A new oil extraction workflow devised by Penn State researchers and tested in Texas' Eagle Ford Shale could boost crude recovery by up to 15% and enable long-term carbon dioxide storage in mature or abandoned shale wells. The technique fine-tunes variables like pressure, cycle count and injection duration to better dislodge hydrocarbons trapped in nanopores. "If a goal is to sequester CO2 for the long term, the injection cycles can adjust to push the gas deeper into underground formations and optimize the storage," said lead researcher Hamid Emami-Meybodi.

US liquefied natural gas exports climbed by 22% year-over-year to a record 76 million short tons in the first eight months of 2025, with strong European demand offsetting weaker Asian imports. Although industrial and commercial gas use has increased, electric power generators have reduced consumption due to higher prices. Looking ahead, gas demand from LNG facilities is expected to grow far faster than other segments and remain the driving force of market sentiment, likely keeping domestic prices elevated even if residential and office use declines.

The next wave of US liquefied natural gas export growth will depend on the availability of pipeline capacity to move gas from producing basins to Gulf Coast liquefaction plants, according to Cheniere Energy Vice President and General Manager of Corpus Christi LNG Nishita Singh. Singh warned that without major new interstate lines, midstream bottlenecks could delay export projects and tighten the US gas market.

Emissions have been trending down in the US and up in China for some time now, but their roles appear to have reversed. Carbon Monitor reports that US carbon emissions rose 4.2% in the first half of the year while China's fell 2.7%. The reversal is likely temporary, but the report attributed the US uptick to rising power demand and an increase in natural gas prices, which have bolstered coal consumption.

In the latest episode of the Shift Key podcast, host Jesse Jenkins of Princeton University and Robinson Meyer discuss the intricacies of US wholesale power markets. They explain how electricity is priced in real time, the concept of economic dispatch and the role of marginal generators. The episode also addresses the challenges of encouraging the construction of new power plants and the impact of power markets on renewable energy integration.

A team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin has developed a new enhanced oil recovery process that alternates CO2 gas injections with a water-based formate solution synthesized from captured CO2. Modeling studies show the new carbon carrier method can improve oil recovery by up to 19.5% and carbon storage by up to 17.5% compared with current conventional, while also reducing the risk of CO2 leakage.

The American Petroleum Institute is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to scrap a proposal that would halve tradeable renewable fuel credits for imported biofuels and biofuel feedstocks. "As proposed, it is unworkable and would have significant harmful effects on the overall RFS program and could place upward pressure on fuel costs," the API told EPA.

US federal agencies have played a limited role in voluntary carbon markets thus far, but could leverage federal quality standards, certification programs and other mechanisms to increase oversight, reports the Government Accountability Office. It also noted that experts are divided on the topic. Some believe agency involvement could enhance market credibility, while others say it would increase costs and bureaucratic constraints.

API Spec. Q2 was developed to address quality management systems for the service supply organizations for the upstream petroleum and natural gas industries. This three-day training course frames the management system requirements in a managerial and business perspective and will provide you with a working understanding of the document's requirements. Using practical examples and hands-on application, this course is designed to progressively give you introductory to advanced knowledge of Q2 requirements and interpretations. Presented by API-U. To learn more and register for the October 6th training, visit the API-U Catalog.

The 2025 API/AFPM Fall Operating Practices Symposium (OPS) is a uniquely important event where various technical presentations are made highlighting the lessons learned from facility incidents or near misses and discussions on accident avoidance in refineries and petrochemical plants. It provides a forum for the exchange of information on safe operating practices and procedures and sharing of "best practices" within refineries and petrochemical plants. Register.