Colin Chilcoat is a specialist in Eurasian energy affairs and political institutions currently living and working in Chicago. A complete collection of his work can be viewed at www.energyeastwest.com.
California is not participating in the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) – at least not independently – but that won’t stop the state…
Yes, well, sort of – and they have for some time now. It’s relatively old news, but a recent Times report and an upcoming book…
In 2014 global carbon emissions totaled 32 gigatonnes (Gt). If you’re counting, that’s roughly 32 Gt too many. Yes, zero, near-zero, or net-zero is what…
The African energy narrative can be summarized as follows: an underexplored and underdeveloped region with a bright, if not gassy, future. Put another way, the…
The United Nations Climate Change Conference – or Paris 2015 – is just around the corner, seven months to be exact. The goal is ambitious:…
It’s quiet on the eastern front – as quiet as a conflict between world superpowers can be. Since February’s cease-fire agreement, relative calm has prevailed…
The back and forth, the ebb and flow, or business as usual continues in Eastern Europe. As another interim gas deal approaches its deadline, Ukraine…
As of late last year coal formed the backbone of US electric generation capacity. At a share of roughly 39 percent, it still does. However,…
The vast global network of energy infrastructure is, for all intents and purposes, a living, breathing organism. And like other organisms, it’s full of vulnerabilities.…
As shale plays in the US boom and bust – the rig count is down again – one thing remains relatively unchanged: fracking is a…
Beggars can’t be choosers, but if you’re working with a Russian oligarch it’s best to exercise caution. At least that’s the opinion of the United…
Concerning energy research, the United States is falling behind the pack. Sure, we’re in the middle – quite possibly the latter stages – of an…
No longer able to bet on itself, Russia hopes to make it easier, and more attractive, for others. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology…
Oil. The commodity. We know what it’s worth – at least we thought we did – but what does a barrel of the black stuff…
Interconnectivity? Check. Lessens dependence on Russia? Check. Fosters renewables growth while addressing climate goals? Check. Norway’s upcoming NordLink accomplishes all of the above, but is…
Elon Musk and his company Tesla Motors will revolutionize the way you drive, and while they’re at it, the way electricity is priced and consumed.…
The ongoing volatility in the oil markets has led many major companies to dramatically slash their capex budgets and workforces in a bid to survive.…
Shell is back in; Statoil is pensive, but eager; and Russia is pushing ahead. Low prices have stunted exploration, but the Arctic is still a…
The meteoric rise never felt sustainable – the numbers told us that. In 2013, US shale was responsible for approximately 20 percent of world investment…
The strike at US refineries got a bit bigger over the weekend – all amid the most volatile, and now downward, price swings seen in…