Public Investment

Canadian group North Atlantic will acquire ExxonMobil’s stake in Esso France, including the country’s second-largest refinery, with the ownership change expected by the end of 2025.
Ghana’s only refinery is preparing to resume operations after a prolonged shutdown caused by technical and financial issues, with a restart scheduled for October according to its management.

BP delays global oil demand peak to 2030

BP revises its annual forecast and now expects global oil demand to grow until 2030, due to slower worldwide energy efficiency gains.
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The Liberian government awarded four offshore oil blocks to Nigerian company Atlas-Oranto for $12 million, strengthening the regional presence of African junior players in offshore exploration.
Oil companies are preparing for a tough 2026 with lower investments, focusing on financial discipline and cash flow redistribution at the expense of low-return projects.

North Atlantic signs to acquire Esso S.A.F. from ExxonMobil before end of 2025

North Atlantic finalises agreement to acquire ExxonMobil’s stake in Esso S.A.F., marking a decisive step in a strategic transfer in France. Completion remains subject to regulatory approvals expected this quarter.
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A technical dispute between Hungarian group MOL and Croatian operator Janaf raises doubts about the Adriatic pipeline's ability to supply oil to Hungary and Slovakia.
Commercial crude inventories in the United States declined unexpectedly, as analysts had forecast an increase, amid rising imports and falling exports.

Azerbaijan arrests former SOCAR executive for embezzlement and economic threat

Adnan Ahmadzada, a former senior figure at SOCAR, has been placed in pre-trial detention in Baku on suspicion of large-scale embezzlement and threatening the country's economic security.
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The European Commission is considering targeted tariffs on Russian oil imports still allowed in Hungary and Slovakia, in an effort to bypass existing exemptions.
Eight oil companies and Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have reached a preliminary deal to restart crude exports via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, halted since March 2023.

Wood Mackenzie partners with Novi to strengthen analysis of 4.4 million Lower 48 wells

Wood Mackenzie has entered into a strategic partnership with Novi Labs to integrate proprietary well-level production data and advanced lease-to-well algorithms into its Lens Lower 48 solution, covering more than 20% of global oil and gas supply.
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PetroTal has temporarily halted production from four wells at the Bretana field in Peru, following technical leaks affecting pumping performance, while keeping its annual guidance unchanged.
International Petroleum Corporation repurchased 59,454 common shares between 15 and 19 September, under its ongoing share buyback programme compliant with Canadian and European regulations.

European Union targets 118 tankers and two Russian giants in its 19th sanctions package

The European Commission seeks to block Russian oil flows through new bans targeting Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, foreign refineries and vessels operating outside the regulatory framework.
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Caracas steps up its military posture in response to the United States’ naval deployment in the Caribbean, which the Venezuelan government accuses of having strategic designs on its oil and gas resources.
A UN report reveals that nearly 90% of road projects financed by oil never materialised, fuelling surging poverty amid extreme inflation and poor management.

Sinopec invests in Xinjiang petrochemical expansion with a $2.85bn project

Sinopec modernises its Tahe complex, increasing refining capacity and adding key units to support petrochemical production in western China.
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TotalEnergies has signed four production sharing contracts for offshore blocks covering 12,700 km² off the coast of Liberia, marking a new step in the expansion of its activities in West Africa.
A new analysis estimates that existing oil fields could yield up to 1,000 billion additional barrels without major new discoveries, using proven methods supported by artificial intelligence.
Nigeria’s two main oil unions have halted loadings at the Dangote refinery, contesting the rollout of a private logistics fleet that could reshape the sector’s balance.
Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. enters Gabonese offshore with a strategic contract on the Ngulu block, expanding its portfolio with immediate production potential and long-term development opportunities.

BW Energy raises $365mn for Maromba FPSO and secures drilling rig

BW Energy has finalised a $365mn financing for the conversion of the Maromba FPSO offshore Brazil and signed a short-term lease for a drilling rig with Minsheng Financial Leasing.
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Vantage Drilling has finalised a major commercial agreement for the deployment of the Platinum Explorer, with a 260-day offshore mission starting in Q1 2026.
Permex Petroleum has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Chisos Ltd. for potential funding of up to $25mn to develop its oil assets in the Permian Basin.

OPEC+ approves 137,000 barrels/day increase starting in October

OPEC+ begins a new phase of gradual production increases, starting to lift 1.65 million barrels/day of voluntary cuts after the early conclusion of a 2.2 million barrels/day phaseout.
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Imperial Petroleum expanded its fleet to 19 vessels in the second quarter of 2025, while reporting a decline in revenue due to lower rates in the maritime oil market.
Eight OPEC+ members will meet to adjust their quotas as forecasts point to a global surplus of 3 million barrels per day by year-end.

Greek shipowners cut Russian crude links under new compliance rules

Greek shipping companies are gradually withdrawing from transporting Russian crude as the European Union tightens compliance conditions on price caps.
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A key station on the Stalnoy Kon pipeline, essential for transporting petroleum products between Belarus and Russia, was targeted in a drone strike carried out by Ukrainian forces in Bryansk Oblast.
SOMO is negotiating with ExxonMobil to secure storage and refining access in Singapore, aiming to strengthen Iraq’s position in expanding Asian markets.

European Union redefines import rules for UK oil and gas

The European Union’s new import standard forces the United Kingdom to make major adjustments to its oil and gas exports, impacting competitiveness and trade flows between the two markets.
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The United Kingdom is set to replace the Energy Profits Levy with a new fiscal mechanism, caught between fairness and simplicity, as the British Continental Shelf continues to decline.
The Italian government is demanding assurances on fuel supply security before approving the sale of Italiana Petroli to Azerbaijan's state-owned energy group SOCAR, as negotiations continue.

Dangote refinery forced to suspend gasoline production for several weeks

The Dangote complex has halted its main gasoline unit for an estimated two to three months, disrupting its initial exports to the United States.
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Rosneft Germany announces the resumption of oil deliveries to the PCK refinery, following repairs to the Druzhba pipeline hit by a drone strike in Russia that disrupted Kazakh supply.
CNOOC has launched production at the Wenchang 16-2 field in the South China Sea, supported by 15 development wells and targeting a plateau of 11,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2027.

Viridien and TGS launch 5,300 km² 3D seismic survey offshore Brazil

Viridien and TGS have started a new 3D multi-client seismic survey in Brazil’s Barreirinhas Basin, an offshore zone still unexplored but viewed as strategic for oil exploration.
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Taiwan accuses China of illegally installing twelve oil structures in the South China Sea, fuelling tensions over disputed territorial sovereignty.
Chevron has reached a preliminary agreement with Angola’s national hydrocarbons agency to explore block 33/24, located in deep waters near already productive zones.