This first of three articles on how Gazprom is attempting to revamp its natural gas export strategy in Europe reviews Germany’s central role in this endeavor with specific focus on the traditional role of underground gas storage facilities. Germany is the second largest natural gas consumer in the EU, closely trailing the United Kingdom. Moreover,… Keep reading →
U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, addressing a propane shortage currently affecting millions of consumers in the Northeast and Midwest at the National Association of State Energy Officials annual policy outlook conference last week: “There’s a lot of day-to-day issues to be concerned about but we also want to keep this in a broader context. What we’re… Keep reading →
The Brookings Institution, a think tank in Washington D.C., recently published “Big Bets & Black Swans – A Presidential Briefing Book” with policy recommendations for President Obama in 2014. Among a plethora of issues addressed, Tim Boersma and Charles K. Ebinger also discuss lifting the ban on U.S. oil exports. Let’s briefly assess the validity… Keep reading →
The energy industry – oil & gas sector in particular – is bracing itself for a massive wave of retirements over the short to medium term, which has been dubbed “The Great Shift Change.” As the industry prepares for this turnover, companies are looking to the next generation of candidates with skills ranging from finance,… Keep reading →
The writing has been on the wall since the disastrous train derailment last July near Lac-Megantic in Quebec and subsequent incidents involving the release of flammable liquids during railroad accidents. The issue of rail safety has also gotten a lot of press recently, as crude oil shipments by rail reportedly increased 400% since 2005. Now… Keep reading →
With pipeline infrastructure lagging the rapid increase in US crude oil production, railroads have been the preferred option for moving product to market, but a number of high-profile accidents involving crude oil tank cars are raising concerns. [New York Times] The recent UN Investor Summit on Climate Risk highlights the growth in sustainable investing and… Keep reading →
It can be hard to maintain a sense of humor while keeping up with all the fast-moving energy business trends unfolding so far this year, but maybe this will help. Toronto resident Josh Culling connected the long-awaited Keystone XL Pipeline decision with news of pop icon and misbehaving teen heart throb Justin Bieber’s inebriated drag-racing… Keep reading →
As part of its New Energy Architecture initiative to better understand the changes currently in full swing within the global energy system, the World Economic Forum recently published its Global Energy Architecture Performance Index Report 2014. The report identifies and examines various indicators across countries and regions that are significant for an effective global transition… Keep reading →
An article in The New Yorker features an interview with John Podesta, a newly appointed White House Advisor on energy and climate issues, who claims Republican lobbying efforts against the Keystone XL Pipeline backfired. Podesta said the pipeline was “rolling toward approval,” but strong-arm tactics led by API slowed the approval process long enough for… Keep reading →
This November, committees in Colorado and Massachusetts moved closer to banning hydraulic fracturing in all or parts of their states. These moves have coincided with a 3.6 magnitude earthquake in Northern Texas, the most powerful in five years and one of a startling 16 in the area during the month. The safety of fracking has… Keep reading →
