Energy Consulting Services

It is normally oil that brings in the hordes of energy enthusiasts to the International Petroleum Week conference. But, it seems like gas has stolen the show with gas leaders sitting pretty instead of oil executives. Traditionally, gas has not had much of a look in at big industrial events such as the International Petroleum Week conference. It just doesn’t have the same global power as oil and has often been seen as a second-string market with far less international intrigue. It is well-known that the oil market is bigger that every other commodity market added together – and no-one knows that better than the oil industry itself. It has always presented itself with an unmistakable air of superiority – no doubt due to its enormous political and economic power. However, this reign of supremacy looks like it might be coming to an end. As governments move towards green energy, gas and renewables are going to clash with oil in the fight to be the top dog of the energy wor...

NRGexpert Weak oil prices are in part responsible for Canada’s main stock index falling to a more than seven-week low at the end of January. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index had fallen 103.02 points. The energy sector was hit hard as it retreated 2.2% in the wake of U.S. crude prices falling as a result of rising output of crude from the United States. Suncor Energy and Canadian Natural Resources both suffered as well, falling 1.5% and 1.7% respectively. However, outside of the energy sector, other companies did not fare quite as badly. Indeed, Thomson Reuters performed contrary to the general downward trend as its share price went up 9.3% after there was talk that Blackstone Group has moved forward with its plan to purchase a majority stake in one of Thomson Reuters’ key units. Aurora Cannabis and Canopy Growth Co were among the most active Canadian stocks by volume, falling 6.6% and 6.3% respectively. Stocks in the U.S. also fell drastically wit...

It is predicted that oilproduction in the United States could reach 10.8 million barrels per day by 2019. At a present capacity of 10.3 millions, this is 500,000 more barrels a day than the country is currently producing and represents an amount that could put the nation in first place, above Saudi Arabia and Russia with regards to oil production. This forecast has been made by the U.S Department of Energy. On top of this, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects that this output will eventually hit 11 million barrels a day by the end of 2019. This will be an unprecedented high for the country. The U.S looks likely to lead the way for non-OPEC production, which is anticipated to carry on growing all the way through to the end of 2019. This will be accompanied by a number of new oil sands projects up in Canada. But Russia is not going to be easy to beat, as it was recorded to be churning out 11 million barrels per day in 2017. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, one of the m...

It is unclear when the transportation revolution will hit full tilt but one thing that can be predicted with reasonable certainty is that it will happen. Traditional cars, meaning those with a pistol-driven engine, are not going out of fashion. They continue to be sold steadily around the world. But, the emergence of peer to peer taxi apps, such as Uber and Lyft, as well as the increase in production of electric cars signal that something new is on the horizon. This theory is backed up by the development of driverless cars. In essence, the future looks autonomous, shared, connected and electric. This development comes with two big benefits. The first will be regarding the environment and how electric cars will have a positive impact on plans for a green future. The second is that companies who stand at the forefront of these transportation developments are going to make some serious money. We’re talking in the trillions of dollars. Researchers and private industries are pairing ...

In California there is a recognised danger of powerlines sparking wildfires when it is extremely windy. Given this state of affairs, utilities in the state are responding with proactive, if drastic, measures – shutting off the power . Last week, the residents of the area controlled by Southern California Edison spent around 33 hours without electricity because of the high winds. This was a measure that was supposed to prevent the outbreak of a wildfire. The same thing happened to people living in a mountainous area of southeast San Diego. This occurred while huge portions of Southern California was under red flag alert – meaning that there was a high risk of wildfires because of the adverse weather. A spokesperson from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) explained the importance of de-energising as a tool to protect communities at risk from being affected by wildfires. This dramatic step has come into play as a result of one of the worst wildfire seasons in California’...

Global energy markets are increasingly included renewables and are accommodating the surplus clean energy by making power grid operations more regional. Renewable energy integration is a challenge that many countries are tackling head-on. Tactics for dealing with the situation include creating a slow but steady campaign, which will redesign their markets. One of the best examples of this regionalisation of energy markets can be seen in the US on the West Coast and in the Pacific North and Southwest. In the United States, the power grid that connects a wide area called the Western Interconnection is divided into independent balancing authorities (BA). Each of these BAs can assist with integrating renewable energy and matching supply and demand. Of the 38 BAs that operate in the Western Interconnection the largest is the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). In light of California’s declaration that by 2030 they will be running off 50% renewables, CAISO is facing so...

When Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia announced his $300 billion privatisation plan there was much excitement for what was then being termed the ‘sale of the century’. Now, 19 months down the line, very little seems to have actually happened. Among the myriad of problems that seem to be plaguing this transition are substantial bureaucracy, poor legal structures and lacklustre investors. This has affected many of the country’s sectors – most noticeably grains, the postal service and healthcare. A Saudi banker explained that the transformation is going to take much longer than anticipated due in part to the constantly shifting priorities of the government. They are also encountering problems on a lower level with institutions which have little by way of book-keeping. They will need a full make over before they will be at an adequate standard for privatisation. This sell-off of Saudi Arabia forms an important part of the Prince’s Vision 2030 plan. The overarching pu...