WTI Crude--
Brent Crude--
Natural Gas--
ND Rig Count--
WTI Crude--
Brent Crude--
Natural Gas--
ND Rig Count--
BAKKEN WIRE
The Afternoon Take - Energy Market Briefing
Global Markets

Energy Market Briefing

Bakken Wire Staff·🌅Afternoon Wire·
Listen
0:00 / 3:50

Bakken Wire Energy Market Briefing Afternoon Update | Thursday, September 17, 2026

1. Headlines

Oil prices are lower this afternoon. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is trading at $101.26 per barrel, down $1.17 (-1.14%), while Brent crude is at $104.20, down $1.63 (-1.54%). According to a report from Rigzone, the decline is attributed to improving crude flows through a key Saudi Arabian pipeline, though uncertainty surrounding the Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz shipping persists. Natural gas is also slightly lower at $2.87/MMBtu.

Create a free account to continue reading

Sign up for free to get full access to Bakken Wire's daily energy market analysis, audio briefings, and more.

Create Free Account

Already have an account? Sign in

Share this article

PostShareShareEmail

Related Articles

The Afternoon Take - Energy Market Briefing
Global Markets

Energy Market Briefing

Energy Market Briefing Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026 1. Headlines Today's market data shows crude oil prices holding steady at elevated levels, with WTI at $104.12 and Brent at $113.43. The Bakken differential to WTI remains at -$3.42. Rig activity in the monitored region is unchanged, with 36 active rigs reported. Headlines are dominated by major corporate strategic shifts and geopolitical assessments. According to Rigzone, Big Oil has reaped significant windfall profits, cited as "more than $50 billion," attributed to spiking fuel prices. In a major strategic pivot reported by OilPrice.com, Chevron is raising its exploration spending by 50% compared to last year, shifting focus to frontier regions like South America, Africa, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Concurrently, a U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency report, covered by OilPrice.com, warns that China could deploy space-based laser weapons by the end of the 2020s, a claim met with some public skepticism from independent analysts....

🌅Afternoon Wire·Nov 1
Global Markets

U.S. Nuclear Materials Push Draws Global Energy Attention

The U.S. government and national laboratories are pushing to close a widening nuclear technology gap with China, a competition OilPrice.com reported as central to global energy leadership. According to OilPrice.com, the United States remains the world’s largest nuclear power producer, but China has vastly outspent the U.S. on nuclear research and development for years. The source said China’s sector is younger, more advanced and growing quickly, while the American fleet stagnates and reactors age out. China is also pushing small modular reactors and molten salt reactors, giving Beijing influence over the sector’s future direction, OilPrice.com reported. Damien Ma, energy lead analyst for Gavekal Technologies, wrote in a 2026 report quoted by OilPrice.com and the South China Morning Post in June: “By a wide margin, China will have the world’s most dynamic and significant nuclear industry through 2035.” Ma also said construction efficiencies mean China can build a new plant in...

🌅Afternoon Wire·Nov 1
The Morning Take - Energy Market Briefing
Global Markets

Energy Market Briefing

Daily Energy Market Briefing November 1, 2026 1. Headlines Oil prices are climbing this morning, with WTI crude at $104.12 and Brent at $113.43, adding $2.12 and $2.63 respectively. According to Rigzone, the upward move is attributed to traders gauging Washington's appetite for renewed military escalation against Iran, creating market uncertainty. Major corporate and geopolitical developments are driving the news cycle. Chevron is raising its exploration budget by 50% this year, aiming to spend over $1.5 billion, as reported by OilPrice.com citing an interview with the company's vice president of exploration. Separately, a U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report warns that China could deploy space-based laser weapons by 2030, a claim some experts, like Victoria Samson of the Secure World Foundation, view as alarmist. In corporate results, Rigzone reports that Chevron exceeded forecasts and that "Big Oil" collectively reaped a windfall, summarized as "more than $50 billion in windfall profits." On...

☀️Morning Wire·Nov 1