What happens in the Strait of Hormuz doesn't stay in the Strait of Hormuz — it shows up at the pump, on the rig floor, and in every load hauled across the oil patch.
In this episode of Transportation Nation, Lee Gentry sits down with Harold Weiss, President of American Eagle Transport, to unpack how Middle East tensions ripple through domestic drilling, trucking capacity, and gas prices.
What we cover:
- Why offshore drilling in the Gulf barely flinches at short-term price swings (hint: leases are planned years out)
- How onshore shale plays — Permian, Haynesville, Eagle Ford — respond fast when wildcatters see an opening
- The real story behind tight trucking capacity and why relationships beat rock-bottom rates
- Rig count trends and what Baker Hughes numbers say about 2026 and 2027
- Why "drill, baby, drill" is more about self-sufficiency than shortage
- Life as an owner-operator: make hay when you can
Plus, Harold shares how American Eagle keeps 250+ field workers fed with fish fries at Port Fourchon and shale-site cookouts.
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Timestamps
00:52 Why cookouts matter in oil country
03:16 How Iran unrest hits Gulf vs shale drilling
06:07 Wildcatters chasing short-term price swings
07:27 Capacity crunch and honest customer talk
10:09 Onshore vs offshore: two different animals
14:06 Drill baby drill and the permit reality
16:26 Why global uneasiness moves the pump price
18:44 Growth spurt: new hires and new territory
20:36 Chasing shale plays like a game of chess
23:22 Inside the American Eagle equipment mix
24:41 Reading the Baker Hughes rig count
26:21 Make hay when you can make hay