Fossil Fuels

Refined Products

Sources say that after drone attacks in late August, Russia's gas production dropped to 70% of the domestic demand.

According to two sources in the industry, Russia's gasoline production fell to 70% of its domestic consumption by the end August. This was after a series drone attacks forced major refineries into suspension of operations. Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russia's infrastructure to reduce Moscow's revenue. This has created a fuel shortage that has forced Russia import petroleum products, and maintain sales restrictions throughout the country. After a short respite in July when local authorities began to?ease or lift restrictions on fuel sale, shortages returned in Russian regions by August. According to sources, gasoline production dropped at the end...








Asia

Exxon and Lyondell are among the bidders for Shell's US chemicals assets. The deal could be worth $8 billion according to FT.

The Financial Times reported that Shell has attracted interest from bidders such as ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell and others for its U.S. chemical assets, which could fetch up to $8 billion. The report cited people who were familiar with the matter as saying that the private equity firm Apollo Global Management, and the chemicals division of the state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, had also expressed an interest in the?assets. Shell is looking to sell off underperforming chemical?plants. Shell, ExxonMobil and Kuwait Petroleum have not responded to requests for comment outside of regular business hours. Shell, ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell Apollo and Kuwait Petroleum did not...

North America

Oil & Gas

Sources say that the US is close to a deal with Venezuela to gain long-term access its oil reserves.

Sources with knowledge of the negotiations said that Trump administration officials were working on a deal to secure long-term?access to a part?of Venezuela’s crude reserves. This could lower the price of crude imports. Sources said that the agreement, which may be signed soon and made public, will allow the U.S. to lock in a grouping of Venezuelan oilfields that are to be developed by American firms. They added that the U.S. would receive a guaranteed supply. One source said, "This is a real issue and it's being discussed at the highest level of the U.S. government and Venezuelan government." Separately,...

Refined Products

Sources say that the US is close to a deal with Venezuela to gain long-term access its oil reserves.

Sources familiar with the negotiations confirmed on Thursday that officials in the Trump administration are working to reach a long-term agreement to give the United States, which oversees Venezuela's oil exports, access to a part of Venezuela's crude reserves. Sources?said that the agreement, which is expected to be signed and made public soon?, would allow the U.S. Government to lock in?a group Venezuelan oilfields that will be developed by American firms, and that the supply would be?guaranteed for? the U.S. One of the sources stated that "this is real and being discussed on the highest level of the U.S. government...

Energy Markets

McGeever: The world braces for the escalation of Trump's Canada Tariff Stand-off

The renewed trade spat between U.S. president Donald Trump and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney occurs at a critical time for both North American nations - as well as the global economy. Mistakes between the G7 neighboring nations could have wide-ranging effects on the economy. After bilateral talks broke down on Friday, the Trump administration imposed 50% duties on a range of Canadian products on Saturday. These 'levies' may seem modest at first glance, as they apply to just?5.5%, or $20 billion worth of goods, that Canada exports to America. Oxford Economics says that if all else is equal, this...

Fossil Fuels

U.S. Secret Service is aware of Iranian video threats against Barron Trump

A spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service said that they were aware of a video broadcast by Iranian state TV discussing a possible plot to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump's son. The U.S. Secret Service has been made aware of this video, and it investigates any information that could be interpreted as a threat to our protected individuals. We do not discuss 'protective intelligence' due to concerns about operational security. Secret Service spokesperson Nate Herring explained this in an email. A?three minute video broadcast by Iranian State?TV discussed a possible?plot for assassinating Barron Trump, 20. The video claimed that he...

Fossil Fuels

McGeever: The world braces for the escalation of Trump's Canada Tariff Stand-off

The renewed trade spat between U.S. president Donald Trump and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney occurs at a "delicate time" for both North American nations - and global economy. Mistakes made by the G7 neighbors could have a wide range of economic implications. After bilateral talks broke down on Friday, the?Trump Administration imposed 50% tariffs Saturday on a range of Canadian goods. These tariffs may seem modest at first glance, as they only apply to 5.5% of Canada’s exports to America - goods worth around $20 billion. Oxford Economics says that, if all else is equal, the U.S. tariff rate...

Crude Oil

Oil prices stable as investors assess impact of US sanctions on Iran

Investors weighed the impact of the new U.S. sanctions against Iran, which are more severe, on the oil prices. Brent 'crude 'futures were down by 9 cents or 0.1% at $92.16 at 0104 GMT. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up one cent at $85.02 a barrel. Both contracts dropped more than 2% Monday, with U.S. Crude Oil falling to an all-time low after the price had risen over the past two weeks. U.S. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday an expansion of sanctions in order to cut off Iran’s economic lifeline and force a ceasefire between...

Oil & Gas

Braskem, a Brazilian company, has approved a $10.9 billion restructuring out of court

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Braskem said that its 'board of directors has approved filing for an out-of-court restructuring in order to negotiate $10.9 billion of unsecured debt. Braskem is Latin America's biggest petrochemical company. It has been struggling with a prolonged slump in the industry and a disaster at its salt mines?in northeastern Brazil. Both of these have severely weakened Braskem's cash position. Three sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the out-of court?restructuring proposal may include a subsequent share offering. This could pave the way for an external capital increase. Sources said...

Energy Markets

China's oil purchases are put in the spotlight by US sanctions against Iran

China has been buying Iranian oil for many years. The U.S. is threatening heavy economic sanctions against Tehran. The Treasury Secretary,?Scott Bessent, was to hold a media conference on Monday at 1 pm EDT (1700 GMT). According to Kpler, a ship-tracking company, the following are some key facts about?China?s oil trade with Iran. How much oil does China currently buy from Iran? It's less than it used be. On July 13, the U.S. re-imposed its blockade on Iran's ports and ships in an effort to stop oil sales, as a deal aimed at ending their war fell through. This slowed...

Oil & Gas

RPT-US and Iran continue hostile rhetoric in advance of new sanctions

The United States, Iran and China exchanged a series of defiant messages in advance of the announcement on Monday of new U.S. sanctions which could have a significant impact on Iran and its most important trading partners. The war was approaching six months and the two sides weren't exchanging fire, but they also didn't pursue peace talks. Oil shipments have been virtually stopped through the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran holds on to its leverage, threatening to hit any unauthorised oil tankers who attempt to cross the narrow waterway. Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury secretary, will hold a news conference on...

Crude Oil

Bessent, US Treasury Secretary, will hold a press conference about Iran on Monday

Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury secretary, said on Thursday that he will hold a press conference on Monday to "discuss exactly what we're going?to?do?" on Iran. Donald 'Trump' warned on Wednesday that any country providing "any kind of lifeline" to Iran would face economic consequences. The United States is trying to end a six-month war with Israel. Bessent said to CNBC that "I believe oil?markets misinterpret what this economic pressure is." On Thursday, oil prices rose to a three-week high. Bessent stated, "We have asymmetrical information and I'm not certain why oil has appeared on this." "If we apply the maximum...

Fossil Fuels

Sources say that Coal India is planning a Singapore trading hub to hunt for critical minerals assets.

Two sources claim that Coal India Ltd., the world's biggest?coal manufacturer, will open its first overseas trading office in Singapore. The company aims to diversify by trading iron ore and critical and strategic minerals. The move comes as Indian state-run firms step up their efforts to secure overseas supply of critical minerals like lithium and bauxite to reduce dependency on China. However, such efforts so far have not yielded much fruit. Sources involved in the discussion, who requested anonymity because the talks were not public, stated that Coal India had applied to Singapore authorities to register an office. This 'will...

Oil & Gas

UAE's embargo against Iran following missile threat brings rivalry to the forefront

The UAE has suspended all financial relations with Iran Iran blamed for missile threat by major Gulf oil producers * Missile Launch?comes in the midst of standoff over deal ending U.S.-Iran Conflict DUBAI, August 19 - The decision by the United 'Arab Emirates to suspend all economic and financial transactions with Iran, citing a military escalation in Tehran, with a threat of missiles, has refocused attention on the fraught ties that exist between the'major gulf arab oil producer, Iran and the'major gulf Arab oil producers. The UAE was the Gulf State most severely hit by Iran during the early stages...

Europe

Oil & Gas Refining

The death toll in the fire at Russia's Amur Gas Chemical Complex has reached 15

The 'Amur Gas Chemical Complex', located in Russia's Far East, announced on Thursday that the death toll from a fire which broke out earlier this week was now 15. The plant announced on Wednesday that six Chinese citizens were among the seven victims of the fire. In a Thursday?Telegram, it said that 14 of the 15 victims were foreigners without revealing their nationalities. The report said that 39 people are still?in hospital, nine of whom were airlifted to Moscow. The complex is a joint venture between Sinopec and Sibur, a Chinese oil and gas firm. It claims to be one...

Oil & Gas

Kremlin: US spy chief met Russian counterparts on Moscow visit

The Kremlin reported on Wednesday that U.S. CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Russian intelligence officials but did not meet Vladimir Putin during a trip to Moscow, which U.S. president Donald Trump referred to as "semi routine." Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, told reporters that Putin was briefed about the outcome of the visit on Tuesday. The visit came at a time when the war in Ukraine is dragging on and efforts to achieve a lasting peace with the United States and Iran are stalled. Peskov refused to reveal what was discussed or provide further details. "All I can say is...

Fossil Fuels

Six Chinese among seven dead in Russian gas plant explosion

The?plant reported on Wednesday that six Chinese nationals have died and nine others are missing following a fire at a complex of gas chemicals in Russia's Amur region. The plant reported on Telegram that seven people had died, 152 were injured, and 36 were taken to hospitals. It added that the fire that broke out on Tuesday was extinguished. A plane from the emergency services arrived to transport injured patients to hospitals across Russia. This complex is a joint venture between Sinopec and Sibur, a Chinese oil and gas company, and Russian company Sibur. It bills itself as the largest...

Western Europe

Middle East

Fossil Fuels

Gulf stocks rise on hopes for renewed US-Iran diplomacy

Gulf stock markets were up in the early trade on Thursday. This was boosted by the hope that diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States could resume after the two sides had exchanged recriminations earlier this week. Qatar's "prime minister" is scheduled to visit Tehran Thursday to try to revive diplomatic relations after Washington announced that it would increase economic pressure against Iran by targeting its trading partner with sanctions. A senior Iranian source revealed on Wednesday that Iran and Oman were finalising the details of an agreement?on control of Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed that the...

Oil & Gas Refining

Japan does not plan to release crude oil from its national reserve during September and October

Ryosei Akazawa, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, said that Japan will not release any more crude oil in September or October. He said that the amount of crude oil purchased in September will be about 80% less than the average monthly volume last year. This is because tankers which would normally travel through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, are now being rerouted to the 'longer Suez route. Akazawa, a Japanese?press officer, said that Japan expects the August purchase to be the same as last year, but the September?volumes are expected to decline. This is because shipments via Suez take 55...

Energy Markets

What options does Iran have to escalate the situation in response to US economic threats?

LONDON, August 24 - U.S. threat to impose 'the toughest sanctions ever in history' to force Iran to submit to its demands following nearly six months of war has raised the prospect of another round of escalation?in?the Gulf. How can Iran respond to economic pressure? Can Iran stop more oil from leaving the Middle East? Mohsen Rezaei is the former chief of the 'Revolutionary Guards' and secretary of Iran’s Supreme 'National 'Security council. He has already threatened to stop oil exports, which has been one of Tehran's major strategic moves since the war started on February 28. He said that...

Oil & Gas

Sources say that QatarEnergy and Iraq's SOMO offer to load crude oil inside Hormuz through tenders.

Multiple trade sources reported on Monday that 'Iraqi state oil marketer SOMO and QatarEnergy are offering crude in rare tenders which require buyers to load their cargoes within the Strait of Hormuz. Sources said that SOMO offered September-loading Basrah Medium or Basrah Heavy Crude from Iraq's Basrah Oil Terminal or Single Point Mooring?and its related facilities. Iran's official news agency IRNA said that Baghdad had repeatedly requested permission to allow a number of Iraqi tankers to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The bids for Iraqi oil will close on the 26th of August. QatarEnergy, in addition to SOMO, has also...

Fossil Fuels

Oil prices fall ahead of US announcements on new Iran sanctions

Prices of oil fell by more than $1 per barrel on Monday, as investors took a profit ahead of an announcement that Washington is expected to make about additional sanctions against Iran. This could further disrupt Middle East supplies. Brent crude futures dropped $1.22 or 1.29% to $93.17 at 0035 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was $85.86 per barrel, down by $1.20 or 1.38%. The two contracts both posted their second weekly gains, up over 5% last week as the peace talks between Iran and the U.S. hit a deadlock, limiting oil shipments across the Strait of Hormuz, where a...

Refined Products

Tajikistan has requested 2.5 million tonnes of fuel and oil from Iran

The Central Asian country's Transport Ministry said that Tajikistan had asked for 2.5 million metric tonnes of?oil from Iran, while its traditional supplier, Russia, is also experiencing fuel shortages. The ministry posted a statement on its website last week stating that Tadjikistan had requested 2,55 million tons, which included?2 millions tons of crude oil, 150,000 tonnes of gasoline, 300,000 metric tons of diesel, and 100,000 metric tons of jet fuel. Tajikistan has traditionally imported up to 80% of its petroleum products from Russia. However, the Persian-speaking nation also shares close cultural and linguistic links with Iran. The timeframe was not...

Fossil Fuels

UAE claims that the two missiles discovered earlier were launched by Iran

Defense ministry of the United Arab?Emirates said Tuesday?that they detected two ballistic?missiles launched from?Iran. This is the first?such?incident?reported?since a strike on the Fujairah Port on May 4. One missile was said to have fallen in territorial waters while the other one fell outside. Iran has not yet responded to the report. The missile launch comes as the 60-day window of U.S.-Iranian talks ended?on?Monday without a breakthrough. This has raised fears of a re-escalation of the conflict, which has caused shipping to be disrupted through the Strait of Hormuz ever since?February. The defense ministry said that it was "fully prepared to...

Fossil Fuels

ADNOC, the UAE's oil company, sold at least 14 million barrels of crude oil in its latest tender.

In its most recent tender, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. sold at least 14,000,000 barrels of'spot crude' to Asian refiners for premiums. ADNOC had issued its eighth tender?since? the start of June, as the state oil company of the United Arab Emirates continued to try and move crude produced within the Strait of Hormuz despite persistent shipping delays. ADNOC has now sold more than 108 million barrels of crude oil through eight different tenders. Sources said that Japanese refiner Cosmo Oil purchased 2 million barrels on Upper Zakum crude at a price premium of $10.50 per barrel over Dubai's benchmark...

Crude Oil

Hormuz shipping slows as US-Iran talks on peace stall and oil gains are held.

The oil prices remained mostly stable on Monday. They maintained gains made the previous week. Prospects for a lasting U.S. Iran peace deal seem increasingly distant, and there are persistent fears of disruptions to supply in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures were at $88.55 as of 0128 GMT. U.S. West Texas intermediate crude futures fell 14 cents to $72.26 per barrel. Last week, both contracts rose by?more that 5% following the attacks on tankers of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company?in the Hormuz Strait and on a Saudi Aramco refining facility. The weekend saw the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas...

Crude Oil

Hormuz shipping slows as US-Iran talks on peace stall and oil prices remain flat

Early Monday, oil prices barely moved as tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz had slowed down over the weekend. There was no sign of a peace agreement between Iran and the United States to end the Middle East conflict. Brent crude futures rose 20 cents or 0.2% to $88.72 at 2350 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 5 cents to $79.35 per barrel. Last week, both contracts saw gains of more than 5% following the attacks on Abu Dhabi National Oil Company tankers in the strait of 'Hormuz and on a Saudi Aramco refining facility. The weekend...

Fossil Fuels

Documents show that Libya's central Bank governor has resigned.

According to two documents seen on Monday, Naji Issa has submitted his resignation to the rival legislative chambers of Libya. On Monday, two documents seen by? revealed that the governor of Libya's Central Bank (CBL), Naji Issa, had submitted his?resignation to the country's rival legislative chambers. The documents, whose authenticity was verified by 'Issa', stated that he would not be able to continue his position, but he did not elaborate on the reason, citing their sensitivity. Issa stated in documents sent to the leaders of the two chambers that he would not be able to continue his position. The two...

Oil & Gas

Documents show that Libya's central Bank governor has resigned.

According to documents seen on Monday, Naji Issa has submitted his resignation to both the legislative chambers of Libya. The documents, whose authenticity was confirmed by Issa in the document, stated that he could not continue to hold his position, but he did not elaborate on the reason, citing the sensitive nature of the issues. Issa stated in documents sent to the leaders of the two chambers that he would not be able to continue his position. The two documents stated: "I apologize that I am unable to continue my duties as Governor of Central Bank of Libya without disclosing...