Energy

The Trump administration’s unprecedented 25% tariff on buyers of Venezuelan oil could become a model for pressuring other sanctioned nations, including Russia and Iran, analysts say—marking a shift from targeted sanctions to broad economic penalties with global ripple effects. Key Developments:New Sanctions Tool: Trump’s executive order leverages the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) […]

OPEC+ is expected to move forward with a planned oil production increase in May, despite ongoing efforts to enforce compliance among members who previously exceeded output quotas, according to four sources familiar with the matter. The group, which includes OPEC, Russia, and allied producers, is scheduled to boost output by 135,000 barrels per day (bpd) […]

U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated economic pressure on Venezuela by imposing a 25% tariff on countries purchasing its oil, while granting Chevron an extended deadline to phase out operations in the sanctioned nation. The move, announced via executive order on Monday, targets buyers of Venezuelan crude—particularly China, India, and European nations—and takes effect April […]

New U.S. sanctions targeting a Chinese refinery and tankers involved in Iranian oil trade are expected to temporarily reduce China’s imports of discounted Iranian crude, but traders predict buyers will find workarounds to maintain flows. The sanctions, announced Thursday, mark the fourth round under President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at curbing Tehran’s oil […]

Kazakhstan’s oil production surged to a record 2.16 million barrels per day (bpd) in March, exceeding its OPEC+ quota by nearly 400,000 bpd, according to industry sources and Reuters calculations. The increase, driven by expanded output at major fields operated by U.S. firms like Chevron and Exxon Mobil, has sparked tensions within the OPEC+ alliance. […]

The North American biofuels industry is scaling back production as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and uncertainty over green fuel subsidies create market turmoil. U.S. and Canadian biofuel producers, facing rising costs and shrinking margins, are idling plants and shelving expansion projects, threatening rural economies and decarbonization efforts. Key Developments: Production Cuts: U.S. biodiesel […]

David Copley, a former executive at Newmont Mining (NEM.N), has been appointed to oversee the mining portfolio for the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council, sources confirmed. The council, established by President Donald Trump last month, aims to boost domestic production of oil, gas, and critical minerals like lithium and copper, reducing reliance on China’s near-monopoly […]

A sudden disconnection of 60 data centers in Virginia’s “Data Center Alley” last July exposed critical vulnerabilities in the U.S. power grid, as the incident nearly triggered cascading blackouts. The facilities, consuming electricity equivalent to Boston, switched to on-site generators during a voltage fluctuation, overwhelming the grid with excess power and forcing operators PJM and […]

The Trump administration’s plan to impose port fees of up to $1.5 million per visit on ships built in China or operated by fleets with Chinese vessels is disrupting U.S. coal and agricultural exports, industry leaders warn. The proposed fees, aimed at reviving domestic shipbuilding, have already led to shrinking vessel availability, inflated costs, and […]

John Sneed, the head of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) under former President Donald Trump, will depart this week after a brief extension of his transitional role. Sneed, who previously served as chief of staff to Trump’s Energy Secretary Rick Perry, oversaw financing for nuclear energy and a controversial $1.67 billion […]