Energy news for August 11, 2026
August 11, 2026 · 18 stories
18 stories from across markets and downstream. The day led with National gasoline average falls to $4.006 a gallon, EIA says.
Markets
National gasoline average falls to $4.006 a gallon, EIA says
The EIA's weekly survey put the West Coast at $5.075 a gallon and the Gulf Coast at $3.543 as of August 10, 2026.
Markets
Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan and HF Sinclair sanction $5 billion pipeline
The three companies took a final investment decision on the 1,300-mile Western Gateway pipeline, splitting ownership 49.9%, 35.1% and 15%.
Markets
EIA sees natural gas inventories at decade high heading into winter
The agency's August outlook projects 3,985 Bcf in storage by October, the most since 2016, as gas production rises and LNG maintenance trims feedgas demand.
Markets
SoCalGas posts record-low dig-in damage rate as 811 calls hit 1.1 million
More than 1.1 million Californians called 811 before digging in 2025, a 6% jump that helped SoCalGas record its lowest damage rate ever.
Markets
INGAA marks National 811 Day, spotlights facility owners' role in damage prevention
INGAA says protecting underground gas, electric and water lines takes facility owners keeping records and answering 811 locate requests on time.
Markets
US rig count holds at 588 as Permian and Texas add rigs
The Permian Basin and Texas each added rigs for a second straight week, Baker Hughes reported Aug. 8, while the national count held at 588.
Power
Data center trip in Virginia becomes PJM's largest load-loss event on record
A July 22 transmission fault dropped 3,800 megawatts of Dominion-zone data centers off the grid, pushing PJM toward new ride-through rules.
Upstream
Wood to manage lifecycle data across nearly 100 Equinor assets in Norway
A three-year contract puts Wood in charge of technical information for Equinor's offshore, subsea and onshore sites in Norway.
Power
Babcock & Wilcox orders another 1 GW of Siemens Energy turbines for AI data centers
The order stockpiles turbines ahead of B&W's next AI data center project, building on its $2.4 billion Base Electron project, which has entered permitting with equipment manufacturing underway.
Downstream
Santos loads first crude cargo from Alaska's Pikka field, targets 80,000 barrels a day
A 450,000-barrel cargo left Valdez for West Coast refiners as Pikka phase 1 output climbs from 23,000 toward a planned 80,000 barrels a day.
Midstream & LNG
Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan, HF Sinclair sanction $5bn Western Gateway pipeline
The three companies took a final investment decision on a 1,300-mile products pipeline linking Texas to Arizona and California.
Markets
Baker Hughes to build Kuwait Oil Company research center under new contract
A new multi-year contract makes Baker Hughes a technology partner inside Kuwait Oil Company's Ahmadi Innovation Valley research hub.
Markets
Equinor buys back 729,372 shares in third 2026 tranche
Equinor ASA repurchased 729,372 shares for NOK 274.3 million between August 3 and 7 under the third tranche of its 2026 buyback program.
Geopolitics & Supply
EDF, Al Khadra and OQAE close financing for 120 MW Oman wind project
The Jaalan Bani Bu Ali wind farm will sell power to Nama PWP under a 20-year deal and start up in the third quarter of 2027.
Upstream
Aker BP and Equinor's Svarteknippa well comes up dry in the North Sea
Well 15/6-17, drilled to 3,704 meters in production licence 979, found only weak hydrocarbon indicators before being plugged and abandoned.
Upstream
Afentra discovers oil at Pacassa SW off Angola, up to 70 million barrels
Afentra's Pacassa SW well off Angola found 136 metres of net oil pay, with potential for up to 70 million barrels and first oil due in Q3 2026.
Downstream
Techouse completes testing of a lighter offshore steam generator
Techouse finished testing a lighter, smaller once-through steam generator built with TotalEnergies and Equinor, and plans a commercial launch in late 2026.
Downstream
Santos loads first Pikka crude cargo, aims for 80,000 b/d by Q3 2026
Santos shipped 450,000 barrels of Alaska crude from Pikka phase 1's first export cargo as output ramps toward an 80,000 b/d plateau.
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