January 21, 2026
Washington, D.C. – The American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC) released Episode 5 of its podcast, Longer Laterals, where Ovintiv CEO Brendan McCracken discusses how leading independent oil and natural gas producers are deploying AI in the physical world to enhance drilling efficiencies and worker safety. Brendan, who became AXPC’s new Executive Chairman in January, also details how a lack of market access routinely deters energy investments and exposes the urgent need for durable, comprehensive permitting reform.
“The next chapter of the Shale Revolution is already being written by America’s energy innovators, leading producers who are leveraging advanced technologies like AI to more efficiently reach and recover reliable, affordable energy,” said AXPC CEO Anne Bradbury. “We have the resources and expertise to harness America’s energy potential, but the inability to build big energy infrastructure is holding us back.”
“We’re just at the outset of deploying AI – the next leg of innovation that will be instrumental in propelling the Shale Revolution forward,” said Brendan McCracken. “Yet for decades the federal permitting system has blocked the infrastructure development needed to connect our abundant resources to the American families and businesses that need them most. To drive down costs and continue growing our economy, we need durable, comprehensive permitting reform that removes these bottlenecks without compromising high environmental standards.”
About Longer Laterals:
Hosted by Anne Bradbury, Longer Laterals takes you beyond the headlines to explore the driving forces shaping U.S. oil and natural gas today. Each episode, Anne sits down with the key players behind the Shale Revolution, America’s independent producers, to unpack the policies, challenges, and opportunities that impact jobs, communities, and our role as a global energy leader.
Subscribe to Longer Laterals on YouTube or listen on Spotify.
