Senate Majority Leader John Thune downplayed the setback, calling it part of the “process.” But Democrats, led by Senator Jeff Merkley, are sharpening their knives: “Democrats will not stand idly by while Republicans attempt to circumvent the rules of reconciliation in order to sell off public lands to fund tax breaks for billionaires.”
Appointed by President John Mahama in consultation with the Council of State, the board is expected to deliver on several key priorities: operational revitalisation, accelerated green transition, human capital development, and strengthened public engagement.
Under the agreement, Cactus will build on its current use of SLB’s Precise™ automated drilling control systems by integrating DrillSync™, SLB’s automated controls platform and software suite. These technologies will work together to improve drilling efficiency, increase equipment utilization and provide real-time data insights for better execution.
The COD follows the achievement of first gas in January 2025, first LNG in February and the lifting of the project’s first LNG cargo in April. Two more cargoes were exported in May and June, and a fourth is currently loading, according to a separate announcement by GTA project partner Kosmos Energy. A fifth cargo is expected to load in Q3 2025.
“And so what is going to happen is that Oman is not going to allow for a unilateral decision to just close that end completely again, like I pointed out, the Chinese had a lot of interest in terms of movements of goods and other services, or, eh, movements of goods more or less to the Chinese and other South Asian countries. And so they also have an interest in ensuring that the passage is not closed,” he said during a discussion on TV3 on Monday, June 23.
That’s what Bjarne Schieldrop, Chief Commodities Analyst at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB), said in an oil report sent to Rigzone by the SEB team on Monday. In the report, Schieldrop highlighted that Brent crossed the $80 per barrel line this morning but noted that it “quickly fell back, assigning limited probability for Iran choosing to close the Strait of Hormuz”.
Cheiron Petroleum Corporation was awarded the North Sitra and East Sidi Barani blocks and will drill four exploration wells. Apache Corporation received West Kanayis-K to support ongoing developments in the Western Desert. Pharos Energy secured South Abu Sennan, committing to three wells. IPR Energy Group will drill three wells at South Wadi El Rayan. A consortium of NPC and GHP will target mature fields G and HNW, planning seven wells to boost production.
Shell Plc Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan warned Thursday of a “huge impact” on global trade if the conflict were to result in a blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Shell has contingency plans in place in the event that the situation deteriorates, Sawan said at the Japan Energy Summit & Exhibition in Tokyo.
FTSE 100 oil heavyweights are back in analysts favour after oil prices surged from the intensifying Middle Eastern conflict.
BP and Shell shares have jumped around three per cent in the last week and climbed further as President Donald Trump weighed in on the attacks in Israel and Iran.
Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale play posted significant first-quarter gains in 2025, building on last year’s strong performance, with oil output surging 26% and gas production rising 16% year-on-year, according to Rystad Energy estimates. This growth is shifting Argentina away from its historical dependence on gas imports, pushing the nation closer to energy self-sufficiency.