Russia

Sonatrach launches its 2026–2030 plan to support gas investments

In response to rising domestic demand, Sonatrach adopts a five-year plan focused on increasing production, securing infrastructure, and maintaining export commitments.

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.
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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.

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.
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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.

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.
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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.

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.
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Iran offers support to Venezuela after oil tankers seized by Washington

Caracas says Iran has offered reinforced cooperation after the interception of two ships carrying Venezuelan crude, amid escalating tensions with the United States.

Venezuelan oil: Caracas maintains exports despite US naval blockade

The Venezuelan national oil company has confirmed the continuity of its crude exports, as the United States enforces a maritime blockade targeting sanctioned vessels operating around the country.

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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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.

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.
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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.

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.

Chinese refineries cut Iranian crude purchases by 46% in September

Import quotas exhaustion and falling demand push Chinese independent refineries to sharply reduce Iranian crude volumes, affecting supply levels and putting downward pressure on prices.

US sanctions hit NIS, a key player in Serbia’s oil market

Serbian oil company NIS, partially owned by Gazprom, faces newly enforced US sanctions after a nine-month reprieve, testing the country's fuel supply chain.

Russia increases oil production and nears OPEC+ quota

Russian oil output moved closer to its OPEC+ allocation in September, with a steady rise confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
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Russia formally exits bilateral nuclear agreement with the United States

The State Duma has approved Russia’s formal withdrawal from a treaty signed with the United States on the elimination of military-grade plutonium, ending over two decades of strategic nuclear cooperation.

Oil rises 1.3% after limited OPEC+ output increase

Crude prices rose following the decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies to increase production only marginally in November, despite ongoing signs of oversupply.

Ukraine plans to increase gas imports by 30% after Russian strikes

The Ukrainian government is preparing to raise natural gas imports by 30% to offset damage to its energy infrastructure and ensure supply continuity during the winter season.
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Belarus quadruples fuel exports to Russia in September

Rail shipments of Belarusian gasoline to Russia surged in September as Moscow sought to offset fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure.

Tusk refuses to hand over Ukrainian suspect to Germany over Nord Stream sabotage

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was not in Poland’s interest to extradite to Germany a Ukrainian citizen suspected of taking part in the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022.

Denmark strengthens maritime controls at Skagen Strait amid Russian shadow fleet activity

Denmark is intensifying inspections of ships passing through Skagen, a strategic point linking the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, to counter the risks posed by the Russian shadow fleet transporting sanctioned oil.
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Algeria commits $60 billion to strengthen its energy strategy by 2029

Algeria plans to allocate $60 billion to energy projects by 2029, primarily targeting upstream oil and gas, while developing petrochemicals, renewables and unconventional resources.

China opts for quarterly thermal coal contracts with Indonesia for 2026

Chinese buyers begin negotiations for 2026 thermal coal deliveries, favouring shorter contracts to maintain flexibility in a stable price environment.

Ukrainian strike cuts power to 5,400 homes in Belgorod region

A night-time attack on Belgorod’s power grid left thousands without electricity, according to Russian local authorities, despite partial service restoration the following morning.
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Opec+ raises production by 137,000 barrels per day in November

Opec+ slightly adjusts its quotas for November, continuing its market share recovery strategy amid stagnant global demand and a pressured market.

Beijing transfers up to $8.4bn to Iran through parallel oil network

China has established a clandestine oil-for-projects barter system to circumvent US sanctions and support Iran’s embargoed economy, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal investigation.

Project InnerSpace unveils GeoMap in the Middle East with 14,000 GW geothermal potential

The new GeoMap tool identifies vast geothermal potential in the Middle East, notably for urban cooling, long-duration storage, and large-scale power generation.
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OPEC+ prepares new production hike amid rift between Riyadh and Moscow

Eight OPEC+ countries are set to increase oil output from November, as Saudi Arabia and Russia debate the scale of the hike amid rising competition for market share.

Hungary secures 10-year LNG contract with Engie through 2038

Hungary has signed a ten-year agreement with Engie for the annual import of 400 mn m³ of liquefied natural gas starting in 2028, reinforcing its energy diversification strategy despite its ongoing reliance on Russian gas.

China could supply gasoline to Russia if Moscow removes import duties

The potential removal by Moscow of duties on Chinese gasoline revives export prospects and could tighten regional supply, while Singapore and South Korea remain on the sidelines.
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Russian strike cuts power to Chernobyl site, reigniting nuclear safety concerns

The containment structure over Chernobyl’s destroyed reactor lost power after a Russian strike, as Zaporizhzhia remains cut off from external electricity for over a week.

Russia strikes 95 targets and severely damages Ukrainian gas sites

An unprecedented overnight offensive targeted gas infrastructure in Ukraine, damaging several key facilities in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions, according to Ukrainian authorities.