Through much of August and early September, benchmark US oil prices continued to defy conventional wisdom of an impending decline, hanging in the same mid-50s per barrel trading range they’ve held since late January. Meanwhile, natural gas has rebounded more than 20 percent from early August lows, squeezing the elevated ranks of short sellers.

Energy prices’ resiliency this summer hasn’t convinced too many investors to jump back into sector stocks. But a number of producers, midstream operators, service companies and even MLPs have now made noticeable bounces off last month’s nadir even before last weekend’s drone strike on Saudi Arabia.

Once again, fear has the energy sector in its talons. Benchmark WTI Cushing oil has yet to break its mid-June low. But the S&P 500 Energy Index has already dropped by nearly 9 percent this month alone.

The Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index is down more than 11 percent. Worst hit of all have been mid-sized independent producers and the midstream companies and MLPs that serve them.

For example, Antero Midstream Corp (NYSE: AM) and Antero Resources (NYSE: AR) are off by 14.5 percent and 19 percent so far this month, respectively. Oasis Petroleum (NYSE: OAS) and Oasis Midstream Partners (NYSE: OMP) are lower by 49 percent and 22.6 percent, respectively.