Senate Democrats are ready to restart discussions on allowing reform
Two lawmakers said on Thursday that the Senate Democrats were ready to resume negotiations on legislation designed to speed up?permitting for large infrastructure projects. They stated that they had been encouraged by recent Trump administration moves to review renewable energy project applications which had been stalled. Sheldon Whitehouse, Martin Heinrich and other Republicans made a 'joint statement' in response to some Republicans who have publicly stated that projects already approved should not be delayed or cancelled due to changing political priorities.
Canadian Natural Resources exceeds profit expectations on higher production
Canadian Natural Resources, an oil and gas producer, posted a profit that was higher than expected for the fourth quarter. The company's increased output offset lower crude prices. Canadian Natural Resources and other oil sands producers in Canada have survived a 'global downturn', despite the uncertainty caused by U.S. Tariffs, as well as a rise in OPEC+ production, due to their years of investment. Their costs are among the lowest found anywhere in North America. The largest oil and natural gas producer in the country said that its production jumped by 12.8% compared to a year ago…
Babcock & Wilcox receives approval for a $2.4 billion project that will power AI campuses
Babcock & Wilcox announced on Wednesday that a company backed by Applied Digital has approved their $2.4 billion 'deal' to supply?equipment for the artificial intelligence campuses of the technology firm. After Base Electron announced the final notice of the 1.2 gigawatt project, Babcock shares surged by nearly 23% during premarket trading. The U.S. demand for power reached record levels in 2025, and it is expected to increase this year as major technology companies rapidly expand their data centers. Some of these data centres use as much energy as an entire city.
The European market is seeking clarity about Qatari LNG supplies, which has led to a reduction in prices.
The Dutch and British gas price were lower on Wednesday, after rising earlier in the week. However, they could still be volatile, as traders try to gauge how long Qatari LNG supply will remain interrupted. Data from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), showed that the benchmark 'Dutch front month contract' at the TTF hub had fallen by 1.02 euros to?53.27 per megawatt-hour (MWh) as of 1018 GMT. The price of electricity rose to a record high of 65.79 euro/MWh on Tuesday, the highest since January 2023. However, it fell again by 10 euros by the end the day.
SABIC, the Saudi chemical giant, will lose $6.9 billion in 2025 due to asset sales
SABIC, the Saudi chemical giant, reported on Wednesday that it would suffer a "massive" net loss by 2025. This was mainly because of impairments and losses relating to divestment assets in Europe and America. Chemicals industry is struggling with overcapacity. This has led to squeezed margins, and a decline in utilization rates. In a filing to the bourse, it said that its 2025 loss would be 25.78 billion (or $6.87 billion). This compares to a net profit of 1.54 billion in 2015. The full-year revenue dropped 1%, to 116.53 billion riyals due to lower average selling price.
EUROPE GAS-European gas prices soar as Iran had conflict halts Qatar LNG output
The benchmark Dutch and British wholesale gas prices rose by nearly?50% after Qatar Energy, a major LNG exporter, announced that it had stopped production because of attacks in the Middle East. Qatar is soon to become the second largest LNG exporter in the world after the United States. It plays a significant role in balancing the demand for LNG on both the Asian and European market. Trade sources report that most tanker owners and oil majors, as well as trading houses, have stopped shipping crude oil…
Spain's Moeve joins forces with Masdar to launch a $1.2 billion green hydrogen project
The Spanish energy company Moeve approved a major green hydrogen investment project that involved more than one billion euros ($1.2 billion) of investments. Masdar, an Abu Dhabi renewable energy company, was a minority partner. Moeve announced on Monday that it had made the final investment decision for the first part in the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, Spain. This will have a 300 megawatt capacity and the option to add an additional 100 MW based on grid availability and board approval. It said that it will be the biggest project of its kind in southern Europe.
Spain's Moeve joins forces with Masdar to launch a $1.2 billion green hydrogen project
Spanish energy company Moeve approved a major green hydrogen project that involves more than 1 billion euros ($1.2billion) in investment, with Abu Dhabi renewable energy company Masdar as a "minority" partner. Moeve announced on Monday that it had made the final investment decision for the first part in the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, Spain. The project will have a 300-megawatt capacity and the "possibility" to add an additional 100 MW based on grid availability and board approval. This will be the biggest project of its kind in southern Europe.
Mercuria profits fall as the company expands into metals and LNG
Mercuria's?chief finance officer? told a reporter on Friday that the trading house had posted a 6% drop in profit for 2025, despite expanding its metals and physical LNG businesses, as well as its shipping business, from Latin America into Central Asia. Trading?houses' profits fell from the record highs in 2022-2023 when energy prices rose due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Merchants reinvested profits in business expansion, equity and dividends while paying record amounts. Guillaume Vermersch…
GKN's cancellation of plans for a magnet factory is a setback to Europe's goal for rare earths
GKN Powder Metallurgy scrapped plans to manufacture rare earth permanent'magnets' in Europe. Three sources familiar with the matter confirmed this, highlighting Europe’s struggle to create a domestic rare Earths?industry that can compete with China, the dominant producer. China controls 90% of the rare earth output processed and 70% of the mining production. Europe is being criticized for falling behind the U.S. when it comes to offering financial support to projects that develop its own supply.
Shares of UK power company Drax hit a 20-year high after beating profit expectations
The British power company Drax surpassed annual profit expectations on Thursday and increased its dividend, thanks to strong pellet production in North America, and record renewable generation. Shares of the company rose to near a two-decade high, as a result. In recent years, Drax has enjoyed a rise in wholesale power prices. This was especially true after the Russia/Ukraine conflict. The company forecast core earnings for 2026 in line with market expectations and raised its dividend by 11.5%, to 29 pence a share.
Saipem is poised to return to Venezuela following the easing of U.S. sanctions
Alessandro Puliti, the chief executive of Italian oil contractor Saipem, said that it is prepared to resume operations in Venezuela after the lifting of U.S. sanction - as they expect demand from "oil majors" later this year. "Things are changing in Venezuela very quickly." We have worked in Venezuela in the past and are prepared to return as soon a client requests it," Puliti stated in a call following results. Puliti stated that contracts could be awarded by both U.S. and international oil companies. These groups are currently assessing?the situation?and developing plans for Latin America.
Iberdrola's earnings are higher after the network business boosts results for 2025
Iberdrola, Europe's largest utility, expects its business of building and updating?power?networks in Britain and America to boost earnings this year, after it drove a 10% increase in 2025 adjusted Net Profit. The Spanish company will benefit from its strategic shift to the more regulated business of power grids and plans to spend over 100 billion Euros through 2031 in order to build on that. The company stated that results are progressing ahead of schedule. The company now targets an adjusted net profit of more than 6.6 billion euro ($7.8billion) this year, and more than 7 billion euro by 2028.
The recurring profit of EDPR, a renewable energy company, will jump 50% in 2025 due to US growth
EDP Renovaveis is the fourth largest?wind energy producer in the world. On Wednesday, it announced that recurring net profit would rise 50% by 2025. This was due to a strong U.S. expansion of capacity, despite lower capital gains. It also projected a?increase? in EBITDA for this year. Analysts polled by LSEG had predicted a net profit of 307 millions euros for the renewables division of Portugal's EDP. The company's EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) increased by 17% on an annual basis to approximately 1.95 billion euro.
The US AI boom is facing an electric shock
The race for artificial intelligence dominance by Big Tech may hit a snag soon as U.S. power grids struggle to keep up with hyperscalers who spend a lot of money. Microsoft, Amazon Alphabet, and Meta are among the technology giants in America that have announced in recent months plans to spend over $600 billion in AI by 2026. Investors are already unsure about the viability of this strategy due to the investment wave. The ambitious U.S. AI plans will be hampered by power-infrastructure bottlenecks such as turbine shortages, slow 'grid expansion, and regulatory red tape.
US producer Continental claims that the shale resource in Argentina could be "another Permian".
Continental Resources CEO Doug Lawler stated on Tuesday that Argentina's shale resource might be similar to the size of the Permian Basin in the United States. Lawler, a U.S. oil company, said that the oil production potential in Argentina could be as high as 1.5 to 2 million barrels a day within the next few years. Continental increased its stake in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale basin last month by purchasing a non-operating share in four blocks. Lawler stated that Argentina must invest in its oil infrastructure, reforms and tax incentives to encourage investment.
Enel to invest $63 billion by 2028, with a focus on Europe and the US
Enel, the Italian energy?utility, plans to increase its capital expenditures over the next three years. It will also shift its focus towards renewables in Europe and America. In a press release, the state-controlled 'group' said it would invest about 63?billion dollars (53?billion euro) between 2026-2028, with half going to grids and 38% to renewables. Enel's previous three-year plan had planned capital expenditures of 43 billion Euros, with 60% of that amount dedicated to grids, and the remaining?28% for green energy projects.
Trump EPA will weaken the rule limiting harmful air toxins and mercury from coal plants
The Trump administration announced Friday that it would roll back clean air regulations that limit mercury and hazardous toxic pollutants from power plants. Public health groups warned it would harm America's most disadvantaged. The Environmental Protection Agency of President Donald Trump has stated that easing pollution standards would?alleviate the costs for utilities who run older coal-fired plants, at a moment when the demand for electricity is on the rise due to the expansion data centers for artificial intelligence.
NYT: Trump's ally Novatek signs deal with Russia on natural gas in Alaska
The New York Times reported that American financier 'Gentry Beach', who is a close friend of Donald Trump's family, had signed an agreement last fall with Russia's Novatek to develop natural gas for Alaska during the Western sanctions against Russia. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Alaska in August to end Russia's war against Ukraine. On the sidelines of negotiations, U.S. officials and Russian officials discussed a number of?potential deals in energy. According to sources familiar with the discussions…
Trump EPA will weaken the rule limiting harmful air toxics and mercury from coal plants
The Trump administration announced Friday that it would roll back air regulations for power plant?limiting mercury, and hazardous air toxin at an?event? in Kentucky. It says this will boost baseload electricity but public health groups claim it will harm the health of America's most vulnerable populations. The EPA of President Donald Trump has stated that lowering the pollution standards for older coal plants will reduce costs for utilities who run them at a moment when the demand for electricity is soaring due to the expansion?data centres used for artificial intelligent.