Oil Prices Surge 3% on Worries of US Action Against Iran
Oil prices climbed about 3% to a five-month high on Thursday on rising concerns that global supplies could be disrupted if the U.S. decides to attack Iran, one of the biggest crude producers in OPEC.Brent futures rose $2.10, or 3.1%, to $70.50 a barrel by 11:07 a.m. EST (1607 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained $2.09, or 3.3%, to $65.30.That pushed both crude benchmarks into technically overbought territory and put Brent on track for its highest close since July 31 and WTI on track for its highest close since September 26.U.S.
Chevron to Boost Exports of Venezuelan Oil to US in March
Oil producer Chevron is set to boost exports of Venezuelan crude to the U.S. to some 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) in March, from 100,000 bpd in December and some 230,000 bpd so far this month, two sources with knowledge of the plans said on Wednesday.The U.S. company, which is the main partner of Venezuela's state-run energy firm PDVSA, has chartered about a dozen tankers to increase shipments and drain inventories accumulated at its projects since December, when a U.S. blockade hit the OPEC country's exports…
Sources say that Chevron wants better terms with Iraq before acquiring the Lukoil Oilfield.
Sources say that Chevron is seeking better terms for the West Qurna 2 Oilfield. Iraq nationalized oilfield operatorship after U.S. Three sources with knowledge of the matter said that Chevron, the U.S. oil major, is pressing Iraq to increase returns on the West Qurna 2 field in order to buy the project from Russia’s Lukoil. Iraq nationalised its oilfield earlier this month after the U.S. imposed restrictions on Lukoil in order to pressure Russia to stop the war in Ukraine. Lukoil was unable to run its international operations, including West Qurna.
Sources say that the US will issue a general license to lift some sanctions against Venezuelan oil industry
Four sources said that the U.S. is preparing to issue a license to lift sanctions against Venezuela's energy industry. This would be a shift from the previous plan of granting individual exemptions for companies wishing to do business with Venezuela. After the capture by the U.S. of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in early this month, U.S. official have stated that Washington will ease sanctions on Venezuela's Energy Industry to facilitate a $2 Billion oil supply deal between Caracas Washington and an ambitious 100 billion dollar reconstruction plan for Venezuela's Oil industry.
Sources say that the U.S. will soon issue a general license lifting sanctions against Venezuelan oil industry.
Three sources familiar with preparations said that U.S. officials were working on a general license to be issued soon, which would lift some sanctions against Venezuela's energy industry. This is a change from the previous plan of granting individual exemptions to sanctions to companies that wanted to do business there. U.S. officials said that following the capture by the U.S. of Venezuelan president?Nicolas Maduro in the first week of this month, Washington would ease the sanctions…
Venezuelan oil reform encourages immediate investments, but executives still need to go deeper
Foreign and local executives and attorneys said that a proposed reform to Venezuela's oil laws is sufficient to encourage existing companies to expand, and to start investing. However, deeper reforms are needed to attract the $100 Billion the U.S. estimates is necessary to overhaul the nation's energy industry. The U.S. now controls Venezuela's oil revenue and exports after a military invasion to capture President Nicolas Maduro in early this month and a naval blockade since December to stop oil shipments from sanctioned ships. Venezuela's government relies heavily on oil revenue.
US energy sector reels as winter storm knocks 2 million bpd crude production
Analysts and traders estimate that U.S. producers lost as much as 2 million barrels per day or 15% of their production during the weekend. This was due to a winter storm which ravaged the nation, straining the?energy grids and infrastructure. Energy Aspects estimates that oil production outages peaked at 2 million barrels per day on Saturday. The Permian basin is likely to have experienced the greatest share of this decline, at about 1.5 million bpd. Production losses decreased on Monday.
US energy sector reels as winter storm knocks 2 million bpd crude production
Analysts and traders estimate that U.S. producers of oil lost up to two million barrels per day, or about 15% of the nation's production, over the weekend as a winter storm swept through the country, straining the energy infrastructure and the power grids. According to a report by?consultancy energy?Aspects, oil production outages peaked Saturday. The Permian basin is likely to have been the most affected, as it lost around 1.5 million barrels of oil per day. Monday saw a decrease in production losses, with the Permian Basin shut-ins estimated to be around 700,000 barrels per day.
Bloomberg News reports that energy firms could be facing a $4 billion payout if they lose the Karachaganak Arbitration.
Bloomberg News, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that an international consortium working on the Karachaganak oil field lost a?arbitration suit brought by Kazakhstan. They could be liable for compensation of up to $4?billion, Bloomberg News said. The oil project in Kazakhstan is run by a consortium that includes?Eni, Shell and other partners. Each of them holds a stake of 29.25%. Chevron has 18% of the project, Lukoil 13.5% and KazMunayGaz 10%. The court hasn't yet determined the final amount that the consortium must pay.
Houston, the US oil capital, is buzzing as industry prepares for Venezuelan oil rush
Matthew Goitia explains his idea in a bar downtown Houston. He wants to build and refurbish marine terminals for Venezuela that will allow crude oil to be blended and exported, and chemical products shipped. Matthew Goitia, a director at Pelorus Terminals, explains his ambitious plan to refurbish and build marine terminals that can blend and export crude and ship chemical products in Venezuela. He also plans to add storage tanks, renovate the docks, and ensure that power is available. This could all take three to ten years. It's still unclear how to obtain permission from the U.S.
Kazakhstan's main export pipeline returns to full capacity after mooring points repaired - CPC
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Kazakhstan's main oil export pipeline, returned to full capacity on Sunday at its terminalon the Russian Black Sea Coast after maintenance was completed at one mooring point and a tanker loaded with crude. Kazakhstan, the 12th largest oil producer in the world, has been facing a number of challenges in recent months. These include an attack by a Ukrainian drone on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in late November, which caused the pipeline to pump at below capacity, and a shutdown in production earlier this month at the vast Tengiz field.
Bloomberg News reports that the US is seeking quick fixes to boost Venezuelan oil production.
Bloomberg News, citing senior officials in the administration, reported that the United States is in discussions with Chevron and other major oilfield service providers about a plan for Venezuela to increase its crude production quickly. The?report stated that officials have discussed the deployment of?SLB and Baker Hughes in order to replace and repair 'outdated equipment and refresh older drilling site. The report could not be verified immediately. The 'White House, Chevron SLB Baker Hughes and Halliburton didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Libya signs 25-year agreement with TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips that will bring in over $20 billion of investment
Libya's Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah announced that the country will sign on Saturday a 25-year agreement with TotalEnergies of France and ConocoPhillips in the United States. The deal involves more than $20 billion dollars worth of foreign-financed investments and is aimed at increasing production by as much as 850,000 barrels a day. Dbeibah stated in a X post that the deal was signed through a subsidiary,?Waha Oil Company. This company is a state-run 'National Oil Corporation. Dbeibah stated that "Libya" will also "sign a Memorandum of Understanding with U.S.
Michigan suedes oil companies for collusion to restrain competition in EVs
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed an antitrust suit against four major oil firms on Friday, alleging that they have colluded over decades to prevent competition from renewable energy sources, including?electric cars. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, western Michigan, names BP and Chevron. It also names ExxonMobil, Shell, and the American Petroleum Institute. The lawsuit said that the companies had acted as a "cartel, agreeing to limit the production and distribution…
SLB is about to increase its activities in Venezuela
SLB, an oilfield service company, said that it could increase its activities in Venezuela if the necessary licensing, safety parameters, and compliance measures were put into place. SLB was one of the oil companies who met with the White House in order to discuss investment opportunities in Venezuela following the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. in early January. "We have already received a number of inquiries from customers," said CEO Olivier Le Peuch during a conference call following the earnings announcement.
Venezuelan Oil Exports Progress Slowly Under US Supply Deal
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and documents from state-run PDVSA showed, with shipments accelerating after the U.S. eased its blockade but not enough for PDVSA to fully reverse output cuts.Following the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Maduro in early January, Caracas and Washington agreed to a deal to sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude stored in tanks and vessels. Trading houses Vitol and Trafigura obtained the first U.S.
Kazakhstan CPC Oil Exports Struggle After Tengiz Field Shutdown
Kazakhstan's CPC oil exports could remain restricted even as extensive maintenance on its primary oil export route wraps up, sources said on Wednesday, with force majeure declared at the country's largest oilfield, Tengiz, following a fire.The CPC terminal, which handles about 1.5% of global oil supply and 80% of Kazakhstan's crude exports, has been operating below capacity since mid-November.Maintenance work on Single Point Mooring-3 (SPM-3) at CPC's Russian Black Sea terminal is in its final stages…
Kazakhstan's Tengiz Oil Field to Remain Shut for Another 7-10 Days
Oil production at Kazakhstan's vast Tengiz oil field, one of the world's largest, could be halted for another 7-10 days after shutting down on Sunday, cutting crude exports via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, three industry sources told Reuters.The field's operator Tengizchevroil (TCO) said on Monday that due to power supply problems, production at the Tengiz and Korolevskoye field had been stopped.A day earlier, on January 18, a fire broke out at two turbine transformers at the field's GTES-4 power station…
Inpex to submit a revised environmental plan for a large CCS project offshore Australia
A company spokesperson said that Inpex, Japan's carbon capture and storage project (CCS), which is a proposed 8 million ton per year?Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) off the north coast of Australia will submit an updated environmental plan. The spokesperson stated that the company withdrew its plan on Sunday from a portal used to solicit public comments about major projects while it waited for details of the new environmental laws. The spokesperson stated that Inpex was "fully committed" to the progress of the project and would resubmit it once the legislative amendments were finalised.
Official: Shell wants to exit Syria's al-Omar Oilfield, but US firms are interested in the sector.
Youssef qeblawi said that the head of Syria Petroleum Company Youssef qeblawi stated on Monday that Shell asked to withdraw its oil from the al-Omar field and transfer their?share to Syria’s state-owned operators, but that U.S. firms were interested in?the?country's energy sector. Al-Omar, Syria's biggest oilfield, was taken over by the government at the weekend following a lightning-fast offensive against Kurdish troops who had occupied the site for almost a decade, and used it as an army base.