad state policy and not necessarily any project specific analysis – that, henceforth, New York State would no longer issue Section 401 Permits for any fossil fuel pipeline whatsoever
____________________________
MSN – February 11, 2026
Libya awards new oil, gas blocks to Chevron, Eni, others in first bidding round since 2007
Libya awarded oil and gas exploration blocks to foreign firms on Wednesday, including Chevron, Eni, QatarEnergy and Repsol, in its first licensing round in nearly two decades as it seeks to revitalise the sector despite political risks. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced the winners of its first bidding round since 2007, allocating key acreage across the onshore Sirte and Murzuq basins and the gas-rich offshore Cyrenaica field in the Mediterranean.
Italy’s Eni and QatarEnergy secured rights to Offshore Area 01, strengthening a strategic partnership between them that has expanded across the Mediterranean. A separate consortium of Spain’s Repsol, Hungary’s MOL and Turkey’s state-owned TPOC won Offshore Area 07.
____________________________
Orange Leader – February 6, 2026
When I explain carbon capture and storage to my students, I start with a map of Southeast Texas. I point to the refineries and the power facilities, and then to the thick layers of rock below that have securely contained natural resources for millions of years. That map tells the story of why the Golden Triangle is uniquely suited to be an internationally-recognized hub for the safe capture and storage of carbon emissions.
In the Golden Triangle, carbon capture and storage (CCS) from industrial facilities follows the same practical application of geology, engineering, and industrial systems that this region has understood for generations. As these projects are planned and begin to come online, we are seeing well-established science applied to meet demands of a changing global economy.
Utilities, Electricity & Renewables
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – February 12, 2026
Hood County’s proposed moratorium on data centers squashed by Texas senator*
The county was considering a six-month pause on any new projects to allow time to study regulations over air and water quality and pollution. Developers have multiple projects in the pipeline in Hood County, including a 2,600-acre data center complex called Comanche Circle that has triggered a tsunami of opposition from ranchers, landowners and conservationists near Glen Rose.
The standing-room only Commissioners Court was hours into a public hearing on the issue Tuesday when a letter from Texas Sen. Paul Bettencourt arrived. Addressed to Attorney General Ken Paxton, with a subject line “Proposed Illegal County Moratorium on Development,” the letter said counties are merely political subdivisions of the state without any powers other than those specified by the constitution or state statutes. And a moratorium isn’t among those powers. The commissioners ended up voting 3-2 against the six-month
County attorney Matt Mills read Bettencourt’s letter following an impassioned public hearing where most speakers told commissioners that their quality of life, and livelihoods, were at stake. Bettencourt’s letter cited a law adopted last year that attempts to limit the ability of Texas cities to implement moratoria. He said the Senate Committee on Local Government “will be closely monitoring these situations” like with Hood County’s proposal.
____________________________
Rio Grande Guardian – February 12, 2026
Hancock says Texas has enough energy for all the data centers coming
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock says he is not concerned about the amount of electricity needed to power big data centers. But water, that is another thing. Hancock was the keynote speaker at a Texas Talks luncheon hosted by Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. His presentation was titled Fiscal Futures Briefing. The event took place at the Brownsville Events Center.
In the Q&A portion of the event, Hancock was asked whether Texas could handle all the data centers being proposed. “That’s a great, great question,” Hancock said. “Water is a huge concern of mine. I was vice chair of the Water & Ag Committee (in the Texas Senate), and so water is a huge concern of mine. And while we invested in it, the legislature, I think it’s got to be significantly more.”
____________________________
ESS News – February 12, 2026
Texas lands its first battery-only virtual power plant
For little more than a monthly subscription to Netflix, homeowners and “solar orphans” in Texas can now tap into a new “battery-only” virtual power plant (VPP) program from clean energy financing company Solrite Energy and VPP-based energy storage system manufacturer sonnen.
The offering builds on the companies’ previously launched virtual power plant power purchase agreement (VPA) that already provides 3,000 customers across the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) service area with solar and storage at no upfront costs and $0.12 per kWh rates. Now, per a conversation with leadership from both companies, the partnership plans to provide another 10-12,000 homes across the state with three 60 kWh sonnen batteries throughout the rest of the year. Unlike the first part of the program, however, customers can opt to only install batteries and not solar.
____________________________
Business Insider – February 12, 2026
Anthropic says it will pay 100% of the grid upgrade costs tied to its AI data centers
Anthropic says it’s going to foot the bill for electricity price increases tied to its data centers. “We will pay for 100% of the grid upgrades needed to interconnect our data centers,” Anthropic said in a blog post published Wednesday, adding that it will absorb costs that might otherwise be passed on to American households.
Anthropic said it will secure additional power to avoid pushing up electricity prices and invest in “grid optimization tools” designed to reduce strain and keep prices low. …. In a statement to Business Insider on Thursday, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said that “the costs of powering our models should fall on Anthropic, not everyday Americans.”
____________________________
CNBC – February 12, 2026
Families won’t see relief from rising electricity prices anytime soon, as demand from artificial intelligence data centers soars while power supply grows slowly, according to Goldman Sachs. Electricity prices jumped 6.9% in 2025 year over year, more than double the headline inflation rate of 2.9%, Goldman analysts told clients in a research note published Wednesday.
Prices will continue to rise through the end of the decade, as data centers make up 40% of electricity demand growth, the analysts said. This will lower disposable income, drag down consumer spending and slightly slow economic growth in the coming years, they said. Households will see electricity prices rise an additional 6% through 2027, the analysts said. Price inflation will then slow to 3% in 2028 on lower natural gas prices, they said. Consumer spending growth will fall 0.2% through 2027 and economic growth will slow 0.1% as a result, according to Goldman.
____________________________
Oil Price – February 5, 2026
How Vulnerable is the US Electrical Grid to Winter Outages?
A winter wallop that delivered a blast of Arctic air to two-thirds of the United States last weekend brought with it power failures, partially due to snow, ice and falling trees or branches damaging power lines. At least 35 deaths were reported, including three brothers between the ages of 6 and 9 who fell through an iced-over pond in Texas, and two people who were run over by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio.
The mega-storm reportedly caused blackouts to more than a million customers, especially in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. As of Tuesday morning there were still 550,000 outages across the country, according to poweroutage.com, via CBC News, with most of them in the South, where weekend blasts of freezing rain caused tree limbs and power lines to snap, inflicting crippling outages on northern Mississippi and parts of Tennessee.
Regulatory
E&E News – February 11, 2026
Winter storm revives fierce congressional grid fight
Grid operators across the country have managed recent extreme winter weather with only limited challenges, but that hasn’t stopped lawmakers from using last month’s storm in the fight over which energy sources are better to keep the lights on. For years, severe weather and power outages have been followed by Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill arguing about the merits of fossil fuels versus renewables.
Republicans have gone on the offensive since Winter Storm Fern battered roads and energy infrastructure with heavy snow, ice and freezing rain from Texas to New England. In floor speeches, committee hearings and interviews, they argue that one thing prevented the energy grid from collapsing: reliable and affordable power from natural gas, coal and nuclear plants.
“Not surprisingly, fossil fuels and nuclear power provided the bulk of electricity during this week’s storm and the intense cold that followed,” said Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) during floor remarks. “Renewable sources generated smaller amounts of electricity, and they were also sporadic.”