Fossil Energy

Venezuelan state oil group PDVSA claims it was targeted by a cyberattack attributed to foreign interests, with no impact on main operations, amid rising tensions with the United States.
BUTEC has finalised the financing of a 50 MW emergency power project in Burkina Faso, structured under a BOOT contract and backed by Banque Centrale Populaire Group.

BW Energy signs 10-year lease for Maromba B platform with MSFL

BW Energy has signed a long-term lease agreement with Minsheng Financial Leasing for its Maromba B platform, covering $274mn of the project’s CAPEX, with no payments due before first oil.
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Shell will restart offshore exploration on Namibia’s PEL 39 block in April 2026 with a five-well drilling programme targeting previously discovered zones, despite a recent $400mn impairment.
Iranian authorities intercepted a vessel suspected of fuel smuggling off the coast of the Gulf of Oman, with 18 South Asian crew members on board, according to official sources.

Harbour Energy to acquire Waldorf’s UK assets for $170mn

Harbour Energy will acquire Waldorf Energy Partners’ North Sea assets for $170mn, increasing its stakes in the Catcher and Kraken fields, while Capricorn Energy settles part of its claims.
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The Big Beautiful Gulf 1 sale attracted more than $300mn in investments, with a focused strategy led by BP, Chevron and Woodside on high-yield blocks.
The United States intercepted an oil tanker loaded with Venezuelan crude and imposed new sanctions on maritime entities, increasing pressure on Nicolas Maduro’s regime and its commercial networks in the Caribbean.

OPEC+ forecasts tight balance between oil supply and demand in 2026

OPEC expects crude demand from its members to reach 43 million barrels per day in 2026, nearly matching current OPEC+ output, contrasting with oversupply forecasts from other institutions.
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The United States seized a vessel suspected of transporting sanctioned oil from Iran and Venezuela, prompting a strong reaction from Nicolás Maduro's government.
The International Energy Agency lowers its global oil supply forecast for 2026 while slightly raising demand growth expectations amid improved macroeconomic conditions.

South Sudan secures Heglig border oilfield after tripartite military agreement

South Sudanese authorities have been granted responsibility for securing the strategic Heglig oilfield following an agreement with both warring parties in Sudan.
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TotalEnergies acquires a 40% operated interest in the offshore PEL83 license, marking a strategic move in Namibia with the Mopane oil field, while Galp secures stakes in two other promising blocks.
BOURBON will provide maritime services to ExxonMobil Guyana for five years starting in 2026, marking a key step in the logistical development of the Guyanese offshore basin.

Viridien launches seismic reimaging programme over block 22 in Angola

Viridien has launched a 4,300 sq km seismic reimaging programme over Angola’s offshore block 22 to support the country’s upcoming licensing round in the Kwanza Basin.
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Shell restructures its stake in the Caspian pipeline by exiting the joint venture with Rosneft, with Kremlin approval, to comply with sanctions while maintaining access to Kazakh crude.
Shell acquires 60% of Block 2C in the Orange Basin, commits to drilling three wells and paying a $25mn signing bonus to PetroSA, pending regulatory approval in South Africa.

Trump maintient l’alliance avec l’OPEP malgré la pression sur Caracas

Malgré la pression exercée sur le gouvernement vénézuélien, Washington ne cherche pas à exclure Caracas de l’OPEP, misant sur une influence indirecte au sein du cartel pour défendre ses intérêts énergétiques.
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Kazakhstan redirects part of its oil production to China following the drone attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal, without a full export halt.
US investment bank Xtellus Partners has submitted a plan to the US Treasury to recover frozen Lukoil holdings for investors by selling the Russian company’s international assets.
Faced with tighter legal frameworks and reinforced sanctions, grey fleet operators are turning to 15-year-old VLCCs and scrapping older vessels to secure oil routes to Asia.
Reconnaissance Energy Africa completed drilling at the Kavango West 1X onshore well in Namibia, where 64 metres of net hydrocarbon pay were detected in the Otavi carbonate section.

CNOOC launches production at Weizhou 11-4 oilfield in South China Sea

CNOOC Limited has started production at the Weizhou 11-4 oilfield adjustment project and its satellite fields, targeting 16,900 barrels per day by 2026.
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The Adura joint venture merges Shell and Equinor’s UK offshore assets, becoming the leading independent oil and gas producer in the mature North Sea basin.
A Delaware court approved the sale of PDV Holding shares to Elliott’s Amber Energy for $5.9bn, a deal still awaiting a U.S. Treasury licence through OFAC.

Nigeria releases $100mn to accelerate local integration in the oil sector

A new $100mn fund has been launched to support Nigerian oil and gas service companies, as part of a national target to reach 70% local content by 2027.
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Western measures targeting Rosneft and Lukoil deeply reorganise oil trade, triggering a discreet yet massive shift of Russian export routes to Asia without causing global supply disruption.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission opens bidding for 50 exploration blocks across strategic zones to revitalise upstream investment.

Nigeria auctions 50 oil blocks in its 2025 licensing round

La Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission ouvre la compétition pour 50 blocs d’exploration, répartis sur plusieurs zones stratégiques, afin de relancer les investissements dans l’amont pétrolier.
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Serbia's only refinery, operated by NIS, has suspended production due to a shortage of crude oil, a direct consequence of US sanctions imposed on its majority Russian shareholder.
Crude prices increased, driven by rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela and drone attacks targeting Russian oil infrastructure in the Black Sea.

Tullow Oil cuts board size and seeks to refinance $1.8 bn debt

Amid persistent financial losses, Tullow Oil restructures its governance and accelerates efforts to reduce over $1.8 billion in debt while refocusing operations on Ghana.
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The Iraqi government is inviting US oil companies to bid for control of the giant West Qurna 2 field, previously operated by Russian group Lukoil, now under US sanctions.
Two tankers under the Gambian flag were attacked in the Black Sea near Turkish shores, prompting a firm response from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on growing risks to regional energy transport.

Harbour Energy to cut 100 offshore jobs over sustained fiscal conflict

The British producer continues to downsize its North Sea operations, citing an uncompetitive tax regime and a strategic shift towards jurisdictions offering greater regulatory stability.
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Dangote Refinery says it can fully meet Nigeria’s petrol demand from December, while requesting regulatory, fiscal and logistical support to ensure delivery.
BP reactivated the Olympic pipeline, critical to fuel supply in the U.S. Northwest, after a leak that led to a complete shutdown and emergency declarations in Oregon and Washington state.

Washington increases military pressure on Caracas as Maduro alerts Opec

President Donald Trump confirmed direct contact with Nicolas Maduro as tensions escalate, with Caracas denouncing a planned US operation targeting its oil resources.
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Zenith Energy claims Tunisian authorities carried out the unauthorised sale of stored crude oil, escalating a longstanding commercial dispute over its Robbana and El Bibane concessions.
TotalEnergies restructures its stake in offshore licences PPL 2000 and PPL 2001 by bringing in Chevron at 40%, while retaining operatorship, as part of a broader refocus of its deepwater portfolio in Nigeria.