Matthew Smith

Latest articles from Matthew

• Venezuela’s Oil Riches Are Quietly Falling Under Russian Control

  Published 07 July 2020 | viewed 32,492 times

  For decades during the Cold War, Latin America was a focal point of conflict between the two superpowers, the U.S. and Soviet Union. While the…

• Colombia Is An Overlooked Victim Of The Oil Price War

  Published 29 June 2020 | viewed 22,210 times

  The considerable optimism surrounding oil at the end of 2019, when Brent was trading at $68 a barrel has turned sour. The demand shock triggered…

• Putin's Push For Energy Dominance In Latin America

  Published 25 November 2019 | viewed 17,207 times

  A reawakened Russian bear is seeking to reassert the former superpower’s clout by extending influence in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. This…

• Venezuela’s Crisis Threatens U.S. Control Over Oil Prices

  Published 14 January 2019 | viewed 31,591 times

  The Russian bear is on the prowl once again as President Putin seeks to expand Moscow’s influence and bolster the one-time superpower’s global influence while…

• Colombia’s Oil Rebound Off To A Rough Start In 2019

  Published 09 January 2019 | viewed 18,143 times

  Last year was a tough one for Colombia’s burgeoning oil industry. A combination of weaker oil, the latest price collapse, deteriorating security and a lack…

• Brazil Poised For Historic Oil Boom

  Published 23 April 2018 | viewed 22,682 times

  After being caught up in major corruption scandals and suffering from what some have claimed was its worst economic downturn in 100-years, Brazil has pulled…

• Will U.S. Shale Offset Soaring Global Oil Demand?

  Published 22 April 2018 | viewed 21,853 times

  Oil has rallied sharply in recent days to see West Texas Intermediate (WTI) trading at just under $70 per barrel and Brent breaking through the…

• A Natural Gas Crisis Looms Over Colombia

  Published 21 April 2018 | viewed 23,262 times

  Colombia’s energy sector is caught in a series of crises. The prolonged slump in oil since the end of 2014 saw investment in the sector,…

• Could These Discoveries Revive Colombia’s Oil Industry?

  Published 03 March 2018 | viewed 16,798 times

  It hasn’t been all plain sailing for Colombia’s oil industry in recent years. While the government remains focused on boosting oil production to kickstart growth…

• Brazil’s Coming Oil Boom Will Weigh On Oil Prices

  Published 20 February 2018 | viewed 38,511 times

  It has been an appalling few years for Brazil’s energy patch. Weaker oil prices, sweeping corruption scandals and the worst economic downturn ever have sharply…

• Argentina Is On The Cusp Of A Shale Boom

  Published 15 February 2018 | viewed 42,136 times

  The end of the Peronist hold on Argentine politics and rise of pro-business president Mauricio Macri has heralded in a new age for what was…

• Colombia’s Oil Industry Faces 3 Big Problems

  Published 14 February 2018 | viewed 21,878 times

  Colombia’s beleaguered oil patch remains under considerable pressure. Aside from falling investment and a lack of proven reserves that has led to fears that it…

• U.S. Shale Companies Are Ready To Expand

  Published 11 February 2018 | viewed 16,450 times

  The latest oil rally, which sees crude trading at close to its highest point in three years, is sufficient to garner considerable attention from market…

• The Rise And Fall Of Colombia’s Shale Industry

  Published 10 February 2018 | viewed 16,477 times

  One of Latin America’s most stunning tales of economic development in recent years appears doomed to come to a bitter end… Colombia’s reliance upon its…