Research Library

The Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Qatar Leadership Centre hosted a roundtable on February 15-16, 2017, in Doha, Qatar, to discuss some of the most pressing challenges facing market participants in the global energy landscape, with a focus on several issues of paramount interest to Qatar and the broader Gulf Cooperation Council.

The relationship between the United States and its Gulf allies has evolved in important ways since President Jimmy Carter’s 1980 declaration of American “vital interests” in the Persian Gulf — the “Carter Doctrine” — and while many circumstances have changed, the rationale for maintaining U.S. protection for Gulf oil supplies remains strong, authors Gabriel Collins and Jim Krane write in this paper.

The energy reform in Mexico has implemented far-reaching changes in the political, economic, and legal spheres of the country. Any process whereby an industry is opened to private investment investment gives rise to the possibility of disputes that need to be settled within an environment of legal certainty. International arbitration in general, and investment arbitration in particular, are tools that serve both the investor and the state to properly resolve disputes that arise in the energy sector. However, the author argues that a balance must be sought between the legitimate interests and expectations of an investor and the public policy interests of the state, particularly whenever a sector as significant as energy is concerned.

To access the full paper, download the PDF on the left-hand sidebar. 
 

“If I were to pick a single indicator—economic…

This study analyzes the new legal framework and definitions governing Mexico's energy sector as a result of the constitutional reform, and the implications for the hydrocarbons and electrical sectors.

One of the goals of Mexico's energy reform was to create a regulatory system that would foster competition in a very complex political environment. This framework, known as "coordinated regulatory bodies," was established in Article 28 of the Constitution and is intended to oversee and regulate the hydrocarbons sector. This paper conducts a legal analysis of this new model of regulation and seeks to determine whether its implementation strengthens the rule of law in Mexico.

Iran is on the brink of “water bankruptcy” in large part because the Iranian government’s aspirations for wheat self-sufficiency are driving high agricultural water use, fellow Gabriel Collins writes in this research paper. The paper analyzes Iran’s water situation and proposes policy solutions to slow the rapid depletion of the country’s groundwater.

An intrinsic element of Mexico's 2013-2014 energy reform was the promise that transfers of technology required to exploit the country's hydrocarbons would take place. This paper analyzes the extent to which this has actually happened and proposes policies that could foster innovation in the energy sector in Mexico.

This research paper analyzes portions of Mexico’s energy reform legislation related to increasing participation by small and medium-sized companies in the electrical market and the implications of including such businesses on strengthening the rule of law in Mexico.

The author discusses the history of socio-environmental conflict in Mexico, the potential emergence of such conflicts in urban and rural areas in the future due to the energy reform, and the role the judicial branch may play in resolving socio-environmental challenges.