American Mud Pumps Blog

U.S. natural gas production is heading toward a new peak.  According to the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), marketed natural gas production is forecast to grow 2% in 2026, reaching an average of 120.8 Bcf/d, and then climb again to a record 122.3 Bcf/d in 2027.

That’s essentially what the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is suggesting: Venezuela could return to its pre-blockade oil production levels by mid-2026,  a dramatic turnaround from just months ago. In late 2025, a strict U.S. naval blockade had effectively cut Venezuela out of global crude markets, forcing state oil giant PDVSA to slash output. 

The approval of a new deepwater oil export port off the Texas coast is more than a permitting headline.  It marks a structural shift in how U.S. crude reaches global markets, faster, safer, and at larger scale.

According to the latest outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. crude oil production is set to stay close to the historic highs reached in 2025.  Output is expected to hover around 13.6 million barrels per day before easing to roughly 13.3 million b/d in 2026–2027. 

The latest IEA oil market report sketches a world moving into 2026 with ample supply, slower demand growth, and a sizable buffer against shocks. Below are the most relevant points, explained clearly and point by point. 1. Demand growth slows, but remains positive

Oil and petroleum projects in the Arctic are shaped by conditions that leave little room for improvisation.  Low temperatures, ice exposure, long supply chains, and strict environmental oversight mean that offshore developments in northern Norway must be engineered with extreme precision.

Global crude oil production is set to grow by 0.8 million b/d in 2026, and Latin America will be responsible for half of it.  Brazil, Guyana, and Argentina alone add 0.4 million b/d, reinforcing the Americas as the world’s most dynamic source of new oil supply

The oil sands production forecast for 2026 reflects this shift clearly: companies are prioritizing efficiency, cost control, and cash flow generation over large-scale expansion.  Instead of launching new megaprojects, producers are concentrating capital on optimizing existing assets, improving reliability, and lowering unit costs to remain competitive in a more volatile market.

The Permian Basin, just next door to Houston’s energy corridor, is entering another decisive phase of growth.  One of the world’s largest operators in the region, ExxonMobil, now expects to double its Permian output by 2030, driven by aggressive efficiency gains and new extraction technologies

Libya is entering a decisive new chapter in its exploration landscape, marked by a wave of renewed investment and drilling momentum from major international players.

Saudi Arabia has marked a decisive step in its long-term energy transition: Aramco’s Jafurah gas plant has officially begun production. Completing its first development phase and initiating output at 450 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d)

The United States closed 2024 with a noticeable increase in associated natural gas production,up 6% compared with the previous year, according to EIA. This rise followed the same trend seen in crude oil output, especially in the Permian Basin, which continues to be the engine of U.S. hydrocarbon growth. 

Canada’s oil industry is once again at a crossroads. With production steadily rising and 90% of crude exports still flowing to the United States, Alberta is moving to break this dependency. 

Oil and gas fields naturally lose output over time, but the pace of these declines is accelerating.  According to a new IEA report, this trend has huge implications for markets, investment, and energy security. 

The possible comeback of Petrobras to Nigeria marks more than just the return of a company; it signals the potential movement of Brazilian talent, technology, and investment into one of Africa’s most promising energy hubs. 

The U.S. natural gas market is preparing for a milestone in 2025.  According to the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, demand is expected to climb by 1%, reaching an unprecedented 91.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d).

U.S. natural gas inventories are projected to remain comfortably above historical norms as the 2025 injection season comes to a close. 

2025 is proving to be a turbulent year for the oil market. Geopolitical tensions, trade wars, and shifts in energy policies have put pressure on both demand and prices. 

Canada’s oil sector continues to defy the pressures of a volatile commodity market, with recent production gains underscoring the country’s growing influence on global energy flows.

Energy trade between the United States and Canada continues to be a cornerstone of North America’s energy landscape, totaling $151 billion in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Turkey is pushing for a stronger energy partnership with Iraq, and at the center of this effort is the Iraq-Turkey pipeline (ITP). 

By 2024, oil output from U.S. federal onshore lands reached a record 1.7 million barrels per day (b/d)—a sixfold increase since 2008.  Here's how that happened: 

The global oil trade map just tilted in an unexpected direction. For decades, Nigeria has been known as a reliable supplier of crude oil to the United States, not the other way around. 

In May, Saudi Arabia signaled a renewed pulse in its crude oil activity.  The country’s exports climbed to 6.191 million barrels per day (bpd), hitting a level not seen in the past three months.