Investment in natural gas exploration in Australia hit the highest in ten years amid the energy crunch caused by the war in the Middle East, totaling the equivalent of $329 million in the first quarter of the year, government data showed, as quoted by Reuters. The publication cited Rystad Energy as forecasting a 10% increase in gas exploration investment for the full year, as the world’s second-largest LNG exporter doubles down on one of its best-selling commodities. This means the total spent on exploration in 2026 would top $1 billion.…