Forecasts of oil sands’ demise greatly exaggerated
Canadian regulator the CER’s Global Net-Zero scenario paints a gloomy picture for the oil sands, but the analysis may be fundamentally flawed
The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) released its annual round of long-term energy scenarios in mid-June, and for the first time provided an outlook for Canadian crude oil production through 2050 under its Global Net-Zero Scenario—one of three scenarios in the Canada’s Energy Future 2023 report and the worst case for the country’s oil industry. Under this scenario, the CER assumes the same international crude oil prices as the IEA in its Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario in its World Energy Outlook 2022 report—$35/bl in 2030 and $24/bl in 2050 based on 2021 inflation-adjusted dollars—and for Canadian crude oil production to drop by the same 76% as global crude oil production over the 2021–50

Also in this section
25 March 2025
Cote d’Ivoire’s ambitions to become a major regional producer have gained renewed momentum, with established players and new entrants striking upstream deals and committing to long-term investment
24 March 2025
Indian E&P company wants to take domestic production to a new horizon, given the amount of unexplored opportunities
21 March 2025
Two recent developments raise the prospect of a revival in northern Iraqi oil and gas fortunes, but familiar obstacles could thwart momentum
20 March 2025
As cash-strapped Western governments commit to substantially raising defence expenditure, a similar dynamic is playing out in Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas sector, as Saudi Aramco maintains it heavy capex push despite reduced revenues