The need to reduce methane emissions from leaky valves, pipelines and compressor stations is giving rise to a new commercial industry made up of companies that specialize in methane emissions detection technology. “The industry has already seen an uptick in interest for its products and services, driven in part by the installation of oil and… Keep reading →
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new program designed to reduce energy consumption in buildings as part of the city’s greenhouse gas reduction goal. The program called NYC Built to Last is modelled after the NYC Clean Heat initiative that cut soot pollution from heating oil by 50 percent. “Representing three quarters… Keep reading →
Opec missed the fracking bandwagon according to this article that includes quotes from a secret letter written by Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal, a high-ranking member of the Saudi royal family, that drew attention to the threat posed by non-Opec unconventional resource production growth. “In addition to the many discoveries of oil and gas in the… Keep reading →
Geopolitical turmoil and security threats in major producing regions are never good for oil market stability, and while global benchmark oil prices have been cruising through an historic range-bound lack of volatility for an extended period, geopolitical headwinds show no sign of abating in the near term according to Barclays’ research. The bank forecasts 2014 Brent… Keep reading →
The impending restructuring of Mexico’s national oil company – Pemex – from a state-owned monopoly to a public-private entity will have a profound effect on the energy security and economy of Mexico. It may also have far reaching implications for its North American neighbors, the United States and Canada, who are both experiencing what has… Keep reading →
It’s called “Energetic Bear” and some experts believe elements of the Russian government are behind a string of malware infections that reportedly compromised hundreds of industrial control systems. Originally thought to be used as a form of espionage, experts believe the technology can gain control of energy infrastructure and “cripple physical systems such as wind… Keep reading →
The highly informative and thought-provoking 2014 annual International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) International Conference came to a successful close last week in New York. The energy world, a world of disparate natural resources endowments that constantly wrangles with its steady companion ‘political risk’, is highly volatile and, therefore, always in flux. In this context, Jason… Keep reading →
Let’s make a couple of points with the juxtaposition of the newest U.S. report on energy production on federal lands and a pair of new analyses people are talking about this week. First, there’s this piece by the Manhattan Institute’s Jared Meyer on the Real Clear Energy website, asserting that surging U.S. crude oil production is playing… Keep reading →
Energy consumers often seek similar goals when sourcing supply: Reliable, clean and cheap. The European Union is no exception and a new energy strategy document drafted in the wake of Gazprom’s latest natural gas supply cutoff reiterates that goal. “We must avoid Europe relying to such a high extent on fuel and gas imports. To… Keep reading →
The Brent-WTI spread narrowed further yesterday, with the price differential currently around $6/bbl, as Libya continues to shake up the international oil market. “Libya, the holder of Africa’s biggest crude reserves, has become the smallest producer in the 12-member Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after protests halted production and shipments. Output shrank to 250,000 barrels… Keep reading →
