Technology takes over tight oil
As the shale business matures, its wildcatter mentality is being replaced by artificial intelligence
A WTI crude price rangebound in the $50-$60/bl band means profitability is under pressure across the US shale business, which faces far higher ongoing opex than operators of conventional resources. WTI at $100/bl can support a fragmented market of hundreds of participants but lower prices require savings to be squeezed from economies of scale and the innovative application of new technology. Disappointing returns have largely locked small players out of capital markets and the recent trend is solidly towards consolidation, with the majors becoming increasingly interested in taking stakes when they are available at the right price. Occidental, which purchased Anadarko and kept its US shale a
Also in this section
24 December 2025
As activity in the US Gulf has stagnated at a lower level, the government is taking steps to encourage fresh exploration and bolster field development work
23 December 2025
The new government has brought stability and security to the country, with the door now open to international investment
23 December 2025
A third wave of LNG supply is coming, and with it a likely oversupply of the fuel by 2028
22 December 2025
Weakening climate resolve in the developed world and rapidly growing demand in developing countries means peak oil is still a long way away
