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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.

View Simon's full profile

Latest Post

Is the Global Energy Transition on track?

Global targets and societal pressure are driving innovation, but are we doing enough? Simon Flowers investigates.

Recent Posts

Capital efficiency: the big question for US unconventionals

Is US shale the paragon of upstream productivity it’s cracked up to be? As the marginal suppliers, shale gas and tight oil operators ought to be adept at managing for margin and all that’s about. Simon Flowers investigates.

What’s holding back a new investment cycle?

Despite strong financial performance for the 48 IOCs and NOCs covered in our Corporate Service this year, investment activity is weak. Simon Flowers and Norman Valentine discuss.

The case for investing more in exploration

The industry isn’t finding enough oil. We need more Guyanas, a lot more, and we need them soon. Without them, the oil market is in danger of tightening in the not too distant future.

Guyana - a new planet in oil’s solar system

The discovery of a major new oil play like Guyana instils a sense of wonder in we oil industry devotees. What’s the story? How big could it be? Will it change the oil market? Simon takes on these questions and more.

Is LNG poised for a new growth cycle?

This week in The Edge, Simon Flowers asks whether LNG is poised for a new growth cycle. And addresses three major challenges for the global LNG industry – competitive new supply, the effect of rising US supply, the need for gas advocacy.

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.

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.