Oil & Gas

Oil Prices Dip on Tariff Expectations

Despite energy trade being one of the focal points of trade negotiations between the U.S. and its partners, the dominant perception about the effect of tariffs on oil prices is negative. Most analysts point to the effect of tariffs on the economy of countries being “punished” with them, and, consequently, on oil demand.

Hess Relinquishes Block 59 offshore Suriname after Failing to Find Partners

In July 2024 Norway’s majority state-owned Equinor and Texas-based ExxonMobil withdrew from the production sharing contract they signed July 2017 with New York City-based Hess. After 2D and 3D research that involved 6,000 kilometers (3,728.23 miles) and 9,000 square kilometers (3,474.92 square miles) respectively, ExxonMobil and Equinor deemed the risk for drilling an exploration well too high and transferred their stakes to Hess, according to Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname NV.

Petronas Ships First Cargo from LNG Canada to Japan

Announcing its maiden dispatch from the project, Petronas said, “LNG Canada is a critical component of PETRONAS’ global LNG strategy to diversify its supply portfolio and increase market flexibility. Strategically located on Canada’s west coast and connected to PETRONAS’ upstream gas assets in Northeast B.C., LNG Canada offers a direct and efficient shipping corridor to key North Asian markets including Japan, South Korea and China”.

U.S. Department of Energy Warns Risk of Blackouts Is Rising

The North American Reliability Corp. has been warning of blackouts for two years now, citing extreme temperatures but also increased reliance on weather-dependent sources of electricity, notably wind and solar installations. The latest warning came earlier this year, with NERC attributing the danger to the surge in demand for electricity. The surge, in turn, was driven by the proliferation of data centers, which consume enormous amounts of electricity.

China Refuses to Buy Expensive LNG Despite Peak Demand

China’s LNG imports have been trending lower since early this year, with purchases of U.S. LNG suspended entirely amid the tariff spat that President Trump initiated as a means of fixing the United States’ trade deficit with most trade partners. Besides that, a milder winter, weak industrial demand, and higher gas pipeline imports are set to result in the first decline in China’s LNG imports since 2022, according to analysts.