David Messler

Latest articles from David

• Why the IEA is Wrong About Peak Oil Demand

  Published 06 May 2024 | viewed 26,410 times

  It is fairly common nowadays to see relatively near-term estimates for a point at which demand for petroleum-based fuels begins to decline. The term often…

• Could AI Spark a Boom in Natural Gas Demand?

  Published 02 April 2024 | viewed 3,290 times

  I normally chronicle the oilfield activity taking place in the shale basins of the U.S., often spending much of my time on companies operating in…

• Is U.S. Shale Production Finally Nearing Its Peak?

  Published 21 March 2024 | viewed 18,481 times

  Last October, I published a piece on OilPrice where I discussed the drivers for the rapid expansion of upstream E&P merger activity that was being…

• Natural Gas Producers Are Slashing Spending As Prices Stumble

  Published 07 March 2024 | viewed 7,913 times

  “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” That line taken from the 1859, Dickensian novel, A Tale of Two Cities,…

• Another Mega-Merger Is Brewing in the U.S. Shale Patch

  Published 14 February 2024 | viewed 25,464 times

  The merger and acquisition deals are coming in the shale patch, at a rate almost too fast to document. Last week news broke about Devon…

• The Logistics Play Set to Transform the Permian Basin

  Published 30 January 2024 | viewed 15,895 times

  The oil and gas fracking industry has delivered massive growth in oil and gas output over the last decade and a half. Starting in 2008…

• E&P Companies Face Tough Year Despite Oil Patch 'Bumper Crop'

  Published 21 January 2024 | viewed 8,404 times

  The U.S. Energy Industry has defied past norms where declines in drilling and completion activity would quickly result in lower production. Technology has turned that…

• We’re on the Verge of a Reset of Expectations in the Oil Sector

  Published 01 January 2024 | viewed 83,815 times

  Despite a late Santa rally in the oilpatch this week, it's probably time to recognize that we are on the verge of a reset of…

• Who Will Win the Bidding War for CrownRock?

  Published 04 December 2023 | viewed 10,548 times

  In October I published an Oilprice article detailing one of the key drivers for the relentless Merger and Acquisition (M&A), activity occurring within the Upstream…

• The Next Phase Of The U.S. Shale Revolution

  Published 18 October 2023 | viewed 28,213 times

  Mergers in the U.S. shale patch have continued through the course of 2023 as companies jockey for assets that will fill in gaps in their…

• Small Oilfield Service Companies May Have Big Upside

  Published 19 September 2023 | viewed 9,293 times

  The market could be ready to make a sharp turn higher in the valuations of the smaller oilfield service-OFS companies. Since May of this year…

• Shale E&Ps In High-Gear Consolidation: Big Fish Seize Top-Tier Acreage

  Published 23 August 2023 | viewed 7,065 times

  We are in the later stages of a consolidation phase in shale-oriented E&P’s that began in late 2020 and has continued since without much let…

• The Imminent Peak In Permian Oil: What Does it Mean For Investors?

  Published 31 July 2023 | viewed 15,431 times

  In this article, I will update the general trends now being observed with daily production out of the Permian basin. In past articles, I’ve discussed the…

• ExxonMobil Makes Major Move Into Carbon Capture With $4.9 Billion Acquisition

  Published 19 July 2023 | viewed 7,134 times

  ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) made a splash in the Carbon Capture and Underground Storage-CCUS business last week with news of its $4.9 bn acquisition of Denbury Resources…

• Commodities And Consolidation: Earthstone’s Bold Asset Swap Strategy

  Published 30 June 2023 | viewed 2,951 times

  When commodity prices fall off as they have the last eight months, companies begin to high-grade their portfolios or seek a way to lower costs.…

• U.S. Shale Production Is Set For A Rapid Decline

  Published 20 May 2023 | viewed 62,974 times

  I have argued in several Oilprice articles, and most recently in February 2023, that the era of increasing output from shale wells did not have much…

• Why Shale Frackers Should Be In A Strong Position In 2023

  Published 02 May 2023 | viewed 9,842 times

  Last December I published an article on Oilprice discussing why I thought land drilling contractors would start to rally after the first of the year.…

• Tellurian’s Driftwood LNG: A Solid Project Or A Pipe Dream?

  Published 24 April 2023 | viewed 5,313 times

  Tellurian (NYSE:TELL) is one of those speculative stocks that seem to cast a spell over the "Bottom Fishing” investors of the world. It is its…

• Oil Demand Set To Remain Strong For Years To Come

  Published 10 April 2023 | viewed 19,805 times

  I often get asked by readers of my articles, most of which involve investing in upstream oil and gas producers, and the service providers that…

• Is This The Next Permian Mega Deal?

  Published 10 April 2023 | viewed 6,920 times

  The Wall Street Journal reports that ExxonMobil, (NYSE: XOM), and Pioneer Natural Resources, (NYSE: PXD) are in preliminary discussions about a merger. There has been…