Sources say Exxon is in advanced talks about returning to Venezuela's Orinoco Belt.
ExxonMobil has been in talks to return to Venezuela. The US energy giant is interested in the huge Petromonagas project, which was previously a part of the Orinoco Belt. It also showed interest in certain areas in the Carabobo Block. If finalized, a re-entry by Exxon into Venezuela would be a stunning?reversal? for?the?company after it left the OPEC nation nearly 20 years ago amid a dispute triggered because the government of the former president Hugo Chavez nationalized its oil projects. Exxon is still waiting for rivals to complete deals…
Equinor: Iran war makes Tanzania LNG worth multi-billion dollars more attractive
The disruption of energy flows through the Strait of?Hormuz makes it more attractive to Equinor for them to build a long-stalled liquefied gas?export facility in Tanzania. The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran is reshaping global energy markets, and Qatar and other Gulf producers are losing their reputations as reliable suppliers in the world as Tehran has struck export facilities and blocked shipments. The East African nation estimates that the huge Tanzania gas deposit will cost approximately $42 billion to develop and could provide an alternative supply source for Asian customers.
Governor says drone attacks cause fires at the Russian energy export port Ust-Luga
On Friday, firefighter battled a blaze at Russia's Baltic Sea port Ust-Luga - a major hub for energy exports - after a fire was sparked by an arial attack, according to regional governor Aleksander Drozdenko on the messaging app Telegram. He added that more than 50 drones had been downed by the Leningrad area, while the area around Ust-Luga - a centre for oil exports and oil-based products - continued to'repel the attack. The extent of the damage is not immediately clear. This attack continues Ukraine's tactic of attacking Russian oil export and processing facilities…
Venezuela's rusted and ugly refineries will be difficult to restore
The Paraguana refinery in?Western Venezuela was once a symbol of the oil wealth of Venezuela and its ambition to convert vast reserves of crude oil into fuels and export revenues. Today, the 955,000-barrel-per-day complex in Falcon state runs at a ?fraction of capacity, a decline decades in the making and unrelated to the strong earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month. Interviews with 'four dozen workers, contractors and residents were conducted in the months leading up to the earthquakes. One worker at the 645,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Amuay refinery said everything looks "ugly and rusty." The open-air waste pits are nearly full.
Venezuela suspends 19 oil, gas production-sharing contracts signed under Maduro, sources say
Four sources familiar with the matter said that Venezuela's oil ministry suspended 19 contracts signed with private companies under the?administration? of President Nicolas Maduro. Sources say that the suspension of the contracts has not affected the oil and gas production in the country. The sources added that the state oil giant PDVSA sells the crude produced by the contracts even though they are suspended. Sources said that Washington and Caracas would review contracts and could recommend "revocating" some of them. Sources say that the Venezuelan and U.S. governments are reviewing credentials of companies who signed the contracts.
Trump calls on US oil companies to fix Venezuela's rotting energy industry
Donald Trump, the U.S. president, began a meeting at the White House on Friday to discuss Venezuela. He said he wanted executives from some of the largest oil companies in the world to invest $100 billion to expand Venezuela's production. The meeting reflects Trump's importance for oil in his strategy towards the OPEC nation, after U.S. troops seized Nicolas Maduro as the leader of the South American nation during a brazen raid overnight on the capital on January 3. He said: "We will be making the decisions as to which oil firms are going to enter…
The UK has exempted Egypt's Zohr Gas Field from Russian sanctions
Britain added Egypt's Zohr Gas Field, where Russian oil major Rosneft has a 30% stake - and London-based BP a 10% one – to a list of projects that are exempted from its Russia sanctions. In October, Britain and the United States sanctioned Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft, and Lukoil for their involvement in funding Moscow's invasion in Ukraine. The amended?general license, issued on Wednesday, allows for payments and business activities?linked to Zohr up until October 2027. BP owns a stake in Zohr along with?majority shareholder Eni, Rosneft, and other partners. The license did not give a reason for the exclusion.
The UK has exempted Egypt's Zohr Gas Field from Russian sanctions
The UK added Egypt's Zohr Gas Field, where?Russian oil giant Rosneft has a 30% stake? and London-based BP has a 10%?holding?, to a list that exempts Russia sanctions. In October, Britain and the United States sanctioned Rosneft, one of Russia's largest oil producers, for their role in financing Moscow's invasion in Ukraine. The amended general licence, dated?on Wednesday?, allows now payments and business activities linked to Zohr?until?October 2027. BP, Rosneft, Eni and other partners hold a?stake? in Zohr alongside majority stakeholder Eni. The license did not give a reason for the exclusion.
US EPA proposes to end mandatory greenhouse gas reporting
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule on Friday to end the mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by 8,000 facilities. This program, the EPA said, was burdensome for businesses but left the public in the dark about the environmental impact. The rule is a response to an executive order that was issued on the first day of President Donald Trump's presidency. It aims to remove barriers to unleashing U.S. Energy, especially fossil fuels. This is just the latest in a long line of regulatory rollbacks that have undone previous U.S. attempts to combat climate changes.
US EIA: Oil prices will drop dramatically in the months ahead, as OPEC+ increases output
The U.S. Energy Information Administration's Short-Term Energy Outlook, released on Tuesday, said that global oil prices will drop in the months to come as OPEC+'s increased production will result in large oil inventories. Brent crude, a global benchmark, will fall to an average price of $59 a barrel by the fourth quarter of 2025. This is down from $68 if you compare it to August. The EIA report was completed before the weekend's decision of the OPEC+ to increase output further in October. The EIA stated that oil inventories would continue to rise by an average of 2.1 million barrels a day in the second half of 2025…
Lula: Brazil's environmental agency must be satisfied with Petrobras tests in offshore areas.
Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva said that the environmental agency Ibama must be satisfied with results of a emergency drill conducted by the state-run oil company Petrobras within the Foz do Amazonas Basin. Petrobras already conducted the test. Ibama must be happy with the results, and Ibama is now going to grant us the permission to conduct the first experiment," Lula stated in an interview given by local news channel Rede Amazonica. Petroleo Brasileiro SA (as the company is officially known) considers the drill as a pre-operational evaluation…
Russia claims to have extinguished a fire at a large oil refinery following the latest Ukrainian drone attacks
Russia announced on Thursday that an attack by a Ukrainian drone had put out a fire in an oil refinery located in the southern Krasnodar Region. The drone was part of a campaign launched by Kyiv against President Vladimir Putin's most important economic sector. On Russian oil refineries, and infrastructure for exporting to show that it can fight back while the United States attempts to broker a peaceful deal. According to calculations made this week, the Ukrainian attacks on ten plants disrupted 17% or 1.1 millions barrels of refinery capacity in Russia.
Petrobras passes key test for Amazon exploration license
The Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras concluded an emergency drill on Wednesday in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, according to the company and Brazil’s environmental agency. This was one of the last steps required to secure the controversial exploration license for the mouth of Amazon river. Petrobras sees this pre-operational evaluation, which started on Sunday, as the final step in an environmental licensing process that it hopes will result in a permit for drilling an exploratory oil well and gas wells in the area. Petrobras has said that it will wait for a "position", from the Brazilian environmental agency Ibama regarding the next step.
CNOOC's first-half profits fall 13% due to lower oil prices
CNOOC, the Chinese offshore oil-and-gas major, reported a 13% drop in its interim net income as lower oil prices countered the impact of record oil and natural gas production. According to a Hong Kong Stock Exchange filing, the net profit attributable equity shareholders fell to 69.5 billion Yuan ($9.7billion) following a record-breaking interim profit in 2024. Sinopec, a domestic competitor, reported a 40% drop in earnings at $2.99 billion. PetroChina's net profit fell by 5.4% to $11.7 billion. CNOOC’s net production of gas and oil increased by 6%, reaching a record of 384.6 million barrels equivalent of oil during the period.
Petrobras begins emergency drill in Foz do Amazonas basin
Two sources familiar with the situation said on Monday that the Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras started an emergency drill on Sunday in the Foz do Amazonas area. Petrobras considers the so-called preoperative assessment as the final step in an environmental licensing procedure to obtain a permit for drilling an exploratory oil well and gas wells in the area. Petrobras, and Brazil's environment agency Ibama, did not respond immediately to a comment request. The drill is expected to include more than 400 participants…
Sources say that the US will rule on biofuel waivers but large oil refiners might need to wait.
Two sources familiar with Trump's plans say that the administration will rule as soon as Friday on a backlog of requests for relief from U.S. Biofuel Laws from small oil refiners. However, it will defer a decision as to whether or not larger refiners are required to compensate by increasing their own biofuel blend. Sources said that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will announce Friday its decision on 195 small refinery exemption applications pending since 2016. According to one source briefed about the decisions, the rulings won't be a big win for small refiners. They will also include partial denials.
Russia will continue its oil and gas projects in spite of US sanctions
New U.S. The Russian government has accused the US of attempting to destabilise global markets by sabotaging the energy sector in Moscow. It said that the country will continue with its large oil and natural gas projects. In a statement, the ministry said that Russia will also respond to Washington's actions announced on Friday as "hostile", while drafting its foreign policy strategy. The measures were the most comprehensive U.S. sanctions against Russia's oil revenues and gas revenues to date. They are part of measures designed to give Kyiv, and the new administration of Donald Trump, leverage to come to an agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Exxon continues to discuss shallow-water blocks in Guyana's auction, the company reports
Exxon Mobil, the U.S. oil giant and its partners continue to negotiate with Guyana’s government about terms for developing an oil block in shallow water. An Exxon spokesperson confirmed this on Monday. Exxon Hess, CNOOC and Exxon won the offshore block S8 during a bid round that was launched by President Irfaan Ali’s administration in late 2022. A spokesperson for Exxon Mobil confirmed via email that the group is still interested in the block, and that talks are ongoing. The spokesperson refused to reveal whether the group intended to use this block for oil and gas exploration or carbon capture and storage.
As Biden's term ends, the US introduces a methane tax on gas and oil emitters.
The U.S. administration of President Joe Biden finalized on Tuesday a fee for large oil and gas companies to reduce emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas. However, the incoming Trump presidency is likely to scrap the fee. The methane tax is one of the last measures taken by the administration to combat the second most common greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide. This gas tends to leak undetected into the atmosphere from drilling sites, gas pipes and other oil and natural gas equipment. The fee will be $900 per metric tonne of methane emissions in 2024. It will increase to $1200 in 2025 and to $1500 in 2026.
Who would be the best person to run Trump's energy policy?
Donald Trump, the president-elect of the United States, has pledged to overhaul U.S. Energy Policy. He aims to maximize oil and gas production in this country which is already at record levels by rolling back regulations and accelerating permits. Who will he select to lead the departments and agencies that are critical to completing this task? These are some names that have been considered. Two sources with knowledge of the matter say that Trump's second Energy secretary Dan Brouillette, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, are both candidates to lead the U.S. Department of Energy during the next administration.