In a bold defiance of escalating US pressure, sanctioned tankers continue to load Venezuelan oil off the country\’s coast, even as the Trump administration ramps up its naval blockade to cut off revenue streams for President Nicolás Maduro\’s regime. Despite recent high-profile interceptions and pursuits by US forces, oil loadings have persisted at a near-normal […]
Continue ReadingIn the volatile world of global energy markets, the sight of surging oil barrels floating at sea has sent shockwaves through traders and investors. As of late 2025, global crude supplies have ballooned, with an estimated 1.3 billion barrels of \”oil on water\”—the highest level since April 2020 and a staggering 30% increase from August. […]
Continue ReadingIn a bold escalation of tensions between the United States and Venezuela, the Trump administration has intercepted a second oil tanker amid an ongoing blockade aimed at crippling the Maduro regime\’s oil exports. On December 20, 2025, the US Coast Guard seized the supertanker named Centuries in the Caribbean Sea, shortly after it departed from […]
Continue ReadingThe global energy landscape has long been shadowed by the so-called \”shadow fleet\”—a network of aging, often poorly maintained tankers that evade international sanctions to transport oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from countries like Russia, Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela. These vessels, frequently operating under opaque ownership and false flags, have allowed sanctioned regimes to […]
Continue ReadingWhat a week in the oil and gas markets. We have Dark Fleet Tankers over the weekend rolling up on Venezuela to be filled up, and Michael Tanner and Stu Turley talk about it on the Sunday release of the Energy News Beat Stand Up. Stu points out that President Trump needs to pay attention, […]
Continue ReadingWhat a week in the oil and gas markets. We have Dark Fleet Tankers over the weekend rolling up on Venezuela to be filled up, and Michael Tanner and Stu Turley talk about it on the Sunday release of the Energy News Beat Stand Up. Stu points out that President Trump needs to pay attention, […]
Continue ReadingENB Pub Note: This was originally published on the Hot Take of the Day Substack by David Ramsden-Wood, or as I call him, \”DRW\”. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my podcasts with DRW, and he has been a great friend to the Energy News Beat Channel. We highly recommend subscribing to his Substack. I […]
Continue ReadingIn a bold escalation of U.S. policy toward Venezuela, President Donald Trump has ordered a \”total and complete blockade\” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country. The announcement, made via Truth Social, comes amid rising tensions over Venezuela\’s use of shadowy \”dark fleet\” vessels to evade international sanctions and export crude oil, […]
Continue ReadingVenezuela, home to the world\’s largest proven oil reserves, has long been a pivotal player in global energy dynamics. However, years of political turmoil, economic mismanagement, and stringent U.S. sanctions have crippled its oil industry, reducing production from peaks of around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in the mid-2010s to roughly 900,000 bpd today. […]
Continue ReadingIn a bold display of defiance against US sanctions, two shadowy supertankers—operating under the pseudonyms \”Crag\” and \”Galaxy 3\”—have docked at Venezuela\’s Jose port to load nearly 4 million barrels of Merey 16 crude oil destined for Asia. These vessels, part of the infamous \”dark fleet\” used to evade international restrictions, highlight the ongoing cat-and-mouse […]
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