China imported a record-high volume of crude oil last year, beating the previous annual record from 2020, as fuel demand rebounded after the Covid restrictions were abandoned in early 2023. Chinese crude oil imports jumped by 11% year-on-year to 11.28 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2023, according to data …
Read More »National Oil Companies aren’t Ready for the Energy Transition
Some of the world’s largest national oil companies (NOCs) have improved significantly their resilience to oil price slumps in the near future thanks to huge cash flows and profits in the past two years. But many of those companies face challenges in sustainability and ESG metrics due to governance issues, …
Read More »WoodMac Tips Oil and Gas Exploration Spend to Average $22bn a Year through to 2027
Oil and gas analysts are anticipating a bounce back in exploration spend from the historic lows of recent years. Investment, excluding appraisal, is expected to average $22 billion per annum in real terms up to 2027, according to a new report from Wood Mackenzie. Driving the looming increase is tailwinds …
Read More »Wood Mackenzie: US$500 Billion Investment in Global Oil and Gas Enough to Meet Peak Demand in 2030s
Despite concerns about underinvestment in upstream, peak oil and gas demand can be met in the 2030s without a substantial increase to current annual investment levels of US$500 billion, according to a new Horizons report from Wood Mackenzie. Current upstream spending is a little more than half of the US$914 …
Read More »WoodMac: $30 Billion in UK Energy Investments at Risk Ahead of Elections
Some $30bn (£24.2bn) of investment in new UK energy projects is at risk if Labour wins the next election, a top energy consultancy has warned. Consultancy giant Wood Mackenzie believed the growing expectation of a Labour government – which has pledged to ban new North Sea oil and gas developments …
Read More »Lower Natural Gas Price is not all Good News for Europe
Europe successfully avoided a gas shortage crisis this winter thanks to high LNG imports, reduced demand, and milder weather. As a result, European natural gas prices have fallen to the levels from January 2022, just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This week, the front-month futures at the TTF hub, …
Read More »WoodMac: 2022 Best Year in a Decade for New Global Oil and Gas Discoveries
Last year was a bumper one for the global oil and gas exploration sector as it enjoyed its strongest 12 months in more than a decade. Analysis carried out by Wood Mackenzie shows the sector created at least $33 billion of value, and achieved full-cycle returns of 22%, at $60 …
Read More »Oil and Gas in for Turbulent Year as Governments and Industry Butt Heads
Windfall taxes, price caps, and calls for more oil and gas production marked 2022 in oil and gas. It looks like we’re in for a lot more of the same this year, especially with Western governments doubling down on their emission-reduction ambitions. The record profits that oil and gas majors …
Read More »WoodMac: U.S. to Triple LNG Exports by 2033
Surging global demand for liquefied natural gas is set to nearly triple U.S. LNG exports over the next decade, as LNG buyers seek diversification and reliable, low-cost supply, energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said in a new report this week. LNG exports are already outpacing U.S. exports to Mexico—compared to lower-than-Mexico …
Read More »China may See an Unprecedented Drop in LNG Imports next Year
China became the world’s largest importer of liquefied natural gas last year. But in a completely different energy market this year, China will likely cede the title to Japan, as Chinese imports of LNG are set for the largest-ever annual plunge since China started importing the super-chilled fuel in 2006. …
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