Ask an industrial manufacturer why they put a “do not drink” label on a bottle of bleach, and you’ll probably get a weary sigh and an acknowledgement that a certain segment of the population simply requires it. A similarly sad situation has developed as the professional protest movement has set their sights on fossil fuels; we are now at a point where we must explain certain physical realities with the patience and tactics of a kindergarten teacher. A friend recently listened to an [Read more]
Saudi Arabia’s vision doesn’t include much oil – some thoughts on what’s up
Some smart guy once said that Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. In comparison, Saudi Arabia is almost as puzzling though in a more material way, like a devout sun-baked crank wrapped in a fur coat in a gold Ferrari. Not dumb by any means, but playing poker with the world's industries and a very big war chest. For decades, we’ve watched the country float along on a vast sea of petro-wealth, notable mostly for its hyper-religious society and somewhat incongruous displays of [Read more]
The whole world understands strategic energy supplies and acts accordingly – except for Canada
Have you ever had, say, $100,000 land in your lap? In the oil patch it’s not unheard of, or for lottery winners, and it’s a weird experience. There is an initial feeling of new found wealth (if you weren’t rich beforehand), followed by a desire to reward ones self with perhaps a new vehicle, a holiday, put a bit away for kids education…and then the realization that there would be nothing left. Have you ever been involved a successful exploratory well? There’s a feeling of euphoria, and [Read more]
My wish for 2017: Knowledge of the energy business continues to grow
It’s that time of the year when many people feel the need to forecast what will happen in the coming year. It’s just another dumb habit that permeates the media as we pore through the articles, nodding in agreement or snorting in disgust, and adding not one iota of value to our lives. But it should be safe to say that it will be an interesting year in the energy business. Some aspects will remain boringly and irritatingly similar, like the irrational disrespect the general population shows [Read more]
When capital returns to oil and gas development, where will it go?
The energy world is waiting on pins and needles for the good times to return, or if not on pins and needles then waiting in the bar. The human toll of the downturn has been significant, especially for a generation that hasn’t really seen the down side of the commodity price cycle. Well now they've seen it good and hard. The good news is that it is indeed a cycle. There is a weird consensus out there however that the good times might only come back briefly, just to put in a quick appearance [Read more]
Winter strikes hard and nothing will save you but fossil fuels
In a week of brutally cold temperatures, when pedestrians wonder if they’ll make it to the next building alive, the title above might seem like gloating, like an energy industry just dying to say “you’re welcome” in response to a society that would surely be grateful for its services. But it’s not gloating. It is not smug, or righteous, or in-your-face. It is a fact about a simple physical reality that the energy industry would love to see discussed with the frequency it deserves. We hear [Read more]
Reducing fossil fuel consumption starts with cutting demand, not supply but…you first
In 1999, the Ford Motor Company introduced a vehicular whale named the Excursion. The SUV craze was getting into full swing, but even in that context the huge (5.75 meter/ 18.9 foot) barge generated nasty press for its school-bus demeanor. Here is the essence of a typical review of the day, from the first two paragraphs: “…largest sport/utility vehicle on this, or any other, planet… In traffic, you pick one lane and stay there, lest you overlook something small-like a stretched limo-in the next [Read more]
Which is scariest – clowns, pipelines or texting in motion? Our inability to judge risk
A bizarre phenomenon appeared this past Halloween with the onset of some sort of clown-fueled hysteria. A certain subset of bored teenagers realized that loitering in clown costumes could really creep people out. Like any other YouTube-fueled weirdness, the fad quickly spread and North America was soon inundated with punks in full clown regalia, peeking out from behind trees at passing cars in as disturbing a manner as possible. The fad slowed when the jumpier segment of the population began [Read more]
Natural gas glut headlines are wildly off base
The BOE Report recently ran an article originating from a major news service about natural gas storage levels entitled “ U.S. Gas Glut May have Grown 10 Times More than it Usually Does." Anyone who reads energy news gets inured to dumb stories, but reading this one – particularly the headline – was like passing a kidney stone wrapped in barbwire. It’s not as if the article simply had a poor forecast or some other subjective slant; there is plenty of room for opinions and even crazy ones often [Read more]
The “Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground” Initiative – finally, bad science we can live with
There is a growing environmental movement called “Keep fossil fuels in the ground” based on a report by, I don’t know, some silly environmental group. Their thesis is that in order to save the climate (their inexplicable phrase, not mine – the climate can’t be “saved”, it will always be a climate even if temperatures go up 50 degrees) 80 percent of fossil fuels need to remain in the ground. Finally, common ground to work from. Although the article itself is remarkably stupid (per senior [Read more]
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