Energy Outlook
Fighting poverty through energy
Recently, the International Energy Agency issued an insightful and important report. It was released in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly annual meeting, and focuses on the role of energy in reducing extreme poverty and meeting other global development goals. Of the many challenges related to energy, I think this one is often overlooked, at least in more developed countries.
Understanding the importance of Canadian energy
Last week, ExxonMobil Senior Vice President Andrew Swiger spoke in Montreal at the World Energy Congress on “policies needed for the oil sector to continue development of new resources in a safe and sustainable way.” Andy’s comments focused on oil sands development and the significance of Canadian energy in meeting future demand. Canadian oil sands already contribute significantly to a secure North American energy supply, and they will become even more important in the future.
The right climate for natural gas
As we continue to debate policy options related to energy and the environment in the United States, a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a timely message about the growing importance of natural gas. To substantially curb carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions through 2050, the study says, the lowest-cost policy option would lead to a shift toward natural gas, particularly for power generation.
Expanding supplies of natural gas
Articles in The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and others have noted that ExxonMobil’s agreement with XTO Energy, completed last week, highlights the expanding role of natural gas in general, and supplies of so-called “unconventional” natural gas in particular. That’s true, for several reasons. But first, I’d like to point out that the term “unconventional gas” is often misunderstood.
