October 18, 2026 to October 24, 2026

This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning oil and gas production, wells, drilling, petroleum and fuels refining, pipelines, LNG, hydrocarbons, and all Landman fans. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Federal Government News

White House Invokes Defense Production Act on Domestic Petroleum Capacity

On October 22, President Trump issued a memorandum under Section 303 of the Defense Production Act directing the Secretary of War to take actions supporting domestic petroleum production, refining, and logistics capacity. The memorandum states that U.S. petroleum supply is essential for national defense and critical infrastructure and that industry efforts have been hindered by financial, permitting, and supply-chain constraints. The directive follows Executive Order 14156, which declared a National Energy Emergency. This authorization enables federal purchases, financial support, and regulatory waivers to address shortfalls. The Secretary is instructed to publish the determination in the Federal Register and implement measures to expand relevant capacity, overriding prior inconsistent directives.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

FERC Proposes Blanket Authorization Program for Certain LNG Plant Activities

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a proposed rule on October 20 to create a blanket authorization program for routine modifications, replacements, and expansions at liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants under the Natural Gas Act. The two-tier program would grant automatic approval for minor activities and require a 60- or 90-day notice for larger projects, with opportunities for public and agency input. Compliance with federal environmental, safety, and engineering standards remains mandated, and reporting requirements for authorized activities are included. FERC requests comments on proposed acreage limits and notification criteria by December 21 and will complete a NEPA review as part of rule adoption.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Commerce Maintains Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders on Oil Country Tubular Goods

The Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission have continued antidumping and countervailing duty orders on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from India, Korea, Türkiye, Vietnam, and Ukraine, effective September 29. The decision follows sunset reviews concluding that removing the orders would likely result in continued or recurring harm to U.S. industry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to collect deposits at current AD and CVD rates, and Commerce will initiate the next five-year review before the anniversary date of the last determination. Administrative procedures for proprietary data are reinforced in the notice.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

EPA Requests Comments on Oil Spill Dispersant Product Listing Information Collection

The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comments on the renewal of its Information Collection Request for the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan Regulation, Subpart J. The ICR, supporting oil spill dispersant and product listing activities, parallels June 2023 revisions that introduced new toxicity and efficacy testing requirements with compliance deadlines for manufacturers of dispersant and sorbent products. As of September, seven manufacturers and seven products are on the NCP Product Schedule. The estimated annual respondent burden is 318 hours and a cost of $391,400, with comments due by December 21. Subpart J criteria apply to both new and re-listed products.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

BOEM Submits Oil Spill Financial Responsibility Forms for OMB Review

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) submitted an updated Information Collection Request to OMB for review and approval regarding Oil Spill Financial Responsibility (OSFR) for Offshore Facilities, pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The package proposes revisions to standard BOEM forms—insurance certificates, surety bonds, and financial guarantees—to clarify that OSFR coverage is effective only during valid instrument periods, with no retroactive application. BOEM estimates 2,223 annual responses, 28,245 burden hours, and no new non-hour cost burdens, reflecting faster OSFR certification methods. Public comments are invited by November 23 via the regulatory portal or mail.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Kinder Morgan to invest $4.7 billion in two gas pipeline projects as demand surges: Kinder Morgan plans major investments in gas pipelines amid rising North American demand.
• British government approves new North Sea gas drilling: UK grants approval for additional gas extraction in the North Sea.
• UK approves long-delayed Jackdaw gas field on energy security grounds: The Jackdaw gas field receives UK regulatory clearance, citing energy supply concerns.
• US refiners have run harder in 2026 as tight diesel supplies boost margins, EIA says: Tight U.S. diesel inventories have increased refinery throughput and boosted margins in 2026.
• EXCLUSIVE: Chevron uses Permian playbook to breathe life into Argentina’s ‘Dead Cow’ oil region: Chevron implements Permian drilling techniques in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta region.
• Swiss energy company VAROPreem looks to double earnings by 2030 as Europe faces fuel supply crunch: VAROPreem targets doubled earnings by 2030 amid tightening European energy supplies.
• COMMENTARY: Don't mistake Mideast oil rebound for normality: Analysis cautions against expecting stability from a short-term Mideast oil production rebound.
• Russia's ESPO oil seeks record premiums as Gulf exports uncertain: Uncertainty in Persian Gulf supply leads Russian sellers to seek premium ESPO oil prices.
• India's Welspun bags $580 million US gas pipeline order tied to data centre buildout: India’s Welspun secures a major U.S. gas pipeline order linked to growing data center demand.
• Britain Approves Long-Stalled Gas Drilling Project in the North Sea: UK authorizes new gas project in the North Sea following lengthy delays.

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