I’m in Canada, and I’m extremely busy.
For the past two and a bit weeks I’ve been working on a long survey of the Canadian energy sector for Petroleum Economist’s September issue. I’m also writing an update on the oil sands’ economics for The Economist. Keep reading →
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A piece on Iraq for Prospect’s August issue. The full things is here, for subscribers.
US soldiers began leaving Iraq’s cities on 30th June—the same day that Iraq’s oil ministry began to sell off the rights to drill its lucrative oil and gas reserves. It was a victory, of sorts, for a sovereign Iraq. But western oil companies, with one exception, spurned the auction. The politics of the country’s oil wealth now threaten to undermine its limited political progress—and the economic designs of western business. Keep reading →
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Tagged: Iraq, Licensing, Middle East, politics, Prospect
A piece on the Iraq licensing round for The Economist. Full thing here.
Foreign oil firms in Iraq
Jul 2nd 2009
From The Economist print edition
What would a foreigner do?FOR some conspiracy theorists, the war in Iraq was always about gaining control of the world’s third-largest oil reserves for Western energy firms. True or not, things are not panning out that way. This week most big oil companies turned their backs on the first opening of Iraqi production to foreign investors since Saddam Hussein nationalised the industry 37 years ago. Keep reading →
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Tagged: Iraq, licensing round, Oil, Shahristani
A focus on the delays to the Shtokman project — and what they say about Gazprom. For PE’s August issue, where the rest can be found.
THE SHTOKMAN gas project epitomised the power of the resource holding nations, such as Russia, over the Western majors that had over the decades before commanded control of the world’s energy sector. Now, with news that the project will probably be delayed, it symbolises the ebbing of power away from these countries. Russia, which spent the last few years in the vanguard of the resource-nationalism movement, is suffering disproportionately as the balance of power shifts again.
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Tagged: Credit crunch, Gazprom, LNG, Shtokman, Statoil, Total
A focus piece on Iraq’s licensing round for PE’s August issue, where the full article can be found.
KIRKUK EXEMPLIFIES much of what is still undermining Iraq’s progress from a violent, post-dictator and divided country to a wealthy oil-producing state. The city, which shares its name with the country’s most famous oilfield, is also claimed by Kurds who reject the authority of the central government in Baghdad; and in late June a deadly bomb killed more than 30 people in one of its markets. A couple of weeks earlier, a truck bomb killed scores more. Keep reading →
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Tagged: Iraq, iraq oil, licensing round, Middle East, Oil
On the UK’s impressive new plans to fight climate change. For PE’s August issue, where the whole thing is available.
The UK considers itself as a leader in the fight against climate change. A raft of new plans might put substance behind the boast. Derek Brower reports
TARGETS and more targets. Western governments have been accused for years now of talking a lot of hot air when they tell the world how they will deal with hot air. Last month’s G8 summit did not even manage a theoretical ambition for emissions reductions. The leaders of the world’s richest nations declared that they “recognise the scientific view that the increase in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed 2°C.” There were no concrete proposals to accompany the words (see p31). Keep reading →
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Tagged: climate change, renewables, UK
This story’s important and I think it could shift the debate on EU gas supplies a little. Thanks to Edward Christie (quoted in the piece) who guided me through some of it. It was in the August issue of PE. As ever, the full thing is for subscribers only. But it’s worth it.
A short-term collapse in demand and long-term plans to draw on renewable supplies could transform the EU’s energy sector. Are the worries about energy supply over? Derek Brower reports
EUROPE’S gas-import needs are falling just when projects to deliver more to the continent are at last making progress. And do not just think of a short-term dip in demand caused by the recession: structural changes in the way the EU consumes energy mean that, by 2020, the bloc could import almost a third less gas than it was forecast to (assuming an oil price of $100 a barrel). Keep reading →
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Tagged: EU, Gas, Gazprom, Geopolitics, Nabucco pipeline, pipelines
The leader for PE’s July issue, on Iran, its election and its energy secctor. The full thing is on the website. www.petroleum-economist.com
IRAN’S ENERGY sector was in a mess before the contested re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and it will be in a mess after the protests, whether they succeed in ousting him or fail. That is a tragedy made in Tehran. It’s also a problem that can only be resolved there. Keep reading →
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Tagged: Iran, Iran elections, Middle East, Oil
A think piece for PE’s July issue, warning oil producers that greed for higher oil prices now will just hasten the sector’s decline in the long run.
High oil prices now will not help producers in the long run, says Derek Brower
THE COMMODITIES price shock was one of the forces that brought the world’s economy to its knees. Now, a new oil-price rally threatens to kill hopes of a recovery. That is one problem.
Rising energy prices in recent years changed the dynamics of demand, prompting consumers in the US and elsewhere to think about conservation, alternative energy supplies and ways to break the link between cheap oil and economic growth. The oil-price crash of 2008 robbed this movement of its urgency. That is another problem. Keep reading →
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Tagged: energy policy, Environment, Oil market, Oil price
A profile of the brilliant Cambridge physicist and environmental thinker David MacKay, for PE’s July “Back Page”. The full thing is in the magazine.
Only colossal changes in the energy industry will stop global warming. But first people need to get their facts straight, says David MacKay. Interview by Derek Brower
F YOU leave your DVD player on stand-by all day instead of shutting it off then you’re consuming the same amount of energy that it takes to ship the entire thing by plane from China, where it was made.
If you read that and didn’t blink, then you’ve probably been infected by a global-warming disease, one that leaves you unable to tell fact from factoid, truth from hogwash. Keep reading →
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Tagged: carbon emissions, climate change, Energy, energy policy, renewables
