By: La Tabla/Plataforma de Periodismo de Datos 12 FEB 2026
An engineer from MIT, a fracking mogul, and a staunch critic of climate policies, Wright transitioned from sipping fracking fluids in public to leading the Department of Energy.
Recently, Wright arrived in Venezuela and met with the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, announcing that the oil embargo against Venezuela “has basically ended,” predicting a sharp increase in oil and gas production with U.S. backing.
His personal fortune exceeds $100 million, and today, while constrained by public ethics, he finds himself sitting on a pile of cash as his former company plummets on the stock market. Here are 10 key facts that define his profile.
1. 🎓 ELITE EDUCATION AND ORIGINS
Born in 1965 and raised in Colorado, Wright is a mechanical and electrical engineer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with postgraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He describes himself as a “tech nerd turned entrepreneur”.
2. 🛢️ FRACKING PIONEER (SINCE THE 1990S)
In 1992, he founded Pinnacle Technologies, the company that developed hydraulic fracturing mapping technology and proposed slickwater fracturing to George P. Mitchell, considered the father of shale gas. His contributions were instrumental in launching the shale revolution that transformed U.S. energy independence.
3. 🏢 LIBERTY ENERGY: HIS MASTERPIECE
In 2011, he founded Liberty Energy, the second-largest hydraulic fracturing service company in North America. Under his leadership, Liberty acquired Schlumberger’s fracking business in 2020 and now generates over $4 billion in annual revenue. Wright served as CEO and chairman from its inception until his departure in February 2025.
4. 💰 PERSONAL FORTUNE OF $100 MILLION AND FORCED SALE
Upon taking office, Wright had a net worth close to $100 million. His 1.6% stake in Liberty Energy was valued at approximately $50 million. Ethical guidelines mandated that he divest from all his energy stocks after his confirmation.
The key fact: The sale was a stroke of luck. Since his resignation, Liberty’s stock has fallen nearly 40% due to a new sector crisis. Wright also sold stakes in Chevron, Expand Energy, and Energy Transfer, pocketing an additional $6 million.
5. 🏔️ THE $38 MILLION MANSION IN YELLOWSTONE CLUB
His most valuable asset today is a 9,500-square-foot mansion (almost 900 m²) located in Montana’s Yellowstone Club, an exclusive private ski resort frequented by Mark Zuckerberg, Tom Brady, and Taylor Swift. Built on six acres, it’s valued at $38 million before debt. He also owns two properties in the Denver area worth around $4.5 million.
6. 🥃 THE CUP THAT WENT GLOBAL (2019)
In March 2019, Wright starred in a viral video: he drank from a glass of hydraulic fracturing fluid on camera. His toast was: “To your health and to the long and healthy life of billions of people thanks to oil and gas.” The intent was to show that the chemicals are not toxic. The mixture contained water, chlorine, soap, and other additives.
7. 🌍 “THERE IS NO CLIMATE CRISIS” (BUT HE’S NOT A DENIER)
Wright acknowledges that climate change is real, calling it a “global challenge we must solve” during his confirmation hearing. However, he argues that it’s not an existential crisis. In 2023, he stated: “There is no climate crisis, and we are not in the midst of an energy transition.” He considers terms like “carbon pollution” to be “destructively misleading”.
8. ☢️ BEYOND OIL: NUCLEAR AND GEOTHERMAL
He is a board member of Oklo Inc., a small modular reactor (SMR) company led by Sam Altman (OpenAI). He has also invested in geothermal energy and sodium batteries. His vision is, “Anything that is energy, as long as it’s affordable, reliable, and improves lives.”
9. 🏛️ CURRENT POSITION (SINCE FEBRUARY 2025)
On February 3, 2025, the Senate confirmed his nomination with 59 votes in favor and 38 against, including support from eight Democrats. He is the 17th Secretary of Energy of the U.S. and is part of the National Energy Council established by Trump. He ranks 15th in the presidential succession line.
10. 💵 WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? THE PENDING MYSTERY
SEC records confirm Wright sold 2.68 million shares of Liberty and obtained a divestment certificate approved by the Office of Government Ethics.
What is NOT documented in public sources:
· Whether he reinvested the ~$50 million from Liberty into other assets
· If he is holding that cash, donated it, or placed it into blind trusts
· The specific recusation restrictions imposed on him as secretary
SOURCES: E&E News/POLITICO, Forbes, National Post, SEC Form 4 Filings, U.S. Office of Government Ethics, ABC News, The New American.