From Price to Production: Inside EIA's Lower 48 Supply Model

The presentation examines how bottomhole assembly (BHA) design can change gas fraction, solids concentration, and pressure and velocity conditions at the pump intake—conditions that surface adjustments such as pumping speed, stroke length, and pump-off controls cannot change. It analyzes a six-year dataset of Bakken rod-pump wells, treating the BHA as a single hydraulic system rather than evaluating components individually. The comparison covers a conventional arrangement, where the tubing anchor restricts flow through the remaining casing annulus, and a flow-through arrangement that routes flow past the anchor using ported subs. The described design provides parallel internal and external flow paths for gas and liquid, with a higher-velocity solids section below the degassing section. For the evaluated configuration in 7-inch casing, the effective open area is 18.45 square inches, compared with 5.41 square inches for a conventional full-bore anchor; the source reports approximately 70% lower local superficial velocity. A six-year paired evaluation of more than 1,200 Williston rod-pumped wells found median fluid and gas increases of 17.5% and 23.3% among wells adopting the geometry, compared with same-configuration controls. The presentation also addresses where the response is most consistent—below approximately 300 BFPD—and the economics of making the change during a scheduled workover.

An intensive workshop on projected electricity demand and expanding the supply of natural resources used to generate power. Topics include natural gas, geothermal development and repurposing oil and gas assets; hydrogen, uranium, lithium and critical minerals; and water, environmental, storage, site-selection and regulatory considerations. Program discussions cover grid shortfalls and raw materials for electricity generation, solutions for increasing electricity supply, geothermal, and technology including ORC, sensors and small nuclear reactors. Other sessions address AI prompts for grid and behind-the-meter planning; lithium direct lithium extraction (DLE) and hydrogen technologies; regulatory and legislative factors affecting geothermal, critical minerals, low-carbon energy, grids and data centers; and mining and oil-and-gas intersections, including near-surface imaging and copper for electricity transmission. The program also includes an AI prompt clinic focused on water, the environment, science and regulations.

The symposium examines oil, gas, and LNG markets; AI-driven power demand; tariffs and the gas supply chain; critical minerals in the energy supply chain; geothermal opportunities; and changing global energy trade flows. The program includes a panel on the 2027 energy economy outlook, a session on gas-fired generation and AI data centers, and sessions on LNG and tariffs, critical minerals, geothermal, and energy trade.

Sessions examine natural gas market fundamentals for AI data center demand, including basin capabilities, rig activity, storage trends, pipeline bottlenecks, competition with LNG exports and other electricity demand, and commercial strategies for procurement, hedging, and risk management. The program also addresses AI and predictive analytics for pipeline nominations, forecasting, capacity management, and gas-flow optimization, plus integration with ERP, ETRM, CRM, and SCADA systems. Infrastructure discussions cover pipeline capacity, reliability and right-of-way; regional transmission, distribution and generation investment; federal-land development models; and the commercial and regulatory structures needed to advance large-load projects. Utility service challenges include pipeline limitations, public perception, permitting, capital requirements, commercial structuring, cost allocation, reliability obligations, and protecting existing customers. A developers roundtable covers demand forecasts versus speculative projects, developer qualifications, speed-to-power and behind-the-meter strategies, gas procurement, community hurdles, and regulatory and policy issues. Other sessions address mobile gas delivery and virtual pipelines, including CNG/LNG solutions for remote or capacity-constrained markets. The keynote considers AI-driven electricity demand, gas and electric utility bottlenecks, regional load growth, and nuclear energy. A Texas-focused panel examines policy, technology, research, planning, permitting, investment, and cross-sector coordination for large-load development, including data centers and advanced manufacturing.

The biennial symposium focuses on proven and emerging technologies for oil and natural gas development and production. Technical papers address commercially viable solutions to drilling, completion, and production engineering challenges. The 2027 theme, “Fueling the Future,” examines the industry’s role in providing low-cost, reliable energy as energy sources diversify. The program also includes events supporting a lower-carbon future, with goals of improving well and program economics, extending commercial success, and addressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations.

The conference focuses on data-driven strategies to maximize upstream production and support digital transformation. Topics include improving data quality for AI, integrating data across IT and operational technology systems, evaluating returns from digital and AI investments, secure and ethical AI adoption, cybersecurity and data governance, workforce upskilling, and change management. The event emphasizes real-world use cases and operational efficiency in oil and gas.

The program combines a shared market program with concurrent Capital, Markets & Deal Strategy and Energy Innovation & Investment tracks. Sessions address capital availability, tax equity and credit transfers, private credit, project bankability, investment risk, insurance, and the effects of policy and market changes on project finance. Topics include macroeconomic and geopolitical forces affecting U.S. energy investment; capital deployment across renewables, gas-fired generation, storage, transmission, and digital infrastructure; financing firm power amid rising electricity demand; and project-finance trends and capital sources. The innovation track covers emerging energy asset classes, post-tax-credit renewable and storage economics, AI and data-center power demand, permitting and commercialization barriers, small modular reactor economics, construction risk, geothermal, long-duration storage, and distributed energy. Closing discussions consider which energy technologies and business models may scale by 2030, what makes infrastructure bankable, and investment lifecycle strategies including M&A, value creation, and exits.

Sessions address oilfield insurance, the federal outlook for upstream oil and gas, the 90th Texas Legislative Session, legal issues relating to “0000b/c,” and a skeptical view of the energy transition. A state and federal affairs panel covers the 2026 election results. The program also includes a keynote address from John Calce, Chairman, Founder, and CEO of America First Refining.

Examines the potential for enhanced oil recovery in unconventional reservoirs, including Huff & Puff methods using gas, surfactants, y-grade, and gas-surfactant co-injection. Covers a “Stacked Mechanism” approach to improving recovery and the emerging “Frac Flood” concept, which repeats injection cycles across multiple wells. Compares the economics of these methods and discusses artificial-lift requirements for repeated injection and production cycles.