Business Intelligence and Analytics 38

Friday, November 15, 2019

Business Intelligence and Analytics 38

1          3 Great Examples of Artificial Intelligence Marketing
https://medium.com/trapica/3-great-examples-of-artificial-intelligence-marketing-550888942b71
Have you been hearing everybody talking about artificial intelligence marketing without really understanding what it means and how it works? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. When it comes to marketing automation and all that surrounds it, things can get confusing (especially if you’ve had a full career in the industry without having to worry about clever algorithms and complex tools!)

2          The Value of Integrating Marketing Automation With Email Marketing
https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/guest-authors/the-value-of-integrating-marketing-automation-with-email-marketing/

Email Marketing is one of the strongest and most efficient ways to reach your customers. In fact, the average person checks their email about 15 times per day. With an estimated 293.6 billion emails anticipated to be sent worldwide in 2019, it’s safe to assume that your customers are getting their fair share of email communication. So, how can your small or midsized business (SMB) make sure your email marketing stands out?

3          All Together Now: The Seven Keys to Marketing Automation Success
https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/guest-authors/all-together-now-the-seven-keys-to-marketing-automation-success/

Before considering Marketing Automation, let’s first talk about your customers and how well you know them. Do you know why and how they became customers in the first place? What other competitors did they consider when starting their research process? When was the last time you spoke with them?

4          6 key tips to consider when creating a video marketing strategy [Infographic]
https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-platforms/video-marketing/6-key-tips-to-consider-when-creating-a-video-marketing-strategy-infographic/

The popularity of video has risen by 72% among marketers and this type of content engages audiences, so what do you need to know about video marketing?

5          10 Lessons from 10 years in marketing and 10 in sales
https://marketingland.com/10-lessons-from-10-years-in-marketing-and-10-in-sales-271016
In 1998, my software developer brother said: “you’ve gotta get into software – the internet is changing everything!” Fast forward to 1999, after passing a couple of interviews and slogging through some C++ books, I packed up my life, took a 50 percent pay cut, and headed to Denver to work as an inside sales rep for my first job in the software industry.

6          6 Networking Email Subject Line Examples From Top B2B Startups
https://www.business2community.com/email-marketing/6-networking-email-subject-line-examples-from-top-b2b-startups-02257612

Networking is a vital part of advancing your sales career. It can not only lead to future career opportunities, but it can also drive traffic to your product or service. Email is one effective channel to network through, especially considering 86% of business professionals prefer to use email when communicating for business purposes.

7          ActiveCampaign Introduces Predictive Content
https://martechseries.com/sales-marketing/customer-experience-management/activecampaign-introduces-predictive-content-machine-learning-feature-predicts-engaging-email-individual-audience/

ActiveCampaign, the leader in Customer Experience Automation, announced Predictive Content, a new machine learning feature that predicts the most engaging message for each individual being emailed based on only a handful of user inputs. The product is now available in beta for ActiveCampaign’s Professional and Enterprise customers.

8          Efficient Ways the AI Will Boost Your E-Commerce Sales
https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/guest-authors/efficient-ways-ai-will-boost-e-commerce-sales/

Modern technology continues to reshape how businesses operate these days. When it comes to eCommerce stores, technology is one of their main advantages. This is especially true due to the fact that the market they operate in is oversaturated and highly competitive.

9          Automakers around world await Trump tariff decision
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-autos-trade-idUSKBN1XP0ZC

Automakers around the world are awaiting a decision from U.S. President Donald Trump on whether he will impose up to 25% tariffs on U.S. car and auto part imports after a 180-day review period elapsed this week.

10        Hacker Wants Near $5MM Ransom from Pemex
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/hacker_wants_near_5mm_ransom_from_pemex-14-nov-2019-160329-article/

The hacker behind a cyberattack that has crippled Petroleos Mexicanos’s computer systems since the weekend is hoping to squeeze almost $5 million out of the company and appears to have set a deadline of Nov. 30.

11        Volvo to Use Blockchain to Ethically Source its Cobalt
https://about.bnef.com/blog/volvo-to-use-blockchain-to-ethically-source-its-cobalt/
Volvo Car has entered into an agreement with CATL and LG Chem to implement traceability of its cobalt after a successful blockchain pilot.

Cobalt producers Glencore and ERG have also launched a blockchain initiative with the World Economic Forum to improve cobalt traceability. In battery and vehicle production, Ford Motor, Huayou Cobalt, IBM and LG Chem have launched a pilot platform to address concerns in strategic mineral supply chains.

12        China in focus as West debates critical minerals challenge
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mining-strategicminerals-idUSKBN1XN2EI
Western powers will attend talks in Brussels next week on curbing China’s dominance of rare earths and other critical resources and EU officials will present their vision to create entire green supply chains.

13        Three Forces Weakening US Dollar’s Grip On Commodity Pricing
https://www.woodmac.com/news/feature/three-forces-weakening-us-dollars-grip-on-commodity-pricing/
China and Russia will lead the de-dollarisation of global commodity markets. Developments in exchange-based derivative trading will also play a part. But breaking the dollar’s dominance will not occur overnight. Nor will the dollar become obsolete in energy and metals.

14        The halo effect, and other managerial delusions
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-halo-effect-and-other-managerial-delusions

The quest of every high-quality corporate executive is to find the keys to superior performance. Achieving market leadership is hard enough, but staying at the top—given intense competition, rapidly changing technology, and shifting global forces—is even more difficult. At the same time, executives are under enormous pressure to deliver profitable growth and high returns for their shareholders. No wonder they constantly search for ways to achieve competitive advantage.

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 37

Friday, November 8, 2019

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 37

1          Years of offshore investments could be valueless
https://www.rystadenergy.com/newsevents/news/press-releases/years-of-offshore-investments-could-be-valueless/

International E&P companies are struggling to make money from offshore investments made during the latest investment upturn, according to a new study by Rystad Energy.

Rystad Energy has evaluated all offshore oil fields sanctioned since 2010 and ranked them by estimated value per barrel of oil (boe) under various oil price scenarios.

2          Oil Price Fundamental Daily Forecast – Worries Over Trade Deal, Deeper OPEC Cuts Weighing on Prices
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/oil-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-worries-over-trade-deal-deeper-opec-cuts-weighing-on-prices-611433

Crude oil prices are likely to remain under pressure on Friday as the general uncertainty in the marketplace over a trade deal and additional output cuts from OPEC is encouraging investors to book profits and lighten up on the long side.

3          Natural Gas Price Fundamental Daily Forecast – Sentiment Turns Neutral With $2.740
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/natural-gas-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-sentiment-turns-neutral-with-2-740-2-701-next-target-zone-611442

The daily chart indicates that downside pressure could drive the market into a retracement zone at $2.740 to $2.701. Holding inside this zone will support the neutral assessment.

4          Chinese Oil Imports Soar To Record High
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Chinese-Oil-Imports-Soar-To-Record-High.html

Refinery start-ups and stabilizing refining margins drove China’s crude oil imports to a record high in October, Chinese customs data showed on Friday.

The world’s top oil importer increased its crude intake in October by 11.5 percent compared to the same month last year, to an average of 10.72 million barrels per day (bpd), according to Reuters calculations based on China’s government data.

5          The 10 Highest Paying Jobs In Oil & Gas
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-10-Highest-Paying-Jobs-In-Oil-Gas.html
Make no mistake: Oil and gas companies may be doing some serious cost-cutting and slimming-and-trimming to stay competitive after the shale boom binge, but when it comes to employment, it’s still one of the best industries to hit up for a job.

6          Shale Oil Pioneers Say the Boom is Ending
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/shale_oil_pioneers_say_the_boom_is_ending-06-nov-2019-160255-article/

The days of relentless production growth from U.S. shale oil fields are ending, potentially aiding OPEC’s years-long effort to drain a worldwide supply glut, according to industry pioneers Scott Sheffield and Mark Papa.

7          Borealis and Borouge launch custom medical-grade compounding service
https://www.plasticstoday.com/medical/borealis-and-borouge-launch-custom-medical-grade-compounding-service/111930429261830

In an effort to broaden the customization potential of its compounds for healthcare applications without jeopardizing customers’ regulatory requirements, materials suppliers Borealis (Vienna) and Borouge (Abu Dahbi) have launched the new Bormed InCompounds service.

8          Petrobras CEO Blames High Price Tag for Auction Flop
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/petrobras_ceo_blames_high_price_tag_for_auction_flop-07-nov-2019-160269-article/

Petrobras Chief Executive Officer Roberto Castello Branco said the reason most major oil companies didn’t show up for Brazil’s massive auction was because of the astronomic price tag and regulatory uncertainties.

9          ByGen turning waste plastic including PET into activated carbon
https://www.plasticstoday.com/packaging/bygen-turning-waste-plastic-including-pet-activated-carbon/55859602961818

South Australian company ByGen (Adelaide, Australia) has expanded its focus on activated carbon from using sources such as agricultural wastes to now include plastics. The company has successfully made activated carbon from several types of polymers, including contaminated plastic waste.

10        Novolex’s first sustainability report underscores company’s commitment to plastic waste reduction
https://www.plasticstoday.com/packaging/novolex-s-first-sustainability-report-underscores-company-s-commitment-plastic-waste-reduction/138830488761819

Challenges are present every day in the plastics industry. To meet them and confirm its commitment to reducing plastic waste, packaging and foodservice product producer Novolex has published its first sustainability report. The report focuses on all 61 of the company’s operations, including its headquarters in Hartsville, SC.

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 8

Friday, November 8, 2019

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 8

1          Tackle climate change or face funding pressure, gas conference told
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-gas-idUSKBN1XH26W
Investments in gas projects could dry up if the industry fails to demonstrate quickly that it is tackling climate change, a European gas conference heard in Paris on Thursday, a day after environmental activists disrupted the gathering.

2          US Energy Dept. Has A Solar Power Message For Coal: Get Lost!
https://cleantechnica.com/2019/11/07/us-energy-dept-has-a-solar-power-message-for-coal-get-lost/

For someone who promised to revive the US coal industry, President* Trump sure is letting Energy Secretary Rick Perry get away with murder. Coal power plants and coal producers have been dying off in growing numbers all during Secretary Perry’s tenure, thanks in part to his agency’s promotion of renewable energy. In the latest development, last month Perry announced that he would resign later this year — but not before his agency pushed out yet another round of  R&D funding aimed at pushing the cost of solar power far below the cost of coal.

3          Batteries vs. Blackouts: 1,100 Homes Powered Through Vermont Outage With Storage
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/green-mountain-power-kept-1100-homes-lit-up-during-storm-outage

A major rain and wind storm struck the state at the close of October, knocking out power to some 115,000 customers. Among those affected, 1,100 homes managed to keep the lights on thanks to pilot programs specifically designed to promote resilient backup power with energy storage. The battery backup service lasted nine hours on average, but the longest instance stretched to 82 hours.

4          IEA: Gas and renewables to power Africa
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/africa/211762/iea-gas-and-renewables-to-power-africa/
The struggle to provide Africa with energy will become increasingly important, particularly in terms of balancing power with carbon emissions, a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said.

5          The Permian paradox: Texas shale players go green to drill more
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-energy-renewables-idUSKBN1XI1HH
As the thirst for electricity to power drilling rigs in West Texas drives the state’s energy needs to new highs, oil and gas companies are increasingly relying on wind and solar power to ensure that the shale boom continues.

6          ‘Death of a river’: the ruinous design flaw in a vast Amazon rainforest dam | Environment
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/08/death-of-a-river-the-ruinous-design-flaw-in-a-vast-amazon-rainforest-dam

The biggest hydroelectric project in the Amazon rainforest has a design flaw that poses a “very serious” threat to human life and globally important ecosystems, according to documents and expert testimony received by the Guardian.

7          Rethinking Future Investments in Natural Gas Infrastructure
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/rethinking-future-investments-in-natural-gas-infrastructure

Cities and utilities across the United States are starting to reject natural gas — and not just for environmental reasons. Increasingly, the compelling economics of clean energy alternatives play a major role in these decisions.

8          Siemens Gamesa Rolls Out First 10MW Nacelle
https://www.offshorewind.biz/2019/11/08/siemens-gamesa-rolls-out-first-10mw-nacelle/

Siemens Gamesa launched the SG 10.0-193 DD, the company’s first 10+ MW offshore wind turbine, at the beginning of this year.

The 10MW rating is said to be made possible through a larger generator diameter, building on the Siemens Gamesa Direct Drive generator technology.

9          Coca-Cola commits to recycled marine plastic for beverage packaging
https://www.packagingdigest.com/sustainable-packaging/coca-cola-commits-to-recycled-marine-plastic-for-beverage-packaging-2019-11-7

The Coca-Cola Co., as part of its sustainable packaging focus, recently proved that plastic fished from waterways and plucked from beaches can be recycled into bottles suitable for soft drinks.

10        Renewable power GO: market looks to new drivers of liquidity and supply
https://blogs.platts.com/2019/11/07/renewable-power-go-market-liquidity-supply/
The market for European Guarantees of Origin, or GO, electronic tags that certify the source of renewable electricity, is evolving quickly.

S&P Global Platts has been monitoring developments, including the impact of recently-launched French auctions; price dynamics across regions and technologies; and where additional GO supply will come from in the coming years.

11        Exxon calls New York climate case a ‘joke’ on last day of trial
https://www.worldoil.com/news/2019/11/7/exxon-calls-new-york-climate-case-a-joke-on-last-day-of-trial

A lawyer for Exxon Mobil said New York’s fraud lawsuit against the oil giant was a “joke” and that the state had falsely accused engineers and scientists of cooking up a scheme to mislead investors about the financial risks of climate change.

12        Saudi Aramco joins World Bank’s zero flaring initiative
https://www.energyvoice.com/otherenergy/211665/saudi-aramco-joins-world-banks-zero-flaring-initiative/

Saudi Aramco announced today that it is joining the World Bank Initiative: ‘Zero Routine Flaring by 2030’.

Flaring remained at less than 1% of Aramco’s total raw gas production in the first half of 2019.

13        The Full Scale Of Brazil’s Oil Spill Remains A Mystery
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/The-Full-Scale-Of-Brazils-Oil-Spill-Remains-A-Mystery.html

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Sunday that “the worst is yet to come” with an oil spill that has affected fisheries and polluted more than 200 beaches on the country’s coast, Agence France-Presse reported. “What came so far and what was collected is a small amount of what was spilled,” Bolsonaro said in an interview with Record television.

14        McCrone: Clean Energy’s Decade Nearly Gone, And Its Decade Ahead
https://about.bnef.com/blog/mccrone-clean-energys-decade-nearly-gone-and-its-decade-ahead/

A decade ago, as 2009 drew to a close, Donald Trump was a bombastic reality TV star, Greta Thunberg was an unknown six-year-old in Stockholm, and the world had yet to appreciate major advances such as vaping, yoga pants and “bars” where you get your eyebrows threaded.

Business Intelligence and Analytics 37

Friday, November 8, 2019

Business Intelligence and Analytics 37

1          Data Cleaning and Preprocessing for Beginners
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2019/11/data-cleaning-preprocessing-beginners.html
Data cleansing or data cleaning is the process of detecting and correcting (or removing) corrupt or inaccurate records from a record set, table, or database and refers to identifying incomplete, incorrect, inaccurate or irrelevant parts of the data and then replacing, modifying, or deleting the dirty or coarse data. //Wikipedia

2          3 Lies Data Scientists Tell Themselves
https://towardsdatascience.com/3-lies-data-scientists-tell-themselves-8d29af9ccdf2
If you browse r/MachineLearning you’ve probably seen some posts over the last couple weeks about Siraj Raval, a YouTube personality working to build a name for himself as an online data science educator. He’s recently been under fire for plagiarism, exaggeration of his skills, and milking the data science hype for a quick buck.

3          Understanding Boxplots
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2019/11/understanding-boxplots.html
The image above is a boxplot. A boxplot is a standardized way of displaying the distribution of data based on a five number summary (“minimum”, first quartile (Q1), median, third quartile (Q3), and “maximum”). It can tell you about your outliers and what their values are. It can also tell you if your data is symmetrical, how tightly your data is grouped, and if and how your data is skewed.

4          Research Guide: Advanced Loss Functions for Machine Learning Models
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2019/11/research-guide-advanced-loss-functions-machine-learning-models.html

In addition to good training data and the right model architecture, loss functions are one of the most important parts of training an accurate machine learning model. For this post, I’d love to give developers an overview of some of the more advanced loss functions and how they can be used to improve the accuracy of models—or solve entirely new tasks.

5          Protecting Data Privacy in the Era of Digital Trading
https://insidebigdata.com/2019/11/08/protecting-data-privacy-in-the-era-of-digital-trading/
Technology has made it easier for anyone to invest their money. From automated trading advice and recommendations to wide access to global markets, even a novice investor can begin trading or market speculation with little money or experience. This has created an explosion of capital around the world.

6          Manufacturing Industry Reshuffle — Will Companies Thrive or Barely Survive in The New Era of AI-Defined Automation?
https://towardsdatascience.com/manufacturing-industry-reshuffle-will-companies-thrive-or-barely-survive-in-the-new-era-of-aa06a3cade5c

Previously we talked about how AI can enable robots to perform tasks that could not be done in the past. Specifically, AI robots have achieved breakthroughs in three major areas. But what impact will it have on the current landscape of the manufacturing industry? Who will be able to grasp the opportunities brought about by the new technology? Which companies will face unprecedented challenges?

7          Shaped by AI, the Future of Work Sees Soft Skills & Creativity as Essential
https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/guest-authors/shaped-ai-future-work-sees-soft-skills-creativity-essential/

As technology advances, it disrupts and revolutionizes entire business sectors, often making our jobs easier and our lives better. And while we don’t always know the full impact of such technological advancement, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) it’s becoming increasingly clear that AI will disrupt nearly every industry in one way or another.

8          4 Important Things Universities Need to Teach About Data Science/Analytics
https://towardsdatascience.com/4-important-things-universities-need-to-teach-about-data-science-analytics-6ab5988639ca

I remembered the analytics and machine learning projects I did as an undergraduate, the professors would expect us to produce presentations and scientific reports by implementing statistical and machine learning concepts taught in class on the final few weeks of the semester. These projects have one thing in common: We are to choose readily available data sets.

9          Explainer: World’s biggest trade pact shapes up without India
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asean-summit-trade-explainer-idUSKBN1XF0XY
Although India pulled out at the last minute, China and 14 other countries agreed in Bangkok this week on plans for what could become the world’s biggest trade agreement – the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

10        Fatigue Can Be as Dangerous as Drinking on the Job
https://www.business2community.com/workplace-culture/fatigue-can-be-as-dangerous-as-drinking-on-the-job-02256079

Beep. Beep. Beep. Hear that? It’s your alarm sounding, except you feel like you just closed your eyes moments ago. Coming from the world of insurance, we’re surrounded by risk management best practices, and making sleep a priority for our employees and our clients has become an absolute necessity. There are more risks associated with fatigue than many realize.

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 36

Friday, November 1, 2019

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 36

1          Economic Uncertainty Leaves Oil Markets Paralyzed
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/Economic-Uncertainty-Leaves-Oil-Markets-Paralyzed.html
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates again this week, but signaled that it may be done cutting for the time being. It was the third interest rate cut this year, which marked an about-face after successive increases over the previous few years. The central bank was forced into monetary easing after the global economy showed signs of slowing down, made worse by the U.S.-China trade war.

2          Weekly resin report: Processors begin preparations for reduced year-end inventories
https://www.plasticstoday.com/resin-pricing/weekly-resin-report-processors-begin-preparations-reduced-year-end-inventories/180904835961780

Domestic demand in the spot resin trading market slowed last week, as asking prices for fresh offers ratcheted higher, but strong exports again brought completed volumes to solid levels, reports the PlasticsExchange (Chicago) in its Market Update. Some special discounts for commodity grades in the domestic market—suppliers still had railcars requiring disposition before the end of the month—helped move some material, but notwithstanding one-off deals, overall pricing for both polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) balanced out steady.

3          U.S. oil output soars to record 12.4 million bpd in August: EIA
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-oil-output-idUSKBN1XA2A6

U.S. crude production soared nearly 600,000 barrels per day in August to a record of 12.4 million, buoyed by a 30% increase in Gulf of Mexico output, according to government data released on Thursday.

4          Asian coal demand to drive exports from North America’s West Coast
https://blogs.platts.com/2019/10/31/asian-coal-demand-exports-from-north-america/

Coal demand is declining in the US and Europe, but coal remains the world’s most dominant fuel for power generation. Despite what you may read, the global market for thermal coal continues to gain steam, particularly as Asia builds new coal-fired power plants to charge its growing economies.

5          Oil Set for Biggest Weekly Loss in a Month
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/oil_set_for_biggest_weekly_loss_in_a_month-01-nov-2019-160213-article/

Oil headed for its biggest weekly loss in a month as swelling American stockpiles and renewed doubts over a long-term trade deal between the U.S. and China suggested supply will keep outpacing demand.

6          Oil Price Fundamental Daily Forecast
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/oil-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-weak-job-pmi-data-could-send-prices-higher-609933

Weak data could pressure crude oil prices because this would highlight the expected drop in future demand. U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international-benchmark Brent crude oil futures are trading mixed shortly before the regular session opening on Friday.

7          Natural Gas Price Fundamental Daily Forecast
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/natural-gas-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-bearish-reversal-top-could-trigger-break-to-2-563-2-522-609929

Natural gas futures are trading slightly lower early Friday after posting a dramatic technical closing price reversal top on Thursday. If the chart pattern is confirmed later in the session the market could pullback another $0.06 to $0.10 over the near-term. The catalysts behind the price action was a bearish government storage report and a weak cash market.

8          Exxon Mobil beats 3rd-quarter expectations, but hurt by lower oil prices
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/exxon-mobil-q3-1.5342268
Exxon Mobil Corp’s third-quarter profit nearly halved, hit by lower oil prices and weaker margins in refining and chemicals, with its three major business reporting lower year-over-year profit. Earnings fell to $3.17 billion US, or 75 cents per share, in the quarter, from $6.24 billion, or $1.46 per share, a year earlier, the company reported on Friday.

9          Brazil’s $50 Billion Oil Boom Is Falling Apart
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Brazils-50-Billion-Oil-Boom-Is-Falling-Apart.html
Exxon may not be interested in stepping up to the bidding plate at Brazil’s massive $50 billion transfer of rights auction next week, because the oilfields up for grabs come with a hefty price tag, Exxon’s president of exploration, Stephen Greenlee said in an interview with Bloomberg.

10        Encana declaring itself American is a gut punch for Alberta
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/encana-suttles-oilpatch-alberta-houston-denver-1.5342935
The most historic energy company in Canada decided on Thursday to fill out some forms and declare itself American. That change is an exceptionally bitter pill to swallow for the beleaguered oilpatch in Western Canada.

11        Novatek publishes its latest results
https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/31102019/novatek-publishes-its-latest-results/

Pao Novatek has released its consolidated interim condensed financial statements as of and for the three and nine months ended 30 September 2019, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

12        Total has declared its 3Q19 results
https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/31102019/total-has-declared-its-3q19-results/

Total’s Board of Directors met on 29 October 2019, to approve the Group’s 3Q19 financial statements.

13        Another Oil Major Beats Expectations Despite Poor Profits
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Another-Oil-Major-Beats-Expectations-Despite-Poor-Profits.html

Shell became the latest Big Oil major to report weaker third-quarter profits as low crude oil and gas prices dented its net result. However, the Anglo-Dutch company managed to beat analyst expectations on the back of strong income from oil and LNG trading.

14        Big Oil, investors face returns reckoning amid darkening economy
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-dividends-idUSKBN1XA1T7

Darkening clouds over the global economy have led two of the world’s top oil firms to warn investors that promised growth in returns could be at risk for the first time since the 2014 oil downturn.

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 7

Friday, November 1, 2019

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 7

1          Borealis Aims to Start Producing Renewable PP by Year’s End
https://www.ptonline.com/blog/post/borealis-aims-to-start-production-of-renewable-pp-by-years-end
What is likely to represent a new  milestone in sustainable PP will result from the strategic cooperation announced recently between Borealis and Finland’s Neste. Borealis is aiming to produce renewable PP using Neste’s 100% renewable propane produced by Neste’s proprietary NEXBTL technology at its facilities in Kallo and Beringen, Belgium, starting by end of year.

2          Offshore Wind is Breaking Out Of Its Incubator Markets
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/offshore-wind-is-breaking-out-of-its-incubator-markets
From the North Sea to New Jersey, offshore wind tenders have successfully been awarding gigawatts of contracts to bankable, sizeable and increasingly economical projects.

3          Oil majors must cut output by a third to meet climate target – study | Business
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/nov/01/oil-majors-must-cut-production-by-a-third-to-meet-climate-target-study

The world’s largest oil and gas companies need to slash their production by more than a third by 2040 to meet global climate targets, according to a new report.

4          Even Louisiana’s Wealthier Neighborhoods Can’t Escape Toxic Air in “Cancer Alley”
https://www.propublica.org/article/even-louisianas-wealthier-neighborhoods-cant-escape-toxic-air-in-cancer-alley

Once a sleepy stretch of cane fields and plantation houses, Louisiana’s river corridor has been remade over the past century into a petrochemical powerhouse. When chemical companies looked to build along the Mississippi, areas next to black neighborhoods were typically the first to see the swap of sugar cane for smokestacks.

5          Keystone pipeline shut after spilling over 1 million litres of oil in North Dakota
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/keystone-spils-over-1-million-litres-oil-north-dakota-1.5343509

An estimated 1.4 million litres of oil have spilled from TC Energy Corp.’s Keystone crude pipeline in North Dakota, state authorities said on Thursday, a major leak at a time of increased regulatory scrutiny of oil pipeline expansions.

6          Argentina could become ‘sacrificial country’ for plastic waste, say activists
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/01/argentina-plastic-waste-dumping-ground-imports

Argentina has changed its definition of waste in a move that could allow it to import millions of tonnes of plastic waste discarded in the US.

The country’s president, Mauricio Macri, signed a decree in August reclassifying some materials destined for recycling as commodities instead of waste, allowing looser oversight of mixed and contaminated plastic scraps that are difficult to process, and are often dumped or incinerated.

7          German path to carbon neutrality achievable and affordable: research
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-energy-transition-idUSKBN1XA1UX

Germany can reach its target of becoming largely carbon-free by 2050 if it keeps expanding renewable power and introduces a hydrogen economy, one of the country’s biggest research centers said on Thursday.

8          We know plastic bottles are choking our planet. So why are companies still selling them?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/plastic-bottles-1.5341617
The American Beverage Association announced on Tuesday that the world’s leading beverage companies — Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper are investing $100 million to reduce the use of new plastic and improve plastic bottle recycling across the globe.

9          Iran’s thirsty energy industry runs up against water shortage
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-energy-water-analysis-idUSKBN1X80H5
The plan to build a petrochemical plant near the Iranian city of Firouzabad had everything usually needed to get a project off the ground: approval from the nation’s top authority, funding from the Revolutionary Guards and plentiful gas feedstock.

10        Most utility-scale batteries in the United States are made of lithium-ion – Today in Energy
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=41813

Most of the utility-scale battery systems used for energy storage on the U.S. electric grid use lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which are known for their high-cycle efficiency, fast response times, and high energy density. Nearly all of the utility-scale battery systems installed in the United States in the past five years use lithium-ion technology.

Business Intelligence and Analytics 36

Friday, November 1, 2019

Business Intelligence and Analytics 36

1          Your Data Is Shared and Sold…What’s Being Done About It?
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/data-shared-sold-whats-done/

Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law amendments to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the most sweeping state data privacy regulations in the country. The law, which takes effect on Jan. 1, regulates how data is collected, managed, shared and sold by companies and entities doing business with or compiling information about California residents.

2          Is Artificial Intelligence Set to Replace Accountants in the Future?
https://medium.com/@fugenxmobileapp/is-artificial-intelligence-set-to-replace-accountants-in-the-future-2bce34be39e9

Long ago, Artificial Intelligence services (AI), robots and machine learning (ML) were thought to be the only ones found in sci-fi films. Today, this type of technology is taking center stage in workplaces worldwide. Industries, including manufacturing, retail, agriculture and customer service, have already replaced some job positions with AI, so workers are scrambling to find new career options.

3          4 Data Sets You Need to be Aware of on Your Website -Big Data Analytics News
https://bigdataanalyticsnews.com/data-sets-need-aware-website/
Running a website isn’t just about picking an aesthetically appealing design, bigging yourself up on your ‘About Me’ page, and posting interesting content. To truly succeed as a site owner, you also have to be prepared to pay attention to big data and analytics. More to the point, you need to be aware of a number of data sets that have the potential to hold your site back from reaching its full potential.

4          Chief Data Officer Survey and Research Results
https://insidebigdata.com/2019/10/31/chief-data-officer-survey-and-research-results/

Research undertaken by YouGov on behalf of analytics database provider Exasol finds that 72% of businesses worry that their inability to generate insights through the analysis of data will have a negative impact on financial performance. This is despite a similar number (77%) of respondents stating that data is now their organization’s most valuable asset.

5          How to Use AI to Detect Soft Skills
https://datafloq.com/read/how-use-ai-detect-soft-skills/7089

The new world we live in gives us more help — and more doubts. Machines stand behind everything — and the scope of this everything is only growing. To what extent can we trust such machines? We are used to relying on them in market trends, traffic management, maybe even in healthcare. Machines are now analysts, medical assistants, secretaries and teachers. Are they reliable enough to work as HRs? Psychologists? What can they tell about us?

6          A Content Model (From Scratch)
https://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/a-content-model-from-scratch-02253316

Content marketing is one of the most effective marketing methods out there, with lower up-front costs and deeper long-term benefits than paid search. Also, users are getting over-saturated with ads, and therefore starting to tune out. Many users are using ad-blockers, and click-farms and bots are both decreasing the conversion rates of ads, making smart marketers turn to alternatives like content marketing. Gary Vaynerchuck is one of the leading marketing figures to listen to when it comes to content marketing, and he’s created an incredible resource for diving deep into his content model.

7          Creative Ways to Get More Mileage from Your Data
https://www.informationweek.com/big-data/big-data-analytics/creative-ways-to-get-more-mileage-from-your-data/a/d-id/1335951

Use analytics to your advantage to support your HR department, sales and marketing teams, team managers and ultimately your customers.

8          Do We Really Need Machine Learning for Personalized Recommendations?
https://celadonsoft.com/ai-ml/machine-learning-for-personalized-recommendations

In the 21st century, aka the era of customer-centricity, it’s hard to think of a high-quality software product that does not use personal recommendations. This functionality is actively used for cross-selling and upselling and brings immense benefits to both the company and the customer.

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 35

Friday, October 25, 2019

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 35

1          Fears Of A Global Financial Meltdown Loom Over Oil Markets
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Fears-Of-A-Global-Financial-Meltdown-Loom-Over-Oil-Markets.html

Oil prices received a jolt mid-week on rumors that OPEC+ might cut deeper and also because of a surprise drawdown in EIA inventory data. Nevertheless, economic cracks continue to dominate the narrative.

2          Oil extends gains despite weak demand outlook
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-idUSKBN1X203E
Oil prices extended their gains on Thursday, with Brent rising above $61 a barrel as a surprise drop in U.S. crude inventories and the prospect of further market-supporting action by OPEC and its allies offset some concern over the outlook for demand.

3          Goldman: A Major Oil Price Rally Is On The Horizon
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Goldman-A-Major-Oil-Price-Rally-Is-On-The-Horizon.html
Energy forecasters see a worsening supply glut in 2020, putting OPEC+ in a bind. But beyond that, the bust could result in a boom as supply growth slows to a trickle. “For three years, oversupply has deteriorated Energy equity sentiment,” Goldman Sachs wrote in a note on Monday. That presented an impossible choice for OPEC – cut output or let prices crash? The group chose to slash production in an effort to rescue prices, but in doing so, it arguably prolonged the adjustment by propping up unprofitable shale drillers.

4          Oil Price Fundamental Daily Forecast – Supported by Hopes of Additional Output Cuts by OPEC; Capped by Demand Worries
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/crude-oil-price-update-supported-by-hopes-of-additional-output-cuts-by-opec-capped-by-demand-worries-608294

Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de facto leader, wants to focus first on boosting adherence to the group’s production-reduction pact with Russia and other non-members, an alliance known as OPEC+, before committing to more cuts, sources told Reuters.

5          Natural Gas Price Fundamental Daily Forecast
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/natural-gas-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-cold-is-coming-but-short-blast-isnt-bullish-enough-for-prolonged-rally-608330

The short-term range is $2.568 to $2.388. Its 50% level or pivot at $2.478 is proving to be major resistance, stopping four attempted rallies this week. Besides being resistance, it is also the trigger point for an acceleration to the upside.

6          Norway’s oil fund now worth NOK 10 trillion
https://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/norways-oil-fund-now-worth-nok-10-trillion/
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, popularly known as the oil fund, has grown to a record 10 trillion Norwegian crowns (NOK) or 1,091,750,000,000 U.S. dollars. To remind, the fund had hit a one trillion-dollar value mark in 2017.

7          New contracts have been signed to promote petrochemical industry
https://www.industryglobalnews24.com/new-contracts-have-been-signed-to-promote-petrochemical-industry

McDermott International has secured a contract from Saudi Aramco and Total Raffinage Chimie for a mixed feed cracker for the Amiral advanced. Under the contract, valued between $50m and $250m, the corporate is to blame for giving licenses, basic engineering packages, extended basic engineering, training, technical services and provide of proprietary instrumentality for the project.

8          Canada Countering Collapse in US Oil Imports From OPEC
https://www.rigzone.com/news/canada_countering_collapse_in_us_oil_imports_from_opec-24-oct-2019-160140-article/

With U.S. crude oil production up 150 percent to 12.4 million b/d since 2008, the great American shale boom has collapsed imports from OPEC. In 2018, OPEC met less than 15 percent of total U.S. oil demand, down from over 30 percent in 2007.

9          Exclusive: Mexico taps banks, oil major as it nears end of 2020 oil hedge
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-hedge-exclusive-idUSKBN1X22LO
Mexico’s finance ministry has completed a majority of its annual oil hedging program, working with at least four top investment banks and oil major Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), sources said, after challenges slowed the world’s largest oil financial deal this year.

10        China’s CNOOC says COSCO sanctions have impact but oil and gas output unaffected
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cnooc-results-idUSKBN1X3161
CNOOC, China’s largest offshore oil and gas producer, on Thursday said it would be affected by U.S. sanctions on its COSCO shipping firm but there would be no impact on its oil and gas production.

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 6

Friday, October 25, 2019

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 6

1          How To Kick The Hydrocarbon Habit
https://www.woodmac.com/news/the-edge/how-to-kick-the-hydrocarbon-habit/

Let’s start with the good news…

The power sector is already being transformed, with renewables on an explosive growth path, propelled by the precipitous fall in wind and solar costs. Renewables’ share of the global power market rises from 7% today to 25% by 2040. Some markets are also looking to build in grid-edge technologies such as energy storage and EV charging.

2          Can The Energy Industry Rise To The Challenge Of Climate Change?
https://www.woodmac.com/news/feature/can-the-energy-industry-rise-to-the-challenge-of-climate-change/

What about the Paris Agreement? The statement above from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the central aim of The Paris Agreement, ratified at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21).

3          Glacial rivers absorb carbon faster than rainforests, scientists find
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/25/scientists-glacial-rivers-absorb-carbon-faster-rainforests

In the turbid, frigid waters roaring from the glaciers of Canada’s high Arctic, researchers have made a surprising discovery: for decades, the northern rivers secretly pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at a rate faster than the Amazon rainforest.

4          P&G to double recycled plastic packaging in Europe by 2020
https://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/markets/household-products/pg-double-recycled-plastic-packaging-europe-2020-24-10-2019

Fairy, Flash and Viakal will increase the use of recycled plastic to 9,000 tonnes of post-consumer resin and post-industrial resin, replacing virgin plastic in the supply chain. In total, 300 million bottles across P&G’s European household cleaning brands will be converted annually to either 100% recycled or partially-recycled plastic. Additionally, all surface cleaning wipes will be made of 100% recycled fibre.

5          Climate risk leads Kuwait to consider reducing production targets
https://www.worldoil.com/news/2019/10/24/climate-risk-leads-kuwait-to-consider-reducing-production-targets

Kuwait, OPEC’s fourth-biggest member, is considering cuts to its oil production capacity targets, in large part because mounting concern about climate change will constrict demand for fossil fuels.

6          Factbox: Climate targets – the devil’s in the detail
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-shipping-factbox-idUSKBN1X21JK
Amid a groundswell of public pressure for climate action, companies, sectors and countries worldwide have trumpeted new pledges, from setting net-zero emissions targets to declaring carbon neutrality in specific timeframes.

7          The Best Thing About The Death Of Coal
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-Best-Thing-About-The-Death-Of-Coal.html
This isn’t another tired story about how kicking the coal habit will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That would be like kicking a dead horse. Instead, there is a massive new benefit to ditching the dirty: Doing so will free up billions of gallons of water.

8          Why Big Oil faces court cases that echo the litigation against Big Tobacco in the ’90s
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/exxon-shell-climate-change-court-new-york-attorney-general-litigation-documents-1.5331228

How much did the oil industry know about the impact of fossil fuel emissions on the climate? When did they know it? And what did they do with that knowledge? Those are the central questions in a series of court cases attempting to hold companies accountable for their role in climate change.

9          Blockchain technology applied to plastics traceability and sustainability
https://www.plasticstoday.com/sustainability/blockchain-technology-applied-plastics-traceability-and-sustainability/51580656461743

Resin suppliers Domo and Covestro are teaming up with transparency start-up Circularise in a collaborative project for circularity in the plastics industry through the use of blockchain technology. The newly-formed Circularise Plastics project group aims to set up an open standard for sustainability and transparency within this field. At K 2019, Domo and Covestro discussed the project with customers and looked for new partners to join them on this pathway towards full circularity.

10           The Billionaire Battle For EV Dominance

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-Billionaire-Battle-For-EV-Dominance.html

The neck-to-neck race to dominate the electric vehicle space continues between Elon Musk’s Tesla and Warren Buffet’s BYD. But it’s a much larger story than just EV sales — with both companies being leaders in global sales of battery packs used in EVs and energy storage, and Tesla ready to enter BYD’s home market of China. Two other elements of the story include a decline in EV sales in both the U.S. and in China, and the next trend in electric buses and commercial vehicle global sales.

Business Intelligence and Analytics 35

Friday, October 25, 2019

Business Intelligence and Analytics 35

1          Your Cloud and Data Management Strategies are About to Collide
https://www.informationweek.com/strategic-cio/digital-business/your-cloud-and-data-management-strategies-are-about-to-collide/a/d-id/1336130

Companies are moving further into the cloud and undergoing data modernization. What some don’t realize yet is that one strategy is better than two.

2          The eight essentials of innovation
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-eight-essentials-of-innovation

It’s no secret: innovation is difficult for well-established companies. By and large, they are better executors than innovators, and most succeed less through game-changing creativity than by optimizing their existing businesses.

3          A CMOs Guide to Navigating Data Analytics
https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/guest-authors/a-cmos-guide-to-navigating-data-analytics/
The CMO function has always been critical for every business, but the role has expanded and evolved recently to encompass responsibility for driving predictable and measurable growth – as evidenced by the fact that the function is now often titled Chief Growth Officer or Chief Revenue Officer. As Sales, Marketing and Technology roles become intertwined, CEOs and Boards now expect senior marketers to prove a correlation between strategies and the bottom line.

4          The complete guide to a great customer experience
https://www.smartinsights.com/user-experience/customer-experience-management-cxm/the-complete-guide-to-a-great-customer-experience/
For many consumers, customer service and customer experience are seen as one in the same. However, customer service and experience differ just a bit. Service is a single touchpoint with a brand, while experience impacts all of the feelings and emotions associated with a brand.

5          Supply Chain 4.0: Managing a digital transformation
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/operations-blog/supply-chain-40-managing-a-digital-transformation

As digitizing supply chains becomes easier than ever, managing them is becoming harder. To deal with this complexity, organizations should understand not only where and how to digitize, but also who will lead them—balancing the steady wisdom of experienced supply chain professionals with the drive and ambition of new digital talent.

6          Digital transformation: Improving the odds of success
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/digital-transformation-improving-the-odds-of-success

For established companies, the pressure to digitize business models and products has reached new intensity. McKinsey research shows that the best-performing decile of digitized incumbents earns as much as 80 percent of the digital revenues generated in their industries.

7          The Complete Data Science LinkedIn Profile Guide – Big Cloud
https://medium.com/@BigCloudTeam/the-complete-data-science-linkedin-profile-guide-1e47d14e2bd2

To date, there are more than 830,000 data science LinkedIn profiles registered worldwide. Despite this number of Data Scientists available/in roles online currently, it’s no secret there is still a major talent shortage. In fact, according to a report by O’Reilly Media, nearly half of all European companies are struggling to fill data science positions. Studies performed by Indeed’s Hiring Lab show an overall increase of 256% in data science job openings since 2013, with an increase of 31% year over year from as recent as December 2018. Data science is a vast, complex industry with many subsets.

8          Trump Surrenders 2.5 Billion Barrels Of Oil To Syria
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Trump-Surrenders-25-Billion-Barrels-Of-Oil.html

The American president just gifted 2.5 billion barrels of oil to long-time Syrian enemy Bashar Al-Assad and, by default, Iran and Russia. As far as gifts go, it was both well-received and unexpected given the ‘Deep State’ designs on Syria for years.

9          10 Expert-Approved B2B Lead Generation Strategies
https://www.business2community.com/b2b-marketing/10-expert-approved-b2b-lead-generation-strategies-02251357

According to research from the Content Marketing Institute, 85% of B2B marketers say lead generation is a top priority, but 44% rate their efforts as neutral when it boils down to effectiveness.

10           How Will Smart Technology Help You In Your Old Age?
https://datafloq.com/read/how-will-smart-technology-help-you-in-your-old-age/7059

Did you know that 32% of homes in America have already installed some sort of smart home technology? The technology includes such things as smart thermostats, which allow you to control your home’s temperature remotely; doorbells with video capabilities; and Alexa adding items to your grocery list.