Covid-19 a ‘dress rehearsal for peak oil and gas’ – Shell
The impacts of the coronavirus on energy consumption and prices hold crucial lessons for when oil and gas demand peak, says Maarten Wetselaar
Last week’s Gastech Virtual Summit was an opportunity to take the pulse of the natural gas industry at a time when decarbonisation is high on the political agenda. One clear message from Shell is that the Covid-19 pandemic has hardened its determination to accelerate its transition to a net-zero carbon company by 2050 – and preferably sooner. “If you look at what has happened, you could say it is a dress rehearsal for the moment that oil and gas demand really peak,” says Maarten Wetselaar, Shell’s director of integrated gas and new energies. He believes that peak oil and gas demand are still some way off, with demand for both commodities staging a recovery before reaching their respective pe

Also in this section
11 August 2025
The administration is pushing for deregulation and streamlined permitting for natural gas, while tightening requirements and stripping away subsidies from renewables
8 August 2025
The producers’ group missed its output increase target for the month and may soon face a critical test of its strategy
7 August 2025
The quick, unified and decisive strategy to return all the barrels from the hefty tranche of cuts from the eight producers involved in voluntary curbs signals a shift and sets the tone for the path ahead
7 August 2025
Without US backing, the EU’s newest sanctions package against Russia—though not painless—is unlikely to have a significant impact on the country’s oil and gas revenues or its broader economy