My second book, coauthored with my son, published today. That book, American Energy: A History of Power, Progress, and Change, traces the forces that powered the rise of the U.S. and transformed everyday life, from wood and coal to oil, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewables. a.co/d/04K1QCHz

Here’s a question I want to see on President Trump’s next dementia test. Can you identify the transistor?

My annual Statistical Review deep dive starts with emissions: • Global CO2e hit another record in 2025. • U.S. emissions rose 3.2%, reversing the recent decline. • China is still #1, but growth slowed. • Renewable power grew faster than total electricity demand. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Global Emissions Hit A New Record As U.S. Emissions Rebounded

Global CO2-equivalent emissions hit another record in 2025 as U.S. emissions rebounded, China’s growth slowed, and clean power surged.

forbes.com

Just finished Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It’s a magnificent piece of science fiction. I don’t know of another writer who does alien biology and nonhuman intelligence at this level. Feed this straight into my veins. Deeply satisfying and highly recommended.

In today's Forbes article, I explain the substantial differences between the fuel price spike under Biden and the ongoing one under Trump. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Two Presidents, Two Decisions, And Two Gas Price Surges

Beyond the 'I Did That!' stickers, this article analyzes gas price spikes under Biden and Trump, detailing how war, embargos, and the SPR move the needle at the pump.

forbes.com

Why do diesel prices rise so much faster than gasoline in a crisis? I break it down--along with the economic implications--in my latest Forbes article: www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Why Diesel Prices Spike Faster Than Gasoline In A Crisis

Why diesel prices rise faster than gasoline during global crises—and how higher diesel costs ripple through freight, food, and inflation across the economy.

forbes.com

Today in Forbes, I debunk the persistent myth that U.S. refiners can't run shale oil. However, there is a good reason they prefer not to. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Debunking A Persistent Myth: U.S. Refineries Can’t Handle Shale Oil

U.S. refineries can process shale oil, but economics—not capability—drive imports and exports. Here’s why the system works and why export bans miss the mark.

forbes.com

Pam Bondi could do the funniest thing on her way out the door and just release all the Epstein files.

Several people have asked for a deep dive into questions I’ve been getting a lot lately: why are gas prices spiking so quickly—even though the U.S. is the world’s largest oil producer? Here's a deep dive: www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

America Produces The Most Oil. So Why Are Gas Prices Surging?

Why gas prices spike overnight—even in the world’s top oil producer. Global markets, replacement costs, and “rockets and feathers” explain the surge.

forbes.com

In my latest Forbes column, I examine why the Strait of Hormuz plays such an outsized role in global energy security—and why its vulnerability continues to shape geopolitical strategy. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Iran’s Real ‘Nuclear Option’ Isn’t A Bomb—It’s The Strait Of Hormuz

Iran may not have a nuclear weapon—but it controls the Strait of Hormuz. Here’s why this narrow waterway could become Tehran’s most powerful strategic weapon.

forbes.com

Today in Forbes, I address the question everyone wants to know: How high could oil prices go? www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

How High Could Oil Prices Go? A Reality-Based Look At The Ceiling

Oil prices have surged above $90 amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Here’s a reality-based look at how high crude could go—and what ultimately limits the spike.

forbes.com

If you want to know where a Strait of Hormuz disruption would hit hardest in the United States, look west. California is more exposed than most people realize, and the reasons are structural, not political. My latest at Forbes breaks down why. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

The California Energy Island: Why Hormuz Hits The West Coast Hardest

California’s lack of pipeline access and heavy reliance on imported crude leave it uniquely exposed to a Strait of Hormuz disruption despite U.S. energy abundance.

forbes.com

The media is focused on energy, but Hormuz is also a major chokepoint for the global fertilizer trade. My latest at Forbes. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Beyond Oil: The Strait Of Hormuz And The Global Food Risk

How a disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could choke off global nitrogen fertilizer exports, threatening crops, food prices, and the stability of the global food system.

forbes.com

Over the past year, the main Canadian index for companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (S&P/TSX Composite) has nearly tripled the performance of the S&P 500. So, add Canada to the growing list of countries whose markets are outperforming the U.S.

In 2027, the machines struck. Not with bombs, but with advice. Humans stopped making decisions for themselves, granting AI final authority over everything from major life decisions to whether we should eat the leftover chicken. Judgment Day didn’t arrive with war. It arrived as a prompt.

I can’t help but imagine this is what political rhetoric in Europe looked like in 1939—before people fully grasped where it was heading.

You have heard that Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on earth. The truth is that they probably don't. In fact, some outside estimates wouldn't even have them in the Top 10. My latest for Forbes breaks it all down: www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Why You Should Be Skeptical About Venezuela’s Oil Reserves

Venezuela claims the world’s largest oil reserves, but most of that oil is extra-heavy, expensive to produce, and highly sensitive to prices and infrastructure.

forbes.com

I did six interviews on this over the weekend, and the question I was asked most often was how quickly Venezuela's oil industry might recover. I broke that down in a follow-up article for Forbes today. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Shortly after learning about the events in Venezuela, I hoped that Robert Rapier would provide us with his insights. Being a former Petroleum Engineer, his knowledge of the international oil industry is second to none.

Robert Rapier@robertrapier.bsky.social · 8mo ago

I woke up this morning and saw the news out of Venezuela, so I wrote a quick Forbes article to provide some context. The piece walks through the history of Venezuela’s oil industry and the expropriations that shaped today’s claims. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

I woke up this morning and saw the news out of Venezuela, so I wrote a quick Forbes article to provide some context. The piece walks through the history of Venezuela’s oil industry and the expropriations that shaped today’s claims. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Happy New Year everyone! This year should be interesting to put it mildly. Here's how I see the energy sector playing out this year: www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Happy 14th anniversary to this youtube video

For the past 25 years, China has been the primary driver of rising global carbon emissions. That could finally be changing. I dig into the numbers, the politics, and the implications in my latest Forbes article. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

China’s Carbon Plateau: A Turning Point Or A Temporary Pause?

China’s carbon emissions have flattened for 18 months, raising the possibility that the world’s largest emitter is nearing its long-anticipated peak. Here’s what it means.

forbes.com

Bill Clinton could do the ultimate funny thing right now. Hold a press conference and say, "I did not have sexual relations with that man. Mr. Trump."

For those of you wondering what to do about your skyrocketing electric bill, I offer some suggestions in today's Forbes article. If you are proactive, you can definitely shave some money off your bill. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

How To Cut Your Electric Bill Without Sacrificing Comfort

Electric bills are up sharply, but smart thermostats, time-of-use plans, and home efficiency upgrades can help you save hundreds each year.

forbes.com

I did a quick take on the Chevron refinery fire in California. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Chevron Refinery Fire Threatens California’s Fragile Fuel Supply

A major fire at Chevron’s El Segundo refinery threatens California’s gasoline supply, exposing the state’s fuel vulnerabilities and likely driving pump prices higher.

forbes.com

Many people have asked about this, so here it is. Yes, we are going to set our 3rd consecutive oil production record this year. At the same time, oil production growth has slowed substantially over the past three years and could decline in 2026. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

U.S. Oil Production Is On Pace For A New Record, But Growth Is Slowing

U.S. oil output is hitting records, but growth is slowing. Here’s why production is flattening—and what it means for prices, OPEC, and energy investors.

forbes.com

I just finished Service Model, by Adrian Tchaikovsky (@aptshadow.bsky.social), after previously reading Alien Clay and Children of Time. This man is a god. His name will be remembered among the greatest science fiction writers of all time. I am now searching for everything he has written.

I have been besieged with questions about oil production and gas prices, so I wrote an in-depth analysis of what's happening, complete with graphics. It debunks myths and explains exactly why the price of oil and gasoline are falling. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Are Gas Prices Falling Because U.S. Oil Production Is Surging?

Gas prices are falling in 2025, but is surging U.S. oil production under Trump the reason? A closer look at supply, demand, and global forces tells a different story.

forbes.com

I have had so many people ask me over the past month about why their electric bills are suddenly so high, that I wrote a Forbes article about it this morning. www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Why Your Electricity Bill May Be Skyrocketing

Rising electric bills are hitting households nationwide as AI data centers, LNG exports, heat waves, and grid costs drive power prices higher.

forbes.com