New oils are emerging in the United States and worldwide. The degree to which global oils differ from one another is increasing, from carbon-laden oils that resist flow to ultra-light petroleum liquids trapped in tight shale oil. Developing these unconventional oils requires a clear departure from business-as-usual practices. The Carnegie Oil Initiative provides expert analysis, strategic guidance, and policy frameworks to manage new oil assets while protecting the climate.
Carnegie’s work to understand emerging new oils has been ongoing since our seminal publication, Understanding Unconventional Oil, in 2012. All publications from this project are archived here.
Climate talks have largely failed to curb rising temperatures. Subnational actors that seek to transform their local energy systems can benefit from California and Germany’s expertise.
From its sheer volumes to what it’s made of and its environmental impacts, the next century of oil will likely be very different from the last.
China must address the negative environmental impact of petcoke, an inexpensive but dirty alternative to coal, if the country’s efforts to manage carbon emissions are to be effective.
The U.S.-China joint climate statement that was announced last November is a first step toward addressing climate change, but success will depend on further global collaboration.
Six major European oil companies are seeking UN backing for a global carbon pricing framework. Policymakers should not let this opportunity go to waste.
Multinationals and Western governments should help Nigeria’s new president clean up the country’s oil sector and turn it into a model for its resource-rich neighbors to emulate.