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09/28/2026
USAEE Newsletter | Fall 2026
Register for Conference by Sept. 30 & Save
Welcome to the latest edition of the United States Association for Energy Economics quarterly newsletter! Each quarter, we will bring you engaging articles, expert opinions, member perspectives, and updates that reflect the dynamic landscape affecting the economics of the energy industry. Your feedback is invaluable to us, so please reach out to share your thoughts, article ideas, and questions at usaee@usaee.org.
2026 USAEE North American Conference:
Register by Wednesday, September 30, and Save!
Join Us in November in Pittsburgh
Register now for the 43rd USAEE North American Conference November 15-18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Book by this Wednesday, September 30, to avoid late-registration rates and save as much as $150.
The theme for this year's conference is DISRUPTION: The State of Energy Markets in 2026 and Beyond. Sessions will feature vital and timely topics including crude oil supply disruptions, large load growth in electricity markets, energy affordability, natural gas and LNG, nuclear, coal and its place in the energy mix, and more. Join us in Pittsburgh and hear what leading subject matter experts have to say about these and other topics, all against the backdrop of the extraordinary energy market disruptions of 2026. More conference details, including additional speakers, further program information, and special events, are also on the way.
Already Registered?
Book Your Hotel Room at the USAEE Group Rate
book your room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown
USAEE Conference | You're Invited:
Student Poster Competition and Reception
at the Energy Innovation Center
Presented by the Institute for Humane Studies
All attendees of November's USAEE Conference in Pittsburgh are invited to a special student poster competition and reception at the Energy Innovation Center (EIC) on Monday evening, November 16 from 6:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Presented by the Institute for Humane Studies (IHS), the reception is included with conference registration.
Reception guests will enjoy appetizers and drinks in the EIC's Duquesne Light Brightspace. Soaked in light and boasting an expansive view of the Pittsburgh skyline and sunsets, the Brightspace will provide a modern, elegant setting for a memorable evening with colleagues and friends. The annual Student Best Poster Award Competition gives selected students an opportunity to showcase their work and receive recognition through dynamic, interactive poster presentations.
A Message from the President
BY GREG UPTON | PRESIDENT, USAEE
USAEE Community,
As we move into the fall, I am excited that the 2026 USAEE Annual Conference in Pittsburgh is now just around the corner. From November 15–18, our community will come together around this year’s theme, “DISRUPTION: The State of Energy Markets in 2026 and Beyond.” If you have not yet registered, it is not too late, and I hope you will make plans to join us.
The theme could hardly be more timely. Global energy markets continue to navigate geopolitical uncertainty, rapidly growing electricity demand, technological change, evolving policy, and significant new investment in energy infrastructure. At a time of such disruption, high-quality economic analysis is particularly important. Our field has an important role to play in helping policymakers, businesses, and the public understand what is happening in energy markets, why it is happening, and the tradeoffs associated with the choices ahead. USAEE provides a forum where these questions can be examined rigorously and constructively, drawing on perspectives from academia, industry, government, and the nonprofit sector.
This year’s conference reflects that mission with an outstanding program. We currently have approximately 180 presenters across nine plenary sessions and 35 concurrent sessions. The program also includes our Best Student Paper Competition, Best Student Poster Competition, and Case Competition. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to assembling the program and especially to those who will be sharing their research, experience, and perspectives with us in Pittsburgh.
USAEE Competition Finalists
Congratulations to finalists selected in 2026 USAEE student competitions! Winners will be announced at the annual USAEE awards lunch on Tuesday, November 17 at the 2026 USAEE North American Conference.
Finalists in the Best Student Paper Award and Young Professional Best Paper Award competitions will present their work at the conference on Monday, November 16. Award winners in those competitions and the Virtual Case Competition will be joined by Student Best Poster Award recipients in being recognized at the November 17 awards lunch. The competitions reflect USAEE's ongoing commitment to student engagement as this year's conference will once again feature a robust lineup of student-focused events:
Student Events
- Ph.D. Day | Sunday, November 15 Opt-in via conference registration
- Student Mentoring Breakfast | Monday, November 16 Opt-in via conference registration
- Young Professional Best Paper Award Competition Finalist Presentations | Monday, November 16
- Best Student Paper Award Competition Finalist Presentations | Monday, November 16
- Student Best Poster Award Competition and Reception at EIC | Monday, November 16
- USAEE Awards Lunch | Tuesday, November 17
Oil Markets Remain Stressed
BY MICHAEL C. LYNCH
The oil market has continued to defy expectations, although the recent closure of the East-West pipeline across Saudi Arabia sent them above $100 for the first time in months. Industry executives continue to warn of dwindling inventories, while the Administration insists that oil is transiting the Straits of Hormuz in large volumes and the President promises relief—after the November elections.
The IEA estimates that global oil inventories declined by about 70 million barrels or 2.2 mb/d in July, a slight drop from the average of 2.7 mb/d since the U.S.-Iran War began in February. This reflects better flows through the Straits of Hormuz after June’s Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran, but subsequently, the Iranians have declared the Straits closed to all but approved traffic.
S&P Global:
APPEC: Chinese Chemical Exports May Reshape
Asian Trade Flow amid US-Iran War
Content provided by S&P Global. Visit S&P Global for the latest news and research in energy and commodities.
BY MICHELE PEK, ASHLEY PEH, & YENING LIM | S&P GLOBAL
Asian chemical trade flows could get reshaped with China emerging as a key supplier amid supply disruptions caused by the Middle East war, trade sources and analysts said Sept. 10 at APPEC 2026, hosted by S&P Global Energy in Singapore.
Chemical prices in Asia have seen a significant divergence during the conflict. Chinese producers, demonstrating flexibility in feedstock usage and less dependence on feedstock imports, managed to keep prices more competitive than the rest of Asia, Joyce Lee, director of olefins & derivatives at S&P Global Energy, said in a presentation.
"We rely on Hormuz for around 50% of our feedstock, and once the war started, we had to shut down two of our crackers," Sakchai Patiparnpreechavud, president and CEO of Siam Cement Group Chemicals, said, contrasting it with China's comparatively lower feedstock costs due to its coal-to-chemicals technology.
USAEE/IAEE Working Paper Series
The USAEE/IAEE Working Paper Series gives all members a chance to increase the circulation, visibility, and impact of their research. If you have an unpublished research paper that addresses any aspect of energy economics or energy policy, we would like to feature your paper in this new series. There is no cost to you, only benefits:
- Place your work where it can be seen and used on a daily basis.
- Gain timely feedback from other researchers working on related topics.
- Create a permanent and searchable archive of your research output within the largest available Electronic Paper Collection serving the social sciences.
- Provide unlimited, hassle-free, public downloads of your work on demand.
- Raise your research profile, and that of the USAEE and IAEE, by joining with fellow members to establish a new energy research trademark that is unparalleled in terms of its breadth and depth of focus.
Moody's:
Economic Fallout from the East-West Pipeline Shutdown
Content provided by Moody's. For more of Moody's domain expertise and global coverage, visit moodys.com.
BY SOHINI CHOWDHURY | SR. DIRECTOR, MOODY'S
Oil prices surged to near $110 following the attacks on Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline and its subsequent shutdown. What does this mean for oil prices, and the economy, in the near term?
It all depends on how long the pipeline stays offline. A prolonged shutdown would mean a loss of approximately 3-4 million bpd of Saudi oil for an extended period. This would be a major setback to the recovery of supplies from the region, potentially pushing the oil market back into a sizeable deficit and placing further upward pressure on prices. Even if pipeline flows resume quickly, oil prices will still likely remain higher than previously expected. This is because the pipeline strikes fan concerns about a prolonged conflict and increase the geopolitical risk premium - potential pipelines bypassing the Strait of Hormuz can no longer be viewed as fully secure alternatives.
