Talking Carbon Capture with Tim Vail, CEO of Ion Clean Energy (Ep. 221)
EnergyCents
The opportunity for carbon capture technology is expanding as the role of natural gas in power generation grows in an emissions-constrained world. Ion Clean Energy, which includes Chevron, ExxonMobil, Williams, and Carbon Direct as investors, is working to address this opportunity with its proprietary absorbent technology. Tim Vail, CEO of Ion Clean Energy, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss the company’s innovations in carbon capture technology and how the market opportunity continues to grow as power markets seek clean, firm, dispatchable generation. Learn more about Ion Clean...
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Peak Uncertainty: Forecasters wrestle with muddled outlooks for long-term oil demand (Ep. 220)
EnergyCents
Energy forecasters have long been calling for a near-term peak in global oil demand as year-over-year growth slows in the largest consumer markets of US, China, and Europe. These outlooks are being revisited as electric vehicle penetration underwhelms and the opportunity for petrochemical demand expands. Karim Fawaz, an S&P Global expert in global oil markets, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss why the outlook for annual oil consumption is increasingly muddled and what sectors will be most important to driving global demand going forward. Learn more about S&P Global...
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Back to the Future: New Zealand re-opens itself for upstream exploration (Ep. 219)
EnergyCents
Earlier this year, New Zealand reversed a self-imposed ban on offshore oil and gas exploration begun in 2018 and is now allowing companies to apply for new licenses. Frankie Hulbert, an S&P Global expert in upstream exploration and development, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss how New Zealand’s renewed interest in domestic natural gas supply led to the reversal and whether operators now have enough confidence in policy to commit to fresh exploration plans. Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at:
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Drill, Baby, Drill: Upstream players navigate changing tides (Ep. 218)
EnergyCents
The upstream industry has faced many challenges over the last few years, but global sentiment seems to be shifting. In an environment of rapidly evolving geopolitics and a continued demand for resources, we explore how the industry is responding to this changing landscape. Joining hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys this week is Dan Pratt, Global Head of Upstream Solutions at S&P Global Commodity Insights, to talk about the global appetite for upstream oil and gas, what countries are doing to attract investors and the role AI will have in the future of exploration. Learn more about...
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Sail away: Shipping gets creative in efforts to decarbonize
EnergyCents
The maritime and shipping sector, which accounts for 80% of global trade and 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is under increasing pressure to decarbonize. Dana Rodriguez, Programme Manager at The Decarb Hub, and Aroob Sheikh, Shipping and Freight Reporter at S&P Global, join hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss the steps being taken within the shipping industry to reach net zero, from retrofitting the existing fleet to dual fuel technology. Learn more about The Decarb Hub at: Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at:
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Change Makers: Rick Margolin, Director at ENGIE Impact (Ep. 216)
EnergyCents
ENGIE Impact works with corporate and industrial clients to manage their energy portfolios and make progress toward sustainability targets through the procurement of renewable energy. Rick Margolin, Director of Resource Optimization and Renewable Energy at ENGIE Impact, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss how industrial consumers can smooth volatility, reduce costs, and make progress toward sustainability goals by increasing the weight of renewable sources in their energy portfolios. Learn more about ENGIE Impact at: Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights...
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OBBBA: US energy developers digest impact and timeline of federal policy changes (Ep. 215)
EnergyCents
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed on July 4, 2025, and rewrote many of the rules associated with federal tax credits supporting low-carbon energy projects in the US. S&P Global Commodity Insights experts Anna Mosby and Conway Irwin join Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss how the OBBBA may influence the development of various energy technologies and when these new rules take effect. Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at:
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Vision to Exploration: Rich Africa Consultancy on Namibia’s energy rise
EnergyCents
Rich Africa Consultancy is a strategic advisory firm based in Namibia, specializing in natural resources law, energy policy, and sustainable investment. Since 2011, it has guided governments and businesses in unlocking value from Africa’s resource wealth through expert advice, ESG alignment and thought leadership. Ndapwilapo Selma Shimutwikeni, founder and CEO of Rich Africa Consultancy, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss Namibia's transforming oil and gas landscape, as the country moves to first oil from its major discovery, and the role expectation management plays in...
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Duct bills: Heat pumps seek market share amid US building electrification push (Ep. 213)
EnergyCents
Buildings in the United States account for about 40% of domestic energy demand and about 25% of greenhouse gas emissions. Increased electrification of buildings, particularly in heating, is core to policy makers realizing decarbonization ambitions. Julia Kim, a US power markets expert at S&P Global Commodity Insights, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss incentives behind US building electrification and explain how the pace of heat pump adoption will reflect regional differences in incumbent heat source and state-level policy. Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights...
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Methane Monitors: Overflight observations reveal decline in Permian emissions (Ep. 212)
EnergyCents
Upstream operators in the Permian Basin have reduced emitted methane by 50%, or 29 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, since 2022 according to overflight data. Importantly, this reduction has occurred at the same time as oil production has grown and reflects an improvement in the methane intensity of Permian operations. Raoul LeBlanc, vice president of upstream at S&P Global Commodity Insights, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss how methane management is becoming a normal part of Permian operations and technology is shifting focus from ‘find and fix’ to ‘predict...
info_outlineConduit Power is a Houston-based independent power producer and services platform working behind the meter to co-locate distributed gas-generation assets alongside the projects of its commercial and industrial customers. The three-year-old company, backed by Grey Rock Investment Partners, also works in front of the meter through a model that allows upstream producers in the Permian Basin to share in the upside of converting their low-value natural gas molecules to higher-value electricity.
Travis Windholz, CFO at Conduit Power, joins Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss how Conduit’s modular dispatchable generation projects use natural gas to provide the reliable and fast-to-deploy power that its oilfield, data center, and other industrial clients require.
Learn more about Conduit Power at: https://conduitpower.co/
Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en