Energy & Natural Resources

RHG assesses global commodity market developments and energy and environmental policy trends. We combine energy and natural resource expertise with RHG’s China, India and advanced economies macro and political analysis for unique insight on oil, gas, coal, agricultural and base metals market dynamics.

RHG’s energy and natural resources team, led by Trevor Houser, brings together energy and environmental policy experience, economic and commodity market modeling expertise, and region and industry-specific insight to help clients anticipate, understand and respond to disruptive energy and natural resource trends. Our coverage includes global oil, gas, coal and agricultural markets, US power and natural gas, emerging Asian energy and base metals supply/demand forecasting, and national and international energy and environmental policy assessment.

RHG retainer clients receive regular market-oriented research on all RHG coverage areas including energy and natural resources, and direct interaction with Trevor and his team. Clients seeking support for specific energy and natural resources-related business decisions, strategic planning processes or policy deliberations can engage RHG on a special project basis. In addition Trevor is a frequent speaker for high-level audiences including corporate  boards, investment committees, strategic planners and portfolio managers.

Report

America's Energy Security Options

America's Energy Security Options

by Trevor Houser and Shashank Mohan

As US gasoline prices approached $4 a gallon in spring 2011, energy security moved to the forefront of the American political debate. Houser and Mohan analyze the various recent policy proposals, from expanded offshore drilling to new vehicle efficiency standards.

  • Note

    US Power Sector Meets 2020 Climate Change Target – for a Month

    by Trevor Houser | May 7, 2012 At the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen in 2009, the US committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 – a target included in cap-and-trade legislation that had passed the House of Representatives earlier that year. With the death of cap-and-trade in the Senate and the Republican takeover of the House, America’s ability to meet this emission reduction goal has been in doubt. In January of this year, however, US emissions came in 13% below 2005 levels, and power sector emissions were down by more than 17% – achieving the 2020 target eight years early.

  • Note

    American Energy Independence: Let the Betting Begin

    by Trevor Houser and Shashank Mohan | March 28, 2012 With US oil demand falling thanks to high prices fuel efficient vehicles and domestic crude and natural gas supply rising thanks to unconventional production, energy analysts have begun speculating that policymakers long-elusive goal of “energy independence” might be within reach. In this note, we provide a roundup of recent government and industry projections and will explore what these various American energy futures mean for the US economy and national security in the weeks and months ahead.

  • Note

    Gasoline Prices and Electoral Politics Part Two

    by Trevor Houser | March 20, 2012 Our March 7 analysis of the relationship between gasoline prices and political affiliation elicited considerable feedback and some great questions. So I’ve run some additional numbers and attempt to answer some of the queries we’ve received.

  • Note

    Gasoline Prices and Electoral Politics in the Age of Unconventional Oil

    by Trevor Houser | March 7, 2012 With average US gasoline prices approaching $4 per gallon, markets are trying to gauge the impact of high oil costs on a fragile US economic recovery. Some analysts have argued that surging unconventional oil production in North America will make this price spike less harmful than those in the past. But for the political class, it’s not the nation-wide picture that matters as much as what’s happening state-by-state. And it’s here that the domestic oil boom has particularly interesting effects.

  • Article

    India Largest Importer of Iran Oil for a Month

    by Pramit Pal Chaudhuri | February 16, 2012 Pramit Pal Chaudhuri discusses India's title of the largest importer of Iranian oil -- and why it is meaningless.

  • Note

    Iran’s Food Supply Gets Pinched

    by Trevor Houser | February 9, 2012 Washington and Brussels are trying to curb Iranian oil revenue in a bid to convince Tehran to abandon its nuclear weapons program. But it appears financial sanctions imposed by the West are having a more immediate impact on what Iran buys from abroad rather than what it sells. Reports this week suggest Iranian companies are finding it increasingly difficult to import food, raising the specter of a political crisis ahead of the parliamentary elections on March 2nd. Tehran is trying to a get around the issue by bartering food for oil, but a close look at the data suggests this will only be a partial solution at best.

  • Note

    Can the Saudis Save the Oil Market?

    by Trevor Houser and Shashank Mohan | January 17, 2012 As US sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) start to bite and the EU hammers out the details of a continent-wide ban on Iranian oil imports, all eyes are on Saudi Arabia and whether the Kingdom will step ...

  • Interactive

    Iran Oil Desk

    by Trevor Houser and Shashank Mohan | 2012 Real-time information and analysis on the world’s third largest oil exporter, including trade, production and exchange rate data and original RHG research.