Articles by Bailey Mclaughlin
Life-Stage-Partitioned Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Data Reveals Range Shifts in Diverse Directions for U.S. Trees in Contemporary Environments
Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Database of the United States of America (FIA) at https://research.fs.usda.gov/products/dataandtools/fia-datamart, in the PLANTS Database of the USDA NRCS at https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/, and in a GitHub repository at https://github.com/wpetry/USTreeAtlas?tab=readme-ov-file#readme.
Domestic power burn, not LNG exports, is the real…
From pandemic shut-ins to production booms, arctic blasts to record heatwaves, the US gas market in the 2020s has been volatile. But while many analyses have pointed the finger at increases in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and larger global market volatility tied to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they have ignored the real culprit and wildcard factor that is happening right here at home.
Mexico Likely to Call on More U.S. Gas with Proposed Power Plants
Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo gave a speech in early February focused on the country’s plans for expanding the National Electric System in 2025–2030. The speech and accompanying documents laid out 10 combined cycle plants to come online between 2025–2027, totaling 6.7 GW of incremental capacity. Another five combined cycle plants were mentioned as under consideration, which total an additional 3.4 GW of capacity, and would come online in 2028–2029.
Escalating Trade War Risks Electricity Supply Across U.S. Northeast
Earlier this month, President Trump initiated tariffs on trade with Canada, China, and Mexico. News headlines have been dominated since then by announcements of retaliatory tariffs, increases to planned tariffs, and other economic actions.
Potential Changes Ahead for Key Natgas Basis Point in New England
In mid-February, BTU Analytics recently discussed the impacts of President Trump’s executive order that paused offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and the issuance of approvals, loans, and permits for onshore and offshore wind projects.
Chicago Citygate Premiums Playing Possum Despite Polar Plunges
Following record-high storage reports through most of 2024, gas storage in the Midwest as of February 21st now sits at a dumbfounding 6-Bcf deficit to the five-year minimum. And yet, despite the consistently cold weather, two polar storms, and the highest winter demand in years, Chicago Citygate (Chicago CG) basis has failed to see its typical premiums.
Trans Mountain Expansion Affects Seaborne Crude, Other Pipes
In May 2024, the long-awaited Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX) was put into service. The 590-Mb/d expansion mirrored an existing 715-mile pipeline that runs from Edmonton, AB to Burnaby, BC. The expansion was expected to bring incremental crude to the Pacific seaborne export market. BTU Analytics previously published an Insight highlighting our expectation that flows on Enbridge Mainline and Keystone would decrease following the start of the TMX project.
2025 Outlook for Carbon Capture and Low-Carbon Hydrogen Project Development
Energy By Carolyn Nuyen | January 30, 2025 While previous years have been filled with a seemingly endless stream of new carbon capture and low-carbon hydrogen project announcements, 2024 was a quieter year marked by companies shifting their focus toward maturing existing plans, taking a more cautious approach to financing and progressing new projects, and waiting for regulatory and funding policies to firm up.
2025 LNG Outlook: The Next LNG Wave has Arrived
So far, 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for LNG, as two facilities, Plaquemines LNG and Corpus Christi Stage III, hit major milestones in December, and feedgas deliveries reached a new record high in January. With President Trump following through on his promise to boost U.S. LNG, 2025 could see a surge in movement, pushing proposed facilities forward and increasing the likelihood for more North American facilities to reach market.
Will U.S. Power Burn Continue to Heat Up in 2025?
A record year for natural gas-fired power generation in the United States, 2024 saw Lower 48 (L48) power burn average 36.8 Bcf/d, a 1.5-Bcf/d increase year-over-year. Driven by cheap supply, another hot summer, growing load, and retiring coal plants, gas generation reached nearly 1,800 TWh for the year, or over 40% of total L48 generation. While some of the trends that sparked such a banner year for gas generation in 2024 are expected to continue in 2025, others remain up in the air.
ACHS Wound Care picks up dual awards
Adair County Health Systemis pleased to announce that the Wound Care Clinic is a dual recipient of RestorixHealth’s Clinical Distinction and Excellence in Patient Satisfaction Awards. Recipients of these awards meet or exceed national quality benchmarks over a set period of time. “The Wound Care Clinicis proud to be recognized for not only its dedication to healing but also its dedication to patient satisfaction,” said Molly Hennigar, NP.
PNM-Avangrid Merger Delayed due to New Mexico Supreme Court Decision
On May 15th, the New Mexico Supreme Court denied a request that would have suspended the pending appeal of a Public Regulation Commission (PRC) decision blocking the proposed merger between Avangrid and PNM and remanded the case back to the PRC for reconsideration. In the pending court case, Avangrid (an Iberdrola subsidiary) and PNM (the largest public utility in New Mexico) argue that the 2021 PRC decision was wrongly decided and that the proposed merger should be allowed to go forward.
May 2023 Carbon Capture Update: DAC Developers Prepare for a Boom
The month of May marked the official groundbreaking of the world’s first direct air capture (DAC) megaproject. With an investment of over $1 billion, the project’s developers expect it to herald the start of a new, booming industry. However, myriad risks could end these hopes. This Carbon Capture Update, powered by our CCUS Projects Table, takes a look at the project queues of the top five DAC developers.
U.S. EPA Sets Carbon Emissions Standards for the Power Sector
The U.S. EPA in May unveiled sweeping plans to curb carbon emissions from the nation’s electric power sector through 2040, in a move that promises to fundamentally alter the composition of the nation’s electric generator fleet. The proposal seeks to avoid up to 1 billion metric tons of CO2 through 2042, putting the Biden administration on a path to fulfilling its Paris Agreement pledge to slash greenhouse gases by half at the turn of the decade.
FactSet Research : Gas Market Taking Steps Toward a Differentiated Future
Gas Market Taking Steps Toward a Differentiated Future Energy By Bailey McLaughlin| May 26, 2023 In 2021, NextDecade proclaimed their ambition to produce "the lowest lifecycle GHG LNG on a free-on-board basis" and to make their Rio Grande LNG facility "the greenest LNG project in the world." Of course, they aren't the only players in the market interested in differentiated gas, or gas that is characterized as having lower lifecycle emissions.
U.S. Refinery Utilization Recovers, yet Gasoline Storage Depletion Continues
As U.S. gasoline consumption approaches pre-pandemic levels, gasoline exports have risen in response to realigned supply routes following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This rise in demand, in conjunction with U.S. refinery retirements, has tightened domestic gasoline balances. While most refined product markets have been impacted, motor gasoline storage specifically has steadily declined to seasonally low levels.
April 2023 Carbon Capture Update: Calpine Bets on CCUS for Natural Gas Power
Compared to other emissions sources, like coal power plants and industrial facilities, natural gas power plants are generally considered less economic candidates for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). However, a recent wave of momentum appears to be growing for the application of CCUS at natural gas power plants. This edition of the Carbon Capture Update, powered by our new CCUS Projects Table, highlights one of the largest CCUS portfolios under development.
How the Tables Have Turned on the DJ
Colorado’s Denver-Julesburg (DJ) basin has historically been a strong region for oil production, producing 590 Mb/d of oil at its peak in November 2019. Some of this strength is attributed to low breakeven costs in the DJ ranking consistently below other major U.S. oil plays, undercutting even the Midland basin. The DJ’s Niobrara formation can accommodate wells with shallower verticals, yielding more wells per active rig than any other major oil-directed basin in the country.
FactSet Research : Mexico LNG The Permian's Gateway to the East? | MarketScreener
Mexico LNG - The Permian's Gateway to the East? Energy By Bailey McLaughlin| April 14, 2023 With the Russia-Ukraine war pushing Europe into competition with ever-hungry Asian economies, a host of new LNG export facilities are ramping on the U.S. Gulf Coast to feed growing demand abroad. However, an opportunity exists on the North American West Coast to directly target Asian markets.
Nominations now open for DAISY Awards
Nominations for local DAISY Award winners are being taken now through April 15. The DAISY Foundation expresses gratitude to nurses with programs that recognize them for the extraordinary compassionate, skillful care they provide patients and families. By honoring compassionate nurses, DAISY reinforces the importance of compassion in healthcare, shining a light on all the right in nursing. Nurses are extraordinary, and they deserve to be recognized for all the things they do for their patients.
Texas Tech Outslugs Softball on Final Day at Dr. Natalicio Memorial Tourney
EL PASO, Texas – Santa Clara softball erased a six-run deficit and battled all game long but could not overcome a powerful Texas Tech lineup that slugged six home runs and lost 16-14 on the final day at the Dr. Diana Natalicio Memorial Tournament. The Broncos (3-6) had the go-ahead run at the plate in the top of the seventh as Leiora Davidson came in to pinch hit with two runners on and two outs but Kendall Fritz struck out the freshman to close out the game.
Gas Takeaway Constraints a Risk to Williston Oil Production
Still reeling from the momentum lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, Williston basin producers have struggled to realize the consistent oil production growth seen prior to 2020. In recent years, the basin has faced several hurtles to oil production growth, primarily centered around associated gas production. Rising gas-to-oil ratios, reduced premium inventories, more restrictive flaring regulations, and company-level ESG targets have all led to more in-basin gas.
The Limits of Coal to Gas Switching
For many years, gas-fired power plants have relied on declining coal-fired capacity and generation to grow market share. However, that so called ‘coal-to-gas-switching’ has reached its limit. Increasingly, the US’ coal-fired generation is being consolidated into a smaller number of economic plants that are not as sensitive to fluctuating fuel prices.
DOE Hydrogen Hub Program: What States Are Next?
The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations announced a program to earmark $8B to fund clean hydrogen hub demonstrations across the US as part of the Infrastructure Bill passed late last year. The money is being set aside to establish an estimated six to ten regional clean hydrogen hubs.
More S&P 500 Companies Issuing Positive EPS Guidance for Q3 Compared to Past Two Quarters
Despite analysts revising earnings estimates down by a larger margin for Q3 relative to recent quarters, companies have been more positive in their earnings guidance for Q3 relative to the past two quarters. Overall, 106 S&P 500 companies have issued quarterly EPS guidance for the third quarter. Of these companies, 65 have issued negative EPS guidance and 41 have issued positive EPS guidance.
FactSet Research : Increasing Uinta Oil Production Abuts Infrastructure Capacity
Increasing Uinta Oil Production Abuts Infrastructure Capacity Energy By Bailey McLaughlin| September 30, 2022 As oil prices climbed to record highs following the Covid-19 Pandemic, production in the Uinta Basin rebounded in force, with production increasing 20% between January 2021 and May 2022. BTU previously noted the region's historically muted activity; however, record-high horizontal rig counts, improved well performance, and basin consolidation suggests the Uinta is on an expansionary path.
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