Saudi Aramco Increases Crude Oil Exports from Yanbu Sea to Compensate for Hormuz Closure
Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Yanbu port rose to nearly 4 million barrels per day last week, a sharp increase from export levels before the Iran war broke out, shipping data shows.The jump shows that Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil exporter, is making progress on a plan to send crude along its East-West pipeline to Yanbu to keep supplies flowing and offset the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict.Aramco can pump up to 7 million bpd to Yanbu through the pipeline…
Oil Rises as Iran Denies US Talks, Supply Risks Persist
Oil prices rose on Tuesday on supply fear, as Iran denied it had talks with the United States to end the war in the Gulf, contradicting U.S. President Donald Trump who said a deal could be reached soon.Brent futures LCOc1 rose $2.89, or 2.9%, to $102.83 a barrel at 0710 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) CLc1 climbed $2.49, or 2.8%, to $90.62.Crude futures dropped more than 10% on Monday, after Trump ordered a five-day delay to attacks on Iran's power plants, saying the U.S.
TotalEnergies Abandons US Offshore Wind for Fossil Fuel Projects
The United States and French energy major TotalEnergies said on Monday they would redirect nearly $1 billion from offshore wind leases to U.S. oil and natural gas production.The agreement marks a new strategy in the Trump administration's wide-ranging effort to stymie development of U.S. offshore wind projects, which President Donald Trump has said he finds ugly, costly and inefficient.His administration has moved to increase domestic fossil fuel production and scrap policies…
IEA Weighs Further Oil Stock Releases as War on Iran Continues
The International Energy Agency is consulting with governments in Asia and Europe on the release of more stockpiled oil "if necessary" due to the Iran war, Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Monday."If it is necessary, of course, we will do it. We look at the conditions, we will analyse, assess the markets and discuss with our member countries," Birol told the National Press Club in Canberra, at the start of a world tour.IEA member nations agreed on March 11 to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles to combat the spike in global crude prices.
US Oil Shield Starts Showing Cracks as Iran War Drives Prices Higher
U.S. President Donald Trump went into the Iran war convinced that America’s vast oil wealth would insulate the country from the kind of energy shock now battering much of the world. Four weeks into the conflict, that shield is looking fragile.Trump’s wager has only partly paid off. U.S. oil prices have risen less sharply than those elsewhere since U.S.-Israeli air strikes against Iran on February 28 ignited a regional war that rapidly engulfed the Middle East’s energy infrastructure…
US to Deploy Amphibious Assault Ship, Marines to Middle East
The U.S. military is deploying a large amphibious assault ship with thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, as Iran's new supreme leader hailed Iran's "unity" and "resistance".Reuters had reported that Washington, desperate to reopen the Gulf oil bottleneck of the Strait of Hormuz, shut by Iran since the U.S. and Israel attacked almost three weeks ago, was considering deployments up to and including landings.Oil…
Indian Gas Tankers Prepare to Sail Through Strait of Hormuz
Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas tankers are preparing to sail through the Strait of Hormuz in coming days after a pause in voyages, with no crude oil tankers having transited the waterway in the past 24 hours, according to shipping data and sources.Hundreds of vessels have dropped anchor since Tehran threatened to attack ships attempting to leave the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flow.The two tankers were currently anchored in Gulf waters…
IKM Gruppen Acquires Hendrik Veder Group
Norway’s IKM Gruppen has acquired Hendrik Veder Group, headquartered in Rotterdam.The combined entity will operate under the new name IKM Hendrik Veder.Hendrik Veder Group brings a distinguished 225-year legacy, making it one of the oldest maritime enterprises in the Netherlands. With 79 employees, the company has built a strong reputation for quality, reliability, and long-standing customer relationships. It remains a trusted provider of steel wire and synthetic rope solutions for lifting…
Iran Fires Missiles at Qatar Energy Hub
Iran accused Israel of striking its facilities in the huge South Pars gas field on Wednesday in a major escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war that sent oil prices shooting higher, and retaliated by vowing attacks on oil and gas targets throughout the Gulf, firing missiles at Qatar and Saudi Arabia.Qatar's state oil giant QatarEnergy reported "extensive damage" after the Ras Laffan Industrial City, an energy-industry hub, was hit by Iranian missiles. Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted…
Offshore Vietnam: Energy Imports Rise as Domestic Production Falls
Vietnam's domestic crude oil production is expected to decline this decade, according to a government document released this week, increasing the country's reliance on imports as its offshore fields mature and geopolitical tensions threaten global supplies.The new forecasts for dwindling oil output come as Vietnam, a regional industrial hub hosting large manufacturing operations of electronics and garment multinationals, is bracing for oil shortages caused by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and subsequent export bans from energy suppliers.Crude output is projected to fall to 5.8 million-8.0 milli
BOEM Issues Notice of Intent for Offshore Well Stimulation Work
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a proposed update to the Santa Clara Unit Development and Production Plan, which includes the use of hydraulic fracturing on 16 existing wells at Platform Gilda, located 8.8 miles offshore Ventura County, California.BOEM has deemed the plan complete and is launching an environmental review under the Department of the Interior’s “Alternative Arrangements for NEPA Compliance During a National Energy Emergency,” published on the April 23, 2025.
US Mulls $1B Settlement for Abandoned Wind Farms
U.S. officials are drafting agreements to pay nearly $1 billion to oil major TotalEnergies as compensation for the cancellation of leases for wind farms in federal waters off New York State and North Carolina, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.Under the terms of the proposed settlements, the U.S. Interior Department will cancel the leases in federal waters for two projects, known as Attentive Energy and Carolina Long Bay, the NYT said, citing documents.The Justice Department will then pay more than $928 million to TotalEnergies…
Tampnet Connectivity for First COâ‚‚ Injection Platform Offshore Netherlands
Tampnet won a contract with Porthos CO2 Transport and Storage C.V. to deliver communications infrastructure for what will be the first CO₂ injection platform on the Dutch Continental Shelf.The project centers on Platform P18-A, a former gas production asset being converted into an unmanned installation for carbon storage as part of the broader Porthos CCS Project. The development is a cornerstone of Europe’s push to scale offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS).Under the contract…
Sable Offshore Restarts Santa Ynez Pipeline After Trump Emergency Order
Sable Offshore on Monday said it had begun pumping oil on a long-disputed pipeline system linking the Santa Ynez offshore platform to California refineries after emergency orders from the Trump administration directing the restart.The restart marks a major win for the Houston-based oil company in its years-long battle with California regulators and environmental groups, which have sued to stop the Santa Ynez project. Santa Ynez had been shut since 2015 due to an oil spill from the pipelines that Sable has now restarted.The matter is among the slew of conflicts between U.S.
Additional LNG Exports from Plaquemines LNG Approved
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has authorized an immediate 13% increase in exports at Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG Terminal in Louisiana.The authorization allows additional exports of up to 0.45 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of U.S. natural gas as LNG to non-free trade agreement (FTA) countries from the Plaquemines LNG Terminal.Plaquemines LNG is now authorized to immediately export a total of 3.85 Bcf/d to both FTA and non-FTA countries.“At a time when Iran and its terrorist proxies attempt to disrupt the global energy supply…
BP Wins US Approval for Kaskida Project
British energy major BP has received approval from the Trump administration to advance its Kaskida project in the Gulf of Mexico, a company spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement late on Friday.The $5 billion investment would unlock 10 billion barrels of resources that BP has discovered in the Paleogene fields of the U.S. Gulf, the spokesperson said.The U.S. Department of the Interior's approval of Kaskida follows a year-long review of the company's development plan…
EU Doesn’t See Risks to Oil and Gas Supply Yet
In separate ad hoc meetings of the Gas Coordination Group and the Oil Coordination Group held on March 12, the Commission and EU countries assessed the situation concerning the EU’s gas and oil security of supply in view of the continued disruptions in the Middle East. During the exchange, EU countries confirmed that they do not observe any security of supply risks at the moment. Oil stocks remain at a high level, gas storage filling levels in the EU remain stable.EU countries…
Offshore Service Vessels: A Measured Market Recovery
The outlook for the offshore support vessel (OSV) business has brightened considerably since the dark days of the previous decade and is possibly in a “Goldilocks moment” — not too weak and not too strong. While strengthening, it has not yet reached the point of significant new vessel ordering. Paradoxically, across maritime markets, observers are often concerned when exuberance gets out of hand. For now, newbuild activity remains limited.On the Q3 2025 earnings call for listed company Tidewater (NYSE: TDW)…
Louis Dreyfus Company Appoints Landerretche CFO
Louis Dreyfus Company B.V. (LDC) appointed Sébastien Landerretche as the Group’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective March 18 and based in Switzerland.Landerretche joined the Group in 2004, leading global ocean freight research, based in China. He subsequently held several key leadership roles based in Singapore, including Regional Head of Oilseeds and Regional Head of Freight for Asia, until his appointment as Global Head of Freight in 2015, based in Switzerland. Prior to LDC, Sébastien worked in financial controlling positions at EDF and RSM, in China.
Maersk Offshore Names New WTIV Ahead of US Offshore Wind Deployment
Maersk Offshore Wind has officially christened its new Seatrium-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) Maersk Viridis, marking the entry of the first vessel in the company’s new offshore wind installation fleet.The naming ceremony was held on board the vessel, where its godmother, Charlotte Nørkjær Larsen, formally named the ship by smashing a bottle of champagne against the main crane pedestal.Delivered by Seatrium, the 40,000-tonne vessel was recently delivered following sea trials and final readiness evaluations.
Seadrill Appoints New CEO
Offshore drilling contractor Seadrill has appointed Samir Ali as its new chief executive officer (CEO).Effective immediately, Samir Ali will step up from its Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) position to its new role, succeeding Simon Johnson.Ali has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer of the company since August 2022. Prior to joining Seadrill, Ali was with Diamond Offshore, most recently serving as Vice President of Investor Relations…
Iranian Oil Exports Continue Through Hormuz Strait as Gulf Flows Stall
Iranian crude oil has continued to flow through the Strait of Hormuz at a near-normal pace even as Tehran-linked attacks on ships in the narrow waterway have decimated exports from other Gulf countries, a Reuters review of tanker tracking data showed.Iran has exported about 13.7 million barrels of crude oil since Israel and the U.S. launched attacks on the country on February 28, according to analysis from TankerTrackers.com, a maritime intelligence company that specializes in tracking the so-called shadow fleet…
Oil Prices Go Up 6% as Hormuz Shipping Crisis Deepens
Oil prices rose sharply on Thursday as Iran stepped up attacks on oil and transport facilities across the Middle East, fuelling concerns of a prolonged conflict and potential disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.Brent futures LCOc1 climbed $5.95, or 6.47%, to $97.93 a barrel at 0915 GMT, having hit $100 per barrel in earlier trading, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was up $5.25, or 6%, to $92.50.Brent hit $119.50 a barrel on Monday, its highest since mid-2022, then dropped after U.S.