What the Wonks Say

=Global focus=

Centre for Global Energy Studies (UK)
Founded by a former Saudi Minister of Petroleum, the London-based CGES produces reports on various aspects of the oil industry, which, despite its non-profit status, cost nearly £1000 per report.

Highlights: Unlike other energy policy think tanks, it focuses on the oil and gas industry and a good global spread in freely available analyses and shorter reports.

http://www.cges.co.uk @CGESOilAnalysis

Center for Global Development (US)
CGD is currently the most significant Washington think tank researching development policy through analysing "rich country policies" and their effect upon those in the developing world.

Highlights: the Oil-to-Cash program researches implementation of flat rate cash dividends as part of oil sector governance.

http://www.cgdev.org/ @cgdev

Chatham House (UK)
Home of the Chatham House rule which guarantees anonymity at its meetings, it is an independent think tank funded by non-governmental sources such as trusts, foundations and membership fees.

Highlights: Research into governance of the nationally-run petroleum sector, which is of increasing importance following a wave of nationalism in oil-producing countries, has used an inclusive technique of bringing researchers from over 20 oil rich countries together at intensive workshops in London. They have also posted explanatory videos on YouTube (Chatham House Primers).

http://www.chathamhouse.org/ @ChathamHouse

Baker Institute Energy Forum (US)
Founded by former Secretary of State James Baker, the Energy Forum is based in Rice University in Texas. It aims to take a research approach which combines academia, industry and media. Its Advisory Board and sponsors are made up almost exclusively of international and US-based oil companies.

Highlights: Authors of their Middle East oil strategy papers were key US decision makers (and supporters) in the Iraq war.

http://www.bakerinstitute.org/programs/energy-forum

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (US)
Distinctive for its locally staffed centers in Moscow, Beirut, Beijing and Brussels, the Washington-based centrist think tank aims at promoting US international engagement. Funders include the US State Department and philanthropic foundations.

Highlights: Carnegie Unconventional Oil Initiative, focusing on what will be an increasingly important sector in the industry in coming years

http://carnegieendowment.org @CarnegieEndow

Revenue Watch Institute (US)
Originally a spin off of the Open Society Institute founded by George Soros, RWI have fast become world thought leaders in the field of revenue management, promoting transparency and accountability in the extractive industries, with projects in over 30 countries worldwide.

Highlights: A wealth of information, including reports, easy to understand policy briefs, and training materials. RWI also advise citizen groups and governments around the world.

http://www.revenuewatch.org @revenuewatch

Natural Resource Charter
=Regional focus=

African Center for Economic Transformation
Labelling themselves as a 'think-and-do' tank, the Ghana-based center aims at supporting sustained economic growth across Africa. They have provided policy support to various African governments, including Ghana, Liberia and Rwanda, and financial support is provided by international governments and development organisations.

Highlights: The extractive industries are not explicitly researched through an earmarked program, but many of their occasional papers and reports mention the sector.

http://acetforafrica.org @acetforafrica

Centre for the Study of Economies in Africa (Nigeria)
Established in 2008, the Centre cites its mission as twofold; improving public financial management systems in Africa, and improving Africa's research contribution to international economic policy debates.

Highlights: The Oil Revenue Management program, in collaboration with Oxford Policy Management, including the PetroData initiative which provides detailed statistics on Nigeria's oil production and revenues

http://www.cseaafrica.org @csea_africa

Center for Energy at the Institut Français des relations internationales (France)
The Ifri Center for Energy, based in Paris and Brussels, focuses on fossil fuels, and promotes a more sustainable European energy and climate change policy. Publications are easy to understand for the non-policy expert. Highlights: E-note downloadable pdfs in a mixture of English and French, looking closely at the gas industry across both Europe and Asia.

http://www.ifri.org/?page=detail_research_center&id=16 @ifri_

Norwegian Institute for International Affairs (Norway)
Largely financed by the Norwegian government, the Institute emphasises interdisciplinary collaboration both domestically and abroad.

Highlights: The Energy Program looks at Norwegian interests in the CIS region, as well as global LNG sector issues.

http://english.nupi.no/Activities/Programmes2/Energy-Programme

Centre for Eastern Studies (Poland)
OSW, as it is known in Polish, was established by the Polish government in 1990 and has a geographic focus ranging from Baltic countries and the Balkans to the Caucausus and Central Asia.

Highlights: Their Energy Security program is a mixture of nuclear and fossil fuel, and publications include explanatory documents which provide context to often mentioned sector issues, such as the Southern Gas Corridor.

http://www.osw.waw.pl/en/

Center for Strategic and International Studies (US)
Based out of Washington, CSIS is a bipartisan think tank promoting US interests globally, funded primarily by the corporate sector.

Highlights: The Energy and National Security program includes a series of papers on the long term affects of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as well as an upcoming project on Turkey, Russia and Iran.

http://csis.org @CSIS

Americas Society
Their geographic mandate includes Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, with an overarching mandate that includes politics and economics. It has high-level access, hosting lunches with presidents and ministers, and partners business-oriented the Council of the Americas.

Highlights: Their Energy & Commodities section provides an interesting take on the Latin American energy sector, and includes videos of high level ministers talking at their events on energy policy issues.

http://www.as-coa.org @ascoa