The shift to electric vehicles and other low-carbon technologies could disrupt crude oil demand on a similar scale to the coronavirus pandemic, Suncor Energy Inc’s chief executive said on Monday.
The comments are a stark prediction in an industry that frequently downplays the impact of electrification and points to forecasts of rising global oil demand to justify new investment and pipeline expansions.
Canada is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and the sector accounts for 10.6 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. “While Canadian oil and gas will remain a significant part of the global energy mix for some time, we have to take advantage of new opportunities that offer attractive growth prospects,” Suncor CEO Mark Little