The Outlook for Oil & Gas Companies in 2026

Oil & gas companies are adapting swiftly to the administration’s energy dominance agenda, replacing net zero commitments with strategic opportunities across three emerging revenue streams. The AI-driven data center boom is fueling unprecedented demand for reliable onsite power, with traditional energy companies leveraging their natural gas resources and infrastructure expertise to build dedicated generation facilities and enter construction joint ventures. Major oil producers are simultaneously exploiting their subsurface exploration capabilities to expand into critical mineral supply chains essential for battery technologies, electronics and aerospace applications. 

Akin is proud to serve as a Gold Sponsor of Infocast’s Tax Credits & Transferability 2026, taking place on May 5-6 in Houston.

Antitrust enforcement is showing early signs of transformation as new leadership promises more accommodating approaches to oil & gas consolidation. In the United States, Federal Trade Commission chair Andrew Ferguson assumed office in January 2025, signaling a more permissive stance toward merger approvals that oil & gas companies have welcomed enthusiastically. This shift represents a potential departure from the heightened scrutiny that characterized previous years, creating optimism among dealmakers seeking opportunities for strategic combinations. 

International trade policy has emerged as a dominant force shaping the oil & gas sector, with sweeping tariffs imposed on products from virtually every nation using authorities including IEEPA, Section 232 and Section 301. President Trump's "America First Trade Policy" leverages duties as negotiation tools to secure bilateral deals featuring significant oil & gas purchase commitments, making trade considerations essential for any cross-border transaction. Energy dominance serves as a cornerstone of the administration's economic and national security strategy, placing the industry squarely in the spotlight.