Chuck Yates Needs A Job Digital Wildcatters

Always cool getting to chat with Kathleen Kelley a/k/a the OPEC Whisperer.  She’s doing some really cool charity stuff, volunteer led disaster relief with All Hands and Hearts.  She also level sets us on oil prices - demand, supply, China, Middle East unrest.
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I had heard all about the Midland County school bond election last winter. $1.4 billion for new buildings, upgrading old ones, new technology.  I didn’t realize that right next door the Ector County Independent School District had a similar election for $423 million that passed too.   A large part of the proceeds will be used for the  Career & Technical Education Center.  CTE sounds totally dope - trains high school kids for real world stuff like welding, rig operations, electrical, roustabouting.  Longtime active Odessa resident Kevin Searcy was kind enough to come on and walk me all through the ECISD’s initiatives.

The head of Stephens Inc.’s Energy practice told me he’s got family offices investing in oil and gas.  I cried “bull shit, that’s up there with UFOs, Bigfoot and pleasant ex-wives.”  Keith doth protest so I had him, Brad Nelson and Evan Smith on to convince me otherwise.  Cool discussion on family offices - how to find them, how they operate, how they view the energy world. 

In this episode, we delve into the fascinating intersection of the energy sector and technology through the lens of Bitcoin mining. With insights from industry insiders at Digital Wildcatters and special guest Chuck Yates, we explore how energy companies are increasingly becoming tech companies, and vice versa, driven by the demands of high-performance computing and the opportunities presented by Bitcoin mining.
This episode dives into:
The strategic decision by EQT, the largest natural gas producer in the US, to curtail production due to low natural gas prices and the potential impact of redirecting that energy towards Bitcoin mining.The acquisition of a data center by AWS for $650 million, highlighting the trend of tech companies venturing into energy management to support their computing needs.The evolution of Bitcoin mining from a niche activity to a significant player in the energy market, offering innovative solutions for managing flare gas and optimizing energy use.The role of high-performance computing in driving the demand for energy and the implications for energy companies to adapt and innovate.The challenges and opportunities for oil and gas companies to integrate Bitcoin mining and other tech-driven energy solutions into their operations, including considerations for infrastructure, maintenance, and regulatory compliance.The potential for energy companies to leverage Bitcoin mining not only as a revenue stream but also as a strategic tool for energy management, environmental compliance, and enhancing operational efficiency.Join us as we explore how the convergence of energy and technology is reshaping the landscape of both industries, offering new opportunities for innovation, sustainability, and profitability.

I didn’t know much about Diversified Energy and their approach to the oil and gas business and they operate more wells than anyone else in the US so I wanted Doug to come on and tell me all about it.  Pretty cool stuff they’re doing to manage end of life issues for old producing wells.  Plus some really cool finance stuff they’re doing - securitizing debt in the insurance markets to get higher advance rates, cheaper interest rates.

Mark is one of the smartest guys I know so I had him on to explain to me what the hell is going on in the economy, the implications for the energy business and what his fund is looking at these days.  Pretty fascinating opportunity in hydroelectricity.  Mark is buying century old dams, modernizing and selling electricity into the grid.  Cool way to play the demand for baseload power.