City dwellers and farmers. Doctors and chefs. Teachers and scientists. Families.

The wax on your skis can’t win the Olympic games for you, but when fractions of a second can mean the difference between Olympic dreams and disappointment, the wrong wax can definitely cost you.

American families and friends will soon gather around the table to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Some will enjoy a traditional meal of turkey, potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Others will feast on tamales, or even freshly caught trout. However, one near-constant in all of these holiday gatherings will be spirited conversation – and discussion invariably seems to venture towards controversial topics.

Though the smallest baseball players have traded the sandlot for school, the bigger (professional) boys of summer have advanced to playoff season. Here in Houston, we are thrilled about our Astros winning the American League West division title and are excited for the championship series.

In addition to fuel for the plan, train, or automobile that transports you to your destination, many items you'll use on your trip are created from natural gas and oil components.

Natural gas and oil may not seem to have much, if anything, in common with basketball at first glance. But, as the NBA Finals draw to a close, it’s interesting to note that neither the Cavaliers or the Warriors could be on the court without petroleum products. The balls used by LeBron, Steph and their teammates consist of an inflated butyl rubber bladder covered with leather. The bladder is typically made from components that result from a process known as thermal “cracking,” which is the breaking of a long chain of hydrocarbons into a shorter one.

A couple of weeks ago, Houston – our hometown – hosted the Super Bowl. While the fun and fanfare has died down, we still want to share a presentation from the pre-game festivities. Our Chief Technology Officer Greg Leveille offered a pretty interesting retrospective on energy use and availability over the past few decades, as well as insight into the shale renaissance.

You may have heard there was a big football game last weekend? It was a game for the ages – especially for the New England Patriots. (What a comeback!)