TRIG

Falcon Oil & Gas and its partner Tamboran have completed stimulation of the SS2-1H horizontal well in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, a key step ahead of initial production tests expected in early 2026.
Maxeon Solar Technologies has launched a new legal action against Aiko Solar and its European distributors over alleged infringement of a key back contact photovoltaic technology patent.

EDF power solutions secures 250 MW battery contract in Germany

The group has won a strategic project with operator Amprion to deploy five 50 MW batteries to ease pressure on the German power grid and optimise electricity transmission.
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Vena Energy has begun construction of a 408 MWh battery energy storage system in Tailem Bend, marking a new phase in the deployment of its infrastructure in Australia.
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.

Saudi Arabia grants $60mn loan to expand Mauritania’s power transmission network

Mauritania secures Saudi financing to build a key section of the “Hope Line” as part of its national plan to expand electricity transmission infrastructure inland.
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Vena Group has finalised a landmark foreign currency financing for its Opus solar project in the Philippines, marking a major milestone for cross-border investments in energy.
Technip Energies has secured a detailed engineering contract for a carbon capture and storage project led by PTTEP, marking a key industrial milestone in the Gulf of Thailand.

How RESourceEU works, the European plan to secure critical raw materials

RESourceEU introduces direct European Union intervention on critical raw materials via stockpiling, joint purchasing and export restrictions to reduce external dependency and secure strategic industrial chains.
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China reduces its mining presence in Canada and Greenland, constrained by hostile regulatory frameworks, and consolidates public investments in Arctic Russia to secure strategic supplies.
Gasunie Netherlands and Gasunie Germany have selected six industrial suppliers under a European tender to supply pipelines for future natural gas, hydrogen and CO₂ networks.

Norway consults 22 municipalities about hosting nuclear waste facilities

Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning is surveying 22 localities to assess their interest in hosting storage facilities for radioactive waste from the country’s former research reactors.
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The US administration is delaying the publication of the 2026 Renewable Fuel Standard quotas, bundling several sensitive issues into a single negotiation that extends regulatory and contractual instability for refining and biofuel sectors.
The ban on Russian liquefied natural gas requires a legal re-evaluation of LNG contracts, where force majeure, change-in-law and logistical restrictions are now major sources of disputes and contractual repricing.

Voltalia secures 68 megawatts of solar in Italy with 20-year guaranteed tariff

Voltalia strengthens its presence in Italy with four solar projects awarded under the FERX tender, securing stable revenues over two decades for a total capacity of 68 megawatts.
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Q ENERGY has announced the entry of three local and citizen-based partners into the capital of the Ventajou wind farm, marking its first strategic equity opening to institutional and community investors.
French developer Akuo has completed three crowdfunding campaigns to support its solar power plants in Côte-d’Or, raising a total of €5.15mn ($5.57mn) exclusively from local stakeholders.

The United States reduces state power over interstate gas pipelines

The US House adopts a reform that weakens state veto power over gas pipeline projects by strengthening the federal role of FERC and accelerating environmental permitting.
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The third National Low-Carbon Strategy enters its final consultation phase before its 2026 adoption, defining France’s emissions reduction trajectory through 2050 with sector-specific and industrial targets.
The Turkish president suggested to Vladimir Putin a limited ceasefire targeting Ukrainian ports and energy facilities to reduce risks to strategic assets and pave the way for negotiations.
The Rapid Support Forces have taken Heglig, Sudan’s largest oil site, halting production and increasing risks to regional crude export flows.
The rehabilitation cost of Sonara, Cameroon’s only refinery, has now reached XAF300bn (USD533mn), with several international banks showing growing interest in financing the project.

China’s oil imports reach two-year high

China imported 12.38 million barrels per day in November, the highest level since August 2023, driven by stronger refining margins and anticipation of 2026 quotas.
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The United States reaffirmed its military commitment to Guyana, effectively securing access to its rapidly expanding oil production amid persistent border tensions with Venezuela.
Sanctioned tanker Kairos, abandoned after a Ukrainian drone attack, ran aground off Bulgaria’s coast, exposing growing legal and operational risks tied to Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea.

Washington will oversee the sale of Lukoil stations until April 2026

The United States is temporarily licensing Lukoil’s operations outside Russia, blocking all financial flows to Moscow while facilitating the supervised sale of a portfolio valued at $22bn, without disrupting supply for allied countries.
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Libya’s state oil firm NOC plans to launch a licensing round for 20 blocks in early 2026, amid mounting legal, political and financial uncertainties for international investors.
European sanctions on Russia and refinery outages in the Middle East have sharply reduced global diesel supply, driving up refining margins in key markets.

La Serbie anticipe un choc économique après la mise à l’arrêt de sa raffinerie

L’arrêt de la raffinerie de Pancevo, frappée par des sanctions américaines contre ses actionnaires russes, menace les recettes fiscales, l’emploi et la stabilité énergétique de la Serbie.
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Oil prices climbed, driven by Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure and the lack of diplomatic progress between Moscow and Washington over the Ukraine conflict.
Chevron has announced a capital expenditure range of $18 to $19 billion for 2026, focusing on upstream operations in the United States and high-potential international offshore projects.

ExxonMobil shuts down steam cracker in Singapore and redirects assets to China

ExxonMobil is shutting down its oldest ethylene steam cracker in Singapore, reducing local capacity to invest in its integrated Huizhou complex in China, amid regional overcapacity and rising operational costs.
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Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and Argentina are expected to provide a growing share of non-OPEC+ oil supply, backed by massive offshore investments and continued exploration momentum.
The revocation of US licences limits European companies’ operations in Venezuela, triggering a collapse in crude oil imports and a reconfiguration of bilateral energy flows.

Bourbon secures five-year contract with ExxonMobil for Angola’s Block 15

Bourbon has signed an agreement with ExxonMobil for the charter of next-generation Crewboats on Angola’s Block 15, strengthening a strategic cooperation that began over 15 years ago.
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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.