Ben Cahill

Senior Associate (Non-resident), Energy Security and Climate Change Program
Ben Cahill

Ben Cahill is a visiting research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, affiliated with the Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab (EEMDL), and a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He was formerly a senior fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He covers oil markets, geopolitics, and macro trends affecting the oil and gas industry. He has led several 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. LNG exports. Prior to CSIS, he was a director in Energy Intelligence's Research & Advisory group and led its country risk practice, advising oil and gas companies on politics, economics, and policy risks. He also wrote on corporate strategy and covered Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and the Southeast Asian national oil companies. Ben 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.

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Experts React: Energy Implications of Escalating Middle East Conflict

 The escalating turmoil in the Middle East threatens global energy markets, yet oil prices remain stable. What's behind this unexpected calm amid regional conflict? What could trigger a market reversal? CSIS consults leading experts for insights.

Commentary by Kevin Book, Ben Cahill, Adi Imsirovic, Raad Alkadiri, Kunro Irié, and Leslie Palti-Guzman — October 8, 2024

To Cut Methane, Build Global Capacity

Methane will again be high on the agenda at COP29. There is strong momentum on methane reductions in the oil and gas sector, but the next goal should be to accelerate progress by developing new centers of excellence for methane science around the world.

Commentary by Ben Cahill — October 3, 2024

Audio Briefs

Oil Market Interventions and Consequences

An audio version of “Oil Market Interventions and Consequences,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Ben Cahill and Adi Imsirovic. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Ben Cahill and Adi Imsirovic — July 17, 2024

Audio Briefs

Oil Market Interventions and Consequences

A growing share of global oil consists of sanctioned volumes traded by dodgy intermediaries in an opaque shipping sector. Energy sanctions can deny revenue to oil-producing states, but these measures also have some potentially serious, unintended consequences.

Commentary by Ben Cahill and Adi Imsirovic — July 16, 2024

Reflections on Global Oil and Gas Markets

Please join the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program for a conversation between Fereidun Fesharaki, Founder and Chairman of FGE, and Ben Cahill, Senior Fellow in the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program.

Event — July 12, 2024

Audio Briefs

National Oil Companies Need Help to Cut Methane Emissions

An audio version of “National Oil Companies Need Help to Cut Methane Emissions,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Ben Cahill. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Ben Cahill — June 27, 2024

Audio Briefs

National Oil Companies Need Help to Cut Methane Emissions

National oil companies produce about half of the world’s oil and gas but are lagging on methane reductions. These companies made important pledges at COP28, but progress is limited and NOCs need more efficient ways to access advice and technical support.

Commentary by Ben Cahill — June 27, 2024