Global Energy Market In Flux with Russia, Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandab Strait and drought in the EU all in play

The global energy landscape remains highly volatile in early August 2026, shaped by overlapping geopolitical, security, and climate pressures. Disruptions centered on Russia’s refined product exports, ongoing uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, escalating risks in the Bab el-Mandab Strait, and a severe drought across Europe are tightening supplies of crude oil, petroleum products, LNG, […]

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China Approves Eight New Nuclear Plants, Including Four With Hualong One 2.0 Tech

China’s State Council approved the construction of eight new nuclear reactor units on July 31, 2026, during an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang. The projects, spanning four provinces, represent a total investment exceeding 170 billion yuan (approximately $25 billion) and continue the country’s aggressive expansion of nuclear capacity as a cornerstone of its […]

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Qatar, Bessent Signal Progress on Short-Term US-Iran Deal — With Mixed Signals from Iran

Oil markets swung lower on Tuesday as Qatar and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pointed to advancing mediation efforts aimed at a short-term arrangement between the United States and Iran, centered on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The chokepoint, which normally handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies, has been heavily disrupted since […]

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Net Zero has hit the Bank of England, and they cut all support for coal. But the rest of the world increases use of coal and low-cost energy.

The Bank of England is moving further away from thermal coal. From October 2026, it will no longer accept bonds issued by companies deriving revenue from thermal coal mining as eligible collateral in its lending operations. Commercial banks borrowing from the Bank (including major UK institutions) will not be able to post those bonds. The […]

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Saudi Arabia Shipping Less But Revenues Are Up Due to Higher Oil Prices

Saudi Arabia is exporting and producing less oil amid ongoing regional conflicts and shipping disruptions, yet its oil revenues have risen sharply thanks to elevated crude prices. This paradox highlights the resilience of the Kingdom’s energy sector even as capacity constraints, security threats, and infrastructure damage create significant hurdles. In the second quarter of 2026, […]

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The Energy Transition is Happening – It’s Not What the Climate Activists Wanted

For years, the dominant energy narrative has been a single, heavily marketed story: the world is undergoing an inevitable, morally urgent transition away from fossil fuels toward wind, solar, and battery storage. Climate activists, aligned media, and policymakers have framed this as both destiny and imperative. As David Blackmon observed in his August 2, 2026, […]

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Tanker Carrying Qatari LNG Struck While Transiting the Strait of Hormuz

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker loaded with Qatari cargo was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz overnight, marking another escalation in attacks on critical energy shipping and raising fresh alarms about supply security for the world’s second-largest LNG exporter. Security consultancies Vanguard Tech and Marisks identified the vessel as the […]

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