Saturday, April 5, 2025

“Don’t Panic” Over Oil Prices, Says U.S., OPEC

How low can oil go? Falling oil prices seemed to level off in mid-October, quelling fears from the market that has seen the S&P 500 index drop 5% in only one week. Just when the oil market was acclimating to the $80 per barrel scene, Saudi Arabia delivered another jab to the United States energy industry. The de facto leader

Oil & Gas 360 Feature Article Oil Prices

Who Will Drive Global Oil Prices in 2015 – U.S. Shale Producers, Saudi Arabia or OPEC?

Falling oil prices have helped sell a lot of Rolaids lately, particularly in places like Houston where U.S. E&Ps are trying to plan their future drilling commitments, based on uncertain commodities prices in 2015. On Monday, some NYMEX options traders said they viewed $80 as a bottom, even on the heels of Goldman’s revised bearish oil forecast it released over the

Export Study

Brookings Study Finds Multiple Benefits from Immediately Lifting U.S. Crude Export Ban

The Brookings Institute released a study last week comparing the effects of immediate lifting of the U.S. crude oil export ban vs. delaying till 2020. The study data showed a positive uptick for the GDP in all cases, a 0.14 change in welfare, annual reduction in unemployment, additional production of 1.5 MMBOD in 2015, decline in gasoline prices by 9

International Fallout: Iraq, Russia Markets Face Unknowns in Midst of Turmoil

Russia and Iraq are giants in the hydrocarbon industry. The two powerhouses were the third and sixth greatest oil producers in 2012, and Iraq’s oil reserves rank fifth in the entire world. Russia’s natural gas reserves are the highest on the planet, and its 2012 production average of 63.4 Bcf/d allowed it to export 76% of its natural gas across

Obama Okays United States Atlantic Shelf Development

Coming: 280,000 jobs and $195 billion in private investment The Eastern Seaboard of the United States is back on the oil and gas map. On July 24, 2014, President Obama opened up sections of the Atlantic Ocean to hydrocarbon development – a plan originally proposed in 2010 that was placed on indefinite suspension following the Macondo disaster in the Gulf

Is OPEC Running Out of Gas?

Thanks in part to the U.S. shale oil boom, OPEC is predicting that its share of the world oil market will shrink in 2015 for a third year running, Reuters reported on Thursday. In its 2015 Oil Market Outlook, OPEC sees demand for its oil next year at 29.37 million barrels of oil per day (BOPD), down 0.31 million BOPD

Fueling Truck Fleet with Natural Gas Would Eliminate 3 MMBOPD of Crude Oil Imports: Pickens

Energy Entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens revisited CNBC on Monday, reiterating his call for natural gas as widespread transportation fuel. Pickens told CNBC that energy independence would come much faster if the country’s over-the-road truck fleet were converted to natural gas from diesel. “We’re down to 4 million barrels a day of OPEC oil [from 7 million] … and we can

Will North Dakota Push OPEC Members Out of the Top 20?

Driving around the oil fields of North Dakota outside of Minot, you’re struck by the fact that you are surrounded by thousands of square miles of rich, expansive farmland—green fields as far as the eye can see. But it’s what lies beneath North Dakota’s canola crop that kicked off a statewide celebration this week. The state achieved a notable milestone:

British Columbia Seeking Investment in its LNG Opportunities but Costs, Russia Raise Concern

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is being touted as the next major movement in the energy industry. Supermajors like Chevron (ticker: CVX), ExxonMobil (ticker: XOM) and Shell (ticker: RDS.B) are investing billions to build up LNG networks while scaling back on more conventional opportunities. The catalyst for such a movement lies overseas in the energy-starved markets of Asia and Europe. In

Mexico’s Oil Industry Update: Will Privatization Reverse Downward Trends?

Petróleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, is Mexico’s sole producer of crude oil, natural gas and refined products. The company provides Mexico with one-third of government income and was the ninth largest oil producer in the world in 2012. The oil and gas industry in Mexico has been nationalized since 1938, but production has declined every year since 2004 (24% overall). However,

The Price(s) of Operating in the Oil & Gas Business

Commodity prices are influenced by several factors, including short-term catalysts and long term stimulus. Supply and demand often dictates short term prices, while factors such as future demand expectations and production decisions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) can affect prices over the longer term. Supply and demand in the world oil markets are balanced through responses