Oil Rustlers stealing Texas oil!

Happy Monday!  Welcome back to another week of ESC News Blog!    

We read an update to a Blog we wrote on back in September 2025 on Texas’ STOPTHEFT Task force taking applications and our possible problem of oil rustling in Texas.  (See our Blog last year for details.)     

Did anyone happen to read Chron First Draft Newsletter on May 4, 2026, they reprinted an article from JALOPNIK titled, “Welcome To The Wild West, Where Texas Loses Nearly A Billion Dollars of Oil A Year To Thieves”?  The article speaks in regard to the Texas’ Permian Basin has modern day rustlers rustling oil.   The article goes on to say an oil producing county in Martin County Sheriff’s Office gets calls weekly on missing oil, and with today’s prices means millions, if not billion dollars yearly.  The Permian Basin has many oil fields with minimal security, and the rustlers know it and cattle aren’t telling who the culprit is.  The rustlers have a new scheme where they rent specialized supply trucks and get in line during peak hours pretend to be there for something like wastewater and leave with oil, and drive over the border which is less than 200 miles away.  The FBI started to look into the problem in the late 2000s and even made a task force which in turn made Texas take notice.  Railroad Commission of Texas last year formed the STOPTHEFT Task Force to look into the missing oil dilemma and their findings are expected by the end of the year.  We will keep you informed, if we hear anything else on the STOPTHEFT task force or on the missing oil dilemma. If you would like to read more of Houston Chronicle’s reprinted article on MSN, please click the link: Welcome to the wild west, where Texas loses nearly a billion dollars of oil a year to thieves.

If you would like help in looking into how to transport your product efficiently and with less of a carbon footprint, contact us via the email in the Blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a wonderful evening! 

**Disclaimer: You may be charged a fee to read The Houston Chronicle’s articles. **

 

U.S. EIA Monthly Reports for MER, Petroleum Supply Monthly and others are now available!

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released their April-May monthly reports for Monthly Energy Review, Petroleum Supply Monthly and others for 2026, are now available on the EIA website.

See what happened in the Monthly Energy Review (MER) by clicking the link: Total Energy Monthly Data - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened in the Petroleum Marketing Monthly by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/marketing/monthly/.

See what happened in the Petroleum Supply Monthly by clicking the link: Petroleum Supply Monthly - Energy Information Administration.

See what happened in the Company Level Imports by clicking the link: Company Level Imports - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened in the Natural Gas Monthly by clicking the link: Natural Gas Monthly Report.

Don’t forget to check out our ESC website!  We are always here to help you out with your next project to move your liquids or help you reduce your emissions!

Don’t forget to follow our Blog to hear more on the ever-changing energy and marine industry!

Have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend!

U.S. EIA Weekly Updates for Petroleum & Other Liquids, Natural Gas, Propane, and Coal are all now available!

Happy Friday!

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Weekly Reports for Petroleum and Other Liquids, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel, Natural Gas, Propane, and Coal for the week ending May 1, 2026, are all now available from the EIA website. 

See what happened in the Weekly Petroleum Status Report by clicking the link: Weekly Petroleum Status Report - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened last week in Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update by clicking the link: Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened last week in Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report by clicking the link: Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report - EIA.

See what happened last week in Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report Supplement by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/beta/naturalgas/weekly/supplement/.

See what happened last week in Coal Markets Report by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/coal/markets/.

See what happened last week in Weekly Coal Production by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/coal/production/weekly/.

We are always here to help you out with your next project to move your hydrocarbons or to update your equipment to help reduce your emissions!  Connect with us through the Blog email or give us a call: 281-901-5554!

Don’t forget to follow our Blog to hear more on the ever-changing energy and marine industry!

We hope you have a fun and relaxing weekend!  Keep dry!

We hope to see you next week for another week of ESC News Blog!

DOE has opened the fourth and possibly final round of the Emergency Exchange Program for up to 92M barrels.

Happy Thursday!

You know we like to keep up with the happenings at the Department of Energy’s SPR.  Let’s dig in. 

Did anyone happen to read the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrocarbon and Geothermal Energy Office Release on April 30, 2026, their announcement, “Energy Department Issues RFP to Continue Swift Execution of President Trump’s 172-Million-Barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve Exchange”?  In the announcement, it goes on to speak on how the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently (April 30th) published a notice for Request for Proposal (RFP) from the Emergency Exchange Program for approximately 92 million barrels of crude oil from one of the four SPR sites: Bayou Choctaw, West Hackberry, Big Hill, or Bryan Mound.  This is the fourth RFP for exchange of crude the DOE has published in recent weeks, and as promised the U.S. have made available 172-million barrels over the past few weeks to ease the strain caused by the US-Iran War and the revolving door the Strait of Hormuz has been placed in.  The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is accepting Proposals until Monday, May 4, 2026; see News Release for specifics date and times.  The parties whose proposal is accepted have a year to return the barrels with additional oil.  We will keep you posted on anything interesting we hear out of the DOE and the SPR.  If you would like to read more of the Announcement from the U.S. DOE’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, please click the link: Energy Department Issues RFP to Continue Swift Execution of President Trump’s172-Million-Barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve Exchange.

Another little tidbit: according to EIA during the time period March 20 and April 24, 2026, the DOE has drawn down the SPR by approximately 17-million barrels.  The EIA has the SPR holding a bit under 398 million barrels. Please check link for details: DOE has released17.5 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve since March - U.S.Energy Information Administration (EIA).

If you would like help in looking into how to store your liquid hydrocarbon safely in underground storage or just find out what is underneath your feet to help with your emission reduction goals, contact us via email in the Blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a wonderful evening and a productive week. 

**Disclaimer: Please see the Immediate Release from the U.S. DOE for specifics. **

 

U.S. DOE’s H2O Office will soon be releasing funding for the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives program.

Happy Wednesday! 

You know we like to energy and we try keep up with the happenings at the Department of Energy and their various departments.  Let’s get started. 

Did anyone happen to read the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation Office’s CMEI News newsletter on April 27, 2026, they had an announcement, “DOE’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office to Release $430 Million to Improve America’s Hydropower Fleet”?  In the announcement, it goes on to speak on how the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) recently published they will resume talks this week with awardees of $430 million from the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives program. The Hydroelectric Incentive program was part of the previous administration’s agenda to invest in low emission energy, and is for American hydropower facilities to modernize, so they will continue to be part of the U.S. energy solution to keep America’s lights on with reliable low emission power.  H2O has 293 projects with 212 facilities in 33 states to work out deals with.  The hydropower facilities modernization is a private – federal partnership to revamp their aging infrastructure, and the partnership is investing almost $3 billion.  We wish them luck keeping America’s lights on.  We will keep you posted on anything interesting we hear out of the DOE’s H2O.  If you would like to read more of the Announcement from the U.S. DOE’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office, please click the link: DOE's Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office to Release $430 Million to Improve America's Hydropower Fleet | Department of Energy.

If you would like help in looking into how to store your liquid hydrocarbon safely in underground storage or just find out what is underneath your feet to help with your emission reduction goals, contact us via email in the Blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a wonderful evening and a productive week. 

**Disclaimer: Please see the Announcement from the U.S. DOE’s CMEI for specifics. **

 

Gulf Offshore Research Institute has another academic partner UH.

Happy Tuesday

Did anyone happen to read the Offshore Daily Newsletter on April 24, 2026, their article titled, “University of Houston joins $20M initiative to repurpose offshore infrastructure in the Gulf”?  In the article, it speaks on how University of Houston (UH) has aligned with the Gulf Offshore Research Institute (GORI) and other academics including Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, University of Michigan, as well as others in the non-profit and private sectors who are looking into giving idle Gulf of Mexico (GOM) offshore oil and gas structures a new purpose.  GORI has been awarded $20M from the Gulf Futures Challenge project to find innovative ways to use the old and idle offshore assets for mineral recovery and aquaculture, future workforce readiness, and energy transition.  UH will be part of the Repurposing Offshore Infrastructure Continued Energy (ROICE) of the project and has been awarded $1.3M over the next ½ decade to further research for future labor force development as well as evaluating technical feasibility and economic viability of repurposing the infrastructure.   The goal is to help lower decommissioning costs by giving the infrastructure a new life.  We will let you know, if we hear anything else on this opportunity to innovate the GOM and its idle offshore assets!  If you would like to read more of the Oil & Gas Journal’s article, please click the link:   University of Houston joins $20M initiative to repurpose offshore infrastructure in the Gulf | Offshore Magazine.

Don’t forget to check out our ESC website or contact us via the email in the Blog, if you have a hydrocarbon liquids project you would like to see get off the ground or you would like to see what’s under your feet to help with your emissions!  

We hope you have a wonderful evening! 

**Disclaimer: You may be charged a fee to read the Offshore article. **

U.S. BLM Oil and Gas Lease Sale for coastal area of the ANWR is scheduled for June 2026.

Happy Monday!  Welcome back to another week of ESC News Blog. 

We always enjoy an update to one of our blogs, and we did say, if we heard anything else on this Alaskan wonderland!  Last October, we blogged on how the U.S. BLM showed interest in the National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska (NPR-A), and they had a lease sale back in March which was a success, hence they announced their going to have another lease sale and here’s the skinny!

Did anyone happen to read the Oil & Gas Journal’s OGJ Daily Update Newsletter on April 20, 2026, their article titled, “US BLM to offer 400,000 acres for oil and gas leasing under ANWR’s coastal plain in June”?  In the article, it speaks on how U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) and its Office of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have published they will be having an oil and gas lease sale on June 5^th, 2026, for 400,000 acres of coastal plain in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).  The lease sale is one of the requirements from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed last year.   A previous oil and gas lease sale last year stirred little appeal to the industry, nonetheless the March 2026, lease sale was a success (See our previous blogs for details).  If you are interested in the June lease sale, bids are due on June 3^rd, with the announcements on June 5^th, please click the link for specific details from the Federal Register: Federal Register: Notice of 2026 Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Lease Sale.   We will let you know, if we hear anything else on this American asset!  If you would like to read more of the Oil & Gas Journal’s article, please click the link:   US BLM to offer 400,000 acres for oil and gas leasing under ANWR’s coastal plain in June | Oil & Gas Journal.

Don’t forget to check out our ESC website or contact us via the email in the Blog, if you have a hydrocarbon liquids project you would like to see get off the ground or you would like to see what’s under your feet to help with your emissions!  

We hope you have a wonderful evening and a productive week! 

**Disclaimer: You may be charged a fee to read The Oil and Gas Journal’s article. **

U.S. EIA Monthly Reports for Electric Power and others are now available!

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released their April monthly reports for Electric Power and Electricity Update for 2026, are now available on the EIA website.

See what happened in the Electric Power Monthly by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/.

See what happened in the Electricity Monthly Update by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/update/.

Don’t forget to check out our ESC website!  We are always here to help you out with your next project to move your liquids or help you reduce your emissions!

Don’t forget to follow our Blog to hear more on the ever-changing energy and marine industry!

Have a relaxing weekend!

U.S. EIA Weekly Updates for Petroleum & Other Liquids, Natural Gas, Propane, and Coal are all now available!

Happy Friday!

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Weekly Reports for Petroleum and Other Liquids, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel, Natural Gas, Propane, and Coal for the week ending April 24, 2026, are all now available from the EIA website. 

See what happened in the Weekly Petroleum Status Report by clicking the link: Weekly Petroleum Status Report - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened last week in Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update by clicking the link: Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened last week in Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report by clicking the link: Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report - EIA.

See what happened last week in Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report Supplement by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/beta/naturalgas/weekly/supplement/.

See what happened last week in Coal Markets Report by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/coal/markets/.

See what happened last week in Weekly Coal Production by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/coal/production/weekly/.

We are always here to help you out with your next project to move your hydrocarbons or to update your equipment to help reduce your emissions!  Connect with us through the Blog email or give us a call: 281-901-5554!

Don’t forget to follow our Blog to hear more on the ever-changing energy and marine industry!

We hope you have a fun and relaxing weekend!  Be careful driving around town we heard many roads will be closed.

We hope to see you next week for another week of ESC News Blog!

Golden Pass LNG is now exporting to the World with its Train 1.

Happy Thursday!    

We always enjoy an update on a previous blog.  We have good news coming from Golden Pass LNG in Texas.  They expected exports to begin the 2^nd Quarter of 2026, and we have reached the milestone.

Did anyone happen to read the Oil & Gas Journal’s OGJ Daily Update Newsletter on April 23, 2026, their article titled, “Golden Pass LNG ships first export cargo”?  In the article, it speaks on how QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil’s Golden Pass LNG with Train 1 is operational has loaded its first tanker and it is on its way abroad.  Now with their first successful export they can continue progress on Trains 2 and 3 as well as perfecting production with Train 1.  Train 2 is expected to be operational later this year, and Train 3 next year.   Golden Pass LNG is the 10^th LNG plant in the US according to the article’s sources.  We will let you know, if we hear anything else!  If you would like to read more of the Oil & Gas Journal’s article, please click the link:   Golden Pass LNG ships first LNG export cargo | Oil & Gas Journal.

Don’t forget to check out our ESC website or contact us via the email in the Blog, if you have a hydrocarbon liquids project you would like to see get off the ground or you would like to see what’s under your feet to help with your emissions!  

We hope you have a wonderful evening! 

**Disclaimer: You may be charged a fee to read The Oil and Gas Journal’s article. **

HPF Annual Crawfish Boil, tonight!

Happy Wednesday! 

We hope to see you the Houston Producers Forum (HPF) Annual Crawfish Boil tonight, April 22, 2026, 4 PM to 7 PM.  The festivities will be held at Kirby Ice House, 3333 Eastside St., Houston, Texas 77098.

The Annual Crawfish Boil is a fun time with music and chances to network with other professionals from around the oil and gas industry.  We hope to see you there!

If you need help with planning your next hydrocarbon liquids project in this low carbon world, contact us via the email in the Blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a great and productive week! 

Greater Houston Port Bureau’s Women in Maritime Spring Happy Hour is this evening!

Happy Tuesday! 

We hope you reserved your place for this evening’s event for the Greater Houston Port Bureau’s Women in Maritime Happy Hour at the Houston Pilots Office from 4:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.

We are looking forward to Guest Speaker, Matt Douglas, Wine Supervisor for Total Wine.  Mr. Douglas will be speaking on the History of Transportation of Wine.  It should be pretty interesting. We will be saying goodbye to our friend, Andrea LaVorgna, who will be retiring at the end of the month from the Greater Houston Port Bureau.  If you would like more details, please click the link: Women in Maritime Happy Hour - Greater Houston Port Bureau.

We hope to see you there!

If you need help with planning your next hydrocarbon liquids project in this low carbon world, contact us via the email in the Blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a great and productive week!  Keep dry!

DOE has accepted contracts in their third round RFP from the Emergency Exchange Program for delivery from West Hackberry SPR. Happy Monday! We hope you had a relaxing

Happy Monday!  We hope you had a relaxing weekend and were able to stay out of the rain on Saturday.  Let’s get started.

You know we like to keep up with the happenings at the Department of Energy’s SPR, and we have an update on the third round for Requests for Proposals, which closed April 13, 2026.  Let’s dig in. 

Did anyone happen to read the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrocarbon and Geothermal Energy Office Release on April 17, 2026, their announcement, “Energy Department Awards New Contracts from Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Advancing Emergency Exchange”?  In the announcement, it goes on to speak on how the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently (April 17^th) published they have awarded nine companies exchanges in their third round of Request for Proposals (RFP) from the Emergency Exchange Program for more than 26 million barrels of crude oil from its West Hackberry SPR.  The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) accepted RFP’s which closed on April 13^th, 2026, and the lucky awardees have until 2027 to return the barrels with additional oil, and they may have quick delivery.  The DOE has in the last two RFPs set up exchanges for a total of 26 million barrels of oil from their Bayou Choctaw, Bryan Mound and West Hackberry SPRs.   Some of the current awardees are as follows: BP Products North America (1 million barrels), Energy Transfer Crude Marketing (1.1 million barrels), ExxonMobil Oil Corporation (3 million barrels), Vitol (3.5 million barrels) as well as other companies totaling over 26 million barrels.  We will keep you posted on anything interesting we hear out of the DOE and the SPR.  If you would like to read more of the Announcement from the U.S. DOE’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, please click the link: Energy Department Awards New Contracts from Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Advancing Emergency Exchange | Department of Energy.

If you would like help in looking into how to store your liquid hydrocarbon safely in underground storage or just find out what is underneath your feet to help with your emission reduction goals, contact us via email in the Blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a wonderful evening and a productive week. 

**Disclaimer: Please see the Immediate Release from the U.S. DOE for specifics. **

 

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released their SEDS, and it is now available on their website!

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released their State Energy Data System (SEDS); it is now available from the EIA website. 

Check out what happened in the State Energy Data System by clicking the link: U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis.

Don’t forget to check out our ESC website!  We are always here to help you out with your next project to transport your hydrocarbon liquids!

Have a safe and relaxing weekend! 

U.S. EIA Weekly Updates for Petroleum & Other Liquids, Natural Gas, Propane, and Coal are all now available!

Happy Friday!

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Weekly Reports for Petroleum and Other Liquids, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel, Natural Gas, Propane, and Coal for the week ending April 17, 2026, are all now available from the EIA website. 

See what happened in the Weekly Petroleum Status Report by clicking the link: Weekly Petroleum Status Report - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened last week in Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update by clicking the link: Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

See what happened last week in Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report by clicking the link: Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report - EIA.

See what happened last week in Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report Supplement by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/beta/naturalgas/weekly/supplement/.

See what happened last week in Coal Markets Report by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/coal/markets/.

See what happened last week in Weekly Coal Production by clicking the link: https://www.eia.gov/coal/production/weekly/.

We are always here to help you out with your next project to move your hydrocarbons or to update your equipment to help reduce your emissions!  Connect with us through the Blog email or give us a call: 281-901-5554!

Don’t forget to follow our Blog to hear more on the ever-changing energy and marine industry!

We hope you have a fun and relaxing weekend! 

We hope to see you next week for another week of ESC News Blog!