Ben Cahill

Non-Resident Fellow, AGSIW

Ben Cahill is a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He is director of energy markets and policy at the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Energy and Environmental Systems Analysis and is based in Washington, DC. He covers geopolitics and macro trends affecting the oil and gas industry. He has led research initiatives on methane emissions and global gas, analyzed how national oil companies are responding to the energy transition, and covered the market and geopolitical impact of U.S. liquefied natural gas exports. Cahill was formerly a senior fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and is now a senior associate of the program. Prior to CSIS, Cahill was a director in Energy Intelligence’s Research & Advisory group and led its country risk practice. He also wrote on corporate strategy and covered Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and the Southeast Asian national oil companies. Cahill formerly worked at PFC Energy (now part of S&P Global) in Washington, DC, and Kuala Lumpur, focusing on country risk and macro trends in the oil and gas industry. He has an MA in international affairs and economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a BA in international relations and English from Boston University.

Blog Post content-type in which the post is published

Trump 2.0: Oil Market Implications for the Gulf States

As Trump seeks to maximize U.S. oil and gas output and choke off Iran’s oil exports, he will have no qualms about leaning into oil market issues.

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Why Gulf National Oil Companies Are Investing in U.S. LNG

Gulf national oil companies represent a new pool of capital for global gas investment, and with some of their first forays in the United States, Gulf gas deals suggest Washington’s relations with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are improving.

Petro Diplomacy 2024: The Countdown to Net Zero

On June 11, AGSIW convened its 10th annual Petro Diplomacy conference.

Petro Diplomacy 2023: The Energy Transition and the Road to COP28

On June 27 and 28, AGSIW convened its ninth annual Petro Diplomacy conference. 

China-Gulf Initiative: Evolving Chinese Demand for Gulf Energy and Geopolitical Implications

On September 15, as part of the China-Gulf Initiative, AGSIW hosted a discussion examining energy relations between China and the Gulf states.

The Future of OPEC+ and Saudi-UAE Relations 

On July 8, AGSIW hosted a private briefing on the developing OPEC+ dispute and the repercussions for the future of the alliance as well as Saudi-UAE relations.

Publications content-type in which the post is published

Everything at Once: Transformation of Abu Dhabi’s Oil Policy

Abu Dhabi traditionally managed its oil and gas resources cautiously and conserved hydrocarbon wealth for future generations, but the energy transition is reshaping its strategy.

The Transformation of Abu Dhabi's Oil Industry

Ben Cahill discussed the fundamental shift in Abu Dhabi's oil policy since 2016.

What Are the Prospects for Natural Gas in the Transition to a Lower Carbon World?

The coronavirus pandemic has delivered an unprecedented shock to the global natural gas market.

Petro Diplomacy 2020

For the sixth consecutive year, AGSIW convened its Petro Diplomacy conference, this year virtually.