Powell Shale Digest, a weekly publication created in 2003 by Publisher/Editor Gene Powell, initially to record development and drilling details of the Barnett Shale and later expanded to all U.S. shales, published its final issue Wednesday.

Powell, known as a legend in the oil and gas industry, is losing his long battle with cancer, Managing Editor Will Brackett said in announcing the closing of the newsletter. Brackett said he also is moving on to a new oil and gas-related venture.

Powell has been named a “legend” several times over by the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, the TCU Energy Institute at Texas Christian University and by Hart Energy for his career in the field and later as a publisher. Through his 48-year career Powell had worked for oil majors and independents, and on his own as an independent oil operator. He was credited with 10 field discoveries in Texas.

TCU cited him for “having demonstrated great leadership and a spirit of entrepreneurship in the energy industry.”

Powell also was very well described by Hart as “invariably sharp as a tack, totally engaged, quick-witted and funny, full of energy that belies decades of experience,” in an article in Oil and Gas Investor Magazine.

Powell Shale Digest was an anomaly among newsletters. It was not a publication by journalists. Rather, Brackett led a team of hands-on oilmen, geologists, petroleum engineers, landmen and executives as editors and contributing editors, creating the detailed industry data covering drilling and development in all the shale plays.