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“World Should be Optim­istic About Our Fossil Fuel Future” (Bradley op-ed in Houston Chronicle)

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- April 14, 2026

Ed. Note: Robert L. Bradley Jr’s opinion-page editorial, reprinted below, appeared in the Houston Chronicle last Sunday, April 12, 2026. Tomorrow’s post will explain the significance of Bradley’s op-ed given the Chronicle’s long-standing bias against fossil fuels.

CER­AWeek was in town last month, joined by cli­mate act­iv­ists who showed up to protest. The real­ity, however, is that cli­mate act­iv­ism is in retreat.

The so-called “energy trans­ition” is potholed by an unpre­ced­en­ted num­ber of solar bank­ruptcies, elec­tric-vehicle retreats, and cor­por­ate pull­backs from wind, hydro­gen, and car­boncap­ture projects.

A roadmap to phase out fossil fuels was defeated at the last United Nations con­fer­ence on cli­mate change, in line with a recent pre­dic­tion by the Inter­na­tional Energy Agency that oil demand will increase for dec­ades. Texas, for its part, pro­duced a record two bil­lion bar­rels last year.…

‘A New Energy Blog’ (birth of MasterResource)

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- December 26, 2025

Editor Note: On December 26, 2008, Robert L. Bradley Jr. launched the free-market energy blog, MasterResource. This inaugural post is reproduced verbatim.

“… our blog name is inspired by the late Julian Simon (1932–1998). He labeled energy the master resource because it is the resource needed to bring other resources from a state of nature to one of human usefulness. Simon also used the term the ultimate resource to describe human ingenuity.”

We are just getting started here, but some of us veterans of the energy debate from a private property, free-market perspective have teamed together to offer our thoughts on late breaking energy items. When I read my newspapers each day, I have some thoughts that I wish I could share with folks from a historical, worldview perspective. I think we all have something to add–and thus the inspiration for this endeavor.…

Gas Stove Alarmism Fails

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- February 11, 2022

Ed. This piece is adapted from a LinkedIn post by Steve Everley, a communications advisor in the field of energy.

A study last month generated some scary headlines about the supposed “health risks” of your gas stove – an appliance that most homeowners prefer (and for good reason). 

If you were frightened, take a deep breath. You were misled.

First of all, the headlines that the study generated were alarming. Things like:

“Gas stoves are a threat to health and have larger climate impact than previously known, study shows” (CNN)

“Gas stoves in kitchens pose a risk to public health and the planet, research finds” (Washington Post)

“Stanford scientists find the climate and health impacts of natural gas stoves are greater than previously thought” (official release)

But it gets worse.…

The Institute for Energy Research: Becoming a Full Time Organization (Part III)

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- October 5, 2021

WSJ vs. WSJ: A House Divided

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- December 21, 2020

‘The Value of Books’ (David Boaz, Alex Epstein on Oil, Gas, and Government: The U.S. Experience)

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- September 16, 2020

Ayn Rand’s Influence on Today’s Energy Debate

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- July 6, 2016

Julian Simon: A Pathbreaking, Heroic Scholar Remembered

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- February 12, 2013

Green Enron (Part IV Interview with Robert L. Bradley Jr.)

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- January 28, 2011

Enron as a Political Company (Part III: Robert L. Bradley Jr. Interview)

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#r_donway">Roger Donway</a> -- January 20, 2011