Politics will weigh on Equatorial Guinea gas fortunes

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Equatorial Guinea ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Energy Hub ◽  
Regional Energy ◽  
The Us ◽  
New Energy ◽  
Gas Potential ◽  
International Status

Subject Equatorial Guinea energy prospects. Significance With the US market buying less of its gas, Equatorial Guinea’s government is trying to revive its ailing economy and international status by finding new energy markets within Africa. Several events are planned next year showcasing the country’s oil and gas potential, and ambitions as a regional energy hub. However, questions over the likely successor to 76-year-old President Teodoro Obiang cloud the picture. Impacts Should Teodorin Obiang succeed his father, he could remove his popular brother from the oil ministry. New oil entrants must consider the risk of regime change resulting in more resource-nationalist policies from a new president. Barring an uprising or coup, the ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea is likely to dominate politics for the foreseeable future.

Oil and gas majors are decarbonising their businesses

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oil Reserves ◽  
The Us ◽  
New Energy ◽  
Capital Spending

Significance While the US oil majors are adopting strategies primarily based on decarbonising oil and gas production, European companies are also developing new businesses designed to compensate for future demand-led reductions in oil and gas revenues. The European majors’ entry into the power sector and renewable energy markets brings new, well-financed and technologically proficient competitors into a sector made up predominantly of utilities and smaller developers. Impacts Hydrocarbon majors' capital spending on renewables will rise over the next decade. The oil majors will continue to buy into promising new energy transition technologies. These companies will invest in oil output and protect their legacy assets, but their valuations will be less driven by their oil reserves.

Branding a Potential Energy Hub as National Interest in the Eastern Mediterranean

2021 ◽  
pp. 18-39
Author(s):  
Vasileios Balafas ◽  
Efstathios T. Fakiolas
Keyword(s):  
Energy Demand ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
International System ◽  
National Interest ◽  
Energy Hub ◽  
Regional Energy ◽  
Chess Game ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Energy Issues

As the global energy demand has been growing, the balance of the international system seems to shudder. Energy issues have become pivotal for national strategy. For example, Russia is challenging US primacy by using its energy resources, the US is trying to become an oil and gas net exporter, and China is striving to ensure influence in rich natural resources territories to secure energy supplies for its development. The authors argue that energy issues have set up a new chessboard of power on which countries improve their status, no matter whether they are energy importers or exporters. Such countries as Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and Egypt are pursuing, without being major energy producers, to brand themselves as ideal regional “energy hubs” to serve national interest. Self-branding is not only a matter of declaration. It is primarily a matter of the energy major players recognizing this branding. It is this recognition that is the decisive moment that the countries concerned tip over the energy chess game by turning their aspirations into something more than an energy supply issue.

US election raises doubts over Japan-US alliance

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Election ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Campaign Rhetoric ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Presidential Election ◽  
East Asia Region ◽  
Presidential Election Campaign

Subject The implications for Japan of the US presidential election. Significance US presidential election campaign rhetoric has sparked serious concerns in Japan about Washington's commitment to the East Asia region in the context of a long-term rise in geopolitical tensions. Republican candidate Donald Trump has publicly questioned the value of the US-Japan alliance, while Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton has muted her previous support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, seen as the economic component of the US 'rebalance' to Asia under President Barack Obama's administration. Impacts Doubts about the US commitment to the region work to Beijing's advantage. The US government's likely failure to ratify the TPP will damage perceptions of Washington's commitment to the region. Though occasionally mooted, the idea of developing nuclear weapons is a non-starter in Japan.

Extractives transparency gathers pace in the West

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Commodity Prices ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
Good Time ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Financial Transfers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us

Subject Developments on transparency in the extractives sector. Significance Transparency legislation on the extractives sector progressed in December 2015 when the US Securities and Exchange Commission published a revised proposal to enhance the transparency of extractive (ie, mining and oil and gas) industries' payments to governments in producing countries. The aim is to provide information on financial transfers which can then be used by civil society, media and other stakeholders to hold those governments to account. The United States was a pioneer in this area, but litigation against its original initiative delayed its progress. Impacts Low commodity prices shift the balance of power from producing countries to consuming ones. That makes producer countries more susceptible to pressures for reform and may be a good time to push for greater transparency. However, opaque and inaccessible power structures in producer states could still limit NGO capacity to use more data to reduce corruption. A test of this will be whether the issue of resource transparency gains traction within the G20.

Infrastructure to boost Ivory Coast post-poll growth

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ivory Coast ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Domestic Demand ◽  
Judicial System ◽  
Infrastructure Investment ◽  
Special Investigation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electoral Violence ◽  
Energy Hub ◽  
Regional Energy

Subject Outlook for infrastructure in Ivory Coast Significance Minister for Petroleum and Energy Adama Toungara last month stated that Ivory Coast needs to invest 20 billion dollars in power infrastructure to 2030 to meet domestic demand and become a regional energy hub. The projection follows pledges from President Alassane Ouattara to accelerate infrastructure investment if he secures a second term in the October presidential elections. Impacts The Special Investigation and Examination Cell's failure to bring any 2010-11 atrocities to court will hurt trust in the judicial system. Opposition hardliners supporting former President Laurent Gbagbo could boycott the poll, risking some electoral violence. However, moderate mainstream opposition represents a larger constituency and is unlikely to opt for violence. Ouattara will avoid pushing reforms that affect the commercial interests of senior military figures, deferring reforms to the gold sector.

US charges designed to make Russia hacking irrefutable

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Russian State ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
To Come ◽  
High Level ◽  
First Time

Subject The US indictment of Russian intelligence officers. Significance The latest indictment to come out of the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller is the most striking yet as it targets Russian state actors for the first time. It sets out charges of hacking into Democratic Party networks, stealing more than 50,000 documents and using them for disruptive purposes in the 2016 US presidential election. Despite the considerable level of detail in the evidence offered, the White House has yet to address publicly the issues raised or confronting Russia. Impacts US government, election software providers, parties and social media platforms will face pressure to prepare for the midterm elections. Detailed attribution of cyber interference will likely weaken the notion that perpetrators enjoy a high level of plausible deniability. Hackers will continue to employ 'spearphishing' for its simplicity, success rate and cost-effectiveness.

New tax law will help US energy sector

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Budget Deficit ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Tax Law ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oil Drilling ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
The Us ◽  
Tax Cuts

Subject Oil drilling in Alaska and the energy sector under the new US tax laws. Significance Speaking to reporters on January 16, Senator Lisa Murkowski (Republican, Alaska), said that she wants to seek a new bill that would promote further environmental protections in what is known as the 1002 Area. The 1002 Area is in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and was opened for oil and gas exploration and drilling when President Donald Trump signed into law the Republicans’ tax reform bill on December 22 last year. Impacts Shareholders in refiners could see strong returns as the tax cut windfall is funnelled into higher dividends and share buybacks. If the tax cuts spur stronger short-term economic growth, US oil demand should accelerate, a bullish indicator for oil prices. If the tax cuts increase the US budget deficit, subsidies for the energy sector could be revisited.

Lower oil prices raise risk of US oil firms defaulting

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Distressed Firms ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Oil And Gas Firms

Subject US energy bond market. Significance The US benchmark, the West Texas Intermediate crude oil price, has slumped to 20-30 dollars per barrel in the second half of this month as the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak have reduced demand and the breakdown of OPEC+ talks earlier this month increased supply. The price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia will exert great pressure on the oil and gas industry, which was already facing slower growth because businesses and the transport sector are reducing the carbon intensity of their activity. Impacts If US exploration and production firms cut investment, already distressed firms in ancillary areas such as oilfield services will suffer. Unemployment in the US shale industry could increase sharply. US oil and gas firms will try to protect their cash flows by, for example, selling assets, cutting dividends and raising fresh capital.

US Democrats slowly nearing consensus on trade

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Trade Policy ◽  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Trump Administration

Significance Candidates ranged in their responses, from non-committal on their use of tariffs to criticism of President Donald Trump’s tariff use. The Democratic Party is in the midst of a debate about the direction of trade policy, including whether to pass the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and how to conduct and prioritise trade policy should their nominee win the presidency in November 2020. Impacts The House of Representatives may vote on the USMCA in coming months. If the House does not vote on the USMCA before December 2019, the next window would likely be November-December 2020. The Trump administration will try to show progress in trade talks with China before November 2020, hoping to gain votes.

Abe's election win opens way to revise Constitution

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Initiatives ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
The Us ◽  
Near Future ◽  
First Time ◽  
Stimulus Package

Significance The governing coalition led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) made gains, with the LDP itself now controlling exactly half the seats in the chamber. Parties in favour of revising Japan's Constitution captured the two-thirds supermajority necessary to call a referendum on the question for the first time ever. Impacts An economic stimulus package is likely soon. Parliamentary opposition to relocation of the US Futenma airbase has strengthened -- a setback for Japan-US relations. New foreign policy initiatives are likely in the near future. Cooperation among opposition parties paid off, and may become more common in future.

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