Middle East gas could provide an economic and more sustainable energy option especially in terms of meeting local demand, Crystol Energy CEO Carole Nakhle tells Petroleum Economist’s Paul Hickin. She warns against oversimplifying energy debates around peak demand, explains the evolutionary role of OPEC and talks about the importance of diversifying Middle East economies not just regional energy mixes along with the role of fiscal systems to maximise a country’s strengths

OPEC+ spare capacity is much lower than the market consensus and US shale will also struggle to add extra supply in the second half of 2025 providing upside risk to oil prices, according to Emily Ashford. The Standard Chartered energy analyst tells Petroleum Economist’s Paul Hickin that while tariffs, trade and geopolitics add bearishness, much has been priced in and may be offset by a supply side that is likely to see OPEC+’s members involved in additional voluntary cuts take a hiatus in returning volumes after the summer. 

Oil and gas can and should coexist with renewables, and policymakers must be aware of the risks to energy access, affordability and sustainability from sometimes ill-judged efforts to tackle climate issues and demonise energy companies, argues Amy Miller. The PRAGMA CEO tells Petroleum Economist’s chief economist Paul Hickin that it’s important to appreciate every country has a unique energy journey and a practical approach to energy and climate needs to be embraced given its pivotal role in everyday life. 

In the debut episode of the WGLC Podcast Series: Empowered to Lead, Conference Director Rachel McGhie sits down with Lauren Levicki Courville, President of Dress for Success Houston, to explore what empowerment looks like for women navigating economic independence, career growth, and leadership.Lauren shares the incredible work of DFS Houston—an organisation that has impacted close to 50,000 women and 65,000 children through professional development, mentorship, and community support. From the first suit to sustained career advancement, she paints a vivid picture of how confidence and community are transformative forces.Tune in for insights on:* Why empowerment starts with being seen and supported* How community engagement builds long-term impact* The shared mission of DFS Houston and WGLC in advancing women’s leadership in energy and beyondThis episode is a reminder that leadership doesn’t start in the boardroom—it starts when a woman realises she deserves a seat at the table.Learn more and register for WGLC 2025, taking place in Houston on October 28–29, at wglconference.com (https://www.wglconference.com/)Discover the mission of DFS Houston at dfshouston.org (https://www.dfshouston.org/)

In this episode, Petroleum Economist sister title Hydrocarbon Processing spoke with Nav Sharma, Director of Product Management, Cybersecurity, Honeywell, on safeguarding assets from cyber attacks. This includes behavioural analytics and deception technologies, and what a truly proactive cyber defense system looks like in OT environments to protect vital infrastructure

The energy transition is a false narrative that has caused vast sums of government money to be wasted warns Mark Mills, executive director of the National Center for Energy Analytics. The US energy think tank leader talks to Paul Hickin, chief economist of Petroleum Economist about how Jevons paradox explains the way energy efficiencies can be counterproductive and the crucial role of hydrocarbons in meeting electrification needs. 

While oil demand is weakening and OPEC+ is bringing back barrels, a lack of non-OPEC supply—especially as US shale sputters—will likely see an oil market revival in 2026, says EnergyRogue.com’s Brian Pieri. Petroleum Economist’s chief economist, Paul Hickin, and Brian also explain why betting against OPEC is a fool’s errand. 

Petroleum Economist explored the nexus of supply and demand fundamentals and the power of sentiment with Tamas Varga, a top oil analyst at PVM Oil Associates. With the IEA and OPEC unable to find a consensus on the oil outlook and many moving parts to tariffs, geopolitical risk, OPEC+ barrels and US production, a more nuanced approach to market direction may be required. 

Petroleum Economist talked to Dr Ian Palmer, solar space scientist turned oilfield engineer, about his book How Oil and Gas Companies are Pivoting Toward Climate Change, covering carbon capture, net-zero targets, batteries and the future of fossil fuels.

Petroleum Economist sat down with Neil Quilliam to explore how Saudi Arabia is balancing oil market management, growing its gas and LNG sector and developing its renewables strategy. Neil is involved with SRMG Think, Azure Strategy Consulting and Chatham House and explains how the Kingdom’s near and long term energy vision fits with its plans to diversify its economy.

Part 2 of Petroleum Economist’s global refining analysis focuses on the Asia-Pacific region. This episode details major initiatives that are leading to additional capital expenditures for refining capacity additions, including the ability to satisfy domestic fuel demand, higher biofeedstock blending, increasing SAF production, the inclusion of petrochemical units in existing refining infrastructure and the grassroots construction of mega-integrated complexes, and much more.

In this latest series, Petroleum Economist will analyze the global refining industry. This first episode provides a breakdown of active projects globally, current capital spending on refining projects, and future distillation and secondary unit capacity additions.

Petroleum Economist sat down with Neil Crosby, AVP Oil Analytics at Sparta Commodities to discuss how the recent US move on tariffs and the decision by OPEC+ to bring back extra barrels is creating a disconnect between sentiment and physical market reality that at some point will surely meet in the middle?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the role of digital twins in the oil and gas industry, enhancing their ability to optimize operations, improve safety and reduce costs. Digital twins—virtual replicas of physical assets and processes—are already transforming maintenance strategies, streamlining production and ensuring asset reliability. However, AI takes this further by enabling real-time predictive insights, automating decision-making and ensuring a continuous “golden thread” of trusted asset information. Join us to explore how AI-driven digital twins reshape industry workflows, from predictive maintenance to intelligent automation. Through real-world applications, we’ll demonstrate how AI enhances decision-making, streamlines operations and unlocks new efficiencies in asset management.

Petroleum Economist continues its global analysis into the global hydrogen value chain. This episode provides a detailed analysis of capital spending, regulations, partnerships and the potential Africa has to boost low-carbon/zero-carbon hydrogen production.

In this mini-series, Petroleum Economist takes a deep dive into the global hydrogen value chain. Part 1 provides a forecast of global hydrogen demand, as well as capital spending and active project developments.

Continuing with Gulf Energy Information's Women in Leadership series, we welcome Carol Lloyd, Vice President, Planning and Stewardship, ExxonMobil. In this episode, Ms. Lloyd discusses various aspects of her respected career, including mentorship, building a professional network, increasing credibility and influence within an organization, and other aspects of being a leader in the energy industry.

This episode dives into the outlook for the LNG market in 2025 and beyond, including how LNG will be traded and supply and demand fundamentals moving forward.

In this episode, adapted from the Gulf Energy Information webcast, the editors of World Oil, Petroleum Economist, Pipeline & Gas Journal, Hydrogen Economist and Hydrocarbon Processing discuss how Trump's incoming administration will shape global energy markets and the effects of future policy and regulations. Key topics include regulatory changes, adjustments in subsidies and taxes, and potential impacts on the oil, gas, and renewable energy sectors worldwide.

Digital twins are now widely accepted as a mainstream technology, transforming industrial facilities worldwide. A recent survey of 660 senior executives across 11 industries demonstrated clear operational benefits, with average cost savings and revenue gains of 19%. The next generation of digital twins, however, will play an even more strategic role by addressing critical challenges faced by asset-intensive industries:* Workforce challenges: Addressing issues such as the ongoing decrease in the average tenure and experience of plant operations and maintenance personnel.* Distributed workforce enablement: Facilitating companies with distributed workforces by eliminating site visits and offshoring key industrial processes, leading to significant improvements in safety and efficiency.*  AI solutions for skill shortages: Leveraging autonomous systems and AI-based natural language processing to elevate the competence of a “5-year average employee” to that of a “20-year veteran.”* Carbon emission control and reduction: According to the Hexagon survey, 8 out of 10 executives report that digital twins contribute to carbon emission reductions. We will discuss practical strategies for aligning asset-intensive companies with sustainability goals, including material reuse, repair over replacement, predictive analysis, and early detection and mitigation of emissions.This podcast will explain both the current “state of the art” and look forward to the transition to the Smart Digital Reality and autonomy for industrial facilities.