Southwest Economy, Fourth Quarter 2022
Blame costlier natural gas, rising fees for increasing Texas power bills
The cost of keeping the lights on in Texas homes has soared this year, as natural gas prices attained highs not seen since 2008.
December 22, 2022
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2022
Houston, still an energy town, largely pins growth on the sector
In recent
months, increasing oil and
gas demand and shifting
geopolitics have become
tailwinds for energy
production and exports—as well as for Houston.
July 01, 2022
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2022
Federal dollars could drive electric vehicle charging across Texas
Consumers who are reluctant to switch to electric vehicles cite inadequate charging facilities. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act seeks to address such concerns, providing funding to expand charging infrastructure along interstates and in rural areas.
July 01, 2022
Southwest Economy, First Quarter 2022
Shale oil boom gave Permian Basin a second life
We look back a decade ago as Southwest Economy told of the rebirth of the Permian Basin as part of the shale oil boom in “Permian Basin Booms as New Techniques Resurrect Old Sites.”
April 01, 2022
Southwest Economy, Fourth Quarter 2021
Natural gas demand recovers, lifts prices
Global demand for U.S. natural gas has risen as many pandemic-induced limits on economic activity have been lifted, but domestic production has only slowly recovered.
December 15, 2021
Southwest Economy, Third Quarter 2021
Once-oil-dependent Texas economy to keep growing as renewable energy expands
The negative environmental impacts of global warming have motivated the beginnings of a global transition from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energy.
September 30, 2021
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2021
Texas winter deep freeze broke refining, petrochemical supply chains
It may take the Texas petrochemical industry until year-end 2021 to fully recover from the record cold that triggered power outages and supply disruptions in mid-February.
June 18, 2021
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2021
Oil patch productivity rises; jobs vanish
After major oil price busts in 2014 and 2020, the same engineering prowess that helped the oil and gas industry thrive has been driven to find efficiencies to lower operating costs.
June 18, 2021
Southwest Economy, First Quarter 2021
Collapsing fuel demand tanks Texas exports during pandemic’s peak
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on Texas energy exports. U.S. energy exports excluding Texas were dramatically less affected.
April 09, 2021
Southwest Economy, Fourth Quarter 2020
Energy Woes to Weigh on Houston Recovery, Local Economist Says
Bill Gilmer, director of the Institute for Regional Forecasting at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business, assesses the effect of the energy industry problems on the Houston economy and provides an outlook for 2021.
December 21, 2020