The Energy Pragmatist

What does it take to invest through energy volatility? In this episode, Ben West sits down with Neda Jafar, Partner at Kimmeridge , to explore how investors can navigate uncertainty across energy markets. Six months ago, when this conversation was recorded, the market backdrop looked very different. Oil prices, geopolitical risks, AI-driven power demand, and the growing strategic importance of nat...

Methane has become one of the biggest topics in oil and gas, but the conversation is changing. It's no longer just about adding more sensors or collecting more data. It's about using that data effectively. In this episode, Ben West sits down with Will Foiles, Co Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Project Canary, to discuss how methane management is evolving, why operators are moving to...

In this episode of The Energy Pragmatist , Ben West sits down with Michael Rigg, Chief Investment Officer, Diversified Energy Company, to discuss the evolving landscape of upstream oil and gas investing, the rise of asset-backed securitizations (ABS), and why many investors may still be underestimating the long-term opportunity across the energy sector. Drawing on his experience leading business d...

In this episode of The Energy Pragmatist, Ben West sits down with Mark Wade, Partner at CAZ Investments to discuss why energy is becoming attractive to generalist investors again. The conversation explores U.S. natural gas, LNG export growth, power demand driven by AI and data centers, geopolitical risk in global energy markets, and why private energy assets remain undervalued relative to broader...

In this episode of The Energy Pragmatist , interviewer Ben West sits down with Ken Hersh, Chairman of HFI Capital Management and co-founder of NGP, for a wide-ranging conversation on commodity cycles, geopolitics, and the evolving investment landscape in oil and gas. Drawing on decades of experience, Hersh shares lessons from building one of the most influential energy private equity firms, discus...

In this episode, Amy Miller sits down with Rob to unpack one of the most powerful forces shaping energy today: AI. From oilfields to manufacturing lines, they explore how AI is quietly transforming the industry, driving efficiency, lowering costs, and challenging assumptions around future power demand. Rob explains why AI is both the biggest risk and the biggest opportunity, and why its impact may...

In this episode, Ben West speaks with Daniel Herz, Chief Executive Officer of WhiteHawk Energy, about the investment case for minerals and royalties and why they are increasingly attracting attention from allocators. Drawing on nearly three decades in the energy industry, Herz explains why he believes the minerals model offers a more resilient and capital efficient way to gain exposure to oil and...

Ben West sits down with Daniel Connell, Managing Director, CF Private Equity to discuss how LPs are reassessing energy within diversified portfolios. They discuss the shift from a supply driven story to one shaped by AI led power demand, why institutional capital pulled back from upstream, and what is attracting it back. Topics include private versus public markets, the illiquidity premium, second...

In this episode, Amy Miller sits down with the host and founder of The Energy Executive 360 , Emilio Faulmata. They discuss how a conversation about Bolivia’s natural gas industry sparked his move into energy, why he believes young people aren’t disengaged but often misinformed, and what needs to change in how the industry communicates. A candid discussion on ambition, risk-taking, and why owning...

In this episode, Toby Z. Rice , President & CEO of EQT Corporation, sits down with host Ben West to challenge common misconceptions about natural gas and its role in the energy transition. He shares how EQT is driving innovation through strategic investments and the launch of Energy Corps, while emphasizing why tackling methane emissions is critical to building a cleaner, more sustainable ener...

In this special feature , Amy steps outside of The Energy Pragmatist to join Paul Hickin on the Petroleum Economist podcast for a candid conversation on energy realism . Together, they unpack the evolving role of oil and gas alongside renewables , why each country’s energy transition will look different , and the urgent need to address energy illiteracy- from policymakers to the public.

Recorded live at PRAGMA’s London Launch at Marylebone Cricket Club, this expert panel explores the evolving role of oil and gas in the UK’s energy mix. Featuring: Martin Copeland , CFO, Serica Energy plc Natalie Coupar , Communications Director, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) Russell Borthwick , Chief Executive, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce The panel tackles public misconceptions, ener...

Earlier this month Amy Miller sat down with Sayma Cox, Former CEO of North Sea Midstream Partners and now Founder and CEO of Concordia Energy to discuss what inspired her to start the business, the role of oil & gas in the energy transition, her differentitated approach to creating value and how her first job in industry, offshore, has shaped her leadership philiosophy.

Amy Miller, CEO of PRAGMA sat down in front of a live audience last week with Rob West, Founder and Chief Analyst at Thunder Said Energy. There is a shift in perspective that is gaining ground, that unleashing better energy   is likely to deliver the best human outcomes through 2050. This means vastly more energy, at a lower cost, to unlock new possibilities (including AI), and to mitigate the con...

Damian Beauchamp, President & CEO of 8 Rivers, joins the Energy Pragmatist – during this episode, Damian explains the executive orders that the Trump administration has signed since it came into office as it relates to decarbonization priorities and shares what this could mean in terms of where legislation and capital are headed. He also talks about the partnerships and technologies within 8 R...

In this engaging episode of "The Energy Pragmatist," host Ben West convenes with Dan Romito of Pickering Energy Partners during PRAGMA's New York Launch Party. They delve into Texas's record-breaking energy demand, which is expected to surge to 150 Gigawatts in the next five years, underscoring the limitations of nuclear, wind, and solar energy and highlighting natural gas as the likely alternativ...

In a recent episode recorded at PRAGMA's launch party at Nasdaq, Amy Miller sits down with Robin Fielder, former Head of Sustainability at Talos Energy and current PRAGMA board member. They explore the significant roles that both large cap and small/mid cap companies play in advancing low carbon projects. Robin details the necessary steps to make Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)...

Ben West, Chief Strategy Officer at Pragma Energy, joined Mark Viviano , CFA and Board Member at Kimmeridge, to discuss the strategic positioning of Oil & Gas companies in today's market, focusing on leveraging core competencies and the implications of shareholder expectations on environmental policies. They also explored the potential for increased consolidation within the Upstream E&...

Ben West, Chief Strategy Officer sat down with Steve Trauber, Chairman & Global Head of Energy & Clean Technology at Moelis to discuss the reality of "drill baby drill", the importance of gas, the impact of AI and data centres on power demand and the important role the oil & gas industry has in coming together to address climate change.