Global upstream spending will rise 41% to reach $1 trillion between 2012 and 2016, according to an IHS Research report. But finding enough money to accomplish that should be no problem, finance experts said at the recent IHS CERAWeek energy conference in Houston.

“If you add in opex (operating expenses), that gets you to $1.6 trillion,” said James Wildash, head of IHS CERA’s EnergyView, which serves institutional investors.

Every panelist marveled at the huge amounts of capital now available, especially from low-cost debt and private equity. And yet, they voiced ...