Talos Energy Inc. said it encountered oil at the Daenerys exploration prospect located in the U.S. Gulf of America’s Walker Ridge blocks 106, 107, 150, and 151. The discovery well was drilled to a total vertical depth of 33,228 feet utilizing the West Vela deepwater drillship and encountered oil pay in multiple high-quality, sub-salt Miocene sands, the company said in a news release. Talos conducted a comprehensive wireline program, acquiring core, fluid, and log data to evaluate the reservoir. The well was drilled approximately 12 days ahead of schedule and delivered approximately $16 million under budget, Talos said. Planning is underway for an appraisal well to further define the discovered resource, and the discovery well has been temporarily suspended to preserve its future utility, the company said. Talos President and CEO Paul Goodfellow said, “We are encouraged by the results of our Daenerys discovery well, which confirms the presence of hydrocarbons and validates our geologic and geophysical models. We believe these results support Talos’ pre-drill resource assumptions. We are now working closely with our partners to design an appraisal program that will further delineate this exciting discovery. We anticipate spudding the appraisal well in the second quarter of 2026”. Talos, as operator, will hold a 27% percent working interest in the asset. Shell Offshore Inc. will hold a 22.5 percent working interest, Red Willow will hold 22.5 percent, Houston Energy, L.P. will hold 10 percent, Cathexis will hold nine percent, and HEQ II Daenerys LLC will hold nine percent, according to the release. Daenerys is a high-impact subsalt prospect that carries an estimated pre-drill gross resource potential between 100 million to 300 million barrels of oil equivalent. In June, Talos said it was implementing an “enhanced corporate strategy designed to position the company as a leading pure-play offshore exploration and

Total U.S. energy consumption is projected to rise in 2025 and 2026 in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest short term energy outlook (STEO), which was released on August 12. According to this STEO, the EIA sees U.S. energy demand coming in at 95.50 quadrillion British thermal units (qBtu) this year and 95.52 qBtu next year. The EIA’s August STEO highlighted that total U.S. energy consumption was 94.22 qBtu in 2024. In its previous STEO, which was released in July, the EIA projected that total U.S. energy demand would be 95.32 qBtu in 2025 and 95.25 qBtu in 2026. This STEO also pointed out that U.S. energy consumption was 94.22 qBtu last year. The EIA projected in its August STEO that total U.S. energy consumption will come in at 23.83 qBtu in the third quarter of 2025, 23.96 qBtu in the fourth quarter, 24.76 qBtu in the first quarter of next year, 22.42 qBtu in the second quarter, 24.16 qBtu in the third quarter, and 24.19 qBtu in the fourth quarter. It highlighted that this demand was 25.42 qBtu in the first quarter and 22.28 qBtu in the second quarter. In its July STEO, the EIA projected that total U.S. energy consumption would be 23.80 qBtu in the third quarter of this year, 23.94 qBtu in the fourth quarter, 24.76 qBtu in the first quarter of 2026, 22.35 in the second quarter, 24.03 qBtu in the third quarter, and 24.11 qBtu in the fourth quarter. This STEO also highlighted that this demand was 25.42 qBtu in the first quarter but showed that it came in at 22.17 qBtu in the second quarter of 2025. The EIA’s latest STEO forecast that U.S. liquid fuels demand will average 20.44 million barrels per day in 2025 and 20.47 million barrels per day

Kent Global PLC has signed a binding agreement to buy Exceed Holdings Ltd., marking the integrated energy services company’s expansion into the decommissioning market. “This acquisition positions Kent at the forefront of a market set to double in size over the next decade, with global offshore decommissioning spend expected to rise from $8 billion to $16 billion per year by 2035”, Dubai-based Kent said in a statement online. Aberdeen-headquartered Exceed says it operates in over 40 countries and is one of only three licensed well operators in the United Kingdom. Kent says it has a workforce deployed across 34 countries, totaling over 13,000 employees. It offers consulting, engineering, commissioning, and operations and maintenance services. Kent is present or investing in the sectors of onshore and offshore oil, refining, integrated gas, offshore wind, alternative fuels, energy storage, carbon capture, water, chemicals, plastics and industrial infrastructure.   “The deal also unlocks significant opportunities in the energy transition space”, Kent added. “Exceed is already repurposing reservoirs for carbon capture and hydrogen storage projects, and combined with Kent’s existing expertise in this space will bring an unmatched offering to the marketplace”. “Exceed’s specialist capabilities in well and reservoir management, coupled with their strong reputation in decommissioning, complement our vision of offering full lifecycle services to our clients”, said Kent chief executive John Gilley. “Together, we will be uniquely positioned to help the industry navigate energy security, net-zero mandates and the safe retirement of offshore assets”. For Exceed, the merger “gives us the financial backing and global reach to scale our expertise to new markets and opportunities, while preserving the same culture, entrepreneurial spirit and values that define us”, Exceed managing director Ian Mills said. The companies did not disclose the financial details of the transaction, which they expect to close this year. Exceed is

Power utilities today are confronting a perfect storm of explosive demand, aging assets and unpredictable policy shifts, making strategic alignment more critical and more challenging to achieve than ever before. A surge in demand from large, energy-intensive loads, such as data operations, electric vehicle manufacturing and hydrogen production facilities, complicates forecasting and challenges existing planning processes. Simultaneously, aging grid assets, some nearing or exceeding their design lives, are increasingly vulnerable. These technical challenges are compounded by heightened regulatory scrutiny, decarbonization goals and shifting policy around energy affordability, reliability and sustainability. The unique circumstances companies are operating in today make it essential for executive teams to proactively address and shape company strategy. In today’s dynamic environment, strategic planning must be an essential capability of the executive team. It requires a deliberate, structured approach that is grounded in alignment at the top, provides clarity in execution, resourcing and goals, and sustains leadership attention for frequent assessment and adaptation. Despite the best intentions, strategic initiatives can miss the mark if they lack this foundation. Why strategy can often fail with utilities For today’s power utilities, especially those governed by elected boards or serving highly engaged communities, leadership and board perspectives can vary widely. One board member may be exclusively focused on affordability, while another may advocate for decarbonization and renewables integration. These different viewpoints can be a strength in the development of the company strategy, but without an intentional process that drives alignment, they can often create confusion and slow progress. Common symptoms of executive misalignment include: Decision-making paralysis, where little progress is made on strategic priorities Conflicting interpretations leading to diluted execution, as different leaders act on their own interpretations of “the strategy” Wasted effort, as incomplete or poorly supported initiatives don’t move the needle Frustration at all levels, as priorities seem

As extreme weather events increase in both frequency and intensity, the utility sector is under growing pressure to fortify its resilience. Delivering reliable power amid climate volatility demands more than reactive measures—it requires strategic foresight, technological innovation, and deep cross-sector coordination. Recent industry dialogue has revealed a clear consensus: resilience is no longer optional. Utilities must adapt to a landscape shaped by aging infrastructure, electrification trends, escalating customer expectations, and climate-related risks. A New Era of Challenges Utilities today must navigate a complex web of vulnerabilities: Aging grid assets in urgent need of modernization Rising demand driven by data centers and electric vehicles Increasing threats from cyberattacks Regulatory mandates for zero-carbon transition The growing unpredictability of natural disasters The stakes are high. Power outages not only disrupt daily life—they threaten health, safety and economic continuity. As a result, utilities must evolve from reactive recovery to proactive resilience. Five Pillars of Storm Preparedness To ensure service continuity and protect communities, utilities are embracing five core best practices in storm response: 1. Strategic Planning and Operational Playbooks Preparation starts well before a storm hits. By leveraging forecasting tools and damage simulations, utilities can strategically position crews, equipment and materials. Operational playbooks ensure coordination across departments—logistics, communications, emergency response—so that all teams can act swiftly and in sync. 2. Transparent, Real-Time Communication Clear and timely communication builds trust and enhances safety. Utilities are expanding their outreach through multiple platforms, providing customers with restoration timelines, safety tips and actionable updates. Visual storytelling and proactive media engagement are helping set realistic expectations and minimize confusion. 3. Deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) Innovative technologies such as solar-plus-storage systems and mobile energy units are enabling a more adaptive response. These DERs can reduce grid stress, power critical facilities during outages and offer real-time data through advanced

Utilities are under increasing pressure to maintain grid stability while accommodating record levels of electrification, industrial growth, and decarbonization. At the same time, large energy users — including manufacturers and data centers — are requiring access to much more reliable, high-quality power on a much shorter timeline than traditional utility infrastructure solutions can deliver. In fact, U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow by over 20% by 2030, marking the fastest sustained load growth since the post-WWII industrial boom. Fuel cells aren’t new, but have substantially improved over the past decade in performance, reliability and cost, and now give utilities a way to effectively meet power demands. As part of a distributed energy capacity strategy, they allow utilities to co-create solutions that serve large-load customers without overburdening the grid or ratepayers.  Compared to gas turbines and reciprocating engines, fuel cells deliver cleaner, quieter, and more efficient distributed power. To unlock the full potential of this flexible and scalable alternative, utilities and regulators must expand offerings beyond traditional transmission and distribution offerings and adopt new models for concentrated local power delivery. The cleaner alternative to traditional onsite generation Unlike traditional turbines that rely on combustion, fuel cells generate electricity using natural gas through an electrochemical process that does not burn the fuel. “Fuel cells are quiet, clean and compact, making them far more community-friendly than gas turbines or reciprocating engines,” said Kevin Passalacqua, VP of Project Finance for Bloom Energy, a leading provider of fuel cell-based power solutions. This key distinction eliminates the release of harmful pollutants and particulate matter, reduces water usage and results in systems that operate with virtually no noise. These attributes not only simplify the permitting process but also minimize opposition from neighborhood groups and align with both regulatory expectations and customer-driven sustainability goals.  Built for efficiency