Enterprise risk
Energy firms rethink risk-capital allocation
Today’s capital-constrained environment is driving energy companies to review their approach to allocating the capital required to support risk exposures. David Stokes and Olly Spinks look at the challenges associated with risk-capital allocation and…
US energy firms relieved about CFTC’s ‘swap dealer’ definition; public utilities concerned
Many US energy companies breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday after the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) voted to narrow the definition of a 'swap dealer'. In a long-awaited decision, the agency dramatically raised the threshold for how…
Turning points: GDF Suez Trading's Edouard Neviaski
Energy markets veteran Edouard Neviaski talks to Jay Maroo about what it takes to make it big in the energy trading industry and his route to becoming the chief executive of GDF Suez Trading
Exclusive: Interview with Aramco Trading’s Said Al-Hadrami
The world’s biggest producer of crude oil, Saudi Aramco, has moved far beyond its roots and now boasts a team devoted to the worldwide trade of refined products. In an exclusive interview, Aramco Trading’s chief executive Said Al-Hadrami tells Alexander…
Enterprise-wide risk management: The power of cashflow-based metrics
The risks faced by energy/commodity firms need to be assessed via metrics that allow for longer-term outlooks and incorporate risks from asset-backed trading. In the second article in this series, Chris Strickland discusses the range of such metrics…
Possible Delta Air Lines refinery acquisition raises eyebrows
Analysts have been stunned by reports that Delta Air Lines is considering the purchase of an idled ConocoPhillips refinery on the US east coast. The unprecedented deal would provide Delta with an in-house source of jet fuel, but the problems inherent in…
Trading positions - April 2012
Energy Risk catches up with the latest appointments, promotions and departures in global commodity markets
Corporate hedging strategies affected by banking regulations: survey
Despite ‘end-user’ exemptions, strengthened banking regulations are likely to impact energy corporates due to their reliance on banks and other financial firms to manage hedging programmes, says a survey by Greenwich Associates
Volcker rule to pummel US energy industry: IHS
The so-called 'Volcker rule', if carried out the way regulators have proposed, will make it more difficult for the US energy industry to access risk management services, harming oil and gas producers, refiners and utilities, according to a study released…
The long and winding road to Dodd-Frank
As the Dodd-Frank rule-making process drags on, US energy companies are wondering when they will finally have clarity about the law’s impact on their business. Alexander Osipovich examines some of the key issues being thrashed out in the months to come
Assessing cybersecurity of the US power grid
Threats to the cybersecurity of the US power grid are on the rise and the issue is now on the radars of chief risk officers at utilities, rather than just IT heads. Alexander Osipovich investigates how the industry is responding and assesses the odds of…
Renewable energy projects seek investment alternatives
Investment in renewable energy needs to double if EU targets are to be met. With governments and investment banks reining in lending, the market is looking at alternative sources to plug the gaps. Gillian Carr investigates this and the implications of…
Multi-factor forward curve models for energy risk management
In the second article of this series, Carlos Blanco and Michael Pierce introduce the most common multi-factor models of the forward curve used for energy derivatives pricing and risk measurement
Are alpha commodity index products sustainable?
Investor interest in alpha commodity index products has surged over the past year and banks are hard at work creating more of them. Can these exotic new instruments really provide a sustainable source of absolute return? And is the market getting too…
Managing operational risk at commodity trading firms
Proactive management of operational risk is critical to ensuring an organisation responds effectively to ever-changing market conditions and regulatory environments. Julie Shochat and Kenzel Fallen outline how to align strategy, processes and…
US energy firms lagging in Dodd-Frank readiness: survey
Two-thirds of upstream US energy companies have done nothing to comply with new regulations imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act, according to a new survey
Energy Risk Deals of the Year 2012
In this special feature, Energy Risk highlights six deals that showcase the innovation currently present in energy financing, structuring and derivatives trading
Energy Risk's 2012 Software Survey and Rankings
Tighter budgets and looming regulation are key factors impacting decisions around energy trading and risk management software systems this year, according to Energy Risk’s Software Survey. David Wigan and Stella Farrington analyse the results
Energy Risk Deals of the Year 2012: SG CIB's Russian gas field financing
Société Générale Corporate & Investment Banking arrange €1.1bn financing for gas field in northern Russia
Energy Risk Deals of the Year 2012: Lloyds's financing for Essar
Lloyds Bank organises $1.5bn secured borrowing base facility for Essar Energy
Energy Risk Deals of the Year 2012: Credit Suisse's Urals swap with JKX
Credit Suisse in $50m Urals Med swap with JKX Oil & Gas
Energy Risk Deals of the Year 2012: Carlyle's Plainfield funding
The Carlyle Group rescue Plainfield renewable energy plant with $125m senior debt funding
Icap Energy acquires European biofuels broker
Icap Energy announce acquisition of biofuels broker Sun Commodities
Commodities correlation with equities, bonds - how long will it last?
Correlations between commodities and other asset classes have risen sharply over the past three years, but investors and academics are divided over the cause, and the outlook for diversification strategies going forward. David Wigan reports