Outlook 2022: NOCs face difficult transition
State-sponsored oil companies will either sink or swim as the energy transition gathers pace
NOCs account for about half of global oil and gas production, but their role in the energy transition is often overlooked. NOCs are complex institutions with different strengths and burdens than private companies. And as the world gradually shifts away from fossil fuels, they will follow different trajectories. Some have the cash and technical skills to increase output, but many are already struggling and will be crippled by the energy transition. It is dangerous to generalise about NOCs. Companies such as Saudi Aramco are among the world’s most sophisticated oil and gas operators, with a combination of industry-leading technology, engineering capacity and strong balance sheets. But other NO
Also in this section
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
1 December 2025
The North African producer’s first bidding round in almost two decades is an important milestone but the recent extension suggests a degree of trepidation






