The governors of New Mexico and Wyoming on Monday unveiled proposals to deliver Rocky Mountain natural gas to meet growing domestic and Asian demands driven by data centers and electrification. “The roadmap outlines two main routes – the Pacific Northwest Pathway and the Southwest Pathway – that leverage existing infrastructure and rights-of-way to efficiently move Rocky Mountain natural gas to expanding U.S. markets, while also offering the quickest and most affordable connections to Asian markets without relying on the Panama Canal”, said a statement posted on the website of the New Mexico Governor’s Office. The proposals, contained in the “Rocky Mountain Gas Roadmap & Implementation Playbook”, was released at a roundtable with Japanese Ambassador Shigeo Yamada. The “playbook” was an undertaking of the Western States and Tribal Nations Energy (WSTN) Initiative. “This is a very informative and detailed introduction to the potential of Rocky Mountain natural gas, and it is very much appreciated by the Japanese”, Yamada said. “I hope today’s meeting will lead to further cooperation and economic partnership between Japan and the State of New Mexico”. New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham said, “New Mexico is ready to lead the way in unlocking the Rocky Mountain’s potential to create jobs and opportunity, strengthen international collaboration and write the next chapter in global energy”. “Putting the Rockies’ abundant energy to work benefits red and blue states by fueling our economies and the transition to clean energy”, Grisham, a Democrat, added. Wyoming Republican Governor Mark Gordon said, “We can provide natural gas resources very near-term – almost immediately – and this is just good business. It’s about moving into a future that meets climate concerns while making sure energy is there as demand continues to grow enormously”. WSTN Initiative chair Jason Sandel said, “This playbook is the culmination of years of work and is designed as a

The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) announced members of a “critical task force on petroleum theft” in a statement posted on its site recently. “Thirteen Texans will play a crucial role in helping fight petroleum theft plaguing the Texas energy industry as members of the State Taskforce on Petroleum Theft (STOPTHEFT),” the statement noted. The new task force was created in Senate Bill 494, passed by the 89th Legislature, to study and make recommendations on preventing the theft of petroleum products in the state, RRC said in the statement, adding that STOPTHEFT members represent “key elements of state, federal, and local law enforcement and the energy industry to help tackle petroleum theft”. The full list of task force members, as shown on the RRC site, can be seen below: Tony Dickie (ConocoPhillips) Judy Stark (SNW Operating Company) Clete Buckaloo (Occidental Petroleum) Allan Bloxsom (Fort Apache Energy) Hollie Lamb (Ring Energy) Carey Matthews (Diamondback Energy) Karr Ingham (Texas Alliance of Energy Producers) Ed Longanecker (Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association) Michael Lozano (Permian Basin Petroleum Association) Tulsi Oberbeck (Texas Oil & Gas Association) Timothy Murphy (Texas Department of Public Safety) Nathan Jeronimus (Federal Bureau of Investigation) Stan Parker (Howard County Sheriff) The statement also revealed that Bill Keffer, of Texas Tech University, and Fiesta Energy’s Cole Harrison will serve as advisors to the task force.  The task force members were selected from a pool of applicants, according to the statement, which noted that RRC Chairman Jim Wright will serve as chairman of STOPTHEFT. In the statement, the RRC highlighted that “the task force’s duties include, but are not limited to; Reviewing product theft laws and regulations in other U.S. jurisdictions as well as international laws; Analyzing the impact of theft on state tax collections and long-term economic impacts; Making recommendations on

North America added six rigs week on week, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was released on October 17. The total U.S. rig count increased by one week on week and the total Canada rig count rose by five during the same period, taking the total North America rig count up to 746, comprising 548 rigs from the U.S. and 198 rigs from Canada, the count outlined. Of the total U.S. rig count of 548, 528 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 17 are categorized as offshore rigs, and three are categorized as inland water rigs. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 418 oil rigs, 121 gas rigs, and nine miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which revealed that the U.S. total comprises 486 horizontal rigs, 51 directional rigs, and 11 vertical rigs. Week on week, the U.S. offshore rig count rose by two, its land rig count dropped by one, and its inland water rig count remained unchanged, Baker Hughes highlighted. The U.S. gas rig count rose by one week on week, and its oil and miscellaneous rig counts remained unchanged during the period, the count showed. The U.S. horizontal rig count rose by six week on week, while its directional rig count dropped by four and its vertical rig count dropped by one, the count revealed. A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, New Mexico and Oklahoma each added two rigs, Colorado added one rig, Louisiana dropped two rigs, and Texas and Wyoming each dropped one rig. A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, the Arkoma Woodford, Cana Woodford, DJ-Niobrara, Granite Wash, Mississippian, and Permian basins each added one rig. Canada’s total rig

Japan’s trade minister said the country aims to curb dependence on Russian liquefied natural gas, but can’t immediately halt imports despite growing pressure from the US. “Japan has steadily reduced dependency on Russian energy in the wake of the Ukraine war,” Trade Minister Yoji Muto said on Tuesday, without providing a timeline or details on when imports could end. LNG supply from the Russian Sakhalin-2 export project accounts for about 10 percent of the nation’s total imports of the fuel and so “plays an important role” in energy security, he added. Japan has often said that it doesn’t plan to immediately stop buying Russian LNG, even as allies in Europe move to ban the fuel to crimp Moscow’s access to funding for the war in Ukraine. The Asian nation is the only member of the Group of Seven that hasn’t committed to a timeline to end Russian gas imports. Muto indicated that replacing Russian supply could prove expensive. The Asian LNG market is expected to remain tight for the time being, and rising procurement costs could lead to higher electricity rates, he said. The comments come as the US ramps up efforts to reduce Moscow’s energy sales in a bid to end the war. The Trump administration expects Japan to stop importing energy from Russia, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato during a meeting last week. Japan’s trading houses own a stake in the Russian Sakhalin-2 plant, the closest LNG export terminal to the country. Furthermore, much of the fuel bought from the project is supplied under long-term purchase agreements, some of which don’t expire until the 2030s. In order to tackle the issue of Russian LNG, the government in Tokyo will work closely with the international community, including Group of Seven nations, based on what is necessary

Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) has contracted Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) for the supply of up to six million barrels of crude. With the one-year agreement, “Petrobras will now supply oil to India’s three main state-owned refiners”, Brazil’s state-owned Petrobras said in a press release. It previously signed contracts for Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Indian Oil Corp (IOC). Under the earlier contracts, Petrobras has exported over 20 million barrels to the South Asian country, Petrobras said. “For years, Petrobras’ commercial relations with India were concentrated among private refiners, with Reliance Industries Ltd still being an important current partner. Recently, however, the company has been focusing on state-owned refiners, which consume medium oils that better match the company’s export profile”, it said. Petrobras “is constantly assessing all markets in search of the best placement for its exported oil volumes, negotiating barrels under both contractual and spot modalities”, the company added. “In addition to India, the company has been increasing exports of different grades of crude oil to South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and, most notably, to the European market. In the refined products market, Africa, the Americas and Asia have gained importance. Beyond crude oil, Petrobras also markets internationally more than 10 different petroleum-derived products”. Claudio Schlosser, Petrobras executive director for logistics, commercialization and markets, said, “India is, unquestionably, one of the main drivers of the global economy today and will be even more so in the near future. It is an extremely relevant market for international oil flows, given its robust economic and population growth, combined with its refining capacity of more than five million barrels per day and its local production covering just over 10 percent of its needs”. “The increase in Petrobras’ participation in supplying oil to India is the result of continuous efforts and market development

BP PLC said Monday it has made 11 oil and gas discoveries this year, the latest being Volans offshore Namibia in the Orange Basin. Operator Rhino Resources Ltd announced October 1 a “high liquid-yield gas condensate discovery” in the Volans-1X well in Block 2914A. “The well found 26m of net pay in rich gas condensate-bearing reservoirs, with the reservoir showing excellent quality petrophysical properties and no observed water contact”, Rhino said in a press release. “Hot shot laboratory analysis on two samples (at the top and base of the reservoir interval) showed a high condensate to gas ratio (CGR) of >140 and a liquid density of around 40° API gravity. “Hydrocarbon samples and sidewall cores were collected through intensive wireline logging operations. Laboratory studies will continue to be conducted on the rest of the fluid samples, side wall cores and cuttings collected during the campaign”. The well reached 4,497.5 meters (14,755.58 feet) of true vertical depth subsea (TVDSS), the Cape Town-based company said. The well was drilled by Northern Ocean Ltd’s semi-submersible Deepsea Mira. “The rig was demobilized on 14 September 2025 to begin drilling in another location, while Volans-1X laboratory testing activities will remain ongoing”, Rhino said. Rhino chief executive Travis Smithard said, “Rhino, in collaboration with our partners Azule Energy, NAMCOR and Korres, will now evaluate the results of the ongoing testing and integrate them into blockwide prospectivity studies”. Rhino owns 42.5 percent in Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 85, which contains the discovery. BP participates through Luanda-based Azule Energy, the British company’s 50-50 venture with Italian state-controlled Eni SpA; Azule Energy owns 42.5 percent of PEL 85. The other partners in the block are National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia with a 10 percent interest and Korres Investments with five percent. “The Volans-1X well marks the third significant hydrocarbon discovery in 2025 for Azule Energy partners, following the Capricornus-1X light oil find in