★ United States on track for record natural gas production in 2026 — U.S. EIA DEMAND SIGNAL · US marketed gas production is forecast at a record 122.5 Bcf/d in 2026, up from 118.5 Bcf/d in 2025.
US to offer 81 million acres in Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale — Reuters POLICY CHANGE · The US will offer 81M acres in the Gulf of Mexico, the third of 30 lease sales mandated by law.
Reporting window: the last seven news days, Aug. 5–12, 2026. Report produced at 10:00 a.m. U.S. Pacific Time. Verdict: MODESTLY DETERIORATING — reinforced. Flow held flat in a depressed band, security worsened on accumulating vessel attacks, and both secondary axes (diplomacy, structural) deteriorated alongside the headline. Desk
HORMUZ IS BEING PRICED AS A PERMANENT CONSTRAINT * Strait of Hormuz traffic fell to six vessels on August 11 versus a 10-day average near 11. Read This: Reuters * Kpler logged Hormuz crossings sliding from 15 to 11 to six across August 7–9, a 32 three-day total. Read
North America Short-Term Energy Outlook August 2026 — U.S. EIA PRICE SIGNAL · Henry Hub 3Q26 forecast cut 50 cents to $2.87/MMBtu; storage seen at a record 3,985 Bcf by end-October. Venture Global misses quarterly estimates as lower LNG prices, higher costs weigh — Reuters CAPACITY ONLINE
North America US natgas prices climb 4% as LNG export flows hit one-month high — Reuters PRICE SIGNAL · Sep Nymex +3.6% to $2.757/mmBtu (highest since Aug-3); LNG feedgas 17.9 bcfd Mon, 1-mo high; Aug feedgas 17.2 bcfd; Lower-48 output 111.2 bcfd