The Oil Drum

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• If Scotland Separates from the UK, what Happens to the Oil?

  Published 02 May 2013 | viewed 17,473 times

  On 18th September 2014 the Scottish People will have a referendum on their future within the United Kingdom where they will be asked the simple…

• Oil Production Remains the Same, but Rig Counts Continue to Grow

  Published 30 January 2013 | viewed 27,015 times

  In January 1995 there was a total of 1738 oil and gas rigs drilling globally (excluding the former Soviet Union (FSU)). By February 2012 that…

• Can Russia Maintain Current Oil Production Levels until 2020?

  Published 29 November 2012 | viewed 13,234 times

  Uncertainty whether Russia can maintain its high level of oil production continues - 10.7 million b/d in 2012 to date on average. A new more…

• A Look at the US Oil Boom - Without the Hype

  Published 21 November 2012 | viewed 18,889 times

  [Editor's comment: This article is by Dr. Tad Patzek, chairman of the Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.…

• China Energy Outlook: China's Energy Strategy for the Future

  Published 17 November 2012 | viewed 16,213 times

  Globally, only two reports are published on an annual basis wherein the world’s energy situation is fully scrutinized. These have a huge impact because in…

• Looking at the Fight for US Energy Independence

  Published 31 October 2012 | viewed 5,673 times

  Mark J. Perry caused a minor sensation on October 22, 2012 when he posted a blog about record-breaking fossil fuel production in the United States.…

• Why Shale Oil Will Never be a Game Changer

  Published 27 October 2012 | viewed 21,662 times

  The impact of unconventional fuels like shale oil on the global energy system is still an issue of great uncertainty. Not so much because of…

• All You Need to Know About LNG

  Published 02 October 2012 | viewed 123,509 times

  Liquefied natural gas is an odorless, colorless, non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-flammable form of methane. As fuels go, it's pretty cool.Actually, LNG is colder than Antarctica…

• The Oil Sector has Been Pushed to the Limit of its Capabilities

  Published 23 August 2012 | viewed 10,473 times

  Leonardo Maugeri’s recent paper Oil: The Next Revolution on the presumed future abundance of oil supplies rejects the pessimistic outlook of limited increases in oil…

• Is BHP Suffering After Buying Overpriced US Shale Gas Assets?

  Published 15 August 2012 | viewed 13,266 times

  Australian mining giant BHP has lost a quarter of its former market capitalization since its acquisition of US shale acreage from Petrohawk and Chesapeake last…

• A Critical Appraisal of Leonardo Maugeri's Decline Rate Assumptions

  Published 10 July 2012 | viewed 25,838 times

  This is a guest post by Stephen Sorrell, senior lecturer Science and Technology Policy Research, Sussex Energy Group, and lead author of the UKERC Global…

• Germany's Power Grid under Increasing Pressure

  Published 29 May 2012 | viewed 12,413 times

  With a steep growth of power generation from photovoltaic (PV) and wind power and with 8 GW base load capacity suddenly taken out of service…

• Oil's Role in the Global Economic Crisis

  Published 26 May 2012 | viewed 31,479 times

  This is a guest post by Lucas Chanel, Research Fellow in economics, and Thomas Spencer, Research Fellow in climate and energy policies, both at the…

• Why the US Cannot Extract Most of its Oil Reserves

  Published 04 April 2012 | viewed 25,915 times

  People are often confused about the overall extent of U.S. oil reserves. Some claim that the U.S. has hundreds of billions or even trillions of…

• Oil Production in the 21st Century and Peak Oil

  Published 27 March 2012 | viewed 47,095 times

  The Deepwater Horizon incident demonstrated that most of the oil left is deep offshore or in other locations difficult to reach. Moreover, to obtain the…

• The Global Economy is Now More Vulnerable to Oil Prices than Ever

  Published 14 March 2012 | viewed 25,185 times

  This paper examines the impact of oil price changes on global economic growth. Unlike some recent studies, this paper finds that oil price rises have…

• How Closely are Oil Prices Tied to Economic Activity?

  Published 21 February 2012 | viewed 119,013 times

  Recent developments in oil markets and the global economy have, once again, triggered concerns about the impact of oil price shocks around the world. This…

• Companies Closing Shale Operations: Where Does the Industry Go from Here?

  Published 09 February 2012 | viewed 14,544 times

  On January 23, 2012, Chesapeake Energy announced that it would curtail drilling in shale gas plays in the United States. Subsequently, other operators have followed…

• Why Oil Prices Are About to Collapse

  Published 12 January 2012 | viewed 95,513 times

  All is not as it appears in the global oil markets, which have become entirely dysfunctional and no longer fit for its purpose, in my…

• Kurdistan's Huge Oil Reserves Lend Credibility to Iraqi Claims of 115 Billion Barrels

  Published 10 January 2012 | viewed 28,302 times

  Whilst much of Iraq may be viewed as in a metastable social and political state, the semi-autonomous northern region of Kurdistan has enjoyed relative peace…