U.S. oil refiners have had a great run this century. But market events in 2020 signal changes to come that will challenge the industry’s global competitiveness, writes fellow in energy and global oil Mark Finley.
Energy fellows Mark Finley and Anna Mikulska explore why U.S. natural gas prices have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as gas prices in Europe and Asia have remained relatively low.
Energy fellow Mark Finley assesses the future of international oil companies given the tremendous pressure they've experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. Using a football analogy, he suggests that although business leaders are rightly focused on winning the game, they can’t ignore the condition of the playing field.
Mark Finley, fellow in energy and global oil, examines cost reduction, capital climate, productivity gains and decline rates as reasons why the U.S. shale industry may struggle to maintain its competitiveness in 2020. Baker Institute Blog: https://bit.ly/3lAyB6R
Gabriel Collins, the Baker Botts Fellow in Energy & Environmental Regulatory Affairs, analyzes the impact of China’s emerging demographic decline, debt burden and increasingly likely structural economic growth downshift on global oil and gas markets.
The authors identify bottlenecks in the oil the oil and gas value chain that physically cause upstream flaring at the well; analyze the economic reasons for flaring, market distortions that could exacerbate it, and the cost to society of flaring, then lay out an agenda for researchers and policymakers.
Mark Agerton, Ben Gilbert, Gregory Upton Jr.July 22, 2020
Saudi Arabia’s newfound willingness to take a stand against oil quota cheats has forced the rest of OPEC+ to adhere to their quotas. Will today’s discipline – driven by the biggest-ever plunge in oil demand – fade alongside the virus? Read more in the Baker Institute Blog.
Iron and steel production are necessary for modern infrastructure, and the sector is both energy intensive and difficult to decarbonize. The authors explore new, evolving processes that could change this and potentially provide both environmental and economic benefits.
The authors present a case study that considers the technological merits of methane pyrolysis while also addressing real-world implications including health and safety risks and commercial risks for introducing new carbon supply chains.
This issue brief is a preliminary paper introducing forthcoming research that will be expounded upon in future publications.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25613/7tvg-6k39