Two major American oil and gas firms, Williams and Chevron, are increasingly positioning natural gas infrastructure for data centres as a key growth area, presenting the artificial intelligence boom's soaring energy demands as a lucrative new market for fossil fuels. Executives from both companies told investors on recent earnings calls that they expect to keep expanding data-centre-linked facilities for years, a shift that comes as oil and gas firms report bumper profits driven by rising oil prices amid the Middle East conflict. Environmental campaigners warn the trend risks extending the life of an industry that needs to be phased out to tackle climate change.

Analysts at BloombergNEF say data centres are becoming a major driver of US power and gas demand, potentially requiring a 36% rise in gas production by the mid-2030s. Williams, a lesser-known but major US oil and gas infrastructure firm, is building six "behind-the-meter" gas power plants for data centres, including four in Ohio serving Meta, alongside a nine-mile gas pipeline, and announced over $5 billion in data-centre investment in July, including funding from KKR. Permit filings suggest just five of seven such plants highlighted by the two companies could emit up to 21 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, comparable to Guatemala's total emissions, though Williams says actual output should run well below permitted limits.