Oil & Gas Journal ReEnterprised

What began as an oil and gas industry where workers relied on experience, instinct, and sometimes...luck...has evolved into one built on rigorous safety systems, risk management, and continuous improvement. In this Then & Now episode of the Oil & Gas ReEnterprised podcast, host Laura Bell-Hammer traces the history of safety in oil and gas, from the uncontrolled Spindletop blowout of 1901 and the invention of the blowout preventer to the structured health, safety, security, and environmental (HSE) programs that guide operations today.

Along the way, OGJ examines major events that reshaped the industry's approach to risk. From Piper Alpha and Texas City to Deepwater Horizon, each disaster exposed vulnerabilities that led to lasting changes in regulations, process safety management, offshore oversight, and industry standards. These lessons helped move safety beyond protecting equipment and toward protecting workers, communities, and critical infrastructure.

The episode also explores how technology is redefining safety and security in the modern energy sector. Smart PPE, predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and remote operations are helping identify risks before incidents occur. At the same time, growing digital connectivity has expanded the industry's focus to include cybersecurity, with events such as the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack highlighting the connection between cyber threats and physical operations.

In this Market Focus episode of the Oil & Gas Journal ReEnterprised podcast, Conglin Xu, managing editor, economics, talks with Dennis Kissler, senior vice-president of trading at BOK Financial to discuss what a lasting de-escalation in the Middle East might look like, how OPEC+ strategies might evolve, whether $80-plus crude moves US shale, and where dependence on Gulf chokepoints stands in the years ahead.

About our guest
Dennis Kissler, senior vice-president of trading at BOK Financial, specializes in developing unique hedging strategies to assist producers as well as end users in minimizing energy market risk exposure. A registered commodity trading advisor (CTA), he has worked in the futures trading/hedging industry for more than 27 years, including 12 years as a floor trader/broker at the CME exchange, where he still owns a floor membership.

Kissler has worked for BOK Financial since 2007 helping to establish and grow the energy trade desk which now ranks among some of the largest regional trading/hedging desks in the US. He is a featured commentary provider for various news outlets including Bloomberg News, Reuters, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and CNBC.

Drawing on two recent Oil & Gas Journal commentaries, this Insights episode of the Oil & Gas Journal ReEnterprised podcast explores why Iraq is once again pursuing alternative pipeline routes through Syria and Türkiye, how expanded export options could strengthen the country's economic resilience, and why these developments matter not only for Iraq, but for global energy markets.

We also examine whether Iraq's growing development ambitions are beginning to diverge from the production constraints imposed by OPEC, and what that could mean for the organization and the broader oil industry.

The discussion incorporates recent reporting on Iraq's agreements with US companies and renewed efforts to revive westbound export infrastructure, placing today's headlines into a broader strategic context. Rather than focusing on day-to-day geopolitical developments, the episode takes a step back to consider the long-term implications for producers, investors, pipeline operators, and energy policymakers.

References 
Hormuz closure emphasizes Iraq’s need for a second oil export route

Reassessing Iraq's OPEC membership in light of national development priorities

Iraq signs 48 deals with US companies during PM’s visit to Washington

Iraq eyes Türkiye, Syria pipeline to curb Strait of Hormuz reliance

The rapid expansion of AI data centers in West Texas is creating a major water demand challenge, prompting industry interest in treating and reusing the Permian basin’s vast volumes of produced water as a potential cooling-water source.

In this Insights episode of the Oil & Gas Journal ReEnterprised podcast, Alex Procyk, upstream editor, reviews the potential.  

Produced water is extremely saline—often far saltier than seawater—making conventional desalination expensive, but emerging technologies, including systems that use data-center waste heat to drive treatment processes, could improve economics while generating valuable byproducts such as lithium and other minerals. 

Large-scale adoption will depend on proving treatment costs at commercial scale, establishing clear permitting pathways, developing new business agreements between energy and data center operators, and effectively managing disposal and seismicity risks associated with concentrated waste streams.

References
Insights: Permian produced water needs someplace new to go - a discussion with Laura Capper (Part I), OGJ

Insights: Permian produced water needs someplace new to go - a discussion with Laura Capper (Part II), OGJ

Insights: Produced water in the Permian basin (Part I), OGJ

Insights: Produced water in the Permian basin (Part II), OGJ

Insights: What’s next for Permian basin electrification?, OGJ

The Permian’s Next Boom Has a Water Problem, Produced Water Society 

Ranchers are watching the data center boom with growing concern, AGDaily

Despite a slowdown in headline deal values this spring, upstream mergers and acquisitions remain active beneath the surface.

In this ICYMI episode of the Oil & Gas Journal ReEnterprised podcast, Mikaila Adams, managing editor, examines data from Enverus and Rystad Energy detailing international and North American upstream deal markets in 2025 and into 2026.

The discussion explores how pricing uncertainty widened the gap between buyers and sellers, creating a temporary pause rather than a collapse in market activity.

The episode also looks at where capital continues to flow and what those trends reveal about the industry's direction. From North American consolidation led by the Devon Energy–Coterra Energy merger to continued interest in gas-weighted assets tied to Gulf Coast LNG exports, the analysis highlights the forces shaping today's upstream M&A landscape.

It also considers the likelihood of additional divestitures, private equity activity, and asset sales as companies refine their portfolios, pointing to continued dealmaking momentum even in a more volatile market.

References
Devon, Coterra joining forces to create 1.6 million boe/d shale titan

https://www.ogj.com/general-interest/companies/news/55354563/devon-coterra-joining-forces-to-create-16-million-boe-d-shale-titan

Ovintiv to divest Anadarko assets for $3 billion

https://www.ogj.com/general-interest/companies/news/55358241/ovintiv-to-divest-anadarko-assets-for-3-billion

Mitsubishi to enter US shale gas business through Haynesville asset acquisition

https://www.ogj.com/general-interest/companies/news/55344199/mitsubishi-to-enter-us-shale-gas-business-through-haynesville-shale-acquisition

Shell to expand Canadian operations with $16.4-billion acquisition of ARC Resources

https://www.ogj.com/general-interest/companies/news/55373597/shell-to-expand-canadian-operations-with-164-billion-acquisition-of-arc-resources

US upstream M&A hits $38 billion in 1Q26 before volatility temporarily pauses the market

https://www.enverus.com/newsroom/u-s-upstream-ma-hits-38-billion-in-1q26-before-volatility-temporarily-pauses-the-market/

International upstream M&A stuck at historic low

https://www.enverus.com/newsroom/international-upstream-ma-stuck-at-historic-low/

Upstream deal value falls 83% as oil price uncertainty widens the buyer-seller gap

https://www.rystadenergy.com/insights/upstream-deal-value-falls

Iran war impact on global oil markets

https://www.ogj.com/IranWar