據世界石油4月1日報道，一份新的石油和天然氣市場更新報告顯示，美國油氣行業有望看到持續的需求復蘇和基礎設施投資和就業法案的通過帶來的積極影響，但美國的監管環境去年有所收緊。這份油氣市場更新報告的撰寫者叫帕特里克·麥克羅里，他與Lathrop GPM合作，使用美國能源信息署(EIA)的報告和數據、聯邦政府和州政府的記錄、國家和地方新聞，以及律師事務所從業人員的知識和經驗。

麥克羅里表示，盡管到2022年為止，油氣行業的市場環境已經發生了迅速變化，但該報告仍然具有重要意義。 他說：“大部分分析都集中在美國的監管環境和行業的長期發展趨勢上。”這包括拜登政府繼續關注氣候變化和能源轉型時預計會發生的變化。 報告指出，投資者的壓力和公眾的認知一直是，并將繼續是環境、社會和治理(ESG)問題的重要驅動因素，主要關注“E”（環境）。

麥克羅里說，“我認為，油氣行業如何處理ESG問題的更新尤為重要。 ESG現在是，而且我相信將繼續是公眾和投資者的熱門話題。”“雖然這是一個熱門話題，但我們試圖幫助公眾理解它在實踐中的意義。這份報告提供了對油氣行業如何執行ESG倡議的深刻理解。”

報告稱，油氣行業面臨的ESG相關壓力主要與降低碳排放有關。該報告指出，總部位于巴黎的國際能源署(IEA)制定了到2050年前實現凈零排放的路線圖，該路線圖概述了實現溫室氣體減排的宏偉設想。

報告稱，油氣企業正在響應投資者對ESG的關注，從而采取了一些措施，如使用數字技術來增強它們報告ESG的能力。報告指出，聯邦基礎設施法案在很大程度上是有利于油氣公司的，并補充說，它為道路改善提供了創紀錄的資金，這應該會增加對瀝青的需求，對石油來說也是一個好兆頭。

根據該報告，2022年的長期需求看起來仍然樂觀。 投資銀行分析師預計，今年油價將繼續走高，預計將處在每桶90美元-100美元的范圍內。

國際能源署的一份報告預測，在2021年全球石油需求日增540萬桶油當量的基礎上，今年全球石油需求將日增330萬桶油當量。 報告稱，按照這個速度，全球石油日需求量將達到9940萬桶，這將回到疫情前的水平。

盡管地緣政治沖突可能會促使一些投資者轉向可再生能源，以減少對油氣進口的依賴，但麥克羅里并不認為當前的能源價格會影響對可再生能源或替代能源的長期投資。

麥克羅里說，“因此，我認為我們不會看到計劃中的資本支出大幅重新配置。在短期內，生產商肯定有利用有利能源價格的動機，許多生產商使用金融工具來對沖這種類型的波動，因此，重新配置資本以支持短期生產可能沒有真正的、可識別的好處。”

麥克羅里說，許多能源生產商將替代能源技術視為對其油氣資產的一種補充，這可能是長期的重點。 報告還分析了科羅拉多州、新墨西哥州、北達科他州、俄克拉何馬州、得克薩斯州和懷俄明州監管環境的影響。

李峻 編譯自 世界石油

原文如下：

Oil & gas market report expects continued demand increases this year

A new market update report shows the U.S. oil and gas (O&G) industry can expect to see continued demand recovery and positive effects from the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, but regulatory environments tightened last year. The Oil & Gas Market Update report is authored by Patrick McRorie, a partner with Lathrop GPM, using U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports and data, federal and state government records, national and local news, and the knowledge and experience of the law firm’s practitioners, among other sources.

Though the oil and gas industry has already seen rapidly changing market conditions so far in 2022, the report continues to be relevant, McRorie said. “Much of the analysis focuses on the U.S. regulatory environment and longer-term trends in the industry,” he said. That includes the changes expected as the Biden administration continues to focus on climate change and energy transition. Investor pressure and public perception has been, and will continue to be, a significant driver of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, with primary focus on the “E,”

“I think the updates on how the industry is approaching ESG issues is especially important. ESG is, and I believe will continue to be, a hot topic, both with the public and with investors,” McRorie said. “While it is a hot topic of discussion, we are trying to help the audience understand what it means in practice. The report provides insight into how the industry is, or in certain cases isn’t, executing on ESG initiatives.”

The ESG-related pressure on O& G mainly relates to carbon-lowering initiatives, the report said, noting the Paris-based IEA’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050, which outlines ambitious scenarios to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Companies are responding to investor attention on ESG, resulting in efforts like using digital technologies to enhance their ESG capabilities for reporting, according to the report. The federal infrastructure bill is largely O&G-friendly, the report notes, adding that it provides record funding for road improvements, which should increase demand for asphalt and is a good sign for oil.

Long-term demand for 2022 continues to look positive, according to the report. Investment bank analysts expect higher oil prices to continue this year, with forecasts in the $90-100/bbl range.

An IEA report referenced expects global oil demand to grow by 3.3 MMboed in 2022, following growth of 5.4 MMboed in 2021. At this pace, demand will reach 99.4 MMboed, which is a return to pre-pandemic levels, the report states.

While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may push some investors toward renewable energy to reduce reliance on  O&G, McRorie doesn’t think the current energy prices affect long-term investment in renewable or alternative fuel sources.

“As such, I don’t think we are going to see significant reallocations in planned capital expenditure,” McRorie said. “In the short-run, producers certainly possess an incentive to capitalize on favorable energy prices … Many producers use financial instruments to hedge against this type of volatility, so there may not be a real, recognizable benefit to reallocating capital in favor of short-term production.”

Many energy producers are looking at alternative energy technologies as a compliment to their O&G assets, which is likely done with long-term focus, he said. The report also breaks down implications of the regulatory environments in Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. To see the full report,