Esso-ExxonMobil refinery fire

In September 2025, French road fuel consumption rose by 3%, driven by a rebound in unleaded fuels, while overall energy petroleum product consumption fell by 1.8% year-on-year.
Société Ivoirienne de Raffinage receives major funding to upgrade facilities and produce diesel fuel in line with ECOWAS standards, with commissioning expected by 2029.

Mongolia plans to launch its first oil refinery in 2028 with India’s support

India is funding Mongolia’s first oil refinery through its largest line of credit, with operations scheduled to begin by 2028, according to official sources.
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Aramco CEO Amin Nasser warns of growing consumption still dominated by hydrocarbons, despite massive global energy transition investments.
China imported an average of 11.5 million barrels of crude oil per day in September, supported by higher refining rates among both state-run and independent operators.

Unipec redirects supertanker to Ningbo after US sanctions

The New Vista vessel, loaded with Abu Dhabi crude, avoided Rizhao port after the United States sanctioned the oil terminal partly operated by a Sinopec subsidiary.
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OPEC confirms its global oil demand growth forecasts and anticipates a much smaller deficit for 2026, due to increased production from OPEC+ members.
JANAF is interested in acquiring a 20 to 25% stake in NIS, as the Russian-owned share is now subject to US sanctions.

Washington targets Iranian oil with new sanctions on phantom fleet

The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on more than 50 entities linked to Iranian oil exports, targeting Chinese refineries and vessels registered in Asia and Africa.
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Khartoum et Juba annoncent un mécanisme commun pour protéger les oléoducs transfrontaliers, sans clarifier le rôle des forces armées non étatiques qui contrôlent une partie des installations.
The Namibian government signed an agreement with McDermott to strengthen local skills in offshore engineering and operations, aiming to increase oil sector local content to 15% by 2030.

Nigeria inaugurates its first publicly funded floating oil terminal

Nigeria deploys a 2.2 million-barrel floating storage unit funded by public investment, strengthening sovereignty over oil exports and reducing losses from theft and infrastructure failures.
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Despite open statements of dialogue, the federal government maintains an ambiguous regulatory framework that hinders interprovincial oil projects, leaving the industry in doubt.
Canada’s Sintana Energy acquires Challenger Energy in a $61mn all-share deal, targeting offshore exploration in Namibia and Uruguay. The move highlights growing consolidation among independent oil exploration firms.

Exxon restarts catalytic cracking unit in Beaumont after technical failure

The 120,000-barrel-per-day catalytic cracking unit at the Beaumont site resumed operations after an unexpected shutdown caused by a technical incident earlier in the week.
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An agreement was reached between Khartoum and Juba to protect key oil installations, as ongoing armed conflict continues to threaten crude flows vital to both economies.
Alnaft has signed two study agreements with Omani firm Petrogas E&P on the Touggourt and Berkine basins, aiming to update hydrocarbon potential in key oil-producing areas.

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.
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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.
US-based Chevron appoints Kevin McLachlan, a veteran of TotalEnergies, as its global head of exploration, in a strategic move targeting Nigeria, Angola and Namibia.
A major fire has been extinguished at Chevron’s main refinery on the US West Coast. The cause of the incident remains unknown, and an investigation has been launched to determine its origin.
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.

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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Vladimir Putin responded to the interception of a tanker suspected of belonging to the Russian shadow fleet, calling the French operation “piracy” and denying any direct Russian involvement.
After being intercepted by the French navy, the Boracay oil tanker, linked to Russia's shadow fleet, left Saint-Nazaire with its oil cargo, reigniting tensions over Moscow’s circumvention of European sanctions.

Russian crude exports hit 18-month high despite sanctions pressure

Russian seaborne crude shipments surged in September to their highest level since April 2024, despite G7 sanctions and repeated drone strikes on refinery infrastructure.
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Russia’s Energy Ministry stated it is not considering blocking diesel exports from producers, despite increasing pressure on domestic fuel supply.
TotalEnergies has reached a deal to sell mature offshore oil fields in the North Sea to Vår Energi as part of a $3.5bn divestment plan aimed at easing its rising debt.

Russia extends ban on gasoline and diesel exports until 2025

The Russian government has extended the ban on gasoline and diesel exports, including fuels traded on the exchange, to preserve domestic market stability through the end of next year.
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OPEC has formally rejected media reports suggesting that eight OPEC+ countries plan a coordinated oil production increase ahead of their scheduled meeting on October 5.
International Petroleum Corporation has completed its annual common share repurchase programme, reducing its share capital by 6.2% and is planning a renewal in December, pending regulatory approval.

Kansai EPCO to decommission 1.2GW of oil-fired capacity at Gobo by June 2026

Kansai Electric Power plans to shut down two heavy fuel oil units at Gobo Thermal Power Station, totalling 1.2GW of capacity, as part of a production portfolio reorganisation.
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Canada’s Questerre partners with Nimofast to develop PX Energy in Brazil, with an initial commitment of up to $50mn and equal, shared governance.
BP commits $5 billion to Tiber-Guadalupe, with a floating platform targeting 80,000 barrels per day and first production in 2030, to increase its offshore volumes in the Gulf of Mexico.

Russian oil and gas revenues seen falling to $206.1bn in 2025

Russia projects a 12.5% contraction in oil and gas revenues in 2025, before a gradual recovery through 2028, according to official economic projections.
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Baker Hughes will supply up to 50 subsea trees and associated equipment to Petrobras to support offshore production in Brazil, strengthening its role in the development of pre-salt fields.
Driven by rising global energy consumption and exploration investments, the oilfield service equipment market is expected to grow at a 5.39% CAGR to reach $36.87bn by 2031.

US sanctions against NIS postponed by eight days, says Belgrade

US sanctions against Serbian oil company NIS, owned by Gazprom, were delayed by eight days after talks between Belgrade and Washington, President Aleksandar Vucic said.
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Nigeria’s oil union ordered the suspension of gas and crude deliveries to Dangote refinery following the dismissal of hundreds of local workers, escalating an industrial dispute with potential supply impacts.
Vitol strengthens its presence in West Africa by acquiring a 30% stake in the Baleine oil field from Eni, while maintaining an active role in the country’s offshore development.