EnergyCents

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in September 2020 that China will strive to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2060. China is the world’s largest emitter of carbon globally, making the implications huge for the world’s environment, the economy, and the energy sector. Xizhou Zhou, IHS Markit Vice President of Power and Renewables, joins the podcast this week to share his views on the announcement and outlook for its implementation. Send your comments, feedback or questions to our team at energycents@ihsmarkit.com.

Oil prices have hovered around $40/bbl for several weeks after extreme volatility led to negative prices in April 2020. Investors are watching OPEC+, the potential resiliency of North America shale, and a US presidential election for signs of what to expect from oil markets in 2021. Karim Fawaz and Raoul Leblanc return to EnergyCents this week to share their views on what to watch for.

The business round table statement from last year explicitly said that all companies should have a social purpose, not just the purpose of generating profits. The discussion cannot be ignored and ESG has emerged as an increasingly integral aspect of valuations. This prioritization has the potential to present as either a threat or opportunity to companies, energy companies in particular. A threat to those not adapting to it, and an opportunity for those who seize upon it. In this podcast we discuss emergent ESG trends and specific implications within the energy industry with Brian Matt and Roger Diwan.

California is viewed by many as the vanguard of a greening power sector, but hot summer weather forced CAISO's first stage three emergency since 2001. In part two of our conversation, we continue to discuss potential lessons from California’s experience with IHS Markit power experts, Wade Shafer and Doug Giuffre, including the future of batteries and new infrastructure projects.

For years, oil and gas companies have implemented technologies to move their businesses forward - increase efficiency, prioritize safety and lower costs - as part of the energy transition. This year COVID-19 accelerated that for many companies. So, where are energy companies in this transition? Our upstream technology and innovation research team joins the podcast to discuss. Have feedback or a question? Send it to us at www.ihsmarkit.com/upstreampodcast.

Hot summer weather compelled the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to impose blackouts on several hundred thousand customers in the middle of August 2020. These events marked CAISO’s first “Stage 3 Emergency” since the 2001 Energy crisis, and have attracted widespread attention as California is viewed by many as the vanguard of a greening power sector. In this two-part episode, we discuss potential lessons from California’s experience with IHS Markit power experts, Wade Shafer and Doug Giuffre.

After years of struggling, Guyana's oil and gas industry found success in 2015 with the Liza discovery. Since that discovery, the success rate continued - leading to more growth and spreading to Suriname. Our experts join the podcast to discuss the exploration and discovery process and what might be ahead. Have a question or topic you want our team to cover? Submit to us at www.ihsmarkit.com/upstreampodcast.

In part 2 of our conversation on scenario planning, Dr. Steven Knell walks through the various climate scenarios with our team. Join us as we finish the discussion of how COVID-19 has impacted the energy transition.

A global pandemic in 2020 introduced new variables to the potential timing and implications of a transitioning energy sector that increasingly prioritizes climate-change mitigation. In part one of a two-part topic, we discuss the value of scenario planning for uncertain futures and how COVID-19 has changed our experts’ expectations and assumptions.

The 2020 confluence of $0 commissions, stock-market volatility, and stay-at-home restrictions has led to a rising presence of retail investors in energy stocks. In this episode, we discuss reasons for the trend, and expectations going forward.