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HAVANA — The thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations is raising prospects for new business opportunities for American companies in the island nation, among them energy. That was evident this past week in Havana, where more than 120 people from the U.S., Cuba and other countries gathered for a cutting-edge conference on offshore oil development. (Read more)
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Like Pope Francis, major corporations around the world are stepping up their calls for governments to take dramatic steps to address climate change. Among them is Mars Inc., the maker of M&Ms, Snickers bars and other foods, which is well known for its reputation for keeping quiet on most business matters. But when it comes to the environment, the company is outspoken. (Read more)
Continue readingDo new commitments by China, the U.S. signal big changes in global action on climate change? In a Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy podcast, I discuss the outlook with leading China expert David Sandalow. (Listen Here)
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The plunge in energy prices has forced companies drilling for oil and natural gas in the U.S. to cut spending substantially and lay off thousands of workers in Texas, North Dakota and other states that depend on the industry. And those companies will likely pull back even more if the banks they rely on for loans tighten their purse strings in anticipation of a slow recovery for oil prices. (Read more)
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The nuclear agreement between Tehran and western powers promises to unleash an enormous wave of new investment opportunities in Iran for foreign companies, including oil producers. But closing deals to help Iran revive its oil sector won’t be as easy as it may seem, cautions a former member of the Obama administration team who participated in the nuclear talks. (Read more)
Continue readingWhat exactly does the nuclear agreement that the U.S. and other global powers struck with Iran mean for world oil markets? And do the sanctions imposed on Iran offer insight for the U.S. and other nations as they seek to punish Russia for its actions in Ukraine? In the latest installment of a new podcast series at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, Bill Loveless sits down with the center’s Richard Nephew, who until recently was a member of the U.S. team negotiating with Iran. (Listen Here)
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With its newfound abundance of oil and natural gas, the U.S. is producing enough to meet most of its own needs and supply some to other nations. So, why hasn’t Washington done more to promote exports of oil and gas to Europe, Asia and other regions and taken other steps to bolster energy security around the world?James Jones, a former national security adviser to President Obama, raised that question the other day before a business audience in Washington, and laid much of the blame on his ex-boss. (Read more)
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When Peter Davidson was hired as executive director of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office two years ago, his was not an enviable position. The controversial program had been operating without a full-time director for more than a year, had made no financial commitments in some two years, and was still reeling from the fallout of a major fiasco: the bankruptcy of one of its major clients, the solar-panel maker Solyndra. Now, Davidson, who resigned in June to return home to New York, is claiming success for a controversial loan program that supports technologies with the potential to transform the ways we use and produce energy, but with risks that can scare off commercial lenders. (Read more)
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The oil and gas industry in the U.S. and its environmental critics are each finding reasons to hype a new Environmental Protection Agency study on the impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water. But as is often the case in controversies, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, as the EPA suggests. (Read more)
Continue readingThe U.S. is producing record amounts of natural gas, a fuel widely viewed as cleaner and preferable to coal for electric power generation. But building the infrastructure necessary to bring that fuel to market is increasingly difficult for the industry. (Read More)
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