A pivotal shift occurred overnight on July 14–15, 2026. Ukraine struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery in Bashkortostan — previously Russia’s last major untouched gasoline production facility — along with the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar Krai. Drones traveled over 1,500 km to hit primary processing units at Salavat, igniting fires and knocking out its full […]
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ENB Pub Note: This article originally ran on RHG Phoenix’s site by Randy Green. We will be visiting with them on the podcast soon. The global oil market is navigating a complex rebalancing act amid geopolitical disruptions, sanctions evasion, and shifting supply dynamics. As of mid-July 2026, Brent crude trades in the low-to-mid $80s per […]
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Russia has added another LNG tanker to its growing “dark fleet” (also known as the shadow fleet) as the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project continues to ramp up exports despite Western restrictions. The 19-year-old vessel, now operating as Arctic Express, loaded a cargo of liquefied natural gas from a floating storage unit linked to the […]
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The Iran war, now stretching into its third week with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed since early March 2026, has delivered the largest oil supply disruption in history. Gulf producers have slashed output by at least 10 million barrels per day (mb/d), but the global shortfall is “only” 8–10 mb/d thanks to pre-positioned floating […]
Continue ReadingAmid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and a massive American military buildup in the Middle East, Iran has dramatically accelerated crude loadings at its primary export terminal on Kharg Island. Vessel-tracking and satellite data show Tehran is rushing to move as much oil as possible out of the Persian Gulf before any potential U.S. strikes disrupt operations. […]
Continue ReadingIn a stunning revelation that underscores the resilience of Russia\’s energy sector amid Western sanctions, the Financial Times has exposed a sprawling smuggling network responsible for moving at least $90 billion worth of Russian crude oil. Dubbed the \”Dark Fleet,\” this shadowy armada of aging tankers and opaque trading entities has been operating for years, […]
Continue ReadingBy Stuart Turley, Energy News Beat In a landscape where energy markets are increasingly shaped by geopolitical maneuvering, Vitol CEO Russell Hardy has sounded a note of caution—and opportunity—for the global oil trade. Speaking at the International Energy Week conference in London, Hardy highlighted how U.S. pressure on sanctioned oil flows from Russia and Iran […]
Continue ReadingIn the volatile world of global energy markets, narratives can shift as quickly as oil prices. For months, headlines have painted a picture of an oil glut—abundant supplies keeping Brent crude hovering around $67 per barrel and WTI at $64. Yet, beneath this apparent surplus lies a fractured market, distorted by uncounted volumes of sanctioned […]
Continue ReadingIn a significant development for global energy dynamics, U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a trade agreement on February 2, 2026, aimed at resetting bilateral relations strained by tariffs and oil sourcing disputes. This deal, which reduces U.S. tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%, is tied to India\’s […]
Continue ReadingIn a bold escalation of its campaign against illicit oil trading, the United States has seized yet another vessel from the shadowy \”dark fleet\” — a network of aging tankers that evade international sanctions to transport crude from rogue regimes. The latest capture, the MT Veronica, marks the sixth such interdiction in recent weeks under […]
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