MINES CLIMBS TOGETHER: COVID-19 health and safety resources, updates

Category: Commentary Series

Comparative Analysis of Selected African Natural Gas Markets and Related Policies

Comparative Analysis of Selected African Natural Gas Markets and Related Policies

John Ayaburi, Shashwat Sharma, Payne Institute Senior Research Associate Dr. Greer Gosnell, and Director Morgan D. Bazilian write about the discovery of natural gas resources across the African continent that have inspired debate on how such resources should be developed and best utilized. In several African countries, the discovery of commercial quantities of natural gas reserves has led governments to explore a number of strategies, investments, and policy directions. Two contrasting cases are that of Nigeria, which has pursued policies promoting domestic natural gas consumption and export, and Ghana, which has focused on encouraging sectoral-level domestic consumption.  April 5, 2021.

Integrating Technology and Incentives to Reduce Methane Emissions 3/16/2021

Integrating Technology and Incentives to Reduce Methane Emissions

Payne Institute Fellow Ben Gilbert and Mark Agerton discuss economic considerations with using remote sensing in methane emissions policy. A two-tiered monitoring system like the recently proposed Methane Emissions Reduction Act is a powerful tool to achieve emissions reductions. However, there are important considerations in how to design such a system. A two-tiered system could facilitate emissions pricing and responsible gas markets, reward innovative producers, and fund programs for further climate change mitigation while easing the impact of the energy transition on oil and gas communities.   March 16, 2021.  

In Search of a Trusted Messenger 2/25/2021

In Search of a Trusted Messenger

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Jim Crompton writes an opinion piece how the world’s 7.5 billion people need a vaccine for COVID-19 as soon as possible, but surveys of Americans suggest that not all of us are ready for the jab. He looks at how the institutional trust context applies to the environmental impact of oil and gas production in the United States. February 25, 2021.  

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA 1/29/2021

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Payne Institute Fellow Jamal Saghir writes about how climate change will have dire and severe impacts on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region threatening all countries in the region, impacting human lives and health, and causing serious damage to natural and human-made infrastructure and resources.  The climate change challenge for the MENA countries is making development climate resilient.  January 29, 2021.  

Initial Findings from Continuous Monitoring of Oil and Gas Operations 1/13/2021

Initial Findings from Continuous Monitoring of Oil and Gas Operations

Payne Institute Researcher William Daniels, Faculty Fellows James Crompton and Dorit Hammerling, and Director Morgan Bazilian look at the wide deployment of air quality monitoring technology, we can better address greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry. There is considerable public pressure, industry engagement, and government regulation surrounding the push for more sophisticated and transparent monitoring. While much focus has been given to the technological development of monitoring devices and the use of airplane and LDAR resources, less focus has been given to the data acquisition, management, and analysis from these monitoring technologies. This paper presents an exploratory analysis of continuous monitoring data from two oil and gas sites in Colorado.  January 13, 2021.

The Era of Commercial Space Mining Begins 9/23/2020

The Era of Commercial Space Mining Begins

Payne Institute Fellow Alex Gilbert and Morgan Bazilian write a commentary on NASA’s most recent announcement of a ground-breaking solicitation: NASA wants to buy lunar regolith extracted by a private company. In order to spur commercial space resources technology, NASA’s procurement is for the purchase of 50-500 grams of lunar regolith, or rock materials, from the surface of the Moon. September 23, 2020.

Are We Running Out of Natural Gas Storage? 9/23/2020

Are We Running Out of Natural Gas Storage?

Payne Institute Senior Research Associate Greer Gosnell writes a commentary on how the US burned the most natural gas for electricity in its history this summer, but current month-to-month natural gas price spreads suggest we may be running low on natural gas storage.  September 23, 2020. 

Innovation to Drive Water Security in the Arab Region

Innovation to Drive Water Security in the Arab Region

Payne Institute Fellow Jamal Saghir writes about how the Arab world is now the world’s driest region, with several countries being among the world’s most water scarce, where per capita renewable water availability is already less than 500 cubic meters per year. This is the level set by the World Health Organization for severe scarcity at which water becomes a hurdle to economic growth and beyond which water scarcity becomes a key concern in people’s lives and begins to affect the development process.  September 11, 2020.