Russian central bank expects low oil prices to continue for a while
The Russian central bank warned Kremlin policymakers that the United States and OPEC could flood the oil markets and cause a similar price collapse to what occurred in the 1980s, which led to the fall of the Soviet Union. The warning was issued weeks before Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. president Donald Trump began negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Brazil's Minister says that the US tariff talks will continue, and he links ethanol to sugar
The Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad stated on Thursday that his government anticipates long tariff negotiations with the United States. He also suggested that they will include trade discussions regarding sugar and ethanol. "They will not make Brazil an exception, as they are at war with the world." He told GloboNews TV that this would not happen.
Brazil Ministry says that tests have confirmed the increase of ethanol in gasoline to 30%.
In Brazil, the gasoline contains 27% anhydrous alcohol. The demand for ethanol would be increased in Brazil if the proportion was raised to 30%, also known as E30. "With E30, we will be independent of gasoline imports for the first time since 2010," said Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira during a presentation highlighting the test results.
Petrobras animal center at Oiapoque will be ready for inspection by April
Documents seen by on Monday showed that the environmental agency Ibama should be able to inspect the veterinary center operated by Petrobras Brazil in the Amazon region in April. The center is designed to help animals in case of an oil spill. Petrobras has not yet met the demands of Ibama to build an animal care center near the Amapa state town of Oiapoque.
Chinese Companies Shy Away From Russian Oil
Chinese state oil companies are shying away from Russian oil this month, with two importers halting purchases while two others scaled back volumes as they assess compliance following recent U.S. sanctions on Moscow, multiple trade sources said.Russian oil supplies to top buyers India and China fell sharply following the January 10 sanctions…
Citi estimates that Brazil corn ethanol will almost double in production by 2032.
Citi Investment Bank said that Brazil's corn ethanol production will almost double by 2032 to 16 billion liters, citing the rapid growth of the industry. Citi estimates that Brazil will produce 6.3 billion liters (or ethanol) of corn in 2023-2024. The bank expects this to increase to 9.5 billion during the current crop season. The note stated that Brazil had 22 corn ethanol plants in operation as of last year.
Report: Brazil may reduce ethanol import taxes as a nod to Trump
The newspaper O Globo, citing reliable sources, reported that the Brazilian government was considering reducing import taxes on ethanol as a means to reduce inflation and appease U.S. president Donald Trump. The report stated that Brazil hopes to try to convince the U.S. Government to make an exemption for the Latin American country in the recently announced 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel imported.
Staff of Brazil's Ibama recommend against Petrobras drilling Amazon region
Two sources with knowledge of the matter said that the technical staff at Brazil's environment agency Ibama recommended to the body that it deny Petrobras permission to drill in the environmentally sensitive Foz do Amazonas area. Rodrigo Agostinho, Ibama’s president, will make the final decision. Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva has put pressure on the agency by saying earlier this month…
Iberdrola raises its 2025 forecast after exceeding expectations
Iberdrola, Europe's biggest utility, expects to grow its net profit by a single digit percentage this year. This is after the increased earnings of its network business helped push 2024 profits above analyst expectations. Iberdrola's performance is better than what it had predicted in its strategy for 2026. This is a clear sign that the company is achieving results from its shift to building and upgrading grids…
The massive Simandou iron ore mine could end Australia's golden age of iron ore, or it can start a new one. Russell
It is overused to the point of being meaningless. But the Simandou mine, located in Guinea, West Africa is a game changer. It is expected that the full 120 million tons of cargo per year capacity will be reached fairly quickly. The four Simandou blocks are impressive for their size and infrastructure challenges. They boast a 620-kilometre…
The massive Simandou iron ore mine could end Australia's golden age of iron ore, or it can start a new one. Russell
It is overused to the point of being meaningless. But the Simandou mine, located in Guinea, West Africa is going to change the iron ore seaborne market. It is expected that the full 120 million tons of cargo per year capacity will be reached fairly quickly. The four Simandou blocks are impressive for their size and infrastructure challenges.
Italy's Saipem and Norway's Subsea 7, to create a leader in energy services
Saipem, an Italian company, has agreed to merge its Norwegian competitor Subsea 7 into a global leader in offshore energy services. The deal is a 100% share transaction. The two companies announced that the combined group will be called Saipem7. It will have a backlog of orders of over 45 billion euros, revenue of around 20 billion and core earnings exceeding 2 billion.
Italy's Saipem and Norway's Subsea 7, to create a leader in energy services
Saipem, an Italian company, has agreed to merge its Norwegian competitor Subsea 7 into a global leader in offshore energy services. The deal is a 100% share transaction. The two companies announced that the combined group will be called Saipem7. It will have a backlog of orders of over 45 billion euros, revenue of around 20 billion and core earnings exceeding 2 billion.
Guyana will soon sign a oil deal with TotalEnergies led group
Energy Minister Vickram Bharrat said that Guyana is expecting to sign a production-sharing agreement soon with a French consortium led by TotalEnergies, which will allow the country to explore an off-shore area. Guyana, the fastest-growing oil producing country in the world, is on track to produce 940,000 barrels of crude oil per day this coming year. This is nearly 1% more than last year's output.
Brazil adheres to OPEC+ Cooperation letter; No output caps
The Brazilian energy ministry announced on Tuesday that the country has decided to adhere the OPEC+ declaration of cooperation. This formalizes a decision it first made in 2023. Brazil is the biggest oil producer in South America. According to the country's oil regulator, its output will reach 4.32 million barrels equivalent per day by 2024.
VEGOILS - Palm oil ends lower due to weaker competitor oils. Traders await positive signals
Malaysian palm futures declined on Tuesday as traders looked for bullish signals to support prices. The benchmark May palm oil contract on Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives exchange fell 34 ringgit (0.75%) to close at 1,014.63 ringgit per metric ton. A Kuala Lumpur based trader stated that the market was under pressure due to the weakness of rival oilseeds, as there were no significant bullish reports.
Petrobras plans to have the Equatorial Margin ready by March, say sources
Two sources said on Monday that Brazilian oil company Petrobras plans to have a veterinary clinic in the Amazon ready to treat animals in case of an oil spill. Petrobras has not yet met the Ibama environmental agency's main demand, which is the animal care center for the state of Amapa in northern Brazil. This could be a condition to get approval from Petrobras to drill near the Amazon River.
Brazil resumes hydropower exports to Argentina and Uruguay with the aim of increasing flow
Industry officials have confirmed that Brazil is resuming energy exports from its hydroelectric plants to Argentina and Uruguay due to the excess water they have in their reservoirs as a result of heavy rains. The government also aims to improve the competitiveness of the sales. Brazil's exports were halted for nearly the entire 2024 year…
Sources say Vale is in advanced discussions to sell Brazil renewable assets GIP.
Two people familiar with this matter have confirmed that Vale, the Brazilian mining giant, is in advanced discussions to sell a major stake in a renewable power unit and a Solar Plant to Global Infrastructure Partners. Sources said that Casa dos Ventos (CTG) Brasil and China Three Gorges Brasil had both expressed interest in a deal to purchase 70% of Alianca Energia, a subsidiary of Vale, and the solar power plant.
Brazil calls for sugar talks after saying US ethanol tariffs would be unreasonable
Brazil's Energy and Mining minister Alexandre Silveira stated on Thursday that any potential U.S. Tariff on Brazilian Ethanol would be unreasonable. He emphasized that historically, the two countries had negotiated sugar and ethanol trade together. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, had recently raised tariffs to bring them in line with other countries.
