Some threats, dynamics and geopolitical risks on global oil and energy landscape

Undoubtedly there are currently diverse issues, threats, political, security and geopolitical risks crisscrossing and in one way or another impacting the global oil and overall energy landscape, altogether defining what could be the upcoming scene of this always volatile and swinging industry, highly influenced by diverse elements aside from purely fundamentals of supply and demand. Here are some of the most pressing and concerning today:

1.) Could OPEC still be relevant in global oil markets without the help of the Russian Federation? Will it constantly need to extend invitations to new members in order to stay the course and remain important?

2.) How significant is the impact of global diseases and pandemics like the ones of COVid-19 (coronavirus), SARS, MERS, etc on the evolution and behaviour of global oil and gas demand and the dynamics between producers and consumers?

3.) Long term implications of the already consumed BREXIT first in the UK's hydrocarbon sector, the role of Scotland as important oil hub vis a vis the EU and the position of the EU regarding the UK, Russia and Norway on its energy pattern mix.

4.) Corruption and its real impact over the oil and gas sector after recent wide reaching consequences of cases in Angola, Brazil and Venezuela, and how states and institutions are and will react to this.

5.) Could Venezuela ever revamp and redesign its oil industry from the dust, even if without any significant political change in the medium term?

6.) The real impact of political, security, physical and overall country risks to oil and gas companies in the long term.

7.) Will Europe ever wean entirely wean itself from its over-dependence of Russia's oil and gas supplies? Would Norway, the U.S., Algeria, Libya, Iran, be enough in the long run to fully displace european imports from Russia? What will be the energy mix of the EU in 5, 10 years?

8.)Are or have been sanctions really effective against a targeted oil sector to cause damages?

9.)How much of a geopolitical and geo-strategic weakness or strength means for an oil producing country to hold its largest reserve and oil production in facilities located in territories occupied mainly by restless ethnic-religious minorities discontent against these states?

10.) Which are in reality in tighter control and grip of largest oil and gas reserves, the National Oil Companies or the International Oil Companies?

11.) Growing cyber-threats against the global oil and gas and energy industry by states and non state actors.

12.) Long term impact and consequences of the Artificial Intelligence in the energy landscape.

13.)Abilities and capabilities of rebel and insurgent groups to cause major disruptions on global oil and gas supplies, i.e, cases of Colombia, ISIS, Libya, Yemen. Iraq, etc.

14.) Is it really feasible to think about the possibility of an international central bank of oil?

15.) In the fashion of the ARAMCO IPO, will this be a trend for other state or international oil companies?

16.) What real and substantial impact could have the emergence of trading of oil in other currencies such as yuan, rubles, euros, rupees and the creation of new oil exchanges in hubs like Shanghai?

As per these issues and cases unfolding recently or since long and affecting in different ways the global oil, gas and energy landscape, we are watching a changing market insofar and with the emergence of new players like the case of Guyana, which independently of their impacts on the fundamentals of supply and demand, will continue to have implications over the global energy picture.