ENERGY ENGINEERING SEMINAR SPRING 2023
CHEME5880 / BEE 5469 / ECE 5880 / MAE 5469

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""The European Energy Crisis, and Why We Should Care"

Michael Weill, Former President of Operations & Technology, BHP

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Europe is currently suffering a severe energy crisis, with potential shortages of Natural Gas this winter caused by the stoppage of what was thought to be cheap, secure Russian Natural Gas.  This is in fact a crisis of Europe’s own making. 100% Renewable and Net Zero goals and the forced removal of Coal and Nuclear from the Energy system has left Europe over reliant on Natural Gas and created an energy system more reliant on “magic beans” than sound engineering principles. It has taken 100+ years to create the world’s current energy system and now we wish to replace it in 30, with a system that has never been demonstrated at scale. What
could possibly go wrong?
Given the situation in Europe, is the US any different? Are we going to learn from the European fiasco or are we doomed to make the same mistakes.
Mike is a 1979 Chemical Engineering graduate of Cornell. His career took him into the Upstream Oil and Gas space, first with Shell Oil and then with BHP where he held vs engineering, commercial, and management roles. He has lived in the Netherlands and Australia. He retired from BHP as President of Operations and Technology. He is currently on the Board of Enerflex, an oilfield service company, teaches and consults. He has taken a keen interest in Energy Transition, particularly the engineering realities vs the political or ideological goals.