ConocoPhillips lands in West Texas the week of the Alaska LNG breakthrough

ConocoPhillips flew from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a private airstrip near Midland, Texas, on Tuesday evening, June 16, a 78-minute hop aboard its ERJ-145XR crew shuttle N284CP. The flight touched down at 22:51 UTC after a brief cruise at 34,000 feet.

The same week, Glenfarne Alaska LNG announced a 30-year gas sales precedent agreement with ConocoPhillips Alaska, as reported by Reuters on May 18 and covered by Energy News Beat. The deal commits supply from the North Slope for Phase One of the Alaska LNG pipeline, a project long stalled over commercial commitments. Industry observers noted the anchor agreement brings a Final Investment Decision within reach, positioning first gas delivery by 2029. The Midland basin is the operational heart of ConocoPhillips’ Permian growth strategy, where the company recently added an extra drilling rig to offset production disruptions from the Iran conflict.

The flight follows a pattern of frequent shuttles between Houston and the Permian over the past week, consistent with ConocoPhillips’ practice of flying technical and operations crews to active development zones. The company’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call on April 30, cited by BigGo Finance, warned of physical oil shortages by mid-year and noted capital spending had risen to $12–$12.5 billion, with Permian efficiency a priority.