Nick Cunningham is an independent journalist, covering oil and gas, energy and environmental policy, and international politics. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
The extensive use of sand in the hydraulic fracturing process is leading to a rush on sand supplies, causing shortages as mining companies scramble to…
The rapid growth in U.S. shipments of crude oil by rail is leading to an unexpected shortage of coal at many power plants across the…
Violence has returned to key oil-producing countries Iraq and Libya after a brief period of calm.Shelling and firefights between militias over the control of a…
Major oil and gas companies are taking on an increasing share of debt in order to maintain drilling momentum, according to data from the U.S.…
After years of mishaps and false starts, some oil companies are giving up on drilling in the Arctic. Many companies have allowed their leases on…
The rising tide of political instability around the world is negatively affecting the some of the oil industry’s largest companies, and several are considering withdrawing…
A week-long drama surrounding the arrival of a Kurdish oil tanker in U.S. waters abruptly ended July 29 when a Texas judge ordered U.S. Marshals…
A landmark ruling by an international arbitration court has dealt Russia and the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, Rosneft, a serious financial blow.The Permanent…
As the U.S. and Europe withdraw support for overseas coal projects, Japan is eager to pick up the slack. On July 23, Japanese officials laid…
Venezuela is showing increasing signs of desperation as it takes out an additional $4 billion in loans from China in exchange for oil. The deal,…
A city council in Maine took action on June 21 that all but blocks off another export route for Canada’s oil sands. The South Portland…
The confrontation between Russia and the West took a turn for the worse with the downing of a Malaysian airliner on July 17, and that…
The South China Sea has enormous potential for oil and gas reserves but territorial conflict will likely hold it back for years to come.On July…
Public opposition to hydraulic fracturing – better known as “fracking” -- is nothing new. The 2010 documentary “Gasland” energized the nascent anti-fracking movement, with its…
Russian President Vladimir Putin, seeking to build alliances to counter Western influence, signed several energy deals in Latin America this past week. The first stop…
The rush to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the U.S. might face a major obstacle: falling prices abroad. The debate in the U.S. over…
On July 11 Kurdish forces took control of the main oil fields surrounding Kirkuk, a move that could bolster a potential bid for independence. The…
Rising global temperatures are melting Arctic sea ice, so much so that some companies are now viewing the Arctic Ocean as a major shipping route…
Natural gas consumption in the United States could rise by 19 to 31 percent over the next five years due to a wave of industrial…
The European Union’s initial resolve at breaking its dependence on Russian energy after the Ukraine crisis erupted appears to be giving way to a realization…