If you want to get the energy world’s full attention, give it a global pandemic, a rush to decarbonize, and a brutal land war in Europe — all in quick succession. Bam! Bam! Bam! The past two-plus years have shaken the global oil, natural gas and NGL markets to the core, and forced just about everyone involved to rethink the expectations and plans they had before everything seemed to unravel. So what happens next? How do we provide energy security, put a lid on inflation, and save the planet? To answer those questions, a good place to start is to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals — how energy markets develop, work and interact. In today’s RBN blog, we discuss highlights from RBN’s recent School of Energy, a like-you-were-there replay of which is now available.
With COVID on the ropes, if not yet down for the count, we were finally able to conduct an in-person School of Energy — face to face, just like the old days! — in Houston on May 17-18. It was great to see some old friends and meet some new ones, but all of us in attendance were well aware that the energy world has been turned on its head since the last School was held in the fall of 2019. Back then, WTI was selling for about $60/bbl, Henry Hub natural gas was steady at about $2.30/MMBtu, and regular gasoline — never mind, it’s too painful to be reminded how cheap it was. Europe was pulling out all the stops in its effort to decarbonize as quickly as possible and, to supplement its new wind farms and solar facilities, was making plans to pipe in a lot more natgas from Putin’s Russia.
That was then, and this is now. Today, everybody and his/her second cousin have thrown out their old expectations about “the future” and are in what you might call mid-scramble — that is, trying to figure out exactly how to navigate the very uncertain months and years ahead. Near-term, there are serious questions and concerns about energy supply, demand and prices — not just in Europe, but in the U.S. and just about every other energy-dependent nation. How high will gasoline and diesel prices go? Will there be a recession? And what about natgas supplies and prices this coming winter? There are other questions too, such as how fast is too fast for the transition to a lower-carbon world? How do we weigh the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions with the need to keep the economy humming and the lights on?
Join us at our historic 20th School of Energy!
School of Energy: Foundations is a two day, in person conference designed to help energy professionals better understand the forces shaping crude oil, natural gas, NGLs, refined products, and petrochemicals.
Attendees will learn from RBN experts, work with Excel based analytical models, participate in Q&As, and network with industry peers.
Build the foundation to better navigate volatile energy markets.
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About the song
“Point of Know Return” was written by Steve Walsh, Phi Ehart and Robby Steinhardt and appears as song one on side one of Kansas's fifth studio album of the same name. Released as a single in October 1977, it went to #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. It has been re-released on several Kansas compilation and live albums. BMI presented certificates to the song's writers for over two million plays of the song at the band's 40th anniversary celebration and concert in 2013. Personnel on the record were: Steve Walsh (lead vocals, keyboards), Robby Steinhardt (violin, backing vocals), Rich Williams (guitar), Kerry Livgren (guitar), Dave Hope (bass) and Phil Ehart (drums).
The album Point of Know Return was recorded in June and July 1977 at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, LA, and Woodland Studios in Nashville. Produced by Jeff Glixman, the LP was released in October 1977. It went to #4 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, and has been certified 4x Platinum by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). Three singles were released from the LP, including “Dust in the Wind,” which went to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and is the only single by Kansas which has been certified Gold by the RIAA.
Kansas is an American progressive rock band formed in Topeka, KS, in 1973 with the popular lineup of Steve Walsh, Robby Steinhardt, Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams, Dave Hope and Phil Ehart. Kansas has released 16 studio albums, seven live albums, nine compilation albums and 29 singles. Twenty-four members have passed through the band's ranks since its formation. They still record and tour, with Phil Ehart and Rich Williams being the only original members from the band's heyday. Founding member and violinist Robby Steinhardt died in July 2021 at the age of 71. Kansas is currently on tour playing a series of shows featuring the Point of Know Return album played in its entirety, and other shows featuring classic Kansas songs from throughout their career.
