Markets on the rise
The oil-price recovery has helped to improve the outlook for oil and gas capital markets
Capital raised by oil and gas companies reached $530bn in 2017. Although a partial recovery from 2016's nadir, this remains low compared to recent historical levels and is around 70% off the peak we saw in 2014. In 2017, all sources of capital—loans, bonds and equity—came in at lower than the five-year average. While access to capital has undoubtedly improved, a host of other factors are also at play. Internal cash generation has recovered along with commodity prices. In parallel, capital discipline and efficiency measures have reduced the sector's capital intensity to some extent, and alternative sources of capital such as forward sales or divestments to private equity are also increasingly
Also in this section
19 January 2026
Newfound optimism is emerging that a dormant exploration frontier could become a strategic energy play and—whisper it quietly—Europe’s next offshore opportunity
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
