While the slowdown in U.S. oil production continues, rallying natural gas prices are setting the stage for a rebound in America’s gas output this year, following months of output curtailments in 2024. Slowing natural gas production last year, fast-depleting inventories during the coldest winter in years, and record-high flows to …
Read More »Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Prices for Asia as OPEC+ Output Inches up
Saudi Arabia just dialed back its crude prices for Asia, according to Aramco’s just-published rate sheet. The company has trimmed official selling prices (OSPs) for the first time in three months, with Aramco’s April price sheet now showing Arab Light at $3.50 per barrel over Oman/Dubai, a 40-cent cut. That’s …
Read More »Shell Boosts Deepwater Oil Production Offshore Malaysia
Shell has started first oil production from the next development phase of a deepwater oil project offshore Malaysia, the UK-based supermajor said on Friday as Europe’s largest oil and gas companies are pivoting back to strategies to boost output of fossil fuels. Shell’s subsidiary Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Ltd, announced …
Read More »Rystad: Oil Prices under Pressure, but don’t Expect a Freefall
Oil prices took a hit this week, and according to Rystad Energy, the bearish mood is real—but temporary. Brent crude briefly dipped near $69 per barrel as markets reacted to OPEC+’s decision to gradually increase output starting in April, while ongoing tariff drama from Washington continues to rattle demand expectations. …
Read More »Indian Refiner BPCL Seeks to Buy U.S. WTI Oil in Four Consecutive Months
India’s state-owned refiner Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) prepares to issue a tender to buy U.S. WTI crude in four consecutive months this summer, a source with knowledge of the plans told Reuters on Friday. Indian refiners are looking to boost U.S. crude imports to diversify purchases, as the availability …
Read More »Brazil Plans to Use $3.5-Billion Oil Fund to Bolster Economy
Brazil looks to boost its economy with money from its $3.5-billion social fund, which collects revenues from oil and gas exploration and production, as approval ratings of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have slumped to a record low. Inflation and most of all rising food prices have sapped the …
Read More »Norway’s $1.8-Trillion Oil Fund Bets on Long-Short Equity Strategy
The world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund, Norway’s $1.8 trillion oil fund, has made its first investment in an external hedge fund with long-short strategies, amid changing and volatile markets, a top executive of the fund’s manager told the Financial Times. The fund, which is commonly referred to as ‘Norway’s oil …
Read More »China Set to Boost Coal Dependence
China is going to boost coal production and power generation despite plans to boost its wind and solar capacity as well, signaling hydrocarbons remain an essential source of reliable electricity. In a report released today and quoted by Reuters, the Chinese authorities also said they were going to change the …
Read More »Crude Oil Inventories See Larger than Expected Drop
The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States fell by 1.455 million barrels for the week ending February 28. Analysts had expected a smaller 300,000-barrel draw. This offsets just a small part of the 12 million barrels of builds in U.S. crude oil inventories …
Read More »Chinese CNOOC to Launch $2.7-Billion Upgraded Refinery Complex
State-controlled China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) is set to launch a refinery and petrochemicals complex later this year, following a $2.74-billion upgrade, Reuters reported on Tuesday, quoting industry sources. The upgraded joint venture complex on the Daxie Island in Ningbo will feature a 120,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) crude unit, which …
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