Commodities Focus

S&P Global Platts’ analysis of key news and pricing issues from across the global shipping, natural gas, power, petrochemicals, agriculture, and coal markets.

The World Petroleum Congress in Houston brought back a sense of normalcy to the energy sector as both the industry and the world continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. But the other existential threat for fossil fuels is the burgeoning energy transition and switch to cleaner sources of power and fuels. At the conference, many oil and gas executives pushed back at the notion of a seamless transition, arguing that fossil fuels will be needed for many decades to come, and warning of price shocks and energy shortages if the world shifts too quickly.

Americas oil news director Jeff Mower, senior upstream editor Starr Spencer, and senior midstream editor Jordan Blum sat down to recap these themes from WPC and reflect on the slow shift toward in-person events again.