Permian still primed for growth
Expansion prospects for the dominant oil shale basin remain in 2023
“The notion that somehow the Permian cannot grow, we do not believe is true. As long as WTI prices remain above c.$65/bl, it can and will grow. You are not going to hit the sweet spot exhaustion point until you get to the second half of the 2020s.” So says Raoul LeBlanc, vice-president, energy, at intelligence firm S&P Global Commodity Insights. And other analysts agree. Research firm Enverus forecasts Permian production rising by 400,000bl/d year-on-year— with associated gas up by 1.6bn ft³/d (45.3mn m³/d)—in 2023, while consultancy Wood Mackenzie expects the West Texas basin to account for more than 70pc of its almost 700,000bl/d annual increase in US onshore production, or c.490,000bl

Also in this section
2 June 2025
More than anything else, weak Chinese gas demand is providing relief to EU consumers, but it is uncertain how long this relief will last
30 May 2025
Energy majors argue transition debate has started to factor in the complexities of demand shifts and the wider role for gas
29 May 2025
Sovereignty is the watchword for the new government, but there are still upstream opportunities for those willing to work closely with the state
29 May 2025
A cautious approach to coal-to-gas switching offers lessons to others who are looking to balance cost with cleaner energy