Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal made headlines this week when he stated oil prices would never again exceed $100 per barrel. Surly several analysts would advise him to “never say never,” but the prince also spoke about allegations that Saudi Arabia is deliberately forcing down oil prices in order to hurt Russia. Here’s how the prince… Keep reading →
Tesla and SolarCity’s Elon Musk told utility executives at the Detroit auto show that utilities and solar power can get along just fine. “Rive’s cousin and SolarCity investor Elon Musk sought to assuage such fears further at the Detroit auto show. Speaking about utilities’ role in the future of the energy mix, he said: ‘Long-term,… Keep reading →
Michael Liebreich, chairman of the advisory board at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said: “The orthodox view of unlimited oil demand growth simply does not hold in a world of super-efficient engines, electric vehicles, desperate air pollution problems, and action on climate. The US economy has grown by 8.9% since 2007, while demand for finished petroleum… Keep reading →
Led by solar power, global investment in renewable energy increased 16% in 2014 year-on-year. Solar and wind led the charge, but biofuels investment fell back a bit. “China was the clear national leader, with investment rising 32% to $90bn, with the US second, up 8% to $52bn, and Japan up 12% to $41bn. Canada, Brazil… Keep reading →
The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve was established at a time when US refining configuration and oil production profile looked very different. Given new realities, Energy Secretary Moniz is calling for system modifications. “The Government Accountability Office warned in 2006 that in an emergency, refineries configured to use heavy crude would not be able to efficiently… Keep reading →
There is abundant speculation about how much further oil prices might fall and when US oil production growth will begin to decline. The consensus among analysts and investors is that oil prices are likely to reverse course and start trending upward sometime later this year or next. With US land-based rig counts trending down over… Keep reading →
It appears there is a possibility that President Obama could veto congressional legislation that pushes for Keystone XL pipeline construction, but ultimately approve the project anyway. This is because a key piece of the puzzle is a Nebraska Supreme Court decision. “If Nebraska were to bless a pipeline route, the State Department could finish its… Keep reading →
This morning began with rumors that Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had died, though it quickly became clear this was not the case. However, King Abdullah has been in poor health for years and is currently hospitalized undergoing treatment for pneumonia. The Saudi Press Agency (English version) confirmed that King Abdullah was still… Keep reading →
It’s that time of the year again when world leaders, CEOs, thought leaders, power brokers and dignitaries from business and politics alike descend on the small Swiss ski resort of Davos for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015. This year’s gathering is scheduled for January 21-24 and Davos is sure to be bursting at… Keep reading →
Energy sources and related commodities have driven national security issues ever since the modern nation-state was born with the Peace of Westphalia. Oak made Spain and England’s stout sailing ships. Water energy and wind drove mills and moved water. Wood and coal moved steamships. Then came the almost magical commodity of oil, packed with energy. World War II… Keep reading →
