There's been a considerable "cooling" in the China commodities story of late.It used to be that the country was considered the main driver of metals and energy markets.…
The spike in instability in several oil producing regions around the world is threatening to knock some production offline, but it is also boosting profits for drillers operating in trouble-free…
It is easy, with all that we hear about the rise of alternative energy in the U.S., to lose sight of one basic fact: In terms of real everyday energy…
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – the radical Islamist group in control of large swaths of the two countries from which it takes its name -- has…
A single picture is sufficient to tell the story of the fate of the Baiji Refinery in Iraq. Recently reached by the ISIS forces, it has been the largest refinery…
It's no secret the coal market is depressed.Prices for thermal coal have fallen 50% from their five-year highs. Stock valuations for producers have tumbled--some by as much as…
There is, it seems, a constant stream of bad news coming from Iraq. As the rebel forces of ISIS advance closer to the capital Baghdad, it looks increasingly unlikely that…
The window of opportunity for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers in the U.S. is beginning to close, and it is not because of slow permitting from the government. The…
U.S. oil production will beat output from the Middle East for the rest of the decade. And while that gives the United States some leverage on the international stage, at…
Harvard economist Morris Adelman, famous for saying that we will never run out of oil, died last month. What followed the announcement of his death was a predictable…
Iraq is burning, and now its largest refinery has quite possibly been taken over by Sunni insurgents.On June 18, reports on the ground remained unclear as…
For the last week, I had viewed the relative complacency of the oil markets to the latest struggles for control of Iraq as the correct response. But now, I’m starting…
Some technologies, even some industries, seem to be always on the verge of a breakthrough. The energy sector is particularly prone to this. If you believe the hype, then we…
The first six months of 2014 are nearly in the books and it has proven to be a rocky ride for the oil markets. Back in January, analysts…
Regulatory AlertsStarting next year, the state of California will impose a 6.5-cent fee on every barrel of crude oil transported to the state via rail as part of…
From my experience, June is a great month to take a look at the natural gas market. One reason is the speculative opportunities that can develop because of the weather.…
The Ministry of Energy in Mexico has estimated a $100 billion in investment is needed over the next 10 years to develop Mexican shale resources. Some sources have mentioned figures…
Usually political turmoil is a showstopper for investment. When governments crumble, the resulting uncertainty sends stock buyers and debt financiers heading for the hills.But one nation bucked that…
The world’s biggest maker of solar panels wants to make sure investors think “soccer,” not “subsidies,” when they see the name “Yingli Solar.” That’s why billions of TV viewers are…
There are still a few people in the world who dispute the existence of climate change, and even more who doubt that it is down to human activity. The vast…