Movies And Music Make Great Metaphors For A Tumultuous Year In The Energy Market

From OPEC repeatedly adjusting worldwide oil production to super-low gas prices, pop culture may be the best way to understand what went on in 2018.

By Alexandra Hart & Jill AmentDecember 17, 2018 12:55 pm,

As 2018 draws to a close, energy industry watchers have much to reflect on, from growing geopolitical tensions to unpredictable gas prices here at home – a lot has happened since the beginning of the year.

Energy insider Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData, says a good way to understand what happened in the energy industry in 2018 is to look at it through the lens of pop culture. From movies to music, there’s several metaphors that can help consumers better understand where we’ve been and where the industry is going.

What you’ll hear in this segment:

– How the movie “Avengers: Infinity War” represents the seemingly “eternal battle” to keep oil prices down, driven by OPEC

– How Ariana Grande’s “Sweetener” album symbolizes the silver lining in dropping oil prices: cheaper gasoline for consumers

– How Childish Gambino’s song “This Is America” captures America’s global dominance in oil production, spurred by U.S. shale gas

Written by Caroline Covington.