There’s a seismic shift underway in the oil and gas industry—one that’s quietly changing the rules for investors. And if you know where to look, it could lead to some serious profits.
Here’s the deal: most major oil companies have stopped rewarding growth. That means executives are no longer being incentivized to find new resources or ramp up production.
Instead, they’re being paid to cut costs, buy back shares, and maximize short-term returns.
That’s all well and great for Wall Street in the moment. But its bad news for long-term energy security—and a massive opportunity for investors who know better.
Let’s take a look at what’s happening—and why a small, fast-growing player like Prairie Operating Company (PROP) could end up being one of the biggest winners.
The End of the Growth Era
If there’s one company that still wore the “grow or die” badge with pride, it was Hess Corporation. Hess was the last of the major oil producers that actively rewarded its executives for expanding reserves and boosting production.
In fact, that aggressive growth strategy is part of what made it such an attractive acquisition target for Chevron.
Now that Chevron is buying Hess, it marks the end of an era. Once the deal closes, there will be no major U.S. oil producer left that explicitly incentivizes management to grow resource reserves.
That’s a problem. And here’s why…
Demand Is Growing. Supply? Not So Much.
We’ve got rising global energy demand—from expanding AI data centers to EV charging infrastructure to growing economies in Asia and Africa. The world isn’t moving away from oil and gas nearly as fast as some think.
But while demand keeps ticking up, the supply side is stuck in neutral.
When oil companies stop focusing on exploration and production growth, guess what happens? We end up with fewer new wells. Fewer barrels. Less gas. Less cushion…
And when demand finally outruns supply in a serious way, prices explode.
We’ve seen it before. And with underinvestment in upstream development now becoming the norm across the industry, we’re setting the stage for a serious imbalance.
That means higher prices at the pump, higher heating bills—and for investors in the right stocks, higher profits.
Enter Prairie Operating Company: A Rare Breed in a Shrinking Club
Prairie Operating Company (PROP) isn’t a household name—yet. But it’s quietly becoming one of the most exciting stories in American energy.
This is a company that is focused on growth. Prairie is operating in the DJ Basin, a prolific oil and gas region spanning parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
Unlike the giants that are slowing down, Prairie is doing the opposite—it’s ramping up.
They’re drilling more wells. They’re bringing on new production. And they’re doing it with one of the leanest, most efficient cost structures in the industry.
Low Costs, High Margins, Smart Strategy
Prairie has several key things going for it:
- Low-cost operations – Their break-even prices are among the lowest in the sector, meaning they can stay profitable even when oil prices dip.
- In-the-money hedging program – Prairie’s management has locked in prices well above their production costs. That means stable cash flow and protection against market volatility.
- Rock-solid balance sheet – This isn’t some over-leveraged wildcatter. Prairie’s financials are in great shape, giving them flexibility to expand without taking on risky debt.
- DJ Basin potential – Prairie holds promising acreage in one of the best oil regions in the country. There’s a lot of upside still to be unlocked.
And perhaps most importantly, Prairie isn’t trying to just survive the current energy cycle—they’re aiming to grow right through it.
Growth Is the Future… and the Opportunity
Now here’s the big takeaway for investors: As the rest of the oil industry shifts away from growth and toward financial engineering, companies like Prairie are becoming rare.
And rare can mean valuable.
If Prairie keeps expanding production while others stand still, it stands to benefit not just from strong margins—but from scarcity…
As fewer new resources come online, Prairie’s oil becomes more important. Its revenue becomes more predictable. Its valuation gets harder to ignore.
Think of it this way: When everyone’s racing to shrink, the one company racing to grow can end up controlling a much bigger piece of the pie.
Don’t Miss This Oil Boom in the Making
Hess is nearly gone. The majors are done with growth. The supply/demand gap is real and growing. But there’s still time to position yourself for what’s coming next.
Prairie Operating Company isn’t a household name yet—but it checks every box for forward-thinking investors…
They’ve got the reserves. They’ve got the production growth. They’ve got the financial strength. And they’re building now to meet the energy needs of tomorrow.
If you’re looking for exposure to the next phase of the American energy story—one where supply crunches could send oil and gas prices soaring—then Prairie might be one of the smartest bets on the board.
Get in before the herd figures it out. Get invested in growth. Get invested in Prairie.
Disclosure: Neither The Investment Journal nor the author have a financial position in any of the companies mentioned in this article. An affiliate of The Investment Journal has been retained for marketing services by Prairie Operating Co. between June and August, 2025; however, this is not a sponsored post. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any securities.