Friday, February 20, 2026

Donald Trump News

Maurel & Prom, a Venezuelan oil firm, says that teams are fully mobilised after the US issued key authorization.

Maurel & Prom has a team in Venezuela that is fully mobilised, and'ready for the next stages of development', said its chief executive on Thursday. This was after the U.S. - added the French oil producer?to a a list of companies authorized to increase operations in Venezuela. M&P stopped exporting oil from Venezuela in the second quarter last year, after President Donald Trump suspended its license along with?other companies.

Indonesia and US firms sign trade, investment agreements worth $7 billion

The U.S. ASEAN Business Council reported that Indonesian & U.S. firms signed 'trade and investment agreements worth more than $7 bn? on Wednesday, a day before Indonesian President Prabowo?Subianto meets with U.S. president Donald Trump for a meeting to sign a final deal. According to a U.S. ASEAN Business Council fact sheet, the agreements were signed during a dinner hosted by U.S. Chamber of Commerce for Prabowo.

Italy's Tenaris beats estimates for fourth-quarter sales on North America demand

Tenaris, an Italian steel pipe manufacturer, reported a 5% increase in net sales for the fourth quarter late on Wednesday, surpassing analysts' expectations, thanks to strong demand in North America. The net sales of the quarter ending December 31 increased from $2.84 to $3 billion, largely due to a 29% increase in North America tube sales that helped offset declining revenue in South America and Europe.

NYT reports that US EPA plans on loosening mercury rules for coal-fired plants this week.

The 'New York Times' reported on Wednesday that the Trump administration will loosen restrictions this week on coal-burning power plants, allowing them more freedom to emit a variety of?hazardous pollutions, including mercury. The paper reported that senior U.S. Environmental Protection Agency representatives are expected to make the announcement during a visit to Louisville, Kentucky on Friday.

Junior minister: Austria looks to renewables and African gas to reduce US LNG dependency

PARIS, February 18 - Austria wants to increase renewable energy and import more?gas from Africa in order to avoid becoming too dependent on U.S. Liquefied Natural?Gas? as Europe changes its energy supply. As a result of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European countries struggle to maintain affordable electricity prices. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has many governments concerned about replacing one dependence with another. "The U.S.

Junior minister: Austria looks to renewables and African gas to reduce US LNG dependency

PARIS, February 18 - Austria is looking to increase renewable energy and gas imports from Africa in order to avoid becoming too dependent on U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas as Europe reshapes its 'energy supply. As a result of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European countries struggle to maintain affordable electricity prices. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has many governments concerned about replacing one dependence with another. "The U.S.

Venezuela tensions are set to ease, resulting in a rise in the oil production potential of Guyana

Geopolitical experts and oil specialists?said that the tiny oil-producing country of Guyana has an opportunity to expand its economy amid the ongoing U.S. activities in Venezuela. This is ahead of the Guyana Energy Conference. The 'growth potential' of Guyana was the focus at the four-day conference that began on Tuesday, in Georgetown. Executives and government officials met to discuss the efforts to train the local oil workforce…

Venezuela tensions are set to ease, resulting in a rise in the oil production potential of Guyana

Experts in geopolitics and oil said that the tiny oil-producing country of Guyana, which is already one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, has a window for expansion due to the ongoing U.S. activities in Venezuela. The growth potential of the oil and gas industry will be at the forefront of a four-day conference beginning Tuesday in Georgetown. Government officials and executives will discuss how to increase investment…

Phillips 66, Citgo Look to Directly Buy Venezuelan Crude

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U.S. refiners Phillips 66 and Citgo Petroleum are seeking to buy heavy crude directly from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA starting in April to maximize profits, rather than purchasing through trading houses and U.S. oil major Chevron, according to sources familiar with the efforts.Trading houses Trafigura and Vitol in January secured the first U.S. licenses to export Venezuelan oil as part of a $2 billion deal between Caracas and Washington.

Politico reports that Trump has slammed the energy deal between California, Britain and Trump

Reports from Politico indicate that President Donald Trump denounced the clean energy agreement signed between California Governor Gavin Newsom and the United Kingdom on Monday. In an interview, Trump stated that it was "inappropriate for Britain" to deal with the Democratic Governor. Trump, who is Republican, called Newsom, "a loser", saying that "his state had gone to hell and his environmental work was a disaster." Newsom…

Maurel & Prom hopes for a resumption of Venezuelan oil sales boosted with the easing of sanctions

Maurel & Prom, a French oil producer, is optimistic that it will be able to resume the export of Venezuelan crude oil soon after the United 'States government eased'sanctions against the country on Friday. On Friday, the U.S. government issued two general licenses, allowing major energy companies to operate in OPEC-member Venezuela. This is the biggest easing of sanctions against Venezuela since U.S.

Hungary, Slovakia Turn to Croatia to Secure Russian Oil

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Hungary and Slovakia have asked Croatia to help them secure Russian oil and Hungarian company MOL initiated the release of strategic crude reserves after disruption to flows via Ukraine that the two countries have blamed on Kyiv.Kyiv's foreign ministry last week said a Russian attack on a Ukrainian pipeline was responsible for the halt in flows to Eastern Europe…

Oil Prices Increase 1% Ahead of US-Iran Talks

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Oil prices edged up on Monday as investors weighed the market implications of upcoming U.S.-Iran talks aimed at de-escalating tensions against a backdrop of expected OPEC+ supply increases.Brent crude futures settled 90 cents, or 1.33%, higher at $68.65 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $63.75 a barrel, up 86 cents, or 1.37% at 2:14 p.m. EST (GMT 1914). The contract did not have settlement on Monday because of the U.S.

Triso-X can use HALEU uranium to make reactor fuel

The U.S. Nuclear?power regulator announced on?Friday that it had issued a license to?Triso X for the use of a more-enriched uranium, known as HALEU, for making a fuel for high-tech commercial nuclear reactors. Triso-X is a subsidiary company of X-energy and plans to manufacture TRISO fuel in Oak Ridge Tennessee. This fuel contains uranium that has been coated with hard ceramics and carbon layers. Ho K.

Caturus signs a 20-year LNG Supply Deal with Saudi Aramco

U.S. Gas Producer 'Caturus' said on Friday that its unit, Commonwealth LNG, had signed a twenty-year agreement with Saudi Aramco to supply 1,000,000 tonne per year of lNG from?its proposed Louisiana Export Project. The U.S. is working hard to surpass Qatar and Australia as the largest LNG exporter in the world. Since President Donald Trump lifted the pause on export permits last summer, commercial activity in the LNG sector has risen.

US permits oil majors to resume Venezuelan operations and broadly approves new energy investment

The U.S. eased its sanctions against Venezuela's energy industry on?Friday. It issued two general licenses allowing global energy companies? to resume oil and?gas operations in the OPEC?member?and other companies?to negotiate??contracts? on investments in???new???energy operations?. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a license allowing Chevron BP Eni Shell Repsol and Repsol resume their oil and gas operations.

Trump ends US vehicle emission standards, revokes climate regulations

On Thursday, the administration of President Donald Trump announced that it had repealed a scientific conclusion that greenhouse gasses endanger human life and removed federal tailpipe emission standards for cars and trucks. The administration has rolled back its climate change policies in the most dramatic way possible, following a series of regulatory changes and…

Can Africa win the mineral race between China and the West? Russell

Two rail projects worth billions of dollars are underway in Africa. One project was aimed westward, and the other eastward. The one backed by Western nations, the other by China. Both aim to ship huge quantities of vital minerals. Welcome to the new race for Africa. It is estimated that the Lobito rail line will cost $6 billion when it's completed in 2030. The track will cover 1…

Vitol CEO: Oil supply is squeezed by geopolitical factors

Vitol CEO Russell Hardy stated on Thursday that the global oil market has tightened despite predictions of an 'oversupply'. U.S. sanctions have limited the?outlets? for Russian and Iranian oil, which is causing a?increase in demand for oil from alternative sources. Due to sanctions, Russia and Iran have become increasingly dependent on China. India has agreed to stop buying Russian oil under the pressure of U.S. president Donald Trump.

Gulf stock markets fall due to US-Iran tensions and earnings.

Stock markets in the Gulf slowed in early trading on Thursday, pressured both by a lacklustre earnings report and investor unease over tensions between the United States and Iran. U.S. president Donald Trump met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a Wednesday. He later stated that they hadn't reached a "definitive agreement"?regarding Iran but stressed that negotiations would continue.