Articles
22 November 2024
Saudi Arabia's path to transition, part 3: Closing the gap
The Energy Transition Advancement Index highlights how the Kingdom can ease its oil dependency and catch up with peers Norway and UAE
21 November 2024
Energean finds its sweet spot
E&P company is charting its own course through the transition, with a highly focused natural gas portfolio, early action on its own emissions and the development of a major carbon storage project
21 November 2024
Saudi Arabia's path to transition, part 2: Energy addition
Maintaining a competitive edge means the transformation must maximise oil resources as well as make strategic moves with critical minerals
20 November 2024
Saudi Arabia's path to transition, part 1: Energy diversification
The oil behemoth recognises the need to broaden its energy mix to reduce both environmental and economic risks
19 November 2024
Uganda must solve three-piece oil puzzle in 2025
Energy minister says country is delaying first oil production until pipeline and refinery are ready
18 November 2024
Petronet LNG making progress on India’s gas ambitions
The company is on track to boost import terminal capacity by 40% in three years, CEO Akshay Kumar Singh tells Petroleum Economist
15 November 2024
Uruguay’s offshore continues to make waves
With Chevron and AIM-listed Challenger Energy having completed their Uruguayan farm-out deal, Challenger CEO Eytan Uliel updates Petroleum Economist on the firm's progress in the frontier basin
14 November 2024
India ramps up refinery expansions
The country is seeking to secure its position as a major global refiner and meet rising domestic requirements
13 November 2024
Mopane offers Namibia learning curve
IOCs are focused on the next wave of exploration activity in Namibia and are keen to learn from one another’s results
12 November 2024
November 2024
The November issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
12 November 2024
Letter from London: OPEC+ is from Mars, markets are from Venus
The move by OPEC+’s inner circle to extend voluntary production cuts once again demonstrates that the oil market continually misunderstands the group
11 November 2024
Nigeria’s first FLNG project faces supply problem
The lack of a gas supply contract means the development is likely to face further delays
8 November 2024
Letter from Abu Dhabi: AI and the new energy guzzlers
The energy sector will need all viable technologies to meet surging demand as AI and datacentres drain power grids
8 November 2024
US oil industry welcomes Trump win
The former president’s victory likely heralds the return of a more market-oriented energy policy
7 November 2024
China steps back from fresh LNG contracts
The move could have major ramifications for the LNG sector
6 November 2024
Japan LNG to gain traction from political inertia
The crumbling of the country’s postwar political consensus may bolster the country’s LNG demand outlook by stymieing planned nuclear restarts
5 November 2024
Central Asian refining suffers under competing powers
Mongolia hopes to launch its first refinery within two years as it seeks to free itself from Russian dependence, while a similar plant in Tajikistan remains inactive six years after its completion
4 November 2024
Suriname’s upstream enters new era
The country’s offshore basin remains highly competitive and attractive to IOCs, despite the presence of some geological challenges
1 November 2024
Turkmenistan sets out its gas goals
Ashgabat’s ambitions appear to mesh well with China’s growing appetite for gas
31 October 2024
Malaysia looks to deepwater to sustain output
The country is nearing a tipping point as its domestic needs continue to grow
30 October 2024
New regulations pose risks for Thai refiners
Attempts to control domestic fuel prices could threaten supply
29 October 2024
African divestment deals are back in the frame
After some delay, the much-heralded sale of oil and gas companies’ mature upstream assets in sub-Saharan Africa has gained fresh momentum, with a clutch of deals reaching completion
27 October 2024
Latin America feels the heat
Extreme weather conditions are compounding upstream challenges and pressuring governments across the region
25 October 2024
Gunvor on the hunt for opportunities
Trader sees potential for M&A as oil prices come down, says chairman Torbjorn Tornqvist
24 October 2024
Gulf of Mexico’s deepwater expansion, part 2: Existing assets
Producers in the region see significant gains to be made by boosting output using the infrastructure already in place
23 October 2024
Oil cannot escape Mideast conflict forever
Markets have seen no material disruption from the war so far, but as the fighting goes on it is a matter of when, not if
23 October 2024
Gulf of Mexico’s deepwater expansion, part 1: High pressure, high rewards
Majors in the region are pushing boundaries and could see significant upside, but longer-term risks remain
22 October 2024
Sonangol must escape former regime’s shadow to achieve IPO
Angola is unlikely to meet the official timeline for an IPO of state-owned oil giant Sonangol in 2026
21 October 2024
IOCs undeterred by Middle East conflict
Companies operating offshore assets in the region are unlikely to halt development plans for now, even as hostilities intensify
21 October 2024
Freight rates chart their own course amid turmoil
For the tanker market, recent escalation in the Mideast conflict has largely been offset by soft fundamentals
21 October 2024
WGLC celebrates 20 years
Gulf Energy Information will host the largest women's event in the energy industry on 19–20 November in Houston, Texas
21 October 2024
Letter from the US: Is oil barreling down the gas highway?
The oil markets may be poised to experience a price slump mirroring the history of the gas sector
18 October 2024
Russia reaches for nationalisation
There is a growing impulse to nationalise Russia’s energy sector out of its difficulties, but any steps in this direction would not be taken overnight
18 October 2024
The Middle East conflict and the oil price puzzle
An escalation in the conflict could threaten global oil supplies, so why is the market not reacting?
17 October 2024
From the Archives: Time for action from OPEC
In our final look back into the Petroleum Economist archives, we turn the clock back to September 2016
16 October 2024
Iran and Libya supply fortunes highlight market risks
The impact from Libya’s lost barrels versus the threats to Iranian supply highlight the type of buffer in the oil market and the demand implications
16 October 2024
From the Archives: October revolution
The Arab oil embargo of 1973 was a turning point for the global oil and gas industry. As part of our 90th anniversary series, we republish how Petroleum Economist covered this critical story
16 October 2024
Turkey’s grand gas hub plan, part 2: The Russia question
The EU may be officially phasing out Russian gas, but in reality there remains potential for Turkey to help Moscow repackage its molecules for westward transit
15 October 2024
OPEC+ unity critical for oil industry
UAE energy minister warns oil sector of the chaos that may ensue without OPEC+ market management 
14 October 2024
Turkey’s grand gas hub plan, part 1: Caspian commitments?
The country is looking to position itself as a bridge for gas supplies from east to west, but whether Europe will need this gas remains to be seen
11 October 2024
India strengthens its oil arteries
Industry investing in significant pipeline infrastructure to further improve the efficiencies of its network and cut costs
10 October 2024
Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards winners honoured at live gala
The Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards 2024 celebrated the industry's top innovators at a gala in Houston, recognising achievements in categories ranging from digital transformation to sustainability
10 October 2024
October 2024
The October issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
10 October 2024
Energy markets face bifurcation point as US election looms
Either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will enter the White House as president in January 2025, and the gulf between their energy and climate policy agendas will have global implications
9 October 2024
Aramco advances gas and LNG strategies on all fronts
Saudi Arabia has made major advances in realising its gas ambitions this year, but challenges remain
8 October 2024
Letter from the US: Talk is cheap in US presidential election
History shows us that there is a long way to go from candidate proposals to policy implementation
7 October 2024
US LNG embedded in Europe's energy security quest
Geopolitical developments and market shifts mean US LNG will be a vital component in Europe's energy strategy and decarbonisation efforts
7 October 2024
Chaos the new normal for Libya’s oil sector
Hopes for a recovery by the North African oil producer remain in tatters
4 October 2024
China’s changing role as an oil consumer
Economic ill-health may be a wake-up call to the world about the Asian nation’s shifting oil buying status
3 October 2024
Rising Bakken gas output an opportunity, not a threat
The formation’s gas-to-oil ratio is set to keep rising, but new markets and midstream plans mean infrastructure constraints may not be an issue
2 October 2024
US election means little to Tehran and Caracas
Geopolitical strife embroiling Iran and political corruption in Venezuela suggest little near-term change to oil production from either of the sanctioned states
1 October 2024
From the Archives: Baghdad and Beirut
Our look into Petroleum Economist's archives continues with October 1960 coverage of another key moment in the history of oil and gas: the founding of OPEC
1 October 2024
Letter on transition: Which future should IOCs be investing in?
In an age of ‘poly crisis’ and ‘radical uncertainty’ the only thing we can say about the future is that it will not be business as usual
30 September 2024
Canada’s oil industry adjusts to new reality
The days of bumper output may be behind the producer, but moderate growth could persist for some time, especially if demand and oil prices stay high
30 September 2024
Chinese NOCs see upstream gains and downstream losses
China’s state-owned oil companies have succeeded in raising domestic oil and gas production, but their refining businesses are being squeezed
27 September 2024
Russian LNG scrambling to emulate oil’s success
A sanctions-defying ‘shadow fleet’ is being assembled, but it remains unclear where Russia will sell the liquefied gas while Arctic LNG 2 remains strangled by sanctions
27 September 2024
Russia’s quest for energy ‘technological sovereignty’, part 2
The country faces big challenges as it seeks to replace Western suppliers when it comes to LNG carriers, while sanctions have all-but halted its petrochemicals expansion
26 September 2024
From the Archives: Oil in the far east
As part of our 90th anniversary, we take a look at how Petroleum Economist covered key events in the history of oil and gas. Firstly, our founder Oskar Tokayer reports on Japan's war in the Pacific in January 1942
26 September 2024
Iran’s energy dominoes on the brink
The country’s widening energy deficit could have a knock-on effect on energy-intensive industries
25 September 2024
Russia’s quest for energy ‘technological sovereignty’, part 1
The country inherited a near self-sufficient oil and gas industry from the USSR, and it is working fast to eliminate shortfalls in its domestic capability, where advanced drilling and subsea technologies remain a vulnerability
25 September 2024
Asian demand critical to absorb fresh LNG supply
Purchasing from region will help determine if prices will stay buoyant in the second half of this decade as supply increases, with significant volumes due online in the next three years
24 September 2024
Lessons from oil’s past
Today’s policymakers should keep in mind the history of oil and gas as they look to remake the future of energy
23 September 2024
Mozambique’s LNG ambitions advance
The country’s stalled liquefaction projects are inching forward, even as upcoming elections and persistent security problems in the resource-rich north continue to pose significant hurdles
23 September 2024
Oil & gas in pursuit of the energy transition, part 3: NOCs and the transition
The third part of the fifth chapter of our history of oil and gas turns the focus on state-owned oil and gas firms, the biggest players in the industry
20 September 2024
Letter on Africa: New African refineries could help break old dependencies
A profound shift is occurring in the global refining sector, one which might help redefine Africa’s place in worldwide trade networks
20 September 2024
Oil & gas in pursuit of the energy transition, part 2: IOCs and climate change
European oil and gas firms are taking a different approach to the transition when compared with their American cousins. The second part of the fifth chapter of our history of oil and gas examines the ocean separating IOCs
19 September 2024
Australia’s unresolved fuel security risks
Lack of competitiveness in refining sector and underbaked oil reserves threaten long-term stability
18 September 2024
Oil & gas in pursuit of the energy transition, part 1: Net zero and the trilemma
In the first part of the fifth chapter of our history of oil and gas, we move the story on to the climate crisis and push for net-zero carbon emissions
18 September 2024
The fuel subsidies conundrum
The burden of subsidies on national economies seems to outweigh their political point scoring benefits, but removing them is not an easy task
17 September 2024
Colombian O&G starts to feel investment squeeze
Decarbonisation strategy is already hurting upstream appetite and threatening near-term energy security
16 September 2024
Gas and LNG come out from oil’s shadow, part 3: LNG and a global market
The third part of our fourth chapter on the history of oil takes the story of gas to the present day with the rise of LNG and the creation of a truly global market
16 September 2024
Gas and LNG come out from oil’s shadow, part 2: The power of pipelines
Gas is difficult to move compared with oil, requiring additional infrastructure. The second part of our history of gas examines how expanding pipeline networks made it possible to monetise the fuel
16 September 2024
Gas and LNG come out from oil’s shadow, part 1: The early years
The first part of our fourth chapter on the history of oil looks at the origins of gas and LNG—once considered a nuisance, now a fuel of the future
13 September 2024
Europe has coping mechanisms for life after Russian gas
The Ukraine–Russia gas transit and interconnection agreements are due to expire at the end of this year, but despite some uncertainty, Europe seems well-prepared
12 September 2024
Letter from London: OPEC+ approaching high noon
The oil alliance must navigate the good, the bad and the ugly in its showdown with the market at the beginning of December
12 September 2024
Empire of Oil: how hydrocarbons remade the world
The transition to oil evokes revolution and renaissance
10 September 2024
August/September 2024
The August/September issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
10 September 2024
OPEC and the post-war evolution of the oil industry, part 3: Shale, new demand and OPEC+
The third part in the second chapter of our history of oil looks at the US shale revolution and ‘declaration of cooperation’ that created OPEC+
9 September 2024
OPEC and the post-war evolution of the oil industry, part 2: The emergence of the IEA
We pick up the story of the history of oil with the response of consumer countries to the 1973 embargo, with the creation of the IEA proving the adage that every action has a reaction
9 September 2024
OPEC and the post-war evolution of the oil industry, part 1: The birth of OPEC
Continuing our 90th anniversary deep dive into the history of oil, the first part of our second chapter covers the post-war world and the beginnings of OPEC
9 September 2024
Mexico’s new president faces fiscal crunch
While greater focus on decarbonisation is likely, economic pressures and huge debt burden could squeeze energy policy ambitions
5 September 2024
The rise of oil’s big three, part 3: The oil age develops
The 20th century’s two global conflicts made clear the geopolitical importance of oil, while Russia and Saudi Arabia joined the US as hydrocarbons superpowers
5 September 2024
The rise of oil’s big three, part 2: The start of the oil age
In the second part of our history of oil special on the ascent of the US, Russia and Saudi Arabia, we examine the early years of the age of oil
5 September 2024
The rise of oil’s big three, part 1: The transition to oil
In this first part of the first chapter of our 90th anniversary special on the history of oil, we look at oil’s humble beginnings and the start of its rise to prominence
2 September 2024
Taiwan embraces long-term LNG
The island nation plans to phase out nuclear energy and substitute coal for gas, but must first overcome import capacity constraints
2 September 2024
Weather and pricing key to Asia’s winter LNG demand
Nuclear availability in Japan and South Korea will also be an important factor in determining overall LNG requirements
30 August 2024
Reactivation of offshore exploration activities at Peruvian basins
PeruPetro is promoting key areas to attract investment into the country’s offshore oil and gas
29 August 2024
Indonesia prioritises domestic needs over LNG exports
The country’s hunger for energy will continue to compete with its LNG exports, even as more gas projects progress and new liquefaction capacity comes online
29 August 2024
Letter from Europe: Gas industry back on high alert
International Gas Union warns of potential global shortfall by 2030 and calls for need to boost investment to meet energy security and sustainability needs
29 August 2024
China’s gas strength has doubts longer term
The fuel will continue to displace coal in the coming years, but after 2030 the pace of gas growth may slow
22 August 2024
Post-Soviet Russian oil and gas part 2: Sanctions and isolation
In the second of our two-part 90th anniversary issue series on Russian oil and gas, we look at how energy trade with Europe brought Russia in from the cold, and how adventurism in Ukraine sent it right back out again
22 August 2024
Post-Soviet Russian oil and gas part 1: Privatisation and nationalisation
The Russian hydrocarbons industry has evolved greatly over the past three decades. In the first of a two-part series for Petroleum Economist's 90th anniversary, we look at the post-Soviet period and how control of oil and gas went from the state to private hands and back again.
21 August 2024
Asia increasingly looks to flexible LNG supply
Demand growth and the expiration of existing contracts mean Asian nations will become less reliant on long-term contracted supply
19 August 2024
Jadestone sees opportunities in Southeast Asia
The AIM-listed independent is pushing ahead with developments in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, CEO Paul Blakeley tells Petroleum Economist
19 August 2024
Mideast gas growth signals condensate boost
UAE and Saudi Arabia seen lifting condensate output amid deep OPEC+ oil quota cuts and questions over capacity expansion
19 August 2024
Petronas pulls out of South Sudan
Uncertainty persists in South Sudan’s oil sector, potentially threatening the viability of the young nation itself
12 August 2024
Letter from London: ‘Gas OPEC’ may be just a matter of time
While calls for a gas equivalent of the oil alliance seem to do the rounds every few years, the arguments for such a group are stronger than ever
12 August 2024
The emergence of the US as a global LNG superpower
The US' meteoric rise as an exporter of the super-chilled fuel has redrawn the global energy map, with far-reaching implications
12 August 2024
Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards finalists announced
The awards ceremony will be held on 9 October at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas
9 August 2024
Moscow’s moves may impede Africa’s energy ambitions
Upstream projects may not benefit from Russia’s involvement, but South Africa might be seeking to become an importer of Russian molecules
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