About this episode
In this episode of Energy Newsbeat – Conversations in Energy, host Stu Turley sits down with Adam Ferrari, CEO of Phoenix Energy, to talk about “American oil” in action—from drilling record-setting four-mile laterals in the Bakken and delivering strong well economics even at $60 oil, to Phoenix’s transparent, yield-focused model that lets everyday investors track real production and returns. Adam shares how Phoenix grew from a small, scrappy mineral-buying team into a 40,000 BOPD operator with ambitions to reach 100,000 BOPD, why long laterals and nimble engineering are key in a soft price environment, and how global capital increasingly sees U.S. barrels as the safest bet for energy security. The conversation also hits on U.S. energy dominance, the role of private mineral ownership, permitting and policy challenges in places like California, and Adam’s broader mission to change public perception of oil and gas as an essential, long-term partner in affordable, reliable energy.Check out Phoenix Energy here: https://phoenixenergy.com/Highlights of the Podcast 00:00 - Intro00:33 – Record 4-Mile Bakken Laterals02:11 – Economics of Longer Laterals04:06 – Bakken Oil vs Gas Mix04:38 – How Phoenix Energy Started07:51 – Foreign Capital & Energy Security10:00 – Oil & Gas vs Wind/Solar Returns12:07 – Peak Oil Demand Pushed Out14:35 – Oil Value & Phoenix at 40k BOPD16:24 – Phoenix’s Transparency Strategy18:36 – Path to 100k BOPD + Powder River21:18 – Engineering Innovations22:53 – North Slope & Global Supply23:58 – California Policy & Mike Umbro26:40 – Private Ownership & U.S. Advantage30:09 – Operating & Living in California35:19 – Politics & Blue-Collar Energy Jobs36:17 – Would Phoenix Drill in California?37:56 – 2025–2026 Outlook38:58 – Final Thoughts & MissionCheck out the ENB Substack https://theenergynewsbeat.substack.com/And the ENB Website: https://energynewsbeat.co/