It can safely be surmised that whatever the new Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, told U.S. government officials during his visit last month to Washington went down like a lead Continue Reading
Iran has received gold from Venezuela for the fuel cargoes Tehran had sent to the Latin American country, a commander at Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said over the Continue Reading
Gulf nations led by Saudi Arabia have been putting on a brave face and touting the strength of their economies, claiming they can withstand any scale of shocks during the Continue Reading
The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Tueller, told Iraq’s foreign minister, Fuad Hussein, the policy decision had been directed by President Trump and that the two countries had entered a Continue Reading
Iraq’s Oil Ministry is attempting to displace some of the financial burden associated with its OPEC-related production cuts onto international oil companies (IOCs). The ministry’s move to scale down its Continue Reading
Iran is estimated to have exported nearly 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and condensate so far in September, TankerTrackers told Reuters , in what would be Continue Reading
The cargoes of Iranian gasoline that the United States seized more than a month ago continue to idle off the U.S. Gulf Coast amid a court battle over ownership of Continue Reading
Drilling rights and escalating tensions Tensions between Greece and Turkey over Eastern Mediterranean natural gas and oil fields, intertwined with maritime claims, have rapidly escalated in August 2020. On August Continue Reading
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran opened this week a new naval base in a coastal town along the world’s most important oil chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, Continue Reading
When Mustafa al-Kadhimi took office, the U.S. granted Iraq a relatively long 120-day Iran sanctions waiver. That diplomatic honeymoon could be ending. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and his delegation Continue Reading
OPEC’s 60 th birthday should have been reason for celebration, but its largest producer Saudi Arabia is increasingly putting its own interests before the cartel’s objectives and has put the Continue Reading
After defying U.S. sanctions by shipping a cargo of oil condensate to Venezuela just last week, Iran is using the same ship to help the Latin American country export its Continue Reading
After defying U.S. sanctions by shipping its first cargo of oil to Venezuela just last week, Iran is using the same ship to help the Latin American country export crude. The Continue Reading
Iran has shifted its military strategy regarding U.S. forces in Iraq ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November, reducing the number of rockets launched at bases and potentially withholding Continue Reading
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he expects all U.N. countries to fully comply with Washington’s declaration that “snapback” sanctions from the 2015 nuclear agreement are in effect despite the Continue Reading
Iraq, the world’s second-worst gas flarer, could generate over 3.5 GW of power by capturing 40% of associated gas that is currently burned, a GE executive said Sept. 20. “In Continue Reading
The Trump administration outlined an array of new measures that are intended to preclude China and Russia from selling weapons to Iran and to block the shipment of goods that Continue Reading
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, listens as Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper discusses new measures against Iran on Sept. 21. In a show of its resolve to crack down Continue Reading
Dubai. Abu Dhabi. Bahrain. And, of course, Saudi Arabia. The two emirates this year issued debt for the first time in years. So did Bahrain. Saudi Arabia stepped up its Continue Reading
Syria is crucial to Russia for three key reasons. First, it is currently the principal Western point of the Shia crescent of power that stretches from Syria and Lebanon through Continue Reading
Iraq is joining a global alliance to procure future COVID-19 vaccines — a longer-term measure to combat a pandemic that is likely to worsen in the meantime. “I don’t expect Continue Reading
Oil Minister Ihsan Ismaael has given a deputy director general of the Basra Oil Company (BOC) the authorities to lead the country’s most important state-run oil company — part of Continue Reading
The world community should oppose the United States’ use of sanctions to impose its will as a “bully,” or expect to face sanctions itself, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Continue Reading
An argument is raging behind palace doors in Saudi Arabia: Now that the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have forged ties with Israel , should the kingdom follow suit? Saudi Continue Reading
Nationwide crude output increased in August, led by IOC-operated fields, as Iraq balances OPEC pledges against tough financial realities. Dhi Qar Oil Company workers at the Suba oil field on Continue Reading
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration says that on Saturday (2000 EDT/0000 GMT Sunday) all United Nations sanctions on Iran have to be restored and a conventional arms embargo on the Continue Reading
The Trump administration has increased criticism and pressure on Iran in recent days: accusing the country of planning assassinations of American diplomats, announcing hacking indictments, preparing unilateral sanctions and denouncing Continue Reading
The Saudi energy minister gave a forceful condemnation of cartel members that try to get away with pumping too much crude. (Bloomberg) — Saudi Arabia showed its determination to stop Continue Reading
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to issue an executive order allowing him to impose U.S. sanctions on anyone who violates a conventional arms embargo against Iran, three sources familiar with Continue Reading
Iraq has shipped more crude oil abroad so far this month, tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed, even though OPEC’s second-largest producer has promised time and again in recent months Continue Reading
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, saw its crude oil exports rise to 5.734 million barrels per day (bpd) in July, up from a historic low of below 5 Continue Reading
Iraq is exporting more crude so far in September than it shipped last month, a sign that the country is falling further behind in efforts to comply with its OPEC+ Continue Reading
The Trump administration threatened Wednesday to impose an array of fresh sanctions to deter China and Russia from selling weapons to Iran after an arms embargo on Washington’s Middle East Continue Reading
Iraq’s Ministry of Oil and Ministry of Industry and Minerals held a series of meetings over the past week to kick-start the multi-billion dollar Nebras petrochemical plant development project, originally Continue Reading
The Arab Spring was the start of an ideological conflict between Turkey and the wealthy Arab Gulf nations. Turkish assertiveness is strengthened by an expanding economy and a brand of Continue Reading
Iran has raised oil production from the oilfields in its southwest it shares with Iraq to 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 70,000 bpd in the past seven years, Shafaq Continue Reading
Israel’s advisory Petroleum Council has recommended the country’s energy ministry approve US major Chevron’s $5 billion takeovers of Noble Energy, operator of the Leviathan and Tamar offshore gas fields. In Continue Reading
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned Sept. 15 the bloc’s relations with Turkey had reached a “watershed” moment over Ankara’s continued exploration work in the East Mediterranean. Not registered? Continue Reading
Kuwait aims to open what will be the Middle East’s largest import terminal for liquefied natural gas in March, according to two people familiar with the project. The Al-Zour plant Continue Reading
Iran has canceled plans to enable members of the public to invest in the country’s oil production via Islamic bonds, a state-run news service reported. The plans were first announced by President Hassan Continue Reading
Saudi Arabia’s oil giant Aramco reclaimed the spot of the world’s most valuable company after a relatively steady performance in Riyadh so far this month, while shares in Apple plunged Continue Reading
Ten advisors or allies to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi have been named to run crucial banking and security institutions in a move that consolidates strategic authority as Kadhimi attempts Continue Reading
Given the very modest scale of Oman’s hydrocarbons resources (only around five billion barrels of estimated proved oil reserves, barely the 22nd largest in the world) compared to those of Continue Reading
The outcome of US presidential election in November is not expected to have an immediate impact on global oil flows, but Middle East producers will be closely watching the results, Continue Reading
Another round of Iranian gasoline shipments appears to be headed to Venezuela despite the US government’s move last month to seize similar cargoes to increase pressure on both sanctioned countries. Continue Reading
An oil tanker is discharging Iranian condensate for Venezuela as both countries continue to avoid U.S. sanction tripwires. The ship is identified in internal documents as Honey, according to a Continue Reading
Since its founding, Israel has seen itself as a modern-day Sparta, a tiny fortress nation-state in a hostile desert, whose survival depended on its internal cohesion and sheer military strength. All Continue Reading
After weeks of tensions in the eastern Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey have signaled a willingness to start talks aimed at resolving a long-standing sea dispute tied to potentially lucrative offshore Continue Reading
Israel – with a population of nine million – has been seeing some 4,000 new cases a day Israel is to impose a new national lockdown – becoming the first Continue Reading
Oil-rich Gulf nations are relying on a well-worn playbook of spending less and borrowing more to get through the coronavirus crisis but with the outlook for oil clouded by uncertainty Continue Reading
