This week, the most influential Al -Ahfouri Conference in the world, which was called “Cochlla of Off”, included an industry that showcases external wing, but it was barely able to hide its anxiety.
Recently last year, sustainability was a great axis at the Houston annual conference, known as Cereweek, where fossil fuel companies promote climate plans. But in the wake of Donald Trump’s re -election, the industry passes through the transformation of Vepe, and abandoned the transition of energy, and instead the president’s focus on energy “dominance”.
Cereweek’s mood this year was not only a celebration, but also exaggerated. US Energy Minister Chris Wright began the conference on Monday saying that the Trump administration was “continuing without a policy of producing more American energy.” A few days later, like the White House It announced an unprecedented series of environmental declinesThe internal secretary, Doug Burgum, called the Trump talisman “drilling, child, drilling”, and claimed that White House officials would reduce 20 to 30 % of American regulations.
The executives who were just months ago were promoting their sustainability for them to be praised by the administration. Amin Nasser, CEO of the Saudi National Oil Company, Saudi Aramco, said that the shift from fossil fuels was “failed”, while Larry Fink, President of the Director of Higher Asset Black Rock, wore a silicone bracelet reading “makes the energy wonderful again.” Ryan Lance, President of Konukovilps, said that Trump had “the best energy team in the United States for decades”, while Chevron’s president, Mike Worth, ascended “well -qualified people in the Trump administration.”
BP, which was once called a leading climate in the industry, has distanced the recent sustainability pledges, and instead called for an increase in US gas output, which has already reached record levels under Biden.
“We have a great location here in the Gulf of America,” said CEO Murray Usinglos.
Calls for “energy abundance” have emerged significantly, especially amid talks about the prosperity of prosperous artificial intelligence.
And the topic of abundance transferred to the amenities presented as well.
The admission price, which amounted to $ 10,000, included the spread of daily Charcuterie and access to unlimited bubble tea. Burgum’s speech was at a lunch with a three -dishes. Wine flow from open bars at night receptions and parties such as gas from nearby rock fields in Texas. (One of the prominent Shinding, which was delivered by Williams and EQT, was one of the nineties of the last century, and it included a live band.
Not everyone in Houston was happy with the state of the American energy industry. On the first day of Cereweek, hundreds of activists from all over the country protested, which represents the largest disruption in the history of the conference.
When the demonstrators walked towards the conference, chanting “we need clean air, not the other billionaire,” the police surrounded horseback, and arrested eight people.
“Cereweek this year is a protest of this type,” said Chef Survstava of the Environmental Justice Organization in Houston. “See how the industry behaves during the Trump era.”
Under the courage within the conference, some showed signs of concern about the fate of the energy sector during the Trump era. Some pointed out that the president’s threats to customs definitions were created uncertainty in the business environment and overcomed the expectations of fuel prices. The head of the Malaysian Oil Company, Petronas Peronas, has connected the policy of “pendulum fluctuations” between departments, while others referred to Trump’s executive orders that will create a confusion as they are challenged in the courts.
“The organizational uncertainty can be worse than many of the organization,” Adam J. White said on a tour on Wednesday.
Even Trump’s largest supporter called for stability. Vicky Holoub, CEO of Oxidental, who donated Hundreds of thousands To Trump, he expressed regret for the uncertain future controversial Tax credit for carbon capture. The incentive was part of the law to reduce inflation in Biden, which Trump pledged to photograph.
They head to Chevron, who donated the Trump installment box, as well. Although he skipped the administration, when he was asked about what he wanted to see from politics, the CEO said and inherited simply: “durability.”
“He swings from one side to another is not the approach of the correct policy,” he said, and it calls for the conversion of executive orders into legislation. They are the heads of a show company It is said The administration officials expressed in a special meeting before the conference.
Others have expressed concern that Trump’s calls for increased oil and gas production would lead to low prices, which limits profit. In Cereweek, the Wright Energy Minister expressed confidence that the industry can create its way out of this dilemma, but the Petrolere in Texas Harold is important, Trump’s main donor, pushed this idea.
“When you reach this $ 50 oil that you talked about, you are under the point where you will” drill, child, drill “,” Bloomberg said.
Despite these doubts, Ceraweek made it clear one: the United States is not anywhere close to curbing fossil fuels – which has long warned the highest climate experts to avoid the collapse of the climate. Instead, Wright said global warming was just a “side effect” required of the modernization, while he called on Burgum to “take our natural resources and turn them into natural origins.”
Melissa Arsaz, a climate expert at the University of Rutgers, said this position will have great climate consequences.
She said that the administration “you will soon find that it is not possible to” dominate “the environment without making the American public suffer from the consequences.”
