When I last visited the Venezuelan cities of Caracas and Puerto La Cruz in 2007, Hugo Chavez was sowing the seeds of the nation’s economic destruction: “Venezuela demanded changes to the agreements made by international oil companies that would give... 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 →
More than six years after Muammar Gaddafi’s death, the violence in Libya continues. Attackers bombed a major Libyan pipeline, reducing the nation’s production by ~100,000 barrels per day: “Libya is rife with rival militias and armed groups, some in competition... Continue Reading →
The oil crash has unleashed thousands of accidental entrepreneurs on the energy industry. Many spent their previous careers safely ensconced at Fortune 500 companies. Now they are on their own, looking to leverage their experience in startups. Business incubators “help... Continue Reading →
While the nation’s population has doubled in the last half century, the amount of federal regulation has grown by 1,700%. Forbes estimates that “‘more than 1 million restrictions in the Code of Federal Regulations are either duplicative, have costly unintended... Continue Reading →
Over the last thirty years, participation in Boy Scouts has declined by ~50%. My children now have many more options. Back in the eighties, we stalked real coyotes and rattlesnakes through the brush—not imaginary Pokémon. While scouting was certainly entertaining,... Continue Reading →
“To the International Oil Companies and Indigenous Oil Companies, it’s going to be bloody. Your facilities and personnel will bear the brunt of our fury.” – The Niger Delta Avengers Nigeria’s oil output has plummeted in recent months, falling to... Continue Reading →
“Out of the money (OTM) is a call option with a strike price that is higher than the market price of the underlying asset. . . . An out of the money option has no intrinsic value, but only possesses... Continue Reading →
“32,685 deaths [per year] from terrorism, up from 3,329 at the turn of the century.” – The Wall Street Journal (March 23, 2016) On March 13th Islamic terrorists killed 19 when they attacked Ivory Coast hotels lining Gran-Bassam beach. The... Continue Reading →
