A diesel generator. Oil and gas drillers can reduce emissions by replacing diesel generation with electricity. (Source: Shutterstock)
Two new ventures by service companies aim to electrify the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin and Bakken’s oilfields and beyond.
e2Companies and Nabors Industries have agreed to collaborate to provide integrated power solutions in energy markets, tapping into growing demand to electrify oil and gas operations and reduce emissions, the companies said Dec. 10.
Also on Dec. 10, ProPetro Holding Corp. said it would launch its first new organic service line in a decade to provide power generation to the same market. The company’s ProPetro Energy Solutions, which will do business as ProPWR, has ordered 110 megawatts of natural gas-fired mobile power generation equipment for oilfield and industrial applications.
Oil and gas drillers have been working to reduce emissions by replacing diesel generation with electricity. They are responsible for almost 15% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Energy Agency.
In September, the research firm Rystad Energy estimated that oil and gas production facilities could cut associated emissions by more than 80% by switching to electricity generated from renewables or natural gas that would otherwise be flared.
Nabors and e2 aim to combine Nabors’ existing oil and gas technology business with e2’s Virtual Utility on-site power generation system, which also include energy storage and grid optimization services. The companies are also looking at opportunities in geothermal and solar power.
“Electrification is a key enabler to reducing emissions,” said Nabors CEO Anthony Petrello. “The industry needs to take a more holistic approach—considering the entire lifecycle from drilling and completions through production—to design electrification strategies that maximize efficiency and sustainability.”
ProPetro is looking beyond oil and gas operations, the company said. The ProPWR unit is purchasing $122 million worth of equipment, with deliveries expected from June 2025 to March 2026.
“Our focus is initially on oilfield power applications, but we fully intend to build a platform that will be highly competitive in serving non-oil and gas applications such as general industrial projects and data centers that we believe are likely to gravitate towards the Permian Basin,” said Travis Simmering, president of ProPWR.
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