The energy industry has increasingly found itself in the crossfires of American politics—with Democrats rallying around renewables and Republicans generally supporting fossil fuels. The 2016 Democratic Party Platform even proposes ending consumption of fossil fuels entirely by 2050: This polarization... Continue Reading →
Last week’s issue on Shale vs. Deepwater Returns [Issue 61] featured the below figure from Hess Corporation: Several readers questioned to what extent the figure’s economics reflected different risks, including the chance of success (during exploration) and political risk. This... Continue Reading →
Toreador Resources Corporation was one of the first companies to exploit international shale in the late 2000s. Hydraulic fracturing was working in the United States, and similar shale formations exist around the world. One of the largest sits in the... Continue Reading →
October 2016 – Coordinated attacks on five pipelines in four states accessed emergency shut-off valves and stopped the flow of 15% of daily American oil supply. February 2017 – Gunman opened fire on a natural gas pipeline in Florida. He... Continue Reading →
Talking heads have been complaining about (or alternatively, celebrating) President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord. Lost in their arguing is a simple question. Can climate accords make (much of) a difference? We live in a global economy in... Continue Reading →
Before his nation discovered petroleum, its president idled the power plants whenever he traveled abroad. The people were left in the dark, suffering from their leader’s absence. A boy once asked about the blackouts, and the president’s retort—“This is my house,... Continue Reading →
“The U.S. leads the world in reducing carbon emissions for the most recent 5- and 10-year periods. Over the past 5 years U.S. carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by 270 million tons.” - Forbes Spinning windmills and glistening solar panels—that’s what... Continue Reading →
Energy policy used to be an area where Democrats and Republicans found common ground. That’s not true anymore. The parties’ energy platforms are polarized by climate change. Democrats call for America to be “be running entirely on clean energy by... Continue Reading →
The platforms for both American political parties dedicate several pages to energy policy. This language was drafted by committees of party leaders, approved by the presidential candidates, and then adopted at their national conventions. In the table below, I have... Continue Reading →
