How the price war is hurting US tight oil

• 26 May 2020

Arresting the explosive growth of US tight oil was a clear target of the price war after the OPEC+ meeting collapsed in March. What's been the effect on drilling and investment? How much will production fall and how quickly? Will tight oil recover and get back on a growth path? Find out more in this week's Edge.

What crashing LNG prices mean for renewables

• 05 May 2020

What falling gas and LNG prices mean for solar, wind and energy storage markets around the world in the short and long term.

Upstream growth back on the agenda: the M&A ‘barometer’ is signalling better climes ahead

• 23 January 2017

A strengthening flow of deals is a clear indicator that the M&A market is getting back to business as usual, and companies are starting to think of growth again.

Red Sea crisis: what crisis? Not for US refiners as refining margins boom

• 19 February 2024

US product exports to Europe advantaged as Middle East/West Coast India exports are challenged by Red Sea disruption

Balancing scale and concentration risk in US shale

• 28 October 2022

US shale independents have made the most of the rapid growth of unconventional oil and gas this century. A handful are now among the biggest single play producers in the world.

Unlocking investment for deepwater projects

• 05 June 2018

Not long ago, West Africa was at the top of the list for international E&P companies looking for high-impact growth.

Tight oil's second great growth phase gains momentum - Permian and emerging plays show still more promise

• 23 May 2017

After two years of retrenchment, review how 2017 is shaping up to be a year of growth for tight oil.

The commodity upcycle and the end of the dollar’s bull run - implications for oil, gas and mining producers

• 11 May 2017

A strong US Dollar means weak commodities. With the greenback at record highs, and commodities buoyant, is a reverse looming?

Upstream M&A erupts - Intensifying activity is strengthening portfolios and finances

• 03 May 2017

Business development teams are back in the front line as companies look to position for longer term growth.

How deep water projects can compete with tight oil - more progress on costs and tight oil may get a run for its money

• 28 March 2017

Tight oil has garnered all the plaudits in the last few months, but we can foresee in the not too distant future green field deep water projects giving tight oil a run for its money in competing for capital.

The accelerating recovery in tight oil: conventional investment at risk of stagnating

• 02 February 2017

Tight oil will drive a 4% increase in global upstream investment in 2017, while investment in conventional projects will be flat at just under US$340bn.

Three questions on energy CEOs’ minds - peak oil demand, decarbonisation and US tight oil

• 15 December 2016

Chief Analyst Simon Flowers sees three inter-related topics dominating our conversations with industry leaders: peak oil demand, decarbonisation, and whether US tight oil alone can meet oil demand growth.

The Russian oil miracle - how production has soared despite low oil prices

• 28 November 2016

As other countries suffer production declines under the pressure of low oil prices, Russia is bucking the trend. What’s different about Russia?

Oil Supply Model

Support investment decisions and determine commercial strategy with global oil market scenario modelling As growth in oil demand slows, companies must be agile to the changing landscape and ready to seize opportunities quickly, and quantify how events and trends impact the global oil market. Wood...

Identifying key risks and uncertainties in 2020

• 17 December 2019

Energy markets are in the midst of profound change – we're getting used to that. But what big, identifiable key risks might lurk in the shadows in the next 12 months that could make us change our view for 2020 and beyond? Here are five.

What the Middle East conflict means for oil and LNG

• 03 October 2024

With escalating Middle East tensions involving Iran, the geopolitical risks are high, yet oil, gas, and LNG market responses remain muted. How much production is at risk? What vulnerable infrastructure points could disrupt supply? Why has the price reaction been subdued compared to recent regional flashpoints?

Russian refining outages surge on Ukraine drone attacks: three key questions answered

• 21 March 2024

Russian waterborne product exports see substantial cuts, will crude loadings be next?

Why Covid-19 is the ultimate energy transition stress test for refiners

• 20 July 2020

Covid-19 is a threat to global refiners. Who will thrive? Who will merely survive? And what does this tell us about refiners’ resilience and readiness to take on the energy transition?

Can conventional oil projects compete with L48 oil?

• 14 March 2018

US tight oil has arrived with a bang, disrupting the oil market. But can conventional oil projects compete? Our latest report looks at where tight oil and other pre-FID conventional projects sit on the global cost curve.

Breaking the cycle? Cost efficiency in upstream oil and gas

• 10 December 2015

The fact is that the industry faces a structural cost problem which was easy to hide in the days of US$100 oil but less so today.

Qatar eyes LNG top spot as it primes 64% output boost

• 26 November 2019

On 25 November, Qatar Petroleum (QP) announced that it will boost output from Qatar LNG by 64% - from 77 million tonnes per annum (tpa) at present to 126 million tpa by 2027 – following a successful appraisal of the North Field’s onshore extension, near Ras Laffan Industrial City.

China retaliates with tariffs on $34 billion worth of US goods

• 18 June 2018

Following China's imposition of retaliatory tariffs on US goods over the weekend, our experts weigh in on the potential impact the move will have on different commodities.

India's economic surge to drive global energy demand, but with low-carbon twist

• 20 March 2025

India is set to become a major player in the global energy markets with a unique growth path, featuring lower energy intensity, a diverse energy mix and increased commodity imports, Wood Mackenzie's latest Horizons report reveals. “India's growth story shares similarities with China's rapid expansion, but crucial differences set it apart,” said Yanting Zhou, principal economist at Wood Mackenzie. “While energy demand will surge, India's industrial sector is less energy-intensive, and the country is better positioned to adopt efficient, low-carbon technologies compared to China in the 2000s.”

Africa's energy wealth can be unlocked by renewable expansion and hydrocarbon acceleration

• 20 November 2025

Despite attracting just over 2% of global energy investment, Africa looks to alleviate energy poverty through an inward approach and expansion of both conventional and renewable power generation capacity as the path to energy sufficiency, according to Wood Mackenzie’s latest Horizons report.

Middle East conflict extension cuts global Q4 2026 crude run forecast by 1.4 million b/d

• 08 September 2026

Post-conflict era forces Asian refiners to focus on their competitiveness; deep chemical integration and energy efficiency the keys to surviving peak demand and a new world order

Developing Brazil’s Goldilocks oil riches

• 19 March 2019

What makes some oil plays more valuable than others? The answer: big discoveries in excellent reservoirs that are cheap to exploit. Few places on earth do all three. Brazil does. Simon Flowers visits this global hotspot.

Brazil, giant oil projects and the Majors

• 26 November 2019

Big Oil’s risk appetite has changed. It needs to continue to replace reserves for the foreseeable future but is looking for lower risk options than exploration. Discovered resources can be part of the solution, though opportunities to develop a giant oil field such as Buzios in Brazil, in the heart of an industry hot spot, only come around once in a blue moon. So why the lack of bids from the Majors?

Five themes for energy and natural resources in 2023

• 11 January 2023

What else lies ahead in 2023? Simon Flowers discusses five themes that will shape the world of energy and natural resources – the opportunities, the challenges and the associated risks in the coming year.

Five themes shaping the energy world in 2026

• 08 January 2026

From volatile geopolitics and falling LNG prices to AI-driven power demand and shifting investment, these five themes will define the global energy landscape in 2026

High oil prices raise prospect of accelerated EV sales

• 11 September 2026

The electrification of road transport was already under way. The conflict in the Middle East could supercharge it