據路透社3月1日紐約報道，2019年美國前國務卿邁克·龐培在全球最大的能源會議上登臺亮相，宣布在經過十年的頁巖氣快速發展使美國成為世界上最大的石油和天然氣生廠商之后，美國已在石油業占據統治地位。

兩年后，為遏制新冠病毒蔓延而出臺的限行令消除了全球五分之一的燃料需求，石油行業正從經歷過的最嚴重的衰退中復蘇。在成千上萬的工作崗位流失之后，美國化石燃料行業仍然處于困境中。

疫情還加速了能源轉型，中斷了燃料消費的穩步增長，如若不然這種增長可能會持續數年之久。石油需求可能永遠無法從此次打擊中恢復。今年，在休斯頓舉行的虛擬會議CERAWeek上，眾多小組專門致力于向未來的低碳經濟，氫能技術和氣候變化的過渡。

微軟聯合創始人比爾·蓋茨、美國氣候特使約翰·克里、亞馬遜和可再生能源巨頭伊維爾德羅拉公司的發言人都是主要的發言者。

IHSMarkit副主席、CERAWeek創始人丹·耶金表示:“會議的基調有所不同:整個會議都圍繞著一個主題，那就是能源轉型。”

從那時起，全球許多主要石油公司都制定了雄心勃勃的目標，將新的投資轉向減少碳排放、減緩全球變暖的技術。 BP 公司基本上已經放棄了其石油勘探團隊;美國汽車巨頭通用汽車宣布，計劃在15年內停止生產汽油和柴油動力汽車。

可以肯定的是，2021年的計劃包括了通常出席CERAWeek的石油領導人。他們中有歐佩克秘書長穆罕默德?巴爾金多，以及埃克森美孚、道達爾、雪佛龍和西方石油公司的首席執行官。

但他們將參加聚焦能源轉型的小組討論。巴爾金多將討論在未來需求受到挑戰的情況下，石油和天然氣將有什么樣的采收率。BP公司的魯尼將與今年晚些時候將成為亞馬遜公司首席執行官的安迪·雅西一起，參加一個關于重新開發能源的小組討論。西方石油公司首席執行官Vicki Hollub和阿拉伯聯合酋長國國務部長Ahmed Al Jaber將著手解決削減碳排放的問題。

石油公司面臨著來自股東、政府和活動人士越來越大的壓力，要求它們展示自己正在如何將業務從化石燃料轉向可再生能源，并加快這一轉變。

由大型石油公司組成的聯盟——石油和天然氣氣候倡議(Oil and Gas Climate Initiative)戰略與政策副總裁朱利安·佩雷斯表示:“今年的計劃反映了向未來凈零能源過渡的現實。”

裘寅 編譯自 路透社

原文如下：

From U.S. domination to energy transition, two years that changed oil

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took the stage at the world’s largest energy conference in 2019 to declare an age of U.S. dominance after a decade of rapid shale development made the United States the world’s top oil and gas Producer.

Two years later, the oil industry is recovering from the worst recession it has ever experienced after measures to contain coronavirus stopped billions of people from traveling and wiped out one-fifth of worldwide demand for fuel. The U.S. fossil fuel industry is still reeling after tens of thousands of jobs were lost.

The pandemic has also accelerated the energy transition, interrupting a steady rise in fuel consumption that may have otherwise continued for several more years unabated. Oil demand may never recover from that hit. This year, the CERAWeek conference in Houston is entirely virtual and numerous panels are dedicated to the transition to the low-carbon economy of the future, hydrogen technologies and climate change.

Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, and speakers from Amazon and renewable fuels giant Iberdrola are among the headline speakers.

“The tone is different: There’s one theme that permeates the entire conference and that is energy transition,” said CERAWeek Founder Dan Yergin, vice chair of IHSMarkit.

Since that time, many of the world’s major oil companies have set ambitious goals to shift new investments to technologies that will reduce carbon emissions to slow global warming. U.K.-based BP Plc has largely jettisoned its oil exploration team; U.S. auto giant General Motors Co announced plans to stop making gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles in 15 years.

To be sure, the 2021 program includes oil leaders who typically appear at CERAWeek. They include Mohammed Barkindo, secretary general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the chief executives of Exxon Mobil, Total, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum.

But they will participate in panels focusing on the energy transition. Barkindo will discuss what kind of a recovery oil and gas will have as future demand is challenged. BP’s Looney will join Andy Jassy, who is set to become Amazon.com Inc’s CEO later this year, on a panel about reinventing energy. Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub and Ahmed Al Jaber, United Arab Emirates minister of state, are slated to tackle cutting carbon emissions.

Oil companies have come under increasing pressure from shareholders, governments and activists to show how they are changing their businesses from fossil fuels toward renewables, and to accelerate that transition.

“This year’s program reflects the reality of the transition toward a net zero future,” said Julien Perez, vice president of strategy and policy for the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, a consortium of major oil companies.