Big Digital Energy
Welcome to Big Digital Energy with Chuck Yates, Mark Meyer and Kirk Coburn. Weekly news in energy covering oil and gas and cleantech.
10
Can One Governor Candidate Rewrite Alaska’s Energy Future?
<p>Adam Crum brings some serious Alaska energy, literally and figuratively, as he sits down with Chuck to talk about where the state’s headed and how he thinks it can get there. He opens up about everything from playing football at Northwestern to steering Alaska through COVID, all the way to why he thinks the state’s future depends on smarter energy development, fixing outdated policies like the Jones Act, and protecting the culture that makes Alaska, well… Alaska. It’s a mix of big ideas, real talk, and a few stories you probably haven’t heard before, all centered a...
DOE's $1B Nuke Bet, China’s Coal Loop, & Al Gore’s COP Circus | 11.21.25
<p>Chuck and Mark crank up the camp as they riff on the Landman season two premiere, bouncing from the show’s oil-patch chaos to the real-world energy circus. They torch the DOE Loan Programs Office’s messy reputation while breaking down its latest billion-dollar moves, like the $1B revival of Three Mile Island for Microsoft and AEP’s $1.6B transmission upgrade, along with its surprisingly strong 3.3% default rate and Tesla’s quick 2013 repayment. Then it’s off to China, where a coal-to-liquids boom big enough to replace 1.3 million barrels a day pairs with thorium molten-salt reactors and plans for a 200-MW n...
Congress Chaos, FAA Close Call & COP30’s Amazon Irony | BDE 11.15.25
<p>COP30’s giving big “save the trees… after we bulldoze them” energy, and Kirk and Mark are all over it. They roast the idea of hosting a climate conference in the Amazon while clearing land for roads, hotels, and runways, right as private jets zip overhead and new drilling permits get stamped. It’s peak irony, wrapped in green branding. They unpack the politics, the money, the energy realities no one onstage wants to mention, and why these climate summits keep feeling more like PR tours than solutions. Sharp takes, spicy commentary, and a whole lot of uncomfortable truth about what...
The Sable vs. Coastal Commission Showdown, Explained | BDE 11.04.25
<p>California’s energy situation is getting messy, and the story behind it isn’t what most people think. Mark sits down with Mike Umbro, founder of Californians for Energy & Science, to break down how policy decisions, refinery shutdowns, and halted oil production are reshaping the state’s entire energy mix. They dig into why geothermal isn’t the quick fix it’s made out to be, how rising energy costs and job losses are hitting local communities, and the surprising environmental fallout from natural oil seeps along the coast. It’s a raw, honest look at what happens when politics and...
Gates Backpedals on Climate, Trump’s China “Win,” & US Hits Russia’s Oil Giants | BDE 10.31.25
<p>Bill Gates’ latest climate pivot is stirring things up, and the guys are all over it. Kirk, Chuck, and Mark break down why Gates is stepping away from the emissions-only mindset and putting people back at the center of the climate conversation, think healthcare, infrastructure, and everyday quality of life. From the ripple effects across the energy world to Big Tech’s growing influence, they don’t hold back. The crew also tackles U.S.-China trade tensions, Russian oil sanctions, and how AI could shake up the future of energy. It’s a sharp, funny, and surprisingly optimistic take on...
Sable Offshore Stalled, BP’s ICC Win, Oil Glut or Tightness?, Waha $0 Gas | BDE 10.18.25
<p>California’s energy mess is heating up, and Kirk and Mark aren’t holding back. They’re calling out what happens when regulators, like the California Coastal Commission, start flexing too hard, leaving companies like Sable Offshore tangled in lawsuits over something as basic as fixing old oil platforms near Santa Barbara. Between the fallout from the 2015 pipeline spill, shrinking refining capacity, and a growing dependence on imported crude, California’s energy future looks messy at best. The guys dig into whether regulation is protecting the environment or just strangling innovation and property rights. And because no episode’s complete w...
Oil Markets Go Schizo, OPEC+ Blinks & Cenovus Doubles Down on Canada’s “Peak Oil” Bet | BDE 25.10.09
<p>Oil at $500? Yeah, not happening, at least not anytime soon. Kirk, Chuck, and Mark unpack the hype around that wild prediction and explain what’s actually driving oil markets right now. Between OPEC’s chess moves, shifting U.S. production, and global demand swings, there’s plenty to keep traders guessing. They also get into the ripple effects of renewables, how countries are juggling sustainability with economic reality, and a few curveballs, like the MEG Energy deal, that have everyone talking. It’s a smart, unfiltered look at where the energy world’s really headed.</p><p>Click here to watch a...
Revolutionizing Fracking with Real-Time Data | BDE 10.08.25
<p>Real-time frac data isn’t some future concept, it’s here, and it’s changing the way completions get done. Chuck Yates sat down with folks from ProFrac and Seismos to break down how AI, automation, and acoustic sensing are turning traditional fracking on its head. Matt Wilks and Panos Adamopoulos talk about ProPilot 2.0 and how closed-loop fracturing is giving operators instant feedback to fine-tune every stage. Then Larry Carroll and Steven Bourgoyne take it further, showing how machine learning and data-driven workflows are pushing completions toward adaptive, even autonomous, operations. From cutting costs to squeezing every drop of perfor...
Trump’s bold take on climate week, Another BP walkback, solar plant shutdown | BDE 09.26.25
<p>Trump’s Climate Week speech was anything but subtle, and the Big Digital Energy crew had plenty to say about it. Kirk, Chuck, and Mark break down his unapologetic shots at global green agendas, the messy reality of rushing energy transitions, and what it all means for regular people facing rising energy costs. They don’t shy away from calling out China and India’s emissions role, questioning high-profile renewable failures like the Mojave solar plant, and unpacking the politics of energy independence. It’s a mix of sharp analysis, fiery takes, and plenty of laughs, the kind of conversa...
Elon Musk data centers, IEA's credibility, Jimmy Kimmel and Charlie Kirk aftermath | BDE 09.20.25
<p>Musk is once again moving faster than the rulebook can keep up. The guys dig into his latest play, Colossus AI data centers, and how he’s flipping old infrastructure into giga-scale operations at a pace that makes regulators look like they’re standing still. From Tennessee to Mississippi, it’s a masterclass in sidestepping red tape while pushing the future of energy and tech forward. Kirk, Chuck, and Mark break it all down with sharp takes on what this means for digital infrastructure, the energy transition, and the frustrating grind of government oversight, all with the usual mix of big...
