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The Edge

Weekly insights from our chairman and chief analyst, Simon Flowers, on the issues shaping your industry

 

Meet our Chief Analyst

Welcome to the Edge, the exclusive column from our Chairman & Chief Analyst, Simon Flowers. Drawing on the expertise, intelligence, deep insight and data from across the business, Simon gives his views on the subjects driving debate and shaping our markets.

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Latest Post

Electric Vehicles – transportation disruptor, part 2

We explored how the market for EVs might develop in Part 1. This week Ed Rawle, Head of Oils Research, chats about the implications for global oil demand.

Recent Posts

Electric vehicles – transportation disruptor, part 1

There will be just 5 million EVs on the road by the end of 2018, minuscule penetration into a global car stock of 1.2 billion cars. But with faster acceleration, longer life, fewer moving parts and less maintenance, and no tail pipe emissions EVs are going to be big – really big.

Benchmarking upstream resilience to a low-carbon future

E&P companies want to build portfolios that will stand up to intensifying investor scrutiny of carbon emissions and are robust at the low commodity prices that the energy transition may, in time, bring.

Securing exposure to Permian tight oil – Part 2

US tight oil's growth prospects are attracting the attention of any number of upstream companies. But new entrants need to go in with their eyes wide open - it's a very different business model to conventional E&P. In Part 2 of our assessment of buying into tight oil we look at the technical, logistical and valuation pitfalls.

Securing exposure to Permian tight oil – Part 1

What do Total, BP, Eni, CNPC, Sinopec Group have in common? Each is among the biggest oil and gas producers in the world, with a portfolio diversified geographically and across multiple resource themes.

What should the E&P sector do with a wall of cash?

The biggest lottery prize of 2018? A contender is the windfall oil and gas companies find drops into their bank account.

Exploration gets its mojo back

Exploration is staging a remarkable turnaround in its fortunes, with a string of big discoveries in recent months. Many of these look to be potentially commercial, a sign that the industry can still create value.

Unlocking investment for deepwater projects

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

OPEC gets to eat the Permian’s lunch

In any commodity market, the marginal supplier makes hay when the sun shines. Oil prices are rampant, but tight oil is not behaving quite as expected. I caught up with R.T. Dukes, Head of US Lower 48 oil supply.

Upstream M&A and oil price uncertainty

Will this latest bull run in oil prices trigger a new phase of upstream M&A? The sector is feeling emboldened again – a confidence that’s justified up to a point.