In this exclusive roundtable, executives from Enverus, KPMG and Rystad Energy discuss key trends, opportunities and challenges that are expected to shape ESG in the oil and gas sector in 2022.

From increasing disclosures to stronger investor sentiment, the past year saw an expected upward growth of ESG initiatives taken by the oil and gas sector. While many are calling 2021 the year of ESG investing, there’s little debate left about ESG now being core to the energy business.

Jason Reimbold, managing director of energy investment banking at BOK Financial, gives his take on the state of energy finance and dealmaking plus a preview of oil and gas activity from the Midcontinent region.

Despite entering another pandemic year, the state of energy finance is definitely brighter than it has been—even pre-COVID, according to Jason Reimbold, managing director of energy investment banking at BOK Financial.

“In fact, the volatility is really what speaks to the opportunity,” Reimbold told Hart Energy Editorial Director Len Vermillion.

In this exclusive interview, Rystad Energy Head of Shale Research Artem Abramov sheds light on flaring trends and what’s driving declines in the Permian Basin and Bakken.

Gas flaring hit a record low in the U.S. last fall—a trend that Artem Abramov, head of shale research for Rystad Energy, expects will continue.

“Based on what we hear from some E&P companies when we talk to them, I have a high degree of confidence that gas flaring will continue to decline in the next two to three years,” Abramov told Hart Energy in an exclusive interview.

Cleantech is expected to remain a dominant investment theme among oil majors as sustainability and ESG become more prominent features of company strategies.

Roughly a decade ago, oil and gas majors began launching corporate venture funds dedicated to nudging innovation in clean energy.

While the original goal was to outsource R&D efforts, achieve operational efficiencies and improve profitability, these venture funds have helped oil majors navigate the challenges of a broader energy transition and achieve ESG goals, Samuel Dibble, partner at Baker Botts, told Hart Energy.

Digital experts offer deep insights on how remote operations, IoT and digital twins are evolving in today’s fast-changing environment.

As the oil and gas industry adapts to its new reality, new technologies are playing a key role in helping companies make better data-driven decisions. In an exclusive roundtable discussion, senior executives of digital agreed that advancements in AI, augmented reality and data management are all driving the transformation of the industry as it transitions to a low-carbon future.

Shan Jegatheeswaran, Vice President of Digital, Oilfield Services, Baker Hughes

Sujit Kumar, President, Agora, a Schlumberger venture

Stuart Thomson, CTO, Ikon Science

Gino Hernandez, Head of Global Digital Business, ABB

Future of remote operations (0:56)

Digital twins and asset optimization (6:28)

Digitalization and decarbonization (9:59)

Why is data management so important right now? (14:40)

Future trends (21:37)

In an exclusive roundtable discussion, executives offer expert insights on the road map to net-zero emissions and the immediate actions required from governments and businesses. 

How realistic is the net-zero goal? (0:44)

Progress toward the goal (4:54)

IEA’s report findings (10:30)

Challenges on the path to a net-zero future (13:00)

New technologies for decarbonization (17:21)

In this roundtable, offshore experts provide insights on how new technologies are opening the door to a new era of productivity and efficiency in offshore exploration.

Considering the reality of continued oil and gas demand for decades to come, the offshore exploration sector will play a key role in providing the abundant, affordable and reliable energy that the global economy needs.

In an exclusive roundtable discussion, senior executives of offshore discussed how the offshore exploration sector is well-positioned for the energy transition as it continues to be a source of innovation and new technologies that will help drive the industry’s decarbonization efforts.

In this exclusive video interview, Diamondback Energy CFO Kaes Van’t Hof talks about the growing sustainable operations of oil and gas companies in the Permian Basin.

As ESG-focused activism continues to gain momentum, there is increasing pressure on oil and gas companies from investors to focus on ESG goals. But even though social and governance are an important part of the ESG movement, investors are more concerned about the environmental performance of oil and gas companies, according to Kaes Van’t Hof, CFO and executive vice president of business development of Diamondback Energy.

“When we talk about ESG, I think the ‘S’ and ‘G’ are important, but for oil and gas, it’s really about your environmental performance that drives a lot of the investor demand,” Van’t Hof said in an exclusive interview with Hart Energy’s Faiza Rizvi.

There are a few trends emerging among operators when it comes to managing methane. Darcy Partner’s Jack Blears discussed everything from the low-hanging fruit to the sophisticated technology enabling the industry to lower its emissions.

Jump to a topic:

Finding and eliminating super-emitters (0:35)

Limits and cost boundaries (1:00)

Continuous monitoring technology (1:35)

How investors evaluate ratings and reports (2:10)

Holistic ESG ratings (2:35)

James Curry, managing shareholder in Babst Calland's Washington, D.C. office, says the topics of hydrogen and carbon capture in the energy sector are qualitatively different this time around.

Every 10 years or so, people get excited about the potential for hydrogen and carbon capture utilization and sequestration. Most of the time, the conversations sizzle out and the industry gets back to what it is comfortable doing. This time, however, James Curry, energy attorney and managing shareholder of Babst Calland's Washington, D.C. office, says the conversations seem much different.

He recently sat down with Hart Energy's Len Vermillion in the firm's Pittsburgh headquarters for a frank discussion on the energy transition, including the role of pipelines, hydrogen and CCS in the future energy mix.