US energy secretary nominee Jennifer Granholm
Letter from the US: Granholm treads the centre ground… for now
The energy secretary nominee’s rhetoric is thus far placatory. But her record suggests the oil and gas industry should buckle up
Fossil fuels will remain a key component of the US economy even as it transitions to a greener future. Thus President Joe Biden’s nomination for energy secretary, former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, told her confirmation hearing. But previous form suggests the latter aim will take greater priority over the former. “If we're going to get to net carbon zero emissions by 2050, we cannot do it without coal, oil and gas being part of the mix,” says Granholm. Against that, on the campaign trail, Biden advanced a $2tn promise to achieve net-zero emissions from the power grid by 2035 and for the economy as a whole by 2050. That ambitious spending plan has raised eyebrows. But Biden’s top cli
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6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
6 March 2026
After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions
5 March 2026
Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
4 March 2026
The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
