In this first podcast from Wood Mackenzie's North Sea team, we round up highlights from the region's upstream activity in the first half of the year. Mhairidh Evans, Erin Moffat and Roddy Moody give their views on big deals and the projects to watch.

Over the last few years there has been a resurgence in Egypt’s upstream sector. Stephen Fullerton, Wood Mackenzie’s upstream Egypt analyst, and Martijn Murphy, Upstream North Africa Research Manager, discuss the main drivers behind this.

For more information on our Egypt Gas Market Study please email [email protected]

Gas to oil ratios in the worlds' hottest oil play have hit headlines over the past week. Purvi Indras and Ben Shattuck joined to explain GORs and what we heard from Pioneer.

Our Houston-based Corporate analysts discuss why Pioneer's share price took a hit last week, the read-through for other Permian players, and whether companies adjusted growth plans.

Greig Aitken and Scott Walker from our M&A team discuss the low-key start to H2 2017. Notable recent deals include Shell exiting Ireland; PE buying in L48 as Halcon and QEP pivot to the Permian.

Permian rig count is approaching an all time high, QEP resources flips more of its portfolio into the Permian, and Maggie McDaniel shares what she heard at URTeC 2017 in Austin, TX.

We review a big reporting week for the Majors and US Independents.

Ashima Taneja and Angus Rodger from our Asia Pacific upstream research team get together with Zhi Xin Chong, Principal Analyst for Asia Pacific gas and LNG to discuss LNG demand in South East Asia, emerging buyers and the outlook for LNG backfill options in Australia.

A weekly insight from our Chief Analyst on the issues shaping the energy and natural resources industry.

Read more from Simon at: woodmac.com/theedge

We preview the Q2 reporting season and look at how tight oil players might respond to recent price weakness.