Russia’s crude oil and condensate exports have declined slightly since 2022, but the bigger shift has come in where those barrels are going, according to new analysis released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Aug. 7.
Tullow now expects output of 40,000-45,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) for the year, down from 50,000-55,000 boepd projected earlier. It reported an average production of 40.6 kboepd in the first half, excluding Gabon.
In a later statement, India’s foreign ministry said that oil import decisions were “based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4bn people of India”. A spokesperson for the ministry said that “It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest. We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
Chinese coal purchases for the first half of 2025 were down by 11% from a year ago, to 221.7 million tons. Imports for the full year are set to be between 50 million tons and 100 million tons lower compared to 2024, the local industry association, China Coal Transportation and Distribution Association, said last month. Factors affecting imports include the real estate sector crisis, weaker industrial growth, and the increase in domestic production.
The tariff would aim to reshape the global semiconductor supply chain by incentivizing onshore production. Notable companies such as Apple, already committing over $100 billion in additional U.S. investments (bringing their total pledge to $500 billion), are being touted as major beneficiaries of this carve?out. Major chipmakers like TSMC—with its new Arizona fab—and Samsung, as well as SK Hynix, are also expected to qualify for exemptions given their current or planned production footprints in the U.S.
The total U.S. rig count dropped by two week on week and now stands at 540, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was released on August 1. Of the total U.S. rig count of 540, 525 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 13 are categorized as offshore rigs, and two are categorized as inland water rigs, the count revealed. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 410 oil rigs, 124 gas rigs, and six miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which highlighted that the U.S. total comprises 471 horizontal rigs, 54 directional rigs, and 15 vertical rigs.
“The Argos expansion underpins our commitment to investing in America, growing our US offshore energy production safely and efficiently,” Andy Krieger, BP’s senior vice president for the Gulf of America and Canada, said. “This project also kicks off a period of significant growth for BP in the Gulf of America, which will continue to play a critical role in delivering secure and reliable energy the world needs today and tomorrow”.
The Nanushuk play in the Pikka Unit represents one of the largest conventional oil discoveries made in the USA in the last 30 years, and the Pikka Phase 1 project is the most significant development on Alaska’s North Slope in more than 20 years, according to the company. Pikka has low emissions intensity, placing it in the top quartile of oil and gas development projects globally for greenhouse gas emissions performance, the company said.
The conduit is set to be the costliest since the $7.85 billion Mountain Valley Pipeline announced in 2014, said Oren Pilant, an analyst at East Daley Analytics. Energy Transfer is evaluating more than doubling the capacity of the project amid stronger-than-expected interest from prospective clients, Co-Chief Executive Officer Tom Long said during a conference call late Wednesday.
First E&P signed a deal with the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corp. last month for the technical assessment and potential development of the Mnazi Bay North Block in southern Tanzania, near fields where vast gas reserves were found in Mozambique.