Oil Prices Rise as Investors Consider Market Uncertainties
Oil prices rose over 2% on Friday as investors weighed a tight short-term market against the potential surplus this year forecast by the IEA, while U.S. tariffs and possible further sanctions on Russia were also in focus.Brent crude futures were up $1.68, or 2.5%, at $70.32 a barrel by 1:22 p.m. EDT (1722 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.83, or 2.8%, to $68.40 a barrel.At those levels…
Russia will compensate for overproduction of oil in August and September
Interfax reported that Alexander Novak, Deputy Premier, said on Friday that Russia will compensate in August and September for oil production in excess of the OPEC+ quota. This is in accordance with the current plan. Novak also said that the government is still debating a complete ban on gasoline exports and that any decision would depend on the market price in the coming days. The Russians have to compensate for a cumulative overproduction of 691…
Morocco builds data center powered by renewable energy
Morocco is planning to build a 500-megawatt data center powered by renewable energies to improve the security of data storage. This was announced by its minister for digital transition. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, a spokesperson for the Western Sahara Government, said that he was unable to provide any details about cost or timeline. These centres are being built by several countries to store and process sensitive data within their national borders.
Gazprom says that the US and Chinese purchases of strategic reserves may offset Russia's oil surplus.
The head of Russian oil producer Gazprom said that the U.S., China and other countries' purchases of strategic oil reserves will offset any global surplus to keep oil prices in check. The eight members, who are OPEC+ and include Russia and other producers, have decided to increase production for the months of April, July and August. Alexander Dyukov CEO of Gazprom, the oil arm from Russian energy giant Gazprom…
German sugar refiner Nordzucker anticipates losses as EU prices remain low
Nordzucker, Germany's second-largest sugar refiner, expects a loss for its new financial period as EU sugar prices remain low. The company announced this on Wednesday. Nordzucker reported on Wednesday a 76% drop in operating profit in its fiscal year 2024/25 to approximately 100 million euros (113.19 millions). Sales dropped 5.2% to 2,770 billion euros. Nordzucker stated in a press…
OPEC+ targets US shale again with output increases
Saudi Arabia and Russia, the group's leaders, are also pushing a secondary objective behind OPEC+’s plan to increase oil production and punish overproducing allies: taking on U.S. shale to win back market shares from the United States. OPEC’s last price war against U.S. producers ten years ago failed, as technological and drilling breakthroughs allowed U.S. shale firms to cut costs, lower prices, and take market share away from the 12-member groups in the years that followed.
TASS: Gazprom is working on a new gas contract with Serbia.
The Kremlin's energy giant Gazprom has been working on a gas supply contract for Serbia, according to TASS. Alexander Novak, Russia's Deputy Premier was quoted as saying this on Monday. Serbia, which has historically had close ties with Moscow, but aspires also to join the European Union is heavily dependent on Russia for its natural gas. It has been trying to renew the contract that expired in March.
Minister: Russia and China discuss Beijing's involvement in Russian LNG projects
Interfax reported that Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said on Thursday that the Russian and Chinese delegations were discussing Chinese companies' participation in Russian projects for liquefied gas. Tsivilev, when asked about the possibility that Russian companies could enter LNG projects in Ust-Luga and other locations in Russia Tsivilev replied that the topic is "being discussed" at the moment but provided no further details.
Azerbaijan calls on EU to reconsider finance restrictions for gas corridor expansion
Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan said that the European Union needs to reassess their financing and policies regarding long-term contracts in order to continue importing natural gases from Azerbaijan. Baku could also look for other export markets. He cited the European Investment Bank’s ban on new financing for fossil fuels and the lack of long-term contracts to purchase gas as obstacles to increasing exports to EU.
Argentina wants to increase lithium production by 75% by 2025 and sees no danger from trade war
The Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies said that Argentina, which is the fifth largest lithium producer in the world, will produce 130,800 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate (LCE) by 2025. This represents a 75 percent increase over 2024. According to Alejandra Cardona of CAEM, the executive director, a major boost in production will come from the expansion of operations in Catamarca, Jujuy and Salta, which are the provinces north with the biggest lithium operations.
Sources say that OPEC+ is likely to go ahead with its planned increase in oil production for May.
Three sources said that OPEC+ would likely stick with its plan to increase oil production for a second month in a row in May. This is despite the steady price of oil and plans to make some members reduce their pumping to compensate past overproduction. OPEC+, a group consisting of OPEC producers and allies led by Russia and pumping over 40% of world oil. The group plans to increase its output by 135,000 barges per day in the month of May.
OPEC data show that Kazakhstan was the biggest laggard of OPEC+ in February.
OPEC data on Wednesday showed that Kazakhstan contributed over half of the overall OPEC+ rise in oil production during February. However, it lags behind its pledges for reducing production. Kazakhstan consistently exceeded its production quota of 1.468 millions bpd, as per the agreement struck between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and their allies, including Russia.
Kazakhstan commits to reducing oil production after April. Russia claims OPEC+ could reverse output.
Alexander Novak, the deputy prime minister of Russia, said that the OPEC+ had agreed to increase oil production starting in April. However the group could change its mind if market imbalances occur. Officials from Kazakhstan, who have often exceeded the OPEC+ production quotas in recent years, spoke at a briefing online almost simultaneously with Novak. They pledged to reduce output in March April and May.
Berlin is urged to act quickly by corporate bosses on the weak economy
German business leaders called for Berlin to quickly form a new Government on Monday, warning that Europe's largest economy cannot afford to waste time while companies are suffering from high costs and red tape, as well as increased competition from abroad. The CDU/CSU won the Sunday national elections, clearing the way for a new coalition government with the Social Democrats. This…
Novak: OPEC+ does not consider a delay in April's oil supply increase
RIA reported that Russian Deputy Premier Alexander Novak stated on Monday that OPEC+ producers do not plan to delay a series monthly increases in oil supplies scheduled to start in April. Bloomberg News reported Monday, citing delegates that OPEC+ (which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia, and other allies) was examining if it should postpone the increase in supply, despite the calls of U.S. president Donald Trump to reduce oil prices.
Local news reports say that Equinor is planning to sell its assets in Argentina.
Mas Energia, a Mas Energia-published online magazine, reported that the Norwegian oil and gas company Equinor was looking to sell their onshore assets located in Argentina's Vaca Muerta Region, citing anonymous sources. Equinor has appointed Bank of America as the agent to sell its 30% stake in Bandurria Sur and 50% in Bajo del Toro Norte. However, no decision on the divestment has been taken yet, according to the report.
After Halliburton layoffs, the Argentine oil union has threatened to strike
The union of oil and gas workers in Argentina's oil rich Chubut province, which has hundreds of employees laid off by Halliburton and a local office closing, threatened to strike after Halliburton closed its local office and dismissed hundreds. Carlos Gomez said that the Chubut Private Oil and Gas Union's deputy secretary, Carlos Gomez spoke on the broadcast radio channel of the union…
Moldova names new Energy Minister
Dorin Dzungietu, a gas industry expert from Moldova, was appointed as the country's new Energy Minister by President Maia Sandu on Wednesday morning. He was sworn into office at the Presidential Office. Junghietu replaced Viktor Parlicov who was fired in December after failing to prepare for a possible stoppage of gas supplies for Moldova's separatist Transdniestria due to Ukraine refusing to extend their transit agreement with Russia.
Novak claims that OPEC+ discussed Trump's call to increase oil output
Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, said that the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee of the OPEC+ Group of Leading Oil Producers discussed U.S. president Donald Trump's request to increase oil production. Novak said in comments to Russia’s Rossiya-24 television station that the committee had agreed that OPEC+ would begin gradually increasing its oil production on April 1 in accordance with previous plans.
Gas funded by the EU brings light back to a separatist region in Moldova
On Monday, authorities in Moldova's separatist Transdniestria began heating apartments during winter conditions after a month-long power cut. The European Union funded the resumption of natural gas flows. Transdniestria - which separated from Moldova after the Soviet Union ended - relied on Russian Gas passing through Ukraine. But Kyiv refused a transit agreement beyond the new year, claiming it funded Moscow's almost three-year old invasion.
