“FAST-41 has delivered exactly what it was designed to do — improved timeliness, predictability, and accountability across multiple federal agencies without changing any environmental or regulatory standards,” said Anthony Huston, president and CEO of Graphite One.
Graphite One says Alaska project on track for September permitting decision
Staff Writer, Mining.Com, April 27, 2026
Graphite One (TSXV: GPH) says its flagship project in Alaska remains on track for a September permitting decision as it continues to undergo federal review under the FAST-41 program.
In June, the Graphite Creek project — considered the largest graphite resource in the US — was selected for inclusion in the FAST-41 framework, a federal government initiative designed to streamline the permitting process for what it deems to be major infrastructure projects.
At the time, Graphite Creek was the first project in Alaska to be added to the FAST-41 permitting dashboard.
Following a 60-day coordinated project plan (CPP) process, the FAST-41 website published a detailed permitting timetable, giving the project an approximate 13.5-month environmental review period. That places the projected completion date at September 29, 2026.
In an update on Monday, Graphite One said the project remains “in progress” under the leadership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and it continues to advance all required federal reviews on schedule, with full transparency provided to the public via the federal permitting dashboard.
Shares of Graphite One jumped nearly 9% to a two-week high of C$1.27 on the update, with a market capitalization of C$258.1 million ($189.6 million).
Markets are sending a clear signal: energy security risks are no longer theoretical—they’re pricing in, and the consequences are already rippling through the global economy.
Goldman Sachs Raises Oil Price Forecast Yet Again
Irina Slav, OilPrice.Com, April 27, 2026
Goldman Sachs once again raised its outlook for oil prices, now seeing Brent crude at an average of $90 per barrel in the fourth quarter of the year, and West Texas Intermediate at $83 per barrel.
At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading at $106.68 per barrel, and WTI was changing hands at $95.35 per barrel as negotiations between Iran and the United States remain on hold, with the restart uncertain.
“The economic risks are larger than our crude base case alone suggests because of the net upside risks to oil prices, unusually high refined product prices, products shortages risks, and the unprecedented scale of the shock,” the bank’s analysts said in a note over the weekend.
This shock will start destroying demand for oil and, indeed, it already is, according to Goldman Sachs. The team expects global demand for oil to decline by 1.7 million barrels daily over the current quarter and by some 100,000 barrels daily over 2026 compared to 2025.
“Because extreme inventory draws are not sustainable, even sharper demand losses could be required if the supply shock persists longer,” the Goldman team wrote. The bank has estimated lost production in the Middle East at 14.5 million barrels daily as of this month.
Meanwhile, ING commodity analysts wrote earlier today that “The lack of progress [on peace talks] means the market is tightening every day, requiring oil prices to reprice at higher levels. There’s little alternative to fill a roughly 13m b/d shortfall.”
Given the tightening of supply, prices will inevitably go higher, dampening demand prospects, Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey also wrote. “In the short term, inventories help to fill the gap, whether commercial or strategic reserves. Clearly, the longer this persists, the more demand destruction we will need to see. To see further demand destruction, prices will need to move higher,” they noted.”
Shell is doubling down on North American gas in a major bet on long-term LNG demand, agreeing to buy Canada’s ARC Resources in a $16.4-billion deal that will add roughly 370,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to production and strengthen the supermajor’s position in one of the continent’s most strategic gas corridors.
Shell Bets $16.4 Billion On Canadian Gas In Major LNG Growth Push
Charles Kennedy, OilPrice.Com, April 27, 2026
The acquisition gives Shell access to roughly 2 billion barrels of reserves while bolstering supply feeding LNG Canada, the export project Shell operates with a 40% stake and increasingly views as a cornerstone of its Asia growth strategy. With ARC’s assets adjoining Shell’s Canadian operations that feed LNG Canada, the deal boosts Shell’s LNG supply position while also replenishing reserves.
The move also addresses a growing concern hanging over Shell’s long-term production outlook. Analysts had warned earlier this year that the company faced a potential production gap of 350,000 to 800,000 boed by the middle of the next decade as mature fields decline. ARC’s output, which averaged a record 374,000 boed last year, effectively plugs much of that hole while allowing Shell to lift its compound annual production growth target for the decade to 4% from 1%.
Shell said the transaction, structured as roughly 25% cash and 75% shares, values ARC at a 20% premium to its 30-day average share price. Including assumed debt, Shell will take on an enterprise value of $16.4 billion, one of the biggest upstream deals since Chevron Corporation acquired Hess Corporation.
Beyond adding volumes, the deal deepens Shell’s tilt toward gas at a time LNG is emerging as one of the sector’s tightest long-term growth markets. Canadian gas has become especially attractive because Pacific Coast exports can reach Asian buyers faster than U.S. Gulf Coast cargoes while avoiding some shipping chokepoints.
The acquisition also extends Shell’s reserve life, which had fallen below eight years at the end of 2025, and is expected to boost free cash flow per share from 2027 without changing the company’s $20 billion to $22 billion investment budget through 2028.
