Iran seeks to read Trump's mind
The devastating attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil sector have left the kingdom and its allies dazed
Saudi Arabia's oil production has been halved by Sunday's drone attack on its key processing facility at Abqaiq. But the real target is Donald Trump, and the Achilles heel of his Iran policy—his desire for low gasoline prices. Until the weekend, the White House had been celebrating the success of its reintroduction of Iran sanctions in May: Tehran's hydrocarbons exports have been savaged, its military threat in the Gulf contained, and the oil price had stayed low. Sunday's strikes on the Aramco-run oil-processing plant and nearby Khurais oil field changed all that. On Monday, Brent prices saw a 20pc spike, the biggest one-day jump since 1991, as analysts digested the loss of 5pc of total wor

Also in this section
24 March 2025
Indian E&P company wants to take domestic production to a new horizon, given the amount of unexplored opportunities
21 March 2025
Two recent developments raise the prospect of a revival in northern Iraqi oil and gas fortunes, but familiar obstacles could thwart momentum
20 March 2025
As cash-strapped Western governments commit to substantially raising defence expenditure, a similar dynamic is playing out in Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas sector, as Saudi Aramco maintains it heavy capex push despite reduced revenues
20 March 2025
Tariffs, sanctions and trade conflicts are upending the oil market, impacting crude differentials and shipping rates and creating uncertainty