Energy Addition, Not Transition: Why Politics Is Failing the World

In a wide-ranging discussion that cuts through the noise of energy policy debates, three industry experts—Joe Leather (HSE Professional and Offshore Wind & Oil Podcast Host), Mark LaCour (Oil and Gas Expert and OGGN Editor-in-Chief), and Stu Turley (Energy News Beat Podcast Host)—tackle the contradictions, crises, and misconceptions shaping global energy markets. From record-breaking diesel prices in Scotland to California's paradoxical reliance on Russian crude despite abundant local reserves, this conversation exposes how political ideology disconnected from scientific reality is creating energy poverty, environmental hypocrisy, and geopolitical vulnerability. Rather than debating whether the world needs an energy transition, these experts argue for an "energy addition"—acknowledging that global demand will only grow while infrastructure, grid capacity, and rational policy lag dangerously behind. Their discussion reveals uncomfortable truths about net-zero politics, the aging infrastructure crisis, and why the solutions being implemented often make problems worse, not better. Yet amid the frustration, there's cautious optimism: technology is advancing rapidly, younger generations view energy differently, and the world may finally be waking up to what pragmatism demands.

Check out Mark LaCour on The Great Oil Network OGGN https://oggn.com/

Check out Joe Leather on his Great podcast https://windwavesandwells.com/

1. Global Diesel Shortage CrisisThe hosts discuss the worldwide diesel shortage affecting prices dramatically—Joe paid £1.84 per liter (approximately $12.77/gallon) in Scotland. They explain this is caused by:

Refinery turnaround season in the USIncreased global demand for dieselLimited crude oil supply due to Strait of Hormuz tensionsRefineries prioritizing jet fuel production over diesel due to higher profit margins2. UK Refinery Capacity CollapseThe UK is losing refinery capacity due to political and net-zero policies. The hosts explain the paradox: the UK fleet switched from petrol to diesel vehicles, but environmental politics prevented refineries from retrofitting to produce more diesel, creating an oversupply of petrol and shortage of diesel.

3. Energy Politics vs. RealityA central theme is how political decisions disconnected from scientific understanding are harming energy security:

California importing Russian crude while refusing to use its own local oil reservesNew York importing LNG from the Caribbean (sourced from Russia) instead