In Alaska, Michigan and Norway, partisans on the left and right are sparring in the courtrooms to implement their vision for the future of energy. Operations from small shale plays to multi-billion-dollar offshore installations suddenly hang in the balance as the regulatory outlook becomes increasingly cloudy. World Oil editors discuss a few of these latest moves, and how oil companies are reacting, including: Trump tries to establish a foothold for drilling in the ANWR, just as Norway's Supreme Court prepares to decide on its Arctic drilling future; Michigan revokes a long-standing pipeline easement, with direct impact on Canada's refining capacity; The U.S. and Canadian drilling rig count continues its climb, and what this says about confidence in a Biden administration 

World Oil's Daily Brief

From chess match to street fight: The world's courtrooms are the battleground for the future of fossil fuels

Despite increased drilling activity and strong Q3 results across the board for the supermajors, Exxon Mobil spent the week slashing headcount and planning major asset sales to meet its dividend commitments. In this week's podcast, World Oil editors take a look at where drilling activity is picking up, and what that means for the timeline of a turnaround. Kurt and Cameron also summarize a tough week all around for Exxon Mobil, and some exciting exploration developments off Canada's eastern seaboard.    

Climbing rig counts may signal a turnaround, but that's no comfort for Exxon Mobil

While opinions differ on oil demand and production rates, a fourth week of growth in the rig count appears to prove some projections right, while invalidating others. World Oil editors discuss how the rig count reflects the magazine's recent Mid-Year Drilling Forecast outlook, and what more drilling means for some other industry leaders' ideas on the future of oil and gas production.

What the drilling rig count's ongoing climb says about the future of crude oil production

The past few weeks have seen extensive merger and acquisition activity in oil and gas, from new operators consolidating legacy field holdings to new, up-and-coming oilfield services providers. In today's podcast, World Oil editors review how these companies are positioning to drive a step change in how fossil fuels are explored and produced.

Will a flurry of oilfield M&A activity spur innovation in fossil fuels?

This week, World Oil editors discuss a seeming disconnect as drilling activity across the board continues to rise, while oil traders are expecting a long road to demand recovery. Also, Venezuela and Iran flout U.S. trade sanctions with more crude and refined product shipments; and Libya's post-civil-war oil export recovery looks set to create challenges for the continuing OPEC+ production agreement.

Despite traders' weak demand outlook, oil and gas drilling activity continues to rise

While Canada's leaders promise measures to protect oilfield livelihoods, shale drillers in the U.S. are working to minimize the effects of a potential Biden victory. In this week's podcast, World Oil editors discuss the scope and viability of a plan in Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure a future for the offshore oil and gas sector, as well as the lengths shale drillers are taking to ensure their own livelihoods should Joe Biden win the Presidential election in November.

Political moves, both current and projected, are placing outsized influence on U.S. and Canadian oil markets

BP has boldly claimed that global oil demand will peak in the next ten years in its 2020 Energy Outlook. In this week's episode, World Oil editors discuss that prediction, BP's track record on such models in the past, and take a look at some emerging trends in the upcoming World Oil 2020 Drilling Forecast reveal how future production capacity may make that happen.

BP makes its peak oil demand prediction amid historic drilling trends in the U.S. and abroad

In this week's podcast, World Oil editors discuss how legislative activities, a smaller labor pool, and harsh economic realities are impacting options for oil and gas sector growth in North America's post-coronavirus economy.

Are the oil industry's opportunities for post-coronavirus recovery dwindling in North America?

Between Halliburton and Liberty Oilfield Services, hydraulic fracturing's two major players have fundamentally different field capabilities and technology ambitions. World Oil editors Kurt Abraham and Cameron Wallace discuss how the differing strategies these two companies offer will change how operators large and small will approach future shale project developments. Also discussed, Canadian disappointment at a lack of leadership from the Prime Minister on preserving offshore oil and gas jobs, and Mexico goes back to the drawing board with its 2021 energy productions plans.

In a post-Schlumberger world, how will the new frac services landscape change the way shale explorers operate?

World Oil Editor-in-Chief Kurt Abraham and Digital Editor Cameron Wallace discuss how recent land drilling activity, and the oil price's resilience to external factors suggest that pieces may be coming into place to support the start of a U.S. shale recovery.

Are oil prices stable enough to support a U.S. shale drilling recovery?

As forecasts show no near-term end in sight for depressed oil demand, operators are making dramatic adjustment to meet the new oil and gas industry reality. World Oil's Kurt Abraham and Cameron Wallace discuss how another record low rig count, projections for continued demand weakness across the board, and dramatic CAPEX budget cuts demonstrate a challenging new reality for operators and service companies.

How "lower for longer" has become the new baseline for the oil and gas industry

From bankruptcies and asset fire sales to job losses and record declines in crude production, drilling activity levels not seen since 1940 are affecting every corner of the oil and gas industry. In today's podcast, Kurt and Cameron explore this new low-output reality, how companies large and small are maneuvering to survive, and the potential effects of emerging political and grasroots action.

Negative impacts of record-low drilling activity reverberate across the oil and gas industry

A disconnect between drilling activity and supermajors' earnings may reveal a shift in industry leadership, as evidence that the oil and gas industry is reaching a bottom emerges.

With oil's supermajors in distress, can smaller independents step up and lead a recovery?

As major service companies present their Q2 earnings results, they are offering what is perhaps the industry's leas-politically-biased assessments of future oil and gas demand - and it contradicts where OPEC+ and the IEA want to lead the market in the coming quarters. In Canada, the industry's hardest-working trade association puts Ottawa's Seamus O'Regan on the spot, seeking tax incentives modeled after Norway's system. Based on Equinor's Q2 results, it's a model well worth following. In a 180-degree shift from just a few months ago, Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Wayne Christian wants to take a stand against Saudi and Russian dumping of oil on U.S. markets, with what is a textbook argument for tariffs.

As the oil industry struggles, are national leaders waiting until it's too late to intervene?

Using the differing fates of BJ Services and Halliburton as an example, in today's podcast Kurt and Cameron discuss how the last major downturn of the early 1990's taught service companies some harsh lessons, and their survival may hinge on how those lessons are applied in today's Covid-19 fueled downturn.

What lessons are oilfield service companies applying from downturns past to succeed today?

World Oil's round up of the day's Oil & Gas news; just in time for your commute home.

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World Oil's Daily Brief

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