U.S.-Colombia Diplomatic Clash Rattles Energy and Mining Stocks
The bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Colombia has continued to worsen, with both countries recalling their top diplomats last week amid an alleged plot against Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro. Washington acted first, recalling charge d’…
OPEC Production Increase Misguides Markets
Global oil markets are again showing the impact of emotions and misinterpretation. The so-called surprise production increase taken by eight (8) leading members of OPEC is, in principle, not relevant for fundamentals or market stability, as it is only…
Pipeline Disruption Slashes Ecuador Output by 133,000 bpd
Ecuador’s state oil company, Petroecuador, has declared force majeure on its operations after both major crude pipelines, SOTE and OCP, halted flows due to worsening erosion in the Amazonian province of Napo. The company suspended activities this wee…
US Oil Drillers Continue to Back Off On Price Slump
The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States fell yet again this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Thursday, following a 7-rig decrease in the week prior.The total rig count in the US fell by 8…
Oil Falls as U.S. Crude, Gasoline Inventories Rise
Crude oil inventories in the United States increased by 3.8 million barrels during the week ending June 27, according to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released on Wednesday. The build brings commercial stockpiles to 41…
Iraq Claims Top Spot Among OPEC Crude Suppliers to the U.S.
OPEC’s second-largest producer, Iraq, was the single biggest supplier of crude from the cartel to the United States in May, per data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) cited by Iraqi media outlets Shafaq News and IraqiNews.Iraq ran…
Russia Considers Tax Breaks for Natural Gas Producers As Challenges Mount
Russia’s government is weighing the possibility of some tax relief for the giant gas firm Gazprom, which would be paid for by potentially higher taxes on other Russian natural gas producers, a source in the Russian government told Reuters on Monday. …
US Oil Drilling Activity Slumps As Volatile Prices Spook Markets
The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States fell yet again this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday, following a 1-rig decrease in the week prior.The total rig count in the US fell by 7 t…
Iran's Calculated Strike: Why Oil Prices Fell
On Monday June 23, 2025, Iran launched a missile strike on the U.S. Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar—a retaliatory move following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. Explosions were reported near Doha, and additional strikes wer…
Brazil's Gas Demand Soars with New Thermal Plant
The recent commissioning of Brazil’s largest gas-fired thermal plant is set to raise the country’s annual gas consumption for power generation by at least 6 million cubic meters per day (MMcmd) from July to November – representing a 23% year-on-yea…
Trump Signals Strategic Shift: China Can Buy Iranian Oil
President Trump dropped a geopolitical bombshell: in a post on Truth?Social, he announced that "China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the US, also."This declaration signals a notabl…
Energy and Water Scarcity: The Hidden Drivers of Global Conflict
It should come as no surprise that the two major conflicts raging in the world today involve large energy producers and exporters, namely, Iran and Russia. Energy resources, especially fossil fuels, attract conflicts because they are so unevenly distr…
Rystad: Oil Prices To Remain Below $80 Despite Escalating Middle East Tensions
Oil prices are likely to remain capped below $80 per barrel despite the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, research firm Rystad Energy said on Monday, as Iran and Israel continue to trade strikes with the escalation now in its fourth day. “Based on ou…
How the U.S. is Handing Over Venezuela’s Oil Sector to China
After coming into office, the administration of President Donald Trump has eliminated licenses for oil companies to operate in Venezuela, despite initial hints that it would continue them, with presidential envoy Richard Grenell’s visits to Caracas. …
Oil and Gas Companies Lobby to Weaken EU Methane Regulation
The oil and gas industry is pushing back against the methane policy adopted recently by the European Union aimed at limiting emissions of the potent greenhouse gas.A new report, published June 10 by the research group InfluenceMap, highlights how oil …
US-Iran Nuclear Negotiations Derail Over Scheduling Clash
Diplomacy between the United States and Iran over the future of Tehrans nuclear program has hit a new snag -- not over uranium enrichment or sanctions, but over the simple matter of when to meet.As US President Donald Trump insists the next round of t…