The mammoth CERAWeek industry conference is really concentric circles of events. Daniel Yergin chats onstage with heads of the world's most powerful oil companies, government ministers, the OPEC chief and more. Behind the scenes, there's all kinds of exclusive, invite-only events and parties, dealmaking, and candid sideline chatter. A few things and themes I'm watching...
Peter Thiel: The billionaire tech entrepreneur who bucked much of Silicon Valley and backed the Trump campaign speaks Tuesday night.
Russia and Exxon: Energy Minister Alexander Novak will be onstage for the opening plenary session at 1:35 pm Monday, an address that arrives amid intense focus — to put it mildly — on the Trump administration's relationship with Putin's regime. The next big name onstage a half-hour later? Exxon CEO Darren Woods, whose company would benefit if sanctions against Russia are lifted.
OPEC and shale: U.S. shale oil producers are increasing output and adding rigs now that prices have climbed back after the down cycle. But the sensitive markets will be looking for signs of whether the production cutting deal struck by OPEC and some other countries, including Russia, late year will be renewed when OPEC meets this spring. OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo speaks Tuesday.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt: The new EPA chief, an ally of fossil fuel companies, is a late add to the conference schedule. He speaks Thursday, and there's a lot to talk about as Trump seeks to decimate EPA's budget and Pruitt begins efforts to unwind Obama's climate change rules.
Climate change: Patricia Espinosa, the top UN climate official, speaks here Monday facing massive uncertainty about whether Trump will yank the U.S. — the world's second largest greenhouse gas emitter — out of the 2015 Paris climate pact. Some powerful oil companies including Exxon back the deal, but whether we'll see real pressure on Trump to stay involved is something to watch. CEOs of BP and Shell and other big companies are speaking this week.
