What ESAI Energy does

ESAI Energy is an independent, privately-held energy market intelligence and consulting firm that has operated continuously since 1984 (originally as Energy Security Analysis, Inc., with the current entity formed in 2009). The firm maintains a proprietary global database covering 133 countries with time series dating from 1978, built bottom-up from individual country, provincial, or state-level data on crude oil production and quality, refined product supply and demand, natural gas liquids, refining capacity and throughput, petrochemical feedstocks, biofuels (ethanol, renewable diesel, biodiesel, sustainable aviation fuel), and green energy indicators (carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, light-vehicle sales). In January 2025, ESAI Energy was named an official OPEC Secondary Source for crude oil production, an endorsement that materially strengthens its standing as an authoritative data provider.

The product portfolio is anchored by the ESAI Energy Global Demand, Supply, and Forecast Data Product, which delivers customized monthly-refreshed datasets to enterprise clients in refining, private equity, and commodity trading, where the data is described as a key input to client trading platforms. Around the data product, the firm layers Global Commodities Analysis (crude oil, fuels, refining, petrochemicals, renewable fuels and credit markets, and green energy trends) and Regional Markets Analysis across eight regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, C.I.S., Middle East, Africa, Asia, and China), publishes 25 monthly market reports, and runs an Analyst On-Demand program that provides direct, gatekeeper-free access to subject-matter analysts for ad-hoc queries, conference calls, memos, customized datasets, and executive or board presentations. The methodology explicitly integrates volumetric data with regulatory, policy, and geopolitical analysis rather than treating these as separate workstreams.

ESAI Energy serves three primary customer segments: global energy companies (majors, super-majors, and national oil companies), commodity traders and private equity firms in the energy sector, and governments and regulatory bodies. Reported client logos include BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, TotalEnergies, Valero, Irving Oil, Reliance Industries, Petronas, ADNOC, Gunvor, Eastman Chemical, and NuStar Energy, with OPEC as a reference relationship. Revenue is generated through two streams: recurring subscription data products and bespoke professional-services consulting engagements, in both cases delivered through a direct, sales-led motion via the firm's client portal and direct analyst engagement.

Name

ESAI Energy

Legal name

ESAI Energy LLC

Website

https://esaienergy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ESAI Energy is an independent energy market intelligence and consulting firm serving global energy companies, commodity traders, private equity, and governments since 1984 with a proprietary 133-country database dating from 1978 and OPEC Secondary Source designation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wakefield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Data Products & Subscriptions: ESAI Energy provides data products used by some of the world's largest Refining, Private Equity, and Commodity companies as a key data input to their trading platforms. Data products include crude production, refined product demand/supply, refining capacity, biofuels, and green energy data. Customized datasets are refreshed monthly.
2. Bespoke Consulting Services: Ad hoc consulting projects for energy companies, energy consumers, and governments covering topics such as asset valuations, market feasibility studies, regulation reviews, and impact of emissions policies. Includes Analyst On-Demand program with direct analyst access.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ESAI Energy is a global energy market intelligence and consulting firm that provides forecasts of supply, demand, and price for crude oil, petroleum products, refining, petrochemicals, renewable fuels, and green energy. The company sells a proprietary global database covering 133 countries with data dating from 1978, alongside bespoke consulting services, an Analyst On-Demand program, and 25 monthly market reports for energy companies, commodity traders, private equity firms, and governments.

Product overview

ESAI Energy offers a comprehensive suite of energy market intelligence products centered on their proprietary Global Demand, Supply, and Forecast Data Product covering 133 countries with data dating back to 1978. The core data product provides granular views of Crude, Transport Fuels, and Petrochemical markets. This is supplemented by Global Commodities Analysis (covering crude oil, fuels, refining, petrochemicals, renewable fuels, and green energy trends) and Regional Markets Analysis for eight major regions. The company also provides bespoke Consulting Services including their Analyst On-Demand program for direct analyst access, and publishes 25 monthly market reports. The product portfolio integrates volumetric data with regulatory and policy analysis to project supply, demand, and price outcomes from one week to 25 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ESAI Energy Global Demand, Supply, and Forecast Data Product Comprehensive global database covering supply, demand, price, and trade data for 133 countries with granular views of Crude, Transport Fuels, and Petrochemical markets, including crude production by country and quality, refined product demand, refining capacity and throughput, petrochemical feedstock S&D, biofuels capacities, and green energy data. Sold to refining, private equity, and commodity companies as a key data input to their trading platforms, with customized datasets refreshed monthly.
• Global Commodities Analysis Coverage of crude oil, fuels, refining, petrochemicals, renewable fuels and credit markets, and green energy trends on a global basis. Markets are examined within the context of macroeconomic, regulatory, and geopolitical developments to provide detailed projections of supply, demand, and price.
• Regional Markets Analysis In-depth analysis covering North America, Latin America, Europe, C.I.S., Middle East, Africa, Asia, and China markets with specific regional and linguistic expertise for deep understanding of socio-economic, political, and military factors influencing each region.
• Consulting Services Ad hoc bespoke consulting projects for energy companies, energy consumers, and governments covering topics from asset valuations and market feasibility studies to regulation reviews and emissions policy impact analysis.
• Analyst On-Demand Direct access to ESAI analysts for ad hoc queries, conference calls, memos and presentations, customized datasets refreshed monthly, and issue-specific executive or board presentations, with no gatekeepers.
• Monthly Published Market Reports 25 monthly published reports on energy markets covering supply, demand, price, regulation, and policy developments, distributed to clients and prospects as intelligence briefings and market alerts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 bespoke files sent to a single large U.S. crude oil producer client in 2019 in response to ad-hoc inquiries through Analyst On-Demand program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• World BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESAI Energy conducted a study on 'Transfer of Petroleum Fuels Pollution' for the Energy and Industry Department of the World Bank, analyzing trade in petroleum products between industrialized and developing countries to determine if environmental regulations influence pollution transfer.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wood Mackenzie: Global energy research and consultancy covering upstream, midstream, downstream, and energy transition. Comparable to ESAI on consulting, asset valuation, and long-horizon forecasting, with broader upstream coverage and a much larger analyst base.
• S&P Global Platts: The dominant commodity and energy market intelligence platform covering oil, refined products, petrochemicals, and increasingly energy transition markets. Highly comparable to ESAI in core product (price benchmarks, supply/demand data) but vastly larger in scale, with extensive API, terminal, and analytics offerings.
• IHS Markit (now part of S&P Global) – Energy & Commodities: Pre-acquisition leader in upstream, midstream, and downstream research and consulting (Opal, Connect, commodity insights). Comparable to ESAI on consulting and long-horizon forecasting, with much broader coverage and integrated data platforms.

Emerging players

• BloombergNEF (BNEF): Bloomberg's energy transition research arm covering renewables, EVs, hydrogen, CCS, and long-term energy outlooks. Comparable to ESAI's emerging green energy and renewables data products, though BNEF is much larger and more platform-integrated via the Bloomberg terminal.
• Kpler: Data and analytics platform for commodity trade flows across oil, gas, and dry bulk using satellite, AIS, and proprietary data sources. Comparable to ESAI in serving traders and refiners with flow intelligence, but differentiated by a more technology-driven, real-time delivery model.
• Vortexa: Real-time global energy and freight analytics platform built on shipping and inventory data. Overlaps with ESAI's crude and refined products S&D work, particularly for trading desks, but with a stronger technology and data-engineering orientation.

Direct peers

• ICIS (Independent Commodity Intelligence Services): Part of RELX, providing pricing, news, and analytics for petrochemicals, refining, and energy markets. Closely comparable to ESAI's petrochemical feedstock S&D work and refined product coverage, with overlapping customer base among refiners and petrochemical producers.
• Argus Media: Independent commodity price reporting and market intelligence company covering crude, refined products, petrochemicals, and renewables. Directly comparable to ESAI in energy market data, price benchmarks, and consultancy offerings, particularly in refined products and petrochemicals.
• Rystad Energy: Independent energy research firm providing global oil, gas, refining, and energy transition data, forecasts, and consulting. Closest direct peer to ESAI in product mix (data + consulting) and customer base (IOCs, NOCs, traders, PE), though somewhat larger and more technology-led.
• Rapidan Energy Group: Independent energy market advisory firm focused on oil, refined products, natural gas, and energy transition, serving IOCs, NOCs, and financial institutions. Closely comparable to ESAI in boutique scale, consulting orientation, and policy/regulatory integration with quantitative analysis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/esaienergy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESAI Energy