More of the same
What does another Trudeau win mean for Western Canadians? After all, the actual composition of the House of Commons changed little, and once again, the Liberals will need the support of either the NDP or the Bloc Quebecois to pass legislation. So, for the most part, we can expect a continuation of some programs, including…
We're deluded if we believe that the consequences will only be borne by workers in the oil and gas sector
Shortly before the election was called, the federal government launched an engagement process to determine how Canadians want to implement a 'Just Transition' to a net-zero carbon economy. To the government, this means developing supports for the oil and gas workers whose livelihoods are being impacted by domestic climate policies. A 'Just Transition Advisory Body'…
A global energy crunch could help propel prices above US$100 a barrel
All eyes are focused on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in OPEC+ as they meet today. With crude oil prices touching US$80 a barrel and prospects of hitting US$100 this winter looming large, markets are on edge. The market trajectory is virtually impossible to delineate. A global energy crunch could help…
The bull run is on
Is Brent crude oil heading toward US$80 a barrel? If the market signals and the pundits are to be trusted, the bull run is on. Oil prices headed to a third straight week of gains on Friday. Brent futures rose 84 cents, or 1.1 per cent, to settle at US$78.09 a barrel, while U.S. West…
If OPEC forecast turns out to be correct, oil prices could go much higher
A strong message is being sent to major global oil capitals: it’s time to cool down the markets. By urging the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies in OPEC+ to open taps – and endeavouring to impact the markets by selling crude oil from strategic reserves – the world’s major oil consumers are…
If the sector disappeared, taxes would have to be increased substantially to provide us with the services we have come to expect
By Mark Milke and Lennie Kaplan Canadian Energy Centre Between 1969 and 2019, Canadian parents received $499 billion in family allowance payments and children’s benefits from the federal government. That 50-year cost was matched by $505 billion in revenues to governments from the oil and gas sector – except that such taxpayer cash was collected…
Non-fundamental factors appear to be controlling crude oil market patterns
A number of major events weighed on global oil markets throughout last week. Those factors included: Hurricane Ida; the United States Federal Reserve delaying the tapering off of its economic stimulus; the decision of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in OPEC+ to stick to their original output increments; the rising…
Asia’s market is softening
The crude oil rally is stuttering. Having ceded some 15 per cent in prices in recent months, the rally we saw earlier this year has lost steam. Despite talk of growing demand, tightening markets, galloping prices and the call by U.S. President Joe Biden to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies in…
U of A-led international team estimates the flood from Glacial Lake Agassiz may be largest known in Earth’s history
A flood of epic proportions drained at a rate of more than 800 Olympic swimming pools a second from a glacial lake that spanned the Prairie provinces more than 12,000 years ago, according to a University of Alberta-led study. The finding bolsters a theory that the event may have propelled the warming Earth back into…
The summer driving season is upon us and Americans are hitting the road in much larger numbers than a year ago
Crude oil markets face an interesting mix of influences. While the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to affect the markets, conflicting signals seem to push oil prices in the opposite direction. Reports confirm that American oil consumption is rushing back much faster from the pandemic slump than initially predicted. The summer driving season is upon us…