Russell: The war fuel crisis in Iran gives electric vehicles a boost for the long term.
The U.S. president Donald Trump is known for his support of fossil fuels. However, the war on Iran will likely result in an acceleration of energy transitions, particularly in Asia. Retail fuel prices have risen rapidly in the world's fastest-growing and most populous region since the U.S.-Israeli aerial campaign against Iran began on February 28. In Australia, for example, the cost of a litre?diesel has reached a record high of A$3 ($2.09)…
Russell: The war fuel crisis in Iran gives electric vehicles a boost for the long term.
The U.S. president Donald Trump is known for his support of fossil fuels. However, the legacy of war against the?Iran will likely be an acceleration in the energy transition. This is especially true in Asia. Retail fuel prices have risen rapidly since the U.S.-Israeli aerial campaign began on February 28, causing the world's fastest growing region to be hit by the fallout. In Australia, for example, the cost of a litre (about 1.9 liters) of diesel has reached a record high of A$3, having risen by 36% or so since the start of the war.
Lee, South Korea's Lee, calls for an energy-saving campaign that includes curbs on automobiles
The South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on Tuesday for a nationwide energy-saving campaign due to the threat posed by the war in Iran. He said that public institutions would reduce their use of passenger cars. Kim Sung Whan, Energy Minister, told a cabinet meeting that curbs on private vehicles were for the time being voluntary but would be reviewed if energy alert levels increased. He said that the government would encourage staggered commute hours…
Andy Home: Every missile fired against Iran burns through US tungsten stock
Israel and the U.S. have used thousands munitions in their air campaign to combat Iran. The majority, if they don't all, of these munitions contain tungsten, which is a super-hard material that allows missiles to penetrate armour and underground bunkers. The tungsten in munitions, unlike a tungsten-carbide drill bit that can be recycled is destroyed by detonation. It is gone forever. Iran's war on top of Ukraine, now in its fifth-year, is draining stock not only of?missiles? but of metals that makes them lethally effective.
Andy Home: Every missile fired against Iran burns through US tungsten stock
Israel and the U.S. have used thousands of munition in their air campaign to combat Iran. The majority, if not all, of these munitions contain tungsten, which is a super-hard material that allows missiles penetrate armour and underground bunkers. The tungsten in munitions, unlike a tungsten-carbide drill bit that can be recycled is destroyed by detonation. It's gone forever. The Iran 'war, which is now in its fifth year and has been fought on top of Ukraine…
US and allies clash over Iran nuclear program with Russia and China
On Thursday, the U.S. and its allies faced off against Russia and China over Iran's intentions to develop nuclear weapons. Washington was attempting to justify at the United Nations the war that it started two weeks ago on Iran. Russia and China tried to block the discussion of a committee that would oversee and enforce U.N. Sanctions against Iran at a meeting this month of the 15 member U.N. Security Council. The motion was overruled by a vote of 11-2, with two abstentions. Mike Waltz, the U.S.
Iranian strikes burn oil tankers, despite Trump's claims to have won war
Two oil tankers caught fire in an Iraqi harbor on Thursday, after being hit by a boat suspected to be laden with explosives. This was a new attack that has cut off Middle East oil and defied Donald Trump’s claim of having?won' the war launched two weeks earlier. Images that were verified as having "been filmed" from the shores of Basra port showed massive orange fireballs lighting up the night skies, following the attacks Iraqi authorities had blamed on Iranian vessels. One crew member died.
Russell: Quality is important as coal prices rise amid LNG spikes on Iran War
The rise in spot prices of liquefied gas (LNG), but only in higher-quality grades, has led to a price increase for seaborne thermal coal. Last week, the spot price of LNG in Asia nearly doubled as the market digested a loss of almost 20% of global supply of super-chilled fuel after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. This cut off Qatar's LNG. The price of British thermal units (mmBtu), which is the unit used to measure energy, jumped 116% in a week ending March 6th.
Equinor, a Norwegian company, wants to keep gas and oil exports high despite the rising prices
The Norwegian energy company Equinor is focusing on maintaining high levels of regularity when it comes to its exports of crude oil and natural gases to Europe. This is because the Iran conflict has a significant impact on global energy supplies. The U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran, and its retaliatory strikes across the Gulf Region have paralyzed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This is a crucial route for oil and liquefied gas (LNG), producers in the Gulf. This week, oil and gas prices have risen due to disruptions.
Russian budget revenues from oil and gas were down by 44% in February, y/y
According to data from the Finance Ministry, Russian state oil and gas revenues in February fell by 44% to 432.3 billion roubles (about $5.51 billion) compared to the same month last year. This was due to lower oil costs and a stronger ruble. The increase was 10% compared to January. The?revenues from oil and gas are vital for Russia's budget. In 2025, the state budget had a deficit of 5.6 trillion rubles or 2.6%. Around a quarter is accounted for by the revenue.
Brent oil prices continue to rise amid Iran conflict with Brent reaching a 19-month high
The price of crude oil rose by about 7% Tuesday. This is the third time that oil prices have risen in a row. As the U.S./Israeli conflict with Iran intensifies, fuel shipments are disrupted, and 'fears' of further disruptions to Middle East oil supply and gas supplies increase. Brent crude futures rose $5.70 or 7% to $83.44 per barrel at 1326 GMT, after reaching their highest level since July 2024, $85.12. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude gained $5.03 or 7% to $76.26.
China Oil Refiners Feel Safe From Iran Conflict Disruption with Crude Stockpile
Refiners in China, the world's top oil importer, have enough supply on hand to weather near-term disruption from the Iran conflict, bolstered by recent record purchases of Iranian and Russian crude and robust government stockpiling, traders said.A prolonged supply disruption could, however, force the country's refiners to curb output and run down commercial stockpiles, some of the traders said.China has around 900 million barrels in strategic inventories…
Hungary Accuses Ukraine of Plans to Disrupt National Energy System
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused Ukraineon Wednesday of planning to disrupt the Hungarian energy system, and dispatched troops to safeguard infrastructure, escalating a dispute that has undermined Europe's pro-Ukraine consensus.Hungary and Slovakia, whose leaders are outliers in the EU for maintaining relations with Moscow, blame Kyiv for an outage on the Druzhba oil pipelinethat supplies their refineries with Russian…
NYT: Trump's ally Novatek signs deal with Russia on natural gas in Alaska
The New York Times reported that American financier 'Gentry Beach', who is a close friend of Donald Trump's family, had signed an agreement last fall with Russia's Novatek to develop natural gas for Alaska during the Western sanctions against Russia. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Alaska in August to end Russia's war against Ukraine. On the sidelines of negotiations, U.S. officials and Russian officials discussed a number of?potential deals in energy.
In February, Russia's oil revenues and gas revenues are expected to have halved y/y.
Calculations showed that the Russian state's?oil?and?gas revenue in February 2025 will be almost half as much at 410 billion roubles (5.35 billion dollars) due to a stronger currency and lower oil price. The Kremlin's main source of revenue is oil and gas revenues, which account for more than a quarter of the federal budget. However, this amount has been drained since Russia started its military campaign against Ukraine in February 2022.
Oil Prices Increase 1% Ahead of US-Iran Talks
Oil prices edged up on Monday as investors weighed the market implications of upcoming U.S.-Iran talks aimed at de-escalating tensions against a backdrop of expected OPEC+ supply increases.Brent crude futures settled 90 cents, or 1.33%, higher at $68.65 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $63.75 a barrel, up 86 cents, or 1.37% at 2:14 p.m. EST (GMT 1914). The contract did not have settlement on Monday because of the U.S.
France's new Energy Law slashes Renewable Targets, Eases Pressure on EDF
After years of debate, France has finally passed a new law on energy that reduces its "wind and solar" targets and removes the mandate for EDF (the state-owned firm) to shut down nuclear plants. We need to stop the internal family fighting. "We need both renewables and nuclear," said Roland Lescure, finance minister. After almost three years, the law will be passed by decree after bitter debate among legislators. It also reverses an earlier legal mandate that required 14 reactors to close.
Andy Home, Andy Home: The US and Canada are now working together to secure critical minerals.
The U.S. president Donald Trump just announced "Project Vault", an $12 billion stockpile of critical minerals intended to protect U.S. manufacturing companies from disruptions in supply. The U.S. will need help to fill the Vault with 60 minerals that are currently classified as "critical". The U.S. is reviving friend-shoring as it seeks to form a metal alliance with China to break its stranglehold on the metals at the heart of modern technology. The U.S. is more popular than ever.
France Slashes Renewable Energy Targets in New Law
France set out a new energy law after years of wrangling on Thursday which slashes its wind and solar power targets and drops a mandate for state-run firm EDF to shutter nuclear plants."We need to stop our internal family squabbling. We need both nuclear and renewables," finance minister Roland Lescure told reporters.The law, to be pushed through by decree on Friday after almost three years of bitter disagreement among lawmakers…
Andy Home, Andy Home: The US and Canada are now working together to secure critical minerals.
The U.S. president Donald Trump just announced "Project Vault", an $12 billion stockpile of critical minerals intended to protect U.S. manufacturing companies from disruptions in supply. The U.S. will need help to fill up the Vault's 60 critical minerals. The friend-shoring game is back and with a vengeance. As the U.S. tries to build a metal alliance to loosen China’s grip on the metals at the core of modern technology. The U.S. has more friends now than ever.