Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Safety News

COP30: Brazil seeks biofuel boom, but critics query climate impact

Timothy Searchinger is a senior research scholar from Princeton University. He said that when land produces fuel instead of food someone else will have to clear more land or eat less. Biofuels are counted at zero, so countries believe that they have cut emissions. He said that in reality, the pressure is shifted onto food and land systems. India has already shown signs of this pressure.

The Black Sea Infrastructure is at risk, according to the Romanian National Defence Strategy

A draft national defence strategy released on Wednesday said that Romania must strengthen its ties with allies along the Black Sea to protect energy projects, which will make Romania the largest gas producer of the European Union in 2027. In the past two years, the EU and NATO member state has been repeatedly violated by Russian drones. Mines have also been spotted in the Black Sea along key trade and energy routes.

Lukoil declares Force Majeure in Iraqi oilfield following US sanctions

Four sources familiar with the situation said that Lukoil declared force majeure on Iraq's West Qurna-2 giant oilfield on Monday after Western sanctions against the Russian oil major hindered its operations. Lukoil didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Last month, the United States and Britain imposed sanction on Rosneft, Russia's largest oil company, and Lukoil.

US sanctions threaten to disrupt Lukoil's international assets

The sale of Lukoil's overseas assets to Swiss commodity traders Gunvor has been blocked by Washington, which is a result of U.S. sanctions. Lukoil has a global footprint that includes upstream oil and natural gas projects, refineries, and fuel distribution networks in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. The company produces a half-million barrels of crude oil per day…

Sponsored: Energy Sector Urged to Scale AI Adoption at ADIPEC

Photo Courtesy ADIPEC

Day two's theme 'The Technology Leap: Redefining Energy Leadership' underscored how strategic AI adoption and digital innovation are reshaping energy leadership, with industry voices calling for coordinated investment to unlock transformation at speed and scale Experts debated AI’s role in boosting efficiency, enhancing resilience and…

METI: Sakhalin-1 vital for Japan's energy security as US sanctions Russian shareholders

Japan's Industry Ministry said on Friday that the country's energy safety is dependent on foreign projects including Russia's Sakhalin-1. This comes after new U.S. Sanctions against Rosneft, a major shareholder along with Japanese partners. Washington sanctioned Rosneft, a Russian oil company, and Lukoil last month as the latest step to get the Kremlin's attention to the Ukraine war. The U.S.

PetroChina will phase out 19 old chemical and refining units to reduce sector glut

Analysts say that PetroChina, a state-owned company, plans to permanently close 19 aging refining and chemicals units in order to reduce overcapacity. This is part of Beijing’s campaign to boost profitability and curb the country’s overcapacity. Due to the rapid electrification, fuel demand in this country's transportation fleet is expected to increase faster than anticipated.

Atmos Energy expects to earn more in 2026 after a quarterly profit increase

Atmos Energy, the U.S. distributor of natural gas, forecast on Wednesday higher earnings for fiscal year 2026 after posting a 30% increase in its fourth-quarter profits. The utility is ramping up capital expenditures on pipeline safety and technology. In fiscal 2026, the Dallas-based utility expects to earn a profit per share between $8.15 and $8.35, compared with $7.46 this year. According to the U.S.

Bloomberg News reports that Kennedy has directed the CDC to investigate the alleged harmful effects of offshore wind farms.

Bloomberg News, citing sources familiar with the issue, reported that U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the potential harms caused by offshore wind farms. The move is part a larger push by the Trump Administration to scrutinize offshore development, something that Trump has himself repeatedly criticized.

After US sanctions, Bulgaria takes measures to protect its Lukoil refinery

Zhecho Stankov, Bulgaria's Energy Minister, said that the country is taking steps to ensure an uninterrupted supply of oil and derivatives following the U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia's Lukoil which operates the largest oil refinery in the country. U.S. president Donald Trump imposed new sanctions on Russia's biggest oil companies Lukoil, and Rosneft over Moscow's conflict in Ukraine.

Prime Minister says nuclear power and perovskite as Japan's energy sources are important

Sanae Takaichi, the Japanese prime minister, told the parliament on Friday how important it is for Japan to have its own sources of energy such as nuclear power and solar cells made from perovskite. Takaichi (64), the first woman to be elected as prime minister in Japan, was elected this week. After her ruling Liberal Democratic Party lost recent elections due to rising consumer prices…

South Africa will lift the shale-gas moratorium in this month

The South African government will lift its long-standing ban on shale exploration once new regulations are published this month. In 2011, the regulator was prohibited from processing any new applications for exploration or production rights, as well as reconnaissance permits. This ban followed a public outcry by environmental activists concerned about the effects of hydraulic fracking on the Karoo region.

Santos reduces 2025 production forecast on technical issue at Barossa Project

Santos Australia has lowered its output forecasts for the second time in this year after a technical problem delayed ramp-up at its Barossa project. Inclement weather also hampered recovery of the Cooper Basin project. No. 2 independent oil and gas producer in the country now expects to produce 89-91 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) during fiscal 2025, compared with 90-95 mmboe previously forecast.

Australia's Santos reduces its annual production forecast due to weather and vessel delays

Australia's Santos on Thursday narrowed its full-year output forecast due to a slower-than-anticipated start-up of the BW Opal floating production, storage and offloading vessel as well as a slow recovery from floods at its Cooper Basin project. Second-largest producer of gas in the country expects to produce between 89 and 91 million barrels (mmboe), as opposed to its previous projections of 90-95mmboe.

EDP accelerates solar and battery projects in Australia following government awards

The Portuguese utility EDP said that it expects to speed up its solar and storage battery projects in Australia, after receiving government awards for revenue generation over the long term. EDP Renewables Australia, a subsidiary of EDP, was awarded two generation revenue schemes through the government's Capacity Investment Scheme. These…

The United States has experienced a number of deadly industrial accidents this century

Officials said that multiple people died in an explosion at a military explosives facility in Tennessee on Friday. They also reported the absence of 19 other people. Here are some of the most notable industrial explosions that have occurred in the United States during this century. An explosion on the 23rd of March 2005 at a BP Refinery in Texas City in Texas City left 15 workers dead and 180 others injured. The U.S.

Nigeria's daily crude oil production plunged by 16% after a brief Dangote refinery strikes

According to an impact study, Nigeria's daily production of oil and gas dropped during the short nationwide strike called by the oil workers' union PENGASSAN on Wednesday. The talks between Dangote Refinery and government mediators were called off after. The strike began on 28 September after Dangote, Africa's biggest refinery with a crude-processing capacity of 650…

WSJ reports that Berkshire is in negotiations to purchase OxyChem from Occidental for around $10 billion.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported Tuesday that Berkshire Hathaway was in discussions to purchase Occidental Petroleum’s petrochemical division for around $10 billion. The sale of OxyChem, which provides products for sectors like medical care, food safety and construction, will add to the series of divestitures that the U.S. Oil and Gas producer has made in recent years.

Chevron anticipates a quarterly impact of up to $400 Million from the Hess Deal

Chevron, the U.S. energy giant, said it expected to suffer a loss of between $200 million and $400 million during the third quarter due to the Hess transaction. Chevron completed its $55 billion purchase of Hess, after winning a landmark court battle with larger rival Exxon Mobil in order to gain access the largest oil find in decades.

US Judge rules Trump can't block Rhode Island offshore Wind Project

A federal judge ruled that the Danish offshore wind developer Orsted could restart the work on the almost finished Revolution Wind project, off the coasts of Rhode Island. The project was halted by President Donald Trump’s administration last month. Trump's efforts to stop offshore wind expansion in U.S. waterways have been hampered by the ruling.