Texas Oil Survey Shows Frustration With Trump. ‘Chaos Is a Disaster.’ By Avi Salzman
Updated March 27, 2025, 12:37 pm EDT / Original March 27, 2025, 12:23 pm EDT
“‘Drill, baby, drill’ is nothing short of a myth and populist rallying cry,” one executive wrote. Above, an oil pump jack in Stanton, Texas. - Getty Images
Energy executives have mostly heaped praise on President Donald Trump in public appearances, welcoming his removal of environmental restrictions on oil drilling and vows to open up more areas to exploration.
But in private, executives are clearly frustrated with the administration’s policies, and some are pulling back investment. Several executives expressed their feelings in blunt terms in a quarterly survey put out by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
“The administration’s chaos is a disaster for the commodity markets,” one wrote. “‘Drill, baby, drill’ is nothing short of a myth and populist rallying cry. Tariff policy is impossible for us to predict and doesn’t have a clear goal. We want more stability.”
The White House said in response to the survey results that oil executives who met with Trump at the White House last week were “eager to unleash American energy after four years of Biden’s radical climate agenda.” A White House official said that tariffs didn’t come up in the conversation.
The Fed survey responses, which are anonymous, were collected from 130 executives in oil and gas production and services who work in the Fed district, which includes Texas and sections of New Mexico and Louisiana.
“I have never felt more uncertainty about our business in my entire 40-plus-year career,” wrote another executive.
For the most part, the executives expressed concern about tariffs. Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel are causing costs to jump for oil producers who use a lot of it.
“Planning for new development is extremely difficult right now due to the uncertainty around steel-based products,” one wrote. Another said the firm was reducing its 2025 and 2026 capital expenditures because of the tariffs.
Tariffs on Canada, which have been paused, also drew scorn, given how integrated the U.S. and Canadian oil markets have become.
“Because of trade tension, especially with Canada, a large operator requested we look to potentially move manufacturing out of the U.S. to support their work in Canada and other international markets,” one oil services executive wrote.
That said, the survey isn’t a comprehensive picture of the industry. The Fed survey mostly covers shale-drillers, a crucial part of the American energy industry but not the only one.
In public, several executives have praised the administration. Just this week, Shell CEO Wael Sawan told investors that it’s “really good to be able to see the energy sector back at the top of the agenda” for the White House. He and other Big Oil executives met with Trump a few days ago.
Some of Trump’s actions are clearly benefiting energy companies. His removal of a pause by the Biden administration imposed on permits for new liquefied natural gas export facilities has boosted that industry. And his pro-fossil fuel tone may be one reason energy stocks are leading the broader market this year despite a drop in oil prices.
That said, trade policy could clearly stall the rally. Energy may be at the top of the White House’s agenda, but several of Trump’s policies, such as the steel tariffs, could still upend the industry.
Write to Avi Salzman at [email protected]
