Spain is boosting generation from costlier gas-fired power plants in the wake of a nationwide blackout that raised concerns about the grid’s ability to cope with an abundance of renewable energy.  The output of combined-cycle gas turbines, a more steady generation technology than solar, jumped 37% in the two weeks after the outage, compared with the two weeks prior, data from power grid operator Red Electrica show. Their average share of Spain’s power mix increased to 18% from about 12%.  The collapse of Spain’s power grid left millions without electricity, telephone communication, trains and traffic lights for hours on April 28, including in neighboring Portugal and parts of southern France. The government is still investigating the causes of the blackout, and hasn’t yet clarified which technology was at fault and why, or who’s to blame. Additional CCGTs “are currently being included to reduce the impact that an abrupt output change may have over voltages,” Red Electrica said in response to questions.  Following strong oscillations in the grid, about 2.2 gigwatts of capacity went offline in the south of Spain less than a minute before the complete collapse of the Iberian Peninsula’s electricity systems, Deputy Prime Minister Sara Aagesen told lawmakers last week. RBC Capital Markets analysts were among those saying that the most likely culprits were solar farms due to a lack of grid-forming inverters that help stabilize photo-voltaic output.  Aagesen said in an interview to Spanish radio station RNE on Thursday that pointing the finger at solar and the grid’s ability to deal with so much renewable energy is “simplistic.” The system is robust and has had many days with as much or more solar in the mix than on the day of the blackout, she argued.  Still, energy regulator CNMC head Cani Fernandez told lawmakers that the system

ADNOC said it has entered into multiple agreements with U.S. energy majors for a potential $60 billion of U.S. investments into United Arab Emirates (UAE) energy projects. The agreements were made during the UAE-US business dialogue with President Donald Trump, the company said in a news release. The agreements include a field development plan with ExxonMobil and INPEX/JODCO to expand the capacity of Abu Dhabi’s Upper Zakum offshore field through phased development, according to the release. ADNOC said it signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Occidental Petroleum targeting to boost the production capacity of Shah Gas field’s capacity to 1.85 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bscfd) of natural gas from 1.45 bscfd, as well as accelerate the deployment of advanced technologies in the field. Building on its investment plans for the USA, ADNOC’s global energy investment firm XRG signed a framework agreement with Occidental subsidiary 1PointFive to evaluate a potential investment in a direct air capture (DAC) project in Kleberg County, Texas. The facility aims to remove up to 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year using commercial-scale DAC technology, with XRG considering a capital commitment of up to one-third of the project’s total development cost, the release said. Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs (SCFEA) also granted a new unconventional oil exploration concession to EOG Resources Inc. The award is for Unconventional Onshore Block 3, which covers a 1393.4-square-mile (3,609 square-kilometer) area within the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi. ADNOC stated it would oversee and assist with all exploration activities in the concession and has the option to join a subsequent production concession. The phased field development plan for Upper Zakum will leverage artificial intelligence and industry-leading technologies and the deep expertise and strong partnership between ADNOC, ExxonMobil, and INPEX/JODCO “to sustainably grow

Strathcona Resources Ltd. said it has entered into definitive agreements to divest “substantially all of its Montney assets” for about CAD 2.84 billion ($2.04 billion), as it prepares to make a hostile bid to take over fellow Canadian thermal oil producer MEG Energy Corp. The Montney exit and the planned merger with MEG will allow Strathcona to become a pure-play heavy oil producer, it said. The bulk of the Montney sale consists of Strathcona’s Kakwa business, to be acquired by ARC Resources Ltd. for around CAD 1.7 billion. The transaction value comprises CAD1.65 billion in cash and approximately CAD 45 million in assumed lease obligations. The sale is expected to be completed in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. Strathcona is also selling its Grande Prairie business for about CAD 850 million, inclusive of about CAD 100 million in assumed lease obligations, to an unnamed buyer. The sale is also expected to close next quarter. The Groundbirch business rounds up the Montney sales. It will go to Tourmaline Oil Corp. in exchange for CAD 291.5 million worth of shares being issued to Strathcona. The parties expect to conclude the transaction by June. The Monetney dispositions produced 72,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day (boed), 28 percent of which were oil and condensates, last year. They had proven and probable reserves of 635 million boe as of December 2024, according to Strathcona. “Taken together, the disposed assets generated CAD 149 million of operating earnings in 2024 (12 percent of total Strathcona year-end 2024 operating earnings, excluding interest and other corporate items) and had a YE 2024 proved PV-10 before-tax of approximately CAD 2.3 billion (15 percent of total Strathcona YE 2024 proved PV-10), while the combined sale price represents approximately 33 percent of Strathcona’s current enterprise

OPEC+ did not lift production by 400,000 barrels per day in May and June to kill the oil price and to go full throttle on an oil price war. That’s what Bjarne Schieldrop, Chief Commodities Analyst at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB), said in an oil report sent to Rigzone by the SEB team on Friday, adding that the group did it to meet added demand for oil in the Middle East, “which rise[s] significantly in summertime due to air conditioning and religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia”. “The plan of lifting production by 2.1 million barrels per day by December 2026 has not at all been abandoned,” Hvalbye stated in the report. “It is still a monthly decision of what to do. Lift production or even reduce production if needed,” he added. “The global oil market is still tight as of today [Friday] with consumers asking for more than what producers are giving them. Thus, the front-end backwardation,” he continued. “While there is no sign of a blasting price war emerging between OPEC+ and U.S. shale oil producers, it is still clear that U.S. shale oil producers will have to shed the needed volume to make room for more oil from OPEC+ to December 2026 to the magnitude of 2.1 million barrels per day added supply from the group,” Hvalbye went on to state. In a BMI report sent to Rigzone by the Fitch Group on Friday, BMI analysts said, “with OPEC+ continuing to increase production at faster pace than earlier guidance the risk of oversupply remains”. The analysts noted in that report that they continue to hold to their current forecast for Brent crude to average $68 per barrel in 2025. In a BofA Global Research report sent to Rigzone on Friday, BofA analysts stated that successive months of

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 34 million U.S. households struggle to pay their energy bills. As advocates, regulators, and utilities adopt more ways to mitigate costs and support consumers during these challenging times, one resource remains underutilized: digital tools. Every industry is embracing technology across their operations, and the utility sector is no exception. Digital tools enable utility customers to make day-to-day choices that can improve energy affordability for them—helping them choose the best rate plan, coaching them on how and when to optimize their usage, and promoting the benefits of targeted programs and services. Some programs offer financial assistance, and this is where digital tools can make an outsized impact on affordability: by identifying and enrolling more of the utility’s most vulnerable customers.   While financial assistance is available, only about 1 in 6 eligible households end up receiving aid. After interviewing utility executives as well as low- and moderate-income utility customers around the U.S., Oracle Utilities researchers found that lack of awareness came up repeatedly as one of the main issues that keeps these households from receiving assistance. How are people finding help today? For decades, low-income customers have learned about assistance programs by attending events hosted by community action agencies or utilities to apply for assistance. These in-person events are often critical for elderly customers and others who need help filling out paperwork. While face-to-face assistance is still considered best practice, some low-income customers often cannot attend in person. Many find transportation challenging, and many also juggle multiple jobs, have responsibility for child or elder care, experience mobility challenges, or contend with other disabilities that make in-person events difficult. One research participant shared frustrations about going to her local social services agency: “There were a lot of people lined up there. We probably waited for

We’re making progress toward electrifying America’s transportation fleet. While challenges remain on the road ahead, the future is bright with the promise of long-term cost savings, energy independence and operational efficiency.  While conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles have long been the backbone of the American automotive industry, electric vehicles (EVs) present an opportunity to reduce fuel expenses, lower maintenance costs and strengthen domestic energy security.  For fleet operators, making the transition requires a strategic approach. Here are three key factors that organizations looking to electrify their fleets should weigh when making the important commitment to go electric.  Choose the Right EVs  While it might sound simple to replace a diesel or gasoline-powered fleet with an EV alternative, it’s important to understand how your vehicles operate so that performance demands are accounted for.  The first step is to analyze duty cycles for the EVs: What will be the demands for range, load capacity, idle times and charging opportunities?  A last-mile delivery van operating in a dense urban environment with predictable routes and frequent stops and starts may prove to be well suited for electrification. Meanwhile, a long-haul Class 8 truck that covers hundreds of miles per day will require a completely different use case analysis. Charging logistics and battery range limitations should be carefully considered.  Payload and driving conditions will be right at the top of the list of considerations. While fuel economy for ICE vehicles depends on engine efficiency, optimal performance for EVs will depend on battery size, regenerative braking opportunities and energy consumption per mile. The regenerative braking opportunities for EVs operating in dense urban environments, for example, will extend the range compared with similar vehicles operating with fewer braking opportunities in suburban or rural settings.  Temperature and environmental considerations also must be weighed. Battery performance varies with