Research Library

Yemen’s Houthi have mounted a selective counter-shipping campaign in the Red Sea that has disrupted global trade between Asia and Europe. In a new issue brief, fellow Jim Krane describes how the attacks have triggered major shipping delays and expenses for firms based in countries friendly to Israel — effectively acting as economic sanctions and demonstrating the power of a non-state actor to undermine global norms around freedom of navigation.

President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has backfired in many ways. For one, it’s leading to a diminished Russian energy export economy and spurring Europe to a clean energy future, writes fellow Jim Krane.

This paper lays out one potential step-by-step path toward decarbonizing Saudi Arabia, imagining a sweeping restructuring of a fossil fuel-driven society and economy.

With center-right President Emmanuel Macron facing off against extreme-right Marine Le Pen, what’s in store for the French presidential election next April? In a new brief, Baker Institute faculty scholar Julie Fette and William Tsai, Rice '24, examine the polls, platforms and possibilities.

Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies, argues that Saudi Aramco’s quest to remain the “last man standing” in global oil depends not just on its substantial cost advantages. Declining social acceptance of fossil fuel combustion suggests that Aramco’s pursuit of carbon competitiveness will assume growing importance.

The authors evaluate Argentina’s energy sector and test the hypothesis that investments in tight oil and shale gas extraction expose investors to fewer risks than extracting conventional oil and gas. This working paper is part of a series titled “The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Resource-Rich Regions.”

Energy fellow Jim Krane investigates the strategy of “security through investment,” in which states deliberately use foreign direct investment to balance against a regional hegemon. This working paper is part of a series titled “The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Resource-Rich Regions.”

Michelle Michot Foss, fellow in energy and minerals, suggests that host governments are often not well positioned to implement market-based reforms and “liberalization.” This is problematic because foreign aid is subject to home country fiscal and political cycles. This working paper is part of a series titled “The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Resource-Rich Regions.”

The authors examine the recent attacks on oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf nations to shed light on the current state of U.S.-Gulf strategic relations and the potential directions of its evolution in coming years.

This working paper looks at less explored climate strategies that Saudi Arabia and other producer states have taken or may take in the next few years to maintain the continuity of oil exports amid the emergence of restrictions on fossil fuels.