Many observers have been surprised by the willingness of Saudi Arabia to let the oil price collapse. But according to geophysicist and former geoscientist at Shell, Jilles van den Beukel the policy of the Saudis makes perfect sense. What is more, it is likely to succeed. … [Read more...]
Connect North Sea oil and gas platforms to offshore wind farms to produce green gas
Abandoned oil and gas platforms in the North Sea can be profitably converted into production and storage units that convert electricity from offshore wind farms into hydrogen and synthetic gas. That’s the main finding of a new study carried out by the Dutch Energy Delta Institute (EDI). A positive business case can be made for this application if the gas can be sold to a dedicated niche market for green gas, e.g. the chemical industry or the … [Read more...]
UK government must save North Sea oil and gas sector
The UK government is abandoning the North Sea oil and gas sector to its fate, despite the fact that there is still enough oil and gas in place in the region to generate the same amount of revenue that has been reaped up to now, argue Alex Russell and Peter Strachan of Robert Gordon University. They advocate that full control of energy and oil within the Scottish section should go to the Scottish government, so that at least this part can be … [Read more...]
My 2016 energy predictions: US oil and gas production will decline, Hillary new president
US oil production will decline for the first time in 8 years, US gas production for the frist time in 11 years, the oil price will bounce back to $60 – and Hillary Clinton will become the next US president. Robert Rapier, Managing Editor & Director of Analysis at Energy Trends Insider, announces his predictions for 2016. … [Read more...]
Record clean energy investment despite oil price collapse – but Europe stays behind
Clean energy investment surged in China, Africa, the US, Latin America and India in 2015, driving the world total to its highest ever figure, of $328.9bn, up 4% from 2014 and beating the previous record from 2011 by 3%, according to new figures from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. However, Europe was an exception with the lowest clean energy investment since 2006. In other news the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) published a new … [Read more...]
Interview Christoph Frei, Secretary General World Energy Council: “The key message from Paris: be part of the innovation frontier”
The key message of the Paris Climate Agreement is that the energy sector should be part of the drive towards renewable energy and part of the “innovation frontier”, says Christoph Frei, Secretary-General of the World Energy Council, the largest global network in the energy business, with member committees in over 90 countries. “The long road from Paris is to build on the best technology, to develop and deploy innovation. If you are not on the … [Read more...]
The oil pricequake will doom the global political order
Given the centrality of oil and oil revenues in the global power equation, it is inevitable that depressed oil prices will doom the current global political order, writes Michael T. Klare, a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College. Political turmoil is already raging across the oil heartlands of the planet – and the tremors from the oil pricequake have yet to reach their full magnitude, notes Klare. … [Read more...]
Let’s not kid ourselves: curbing carbon and stopping smog are not the same
There is a widespread belief that stopping smog will also reduce carbon emissions, or vice versa, that reducing carbon emissions will reduce air pollution. But according to Christopher Sellers, professor of history at Stony Brook University in the US, this is a mistake. Experience in the US shows that taming air pollution actually made it possible to burn more carbon. … [Read more...]
How OPEC could regain control of the oil price
The US shale revolution effectively sidelined OPEC’s control over global oil prices. However, with a large number of new non-OPEC projects cancelled, spare capacity in the market reaching very low levels and demand continuing to grow, power is shifting back to the cartel again, notes Geoffrey Styles, Managing Director of GSW Strategy Group in the US, on his Energy Outlook blog. If OPEC decides to cut output in 2016, writes Styles, the oil price … [Read more...]
Oil shortage possible “within a few years”
OPEC warns that huge investment is needed to ensure that future oil and gas production will be sufficient to meet demand, writes Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com. If this is not forthcoming, the oil price may spike again, setting in motion another destructive commodity cycle. … [Read more...]
The End of the Oil Age and other great stories
We reveal our most popular stories of 2015. They reveal what is preoccupying our readers the most. Yes, it’s all about the End of the Age of Oil – and the beginning of something new. … [Read more...]
A presidential campaign speech from 2052
70% of electricity in the US now is generated by renewables, and natural gas from fracking is on the decline, says a presidential hopeful in a campaign speech in 2052. He promises voters that if elected he “will ensure completion of the energy transition”. … [Read more...]
Paris climate deal: not a simple end to fossil fuels
The historic agreement on climate change reached in Paris a week ago is not a simple death knell for fossil fuels. Rather, it puts renewed focus on carbon capture and storage, throws a gauntlet down to the transport sector, and raises formidable governance as well as cost challenges for developing and developed countries alike. This is in addition to necessitating changes to electricity market design and grid infrastructure to accommodate more … [Read more...]
Twilight of the Gods of Oil
For most of the past 40 years OPEC, the association of Big Oil exporters, and the Big International Oil Companies  controlled our lives, but they have started on an inevitable decline, writes solar pioneer Peter F. Varadi. Competition from renewables and smaller players as well as tighter climate polices will make their business model obsolete. According to Varadi, their corporate culture makes it unlikely they will be able to adapt. … [Read more...]
Paris emission cuts aren’t enough – we’ll have to put carbon back in the ground
With the Paris climate deal, the world has created the mother of all take-back schemes, writes Myles Allen, Professor of Geosystem Science at the University of Oxford. According to Allen, fossil fuel companies don’t necessarily have to stop producing CO2 – they just need to be required to ensure it doesn’t end up in the atmosphere. #takebackCO2 – start tweeting it now! Courtesy of The Conversation. … [Read more...]
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