Category: Downstream

Brent Crude Surges Above $86 as Iran Strikes UAE Tankers in Hormuz, Russian Oil Infrastructure Takes More Hits, and Chokepoint Risks Mount

Clark Savage560

The Refining Capacity Shortage and Demand Destruction Quest Brent crude oil prices surged more than 3% today, breaking above $86 per barrel (reaching $86.06 in early London trading). This extends a sharp ~12% rally since Friday, driven by escalating geopolitical risks across key oil chokepoints and infrastructure. The immediate spark came from Iranian cruise missile […]

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California is ramping its war with the White House over Energy

Clark Savage229

California is escalating its legal and political confrontation with the Trump administration over energy policy. As detailed in a recent OilPrice.com analysis, Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration and state officials are pushing back hard against federal actions favoring fossil fuels, including the reallocation of offshore wind funds, challenges to the California Coastal Commission, and the use […]

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China Tells Refiners to Keep Fuel Output High as the Iran and Ukraine Wars Drag On

Clark Savage1226

Beijing has directed at least two major Chinese refineries to maintain or even increase processing rates to ensure adequate domestic supplies of gasoline, diesel, and other fuels. This comes amid renewed threats to crude shipments through the Persian Gulf tied to the ongoing Iran conflict, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg […]

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Russia’s Fuel Crisis Just Reached New Levels, and Second-Order Impacts Will Be Global

Clark Savage1464

Russia’s domestic fuel shortage has escalated dramatically in July 2026, moving beyond diesel queues at gas stations to kerosene shortages, grounded or limited flights, and export bans on key refined products. Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries and the shadow fleet tankers are removing substantial refined product supply from both domestic and global markets. This is […]

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Anas Alhajji Asks the Right Questions: How Long Can Strong U.S. Petroleum Product Exports Continue Before Causing Domestic Shortages and Price Spikes?

Clark Savage872

Energy markets are flashing warning signs as U.S. petroleum product exports remain near record highs while domestic inventories tighten amid escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East. Veteran energy analyst Anas Alhajji (@anasalhajji) highlighted these concerns in his July 9, 2026, Daily Energy Report on X and Substack, posing a series of pointed questions that […]

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Calls for Oil Glut May Not Consider Realistic Oil Movements and Exploration

Clark Savage704

Recent analyst predictions of an impending oil glut and sharply lower prices have gained traction amid falling benchmark crude prices and reports of recovering tanker flows through the Strait of Hormuz. However, a closer look at actual oil movements, inventory dynamics, refinery constraints, and exploration activity suggests these calls may be getting ahead of reality. […]

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250 Years of Energy: How America’s Abundant Natural Resources Powered a Rising Nation — And Why Smart Policy Will Determine the Next Century

Clark Savage349

This article first ran yesterday on the Energy News Beat Substack. From the wood fires that warmed homes and fueled early industry in 1776 to the sophisticated mix powering AI data centers, electric vehicles, and global exports today, energy has been the invisible backbone of American prosperity, innovation, and geopolitical strength. The U.S. Energy Information […]

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