President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to take over control of the Panama Canal unless the Panamanian authorities stop charging excessive rate for the use of the chokepoint. “Has anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal?” Trump said at a conservative event in Arizona, as quoted by Reuters. “Because we’re being …
Read More »Syrian Oil Supply Crisis Deepens as Iraq Cuts Exports
Iraq has suspended crude oil deliveries to Syria, a member of the Iraqi parliament said on social media as quoted by BNE Intellinews. The statement coincided with one by Iraq’s foreign minister, who expressed concern about the security situation in the country that was taken over Islamist groups. “Iraq has …
Read More »Geothermal Energy could Help Power AI Data Centers
Technology giants are partnering with geothermal start-ups as they seek to power their energy-intensive data centers with clean but reliable power sources. Several deals have been struck over the past year as Big Tech is looking to boast low-emission profiles of its energy use. The other 24/7 low-carbon energy comes …
Read More »Romanian Steel Industry Feels the Pinch of Economic Slowdown
Difficult market conditions have prompted Romanian steel industry leader ArcelorMittal Hunedoara to reduce production until year’s end. According to a notice provided to the Bucharest Stock Exchange, the longs producer’s board of directors decided to reduce production from December 9-31 and pay 75% of salaries to employees impacted by the …
Read More »EU Ready to Discuss Closer Energy Ties with US under Trump
The European Union is prepared to discuss with U.S. President-elect Trump boosting economic ties, including in the energy sector, an EU spokesperson told Reuters on Friday, hours after Trump threatened to impose “tariffs all the way” on the bloc if it doesn’t buy large volumes of American oil and gas. …
Read More »China’s Coal Imports from Australia Rise to Highest Level since April 2020
China’s coal imports from Australia rose to their highest in more than four years in November, customs data showed on Friday, as shipments continue to recover from an unofficial ban on Australian coal that was lifted in January 2023. Australian coal imports were 9.3 million metric tons in November, according …
Read More »U.S. Grants Turkey Exemption from Sanctions on Gazprombank
The United States has exempted Turkey from sanctions on Russia’s Gazprombank so that it can continue to pay for gas imports, the Turkish energy minister told Bloomberg. Washington sanctioned dozens of Russian banks in November, including Gazprombank, which since March 2022 had been the only bank countries could use to …
Read More »Kazakhstan’s Desertification Crisis
The UN climate conference, COP29, held in Baku in November garnered plenty of global attention. But another, lower-profile UN-sponsored COP, shorthand for conference of parties, convened earlier in December in Saudi Arabia. That COP tackled another global warming-related challenge – the spread of desertification. Barron Joseph Orr, the lead scientist …
Read More »Hurricane Fury in 2024 Slows US Gulf Energy Production
The 2024 hurricane season was relentless, and it took U.S. energy infrastructure along for the ride. Above-average storm activity—18 named storms, five of which were major hurricanes—created disruptions in electricity markets and oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricanes Helene and Milton, both Category 3 storms, were …
Read More »Russia’s Crude Oil Shipments Slump by 11% in Two Months
Russian crude oil exports by sea have dropped by 11% from a recent high in October, due to maintenance at the Baltic port of Primorsk, pressure for Russia to align with its OPEC+ quota, and increased sanctions pressure. In the four weeks to December 15, Russia’s seaborne crude exports averaged …
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