- Elon Musk's SpaceX (SPACE) plans to drill for natural gas near the company's Boca Chica launchpad in Texas, Bloomberg reports, citing a hearing before the state's energy regulator.
- Production has yet to start because of a legal dispute between SpaceX subsidiary Lone Star Mineral Development and another energy company, according to the report.
- A Lone Star attorney reportedly said at the hearing that SpaceX plans to use the methane it extracts from the ground "in connection with their rocket facility operations."
- Musk tweeted earlier this week that he plans to donate $100M toward a prize for the best carbon capture technology, signaling that he may want to use the technology to produce synthetic carbon-neutral rocket fuel.
- Also, reports earlier this week said SpaceX, also through the Lone Star unit, recently bought two deepwater oil rigs with the intention of converting them into floating launchpads to use for Starship rocket missions.