Russia

Storm in the Black Sea halts crude shipments at CPC terminal

Caspian Pipeline Consortium suspended loading and intake operations due to a storm and full storage capacity.

Russian gas exports to Europe fall to 18 bcm, lowest level since the 1970s

Pipeline natural gas deliveries from Russia to the European Union dropped by 44% in 2025, reaching their lowest level in five decades following the end of transit via Ukraine.

Turkey targets offshore deal with Syria in 2026 for energy exploration

Ankara is preparing a maritime exploration agreement with Damascus for 2026, marking a new phase in bilateral energy cooperation following a diplomatic rapprochement launched in 2025.
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Lithuania extends gas transit to Kaliningrad until 2030

Amber Grid has signed an agreement to maintain gas transit to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, with a daily capacity cap of 10.5 mn m³ until the end of 2030, under a framework regulated by the European Union.

TPAO, MOL and ORLEN expand Libyan presence ahead of 2026 energy summit

Turkish, Hungarian and Polish national companies confirm participation in Tripoli's summit as Libya revives upstream investments and broadens licensing opportunities.

Russia provides $9bn for Turkey’s Akkuyu nuclear power plant

Ankara confirmed new Russian funding for the Akkuyu project, Turkey’s first nuclear site, strengthening its energy ties with Moscow and advancing its domestic nuclear ambitions.
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Woodside signs nine-year LNG supply deal with Turkish company BOTAŞ

Australian producer Woodside has signed a binding agreement with Turkish state-owned company BOTAŞ for the delivery of 5.8 billion cubic metres of LNG starting in 2030.

Nigerien junta rejects French accusations over uranium disappearance

Niger’s military regime disputes theft allegations by French prosecutors after uranium stock vanished from a nationalised site previously operated by Orano.

Rosatom confirms HTGR fuel resilience under extreme temperature conditions

Rosatom successfully completed a series of tests on its high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel, validating its performance at up to 1,700 °C under prolonged irradiation conditions.
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Iraq demands foreign companies in Kurdistan hand over their crude oil

Baghdad states that all international companies operating in Kurdistan’s oil fields must transfer their production to state marketer SOMO, under the agreement signed with Erbil in September.

SOCAR delivers 22 fuel wagons to Armenia via Georgia in unprecedented logistical test

A train carrying over 1,200 tonnes of gasoline produced in Azerbaijan entered Armenia on December 19, marking the first commercial operation since recent conflicts, with concrete implications for regional transit.

Holtec and MVM join forces to deploy small nuclear reactors in Hungary

US-based Holtec has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hungary’s energy group MVM to assess the deployment of its SMR-300 technology, strengthening bilateral nuclear cooperation and opening prospects for a new market in Central Europe.
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Chevron strengthens post-Hess strategy and reassures markets on growth

In New York, Chevron outlines its long-term vision following the Hess integration, focusing on financial stability, spending reduction, and record production to consolidate investor confidence.

Sofia secures Lukoil refinery ahead of planned state takeover

The Bulgarian government has increased security around Lukoil’s Burgas refinery ahead of a state-led takeover enabled by new legislation designed to circumvent international sanctions.

India and Russia strengthen nuclear cooperation with new projects

Russia and India are preparing an expanded agreement for the construction of VVER-1200 reactors and modular nuclear power plants, while accelerating work at the strategic Kudankulam site.
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Washington locks in Kazakh tungsten supply and frames its C5+1 bet

The United States secures a tungsten joint venture in Kazakhstan and mining protocols in Uzbekistan, with financing envisaged from the Export-Import Bank of the United States and shipment routed via the Trans-Caspian corridor.

Three U.S. gas basins reshape prices, flows and contracts

Appalachia, Permian and Haynesville each reach the scale of a national producer, anchor the United States’ exportable supply and set regional differentials, LNG arbitrage and compliance constraints across the chain, amid capacity ramp-ups and reinforced sanctions.

Bulgaria passes law to take control of Lukoil refinery

Faced with US sanctions targeting Lukoil, Bulgaria adopts emergency legislation allowing direct control over the Balkans’ largest refinery to secure its energy supply.
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Gunvor drops $22bn bid for Lukoil assets under US pressure

Swiss trader Gunvor has withdrawn its $22bn offer to acquire Lukoil’s international assets after the US Treasury announced it would block any related operating licence.

Trump grants Orban oil exemption in exchange for US gas deal

The United States grants Hungary a one-year waiver on sanctions targeting Russian oil, in return for a commitment to purchase US liquefied natural gas worth $600mn.

Rosneft denounces EU sanctions against Nayara Energy as illegitimate

Russian oil group Rosneft rejects EU sanctions targeting Nayara Energy, in which it holds a 49.13% stake, citing a breach of international law and a threat to India’s energy security.

Europe restricts diesel made from Russian crude, prices surge

The European ban on fuels refined from Russian crude is reshaping import flows, adding pressure to already low inventories and triggering an immediate diesel price rally.

COP30 under pressure: Bonn negotiations reveal persistent divides

Technical discussions in Bonn exposed deep financial rifts between developed and developing countries, raising questions about the COP process’s effectiveness months ahead of the Belém summit.
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Azerbaijani sovereign fund acquires stake in 402 MW solar assets in Italy

SOFAZ acquires 49% of a 14-plant solar portfolio held by Enfinity Global in Lazio and Emilia-Romagna, reinforcing its long-term stable investment strategy.

European Union tightens sanctions on Russian oil to increase diplomatic pressure

The European Union lowers the price cap on Russian crude oil and extends sanctions to vessels and entities involved in circumvention, as coordination with the United States remains pending.

A US-sanctioned LNG vessel docks at Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 terminal

The Voskhod vessel, under US sanctions, docked at the Arctic LNG 2 plant in Russia, marking the second visit by a sanctioned ship to the site this year, according to maritime tracking data.
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OPEC Cuts Forecasts but Anticipates Rising Oil Demand

OPEC slightly adjusts its production forecasts for 2025-2026 while projecting stable global demand growth, leaving OPEC+ significant room to increase supply without destabilizing global oil markets.

European Union struggles to agree on new Russian oil price cap

Talks between European Union member states stall on the adoption of the eighteenth sanctions package targeting Russian oil, due to ongoing disagreements over the proposed price ceiling.

Serbia seeks new US sanctions waiver for NIS amid geopolitical tensions with Russia

Belgrade is engaged in complex negotiations with Washington to obtain a fifth extension of sanctions relief for the Serbian oil company NIS, which is majority-owned by Russian groups.
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European Union finalises agreement to lower Russian oil price cap

European Union ambassadors are close to reaching an agreement on a new sanctions package aimed at reducing the Russian oil price cap, with measures impacting several energy and financial sectors.

Iran Relaunches Nuclear Dialogue to Negotiate with the United States, Russia Supports a No-Enrichment Deal

Tehran agrees to reopen its nuclear facilities to the IAEA, aiming to resume negotiations with Washington, while Moscow pushes for a “zero enrichment” agreement without getting involved in supervision.

Slovakia targets European agreement on end of Russian gas and sanctions by Tuesday

The Slovak government is seeking guarantees from the European Union to secure its supplies as talks continue over ending Russian gas and adopting a new round of sanctions.
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Tatneft Accelerates TANECO’s Transformation with a New Hydrocracking Unit

Commissioning of a 1.2-million-ton hydrocracking unit at the TANECO site confirms the industrial expansion of the complex and its ability to diversify refined fuel production.

EU imposes secrecy on national strategies for Russian gas phase-out

European Union member states have requested to keep their national strategies for phasing out Russian gas by 2027 confidential, citing security concerns and market disruption risks, according to a document revealed by Reuters.

Three researchers win the 2025 Global Energy Prize for technological advances

Three scientists from China, the United States and Russia are laureates of the 2025 Global Energy Prize, honoured for their work on high-voltage power lines, fuel-cell catalysts and pulsed energy technologies.
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Turkey plans to start gas supplies to Syria soon, says energy minister

Turkey has connected its gas grid to Syria’s and plans to begin supplying gas for power generation in the coming weeks, according to Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.

Egypt: Supplementary agreements signed for the El Dabaa nuclear power plant

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi oversaw the signing of new agreements for the construction of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, thus strengthening the strategic cooperation between Egypt and Russia.

Empty reservoir explodes at Lukoil-Perm facility: no casualties reported

An empty reservoir exploded at a Lukoil-Perm oil facility in Russia, causing no injuries according to initial assessments pointing to a chemical reaction with oxygen as the cause of the accident.
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EBRD Lends €400 Million to Moldova to Secure Energy Supply

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development lends €400 million to JSC Energocom to diversify Moldova's gas and electricity supply, historically dependent on Russian imports via Ukraine.

Sonatrach and ENI Seal $1.35 Billion Contract in Algeria

Sonatrach and ENI have signed a $1.35 billion production-sharing agreement aiming to extract 415 million barrels of hydrocarbons in Algeria's Berkine basin, strengthening energy ties between Algiers and Rome.