An Unsettling Future For Oil, But A Tossup For Gas And Liquefied Natural Gas

Originally published on Forbes.com on July 23, 2024

BP says the energy future depends on, first, the decarbonization of global power plants, and, second, how rapidly emerging economies can do this.

BP is diligent about gathering data on the energy transition. The projections in BP’s annual Energy Outlooks are eagerly awaited.  The latest Energy Outlook, dated 2024, is unsettling for oil and gas companies for more than one reason. Read more.

Advances In Really Deep Hot Geothermal Energy, But Gigantic Gaps Remain

Originally published on Forbes.com on July 11, 2024

The vision will persist, simply because Superhot Deep Rock offers an unlimited resource spread across the world and within North America.

Superhot Deep Rock is an attractive prospect for the energy transition. It promises a continuous, steady source of energy, unlike wind and solar, and it is widespread. But is there new technology that could access it, and how expensive would it be?

This is not Hot Dry Rock instigated at Los Alamos, New Mexico, in the 1970s, and expanded recently by Fervo Energy’s RED and DOE’s FORGE projects. Superhot Deep Rock is deeper and hotter than Hot Dry Rock, and the resource is even more bountiful. Read more.

How Capital Efficiency Is Being Bolstered In Shale Plays In Permian And Haynesville.

Originally published on Forbes.com on June 26, 2024

In a stacked Payzone, a drilling cube is the well geometry that leads to the ultimate capital efficiency.

Success in the shale revolution was so dramatic that oil companies sought to lease new shale properties and drill as fast as they could. The philosophy was growth for growth’s sake. But once the core shale properties, called Tier-1, had been leased up, the financial returns after drilling in lower-tiered properties began to fall. The philosophy gradually turned to maximizing capital efficiency which would lead to greater returns on investment. Read more.

Oil-Rising Permian Spurs Revenue And Climate Dilemma For New Mexico

Originally published on Forbes.com on June 17, 2024

How does a record $15.2 billion revenue from oil and gas sound for a state with only 2.1 million people? But how does it sound to those worried about climate change?

Year after year, Permian basin profits soar and so do oil and gas revenues for New Mexico, the second
highest oil-producing state in the U.S. That’s a cause to celebrate, right? But wait a minute, this same
blue state has a strong commitment to address climate change. The state has mandated 80% of
electricity to be provided by renewables by 2040, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to be reduced by 45-50% based on 2005 levels. Read more.

Did FTC Overreach in Prohibiting Scott Sheffield From ExxonMobil’s Board?

Originally published on Forbes.com on May 31, 2024

Is there enough reasonable doubt to reverse the decision by the FTC and remove the personal vilification laid on a CEO who has accomplished much in the Permian oilfield?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken an unprecedented step as part of the biggest shale oil and gas merger ever: ExxonMobil buying Pioneer Natural Resources for the hefty sum of $60 billion. But, as part of the deal, FTC announced on May 3, 2024, the chairman of Pioneer, Scott Sheffield, was prohibited from joining the board at ExxonMobil or retaining any advisory capacity. It was alleged by FTC that to cut oil production, he had tried to influence stakeholders: OPEC+ members, first, and U.S. oil and gas companies, second. Read more.

Summer Doldrums In Haynesville Gas Production Not Expected To Last

Originally published on Forbes.com on May 28, 2024

Haynesville’s contribution to the coming uplift in U.S. LNG needs would make it the dominant provider due to its close proximity to the new-build LNG trains.

The U.S. is a huge producer of natural gas—no. 1 in the world and nearly a quarter of the world’s production. The country is a big exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG)—also no. 1 in the world. The Haynesville (14 Bcfd or billion cubic feet per day) is a bountiful source of natural gas, and no. 3 in the U.S. after the Marcellus (27 Bcfd) and the Permian (18 Bcfd). The Haynesville straddles the border between Texas and Louisiana and is classified as a shale-type of resource—as are the Marcellus and the Permian. Read more.

Oil Going Down While China’s Energy Mix And Emissions Doing A Backflip

Originally published on Forbes.com on April 28, 2024

China won’t be able to offset U.S. crude oil decline coming from growth of electric vehicles.

China emits the most greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world (33%), followed by the U.S. (15%). An argument of just a few years ago went about what good would it do for the U.S. to reduce its own emissions by a few percent when China’s emissions were still growing, and it was planning to build hundreds of new coal-fired power plants. China should reduce its emissions first, right? Read more.

What’s Behind The Oil And Gas Attitude Toward Electric Vehicles

Originally published on Forbes.com on April 16, 2024

This article provides a rationale to compare EVs versus conventional gasoline vehicles, including life-cycle numbers for their GHG emissions.

Here are three things that can influence your opinion on electric vehicles (EVs). The first is that a lot of oil and gas components are used in the construction of an EV. Second, as sales of EVs increase, they displace internal combustion engines (ICEs), and they displace oil which is the source of gasoline and diesel. Third, tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from EVs are zero, which is a lot less than emissions from ICEs—but what about the life-cycle emissions from EVs which includes battery manufacture and electricity used to charge up the batteries for driving. Let’s look at each of these to see how important they are. Read more.

Can Biden Celebrate Energy Records Achieve In U.S., Both Fossil And Renewables?

Originally published on Forbes.com on March 25, 2024

Record U.S. levels in fossil and renewable energies are impressive, and Houston may become the Silicon Valley of energy, according to Bill Gates.

Joe Manchin is the senior senator from West Virginia, in office since 2010. He created a stir when he opposed the IRA bill when his support was needed to pass it.  The bill was in limbo for several months. Manchin finally relented, and the bill passed in August of 2022. Called the Inflation Reduction Act, it contained funds for all energies, but an enormous amount for renewables of all shades.  Coupled with the previous Infrastructure bill of 2021, this earmarked $479 billion for new energy, clean energy, and climate investment. Read more

Unpausing Liquefied Natural Gas Export Permits — An Algorithm The Feds Could Use

Originally published on Forbes.com on March 18, 2024

Several calculations could be included in an algorithm to decide the critical conditions for unpausing LNG exports.

It’s truly a golden age for LNG. An article by Bloomberg epitomizes the liquefied natural gas (LNG) boom. For example, QatarEnergy and its backers are investing $45 billion (yes, that’s billion) to expand the country’s LNG exports, although it’s already one of the top three LNG exporters in the world—along with Australia and the U.S. A Japanese firm building the expansion has enlisted thirty thousand workers from fifty countries. Read more.

The Oil And Gas Industry: Could They, Should They, Try To Reach Net-Zero Emissions By 2050?

Originally published on Forbes.com on February 29, 2024

Oil and gas companies are starting to pivot toward climate change, but how far should they pivot? They could diversify away from oil and gas production, or they could stay with business as usual and hope for a moonshot solution. Read more.

Huge Methane Leak From Kazakhstan Well – Why This Is Important To Kazakhstan And To The West.

Originally published on Forbes.com on February 21, 2024

A huge release of methane from a single well that lasted six months was followed by Kazakhstan pledging with 150 other countries to reduce emissions by 30% by the year 2030.

In 2023 a natural gas well blew out while drilling in Kazakhstan. Why is this important to Kazakhstan, and to the rest of the oil and gas world? To start with, the blowout lasted 6 months. Second, the well was burping methane gas the whole time, and methane heats the atmosphere up to 80 times more than CO2 does. Third, Kazakhstan’s history and independence from Russia in 1991 make it a country the West should want to help resolve problems in its energy industry. Read more.

What The President’s Permit Pause Means For The Golden Age Of Liquefied Natural Gas.

Originally published on Forbes.com on January 30, 2024

On one hand, LNG provides energy security and reduces emissions by displacing coal-fired power plants. On the other hand, LNG causes carbon emissions from leakage and combustion.

The Biden administration, under its view that climate change is an existential threat, has taken action on an LNG dilemma. On January 26, 2024 President Biden paused all approvals to permit new LNG export projects. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says it needs to update its approval process which includes domestic supply, energy security, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The order calls for a pause that is temporary and will be followed by a period for public response, and will not likely be resolved until after end-of-year elections. This has caused consternation within the oil and gas industry. Here are some facts that may clarify the government’s actions. Read more >>

Clean Alternate Energies: Geothermal Breakthrough Emerges From Shale Revolution

Originallly published on Forbes.com on January 17, 2024

Two current projects are definitely encouraging for commercial application of geothermal technology as a non-intermittent renewable energy source.

If the world does reach net-zero by 2050, meaning the energy supply is carbon-free, then a third of this energy will come from systems that have much in common with oil and gas industry skills and resources: offshore wind, liquid biofuels, biomethane, hydrogen fuel, geothermal energy. Read more>>