Dr. Ryan Opsal is currently an Adjunct Professor in International Relations at Florida International University, where he teaches on issues ranging from security to political economy. His primary focus is on energy, political economy, grand strategy, and political risk, having completed a doctoral dissertation involving an in-depth analysis of American and Chinese energy policies utilizing a security framework and a data-driven approach to understanding energy security competition.
Considering the established political imperatives underpinning the German energy transition (Energiewende) and the overall push toward greater use of renewables in the energy mix, let’s…
With many regions skewed toward greater political uncertainty, sources of constancy and dependability are valued commodities… Once the “sick man” of Europe, Germany has emerged…
It is no surprise that OPEC has had extreme difficulty coordinating a response to the latest price drops in the oil market. OPEC as a…
The South China Sea is continually paraded as a region rich in oil and gas deposits; however, no one really knows what’s there with any…
There has been some revealing new information coming out recently regarding the strategy against ISIS. One aspect many find troubling is the apparent failure of…
With over 1.6 million internally displaced in South Sudan, and another 600,000 refugees in neighboring countries, are oil price declines exacerbating humanitarian crises in oil-producing…
The border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela has been ongoing for around two centuries, and Venezuela still claims large, resource rich swathes of Guyanese territory.…
The available information on China’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a mess. The data is sparse, infrequent, and contradictory, which is something one might expect from…
Return on average capital employed has emerged as a key measure of efficiency in capital-intensive industries, especially in the energy sector. However, what initially seems…
With Li Keqiang’s recent business and investment blitz through Latin America, many in the region are hopeful these increased commitments will result in expanding business…