The U.S. Department of Energy has authorized the exchange of up to 1 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to ease the crude shortage at Exxon’s refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after quality issues with the Mars crude grade emerged last week. DOE has authorized an exchange from the SPR with ExxonMobil Corporation “to address logistical challenges impacting crude oil deliveries to the company’s Baton Rouge refinery.” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright authorized this action to help maintain a stable…

The U.S. Department of Energy has authorized the exchange of up to 1 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to ease the crude shortage at Exxon’s refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after quality issues with the Mars crude grade emerged last week. DOE has authorized an exchange from the SPR with ExxonMobil Corporation “to address logistical challenges impacting crude oil deliveries to the company’s Baton Rouge refinery.” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright authorized this action to help maintain a stable…

Surging domestic coal production and weaker demand resulted in China’s lowest volumes of coal imports in June for nearly two and a half years. China imported last month a total of 33.04 million metric tons of coal, down by 26% from a year earlier and down by 8% compared to May, according to data from the General Administration of Customs cited by Reuters. Chinese imports in June 2025 were at their lowest level since February 2023, the data showed on Monday. Coal imports dipped by 11% in the first half of the year from the same period of 2024,…

Crude oil markets have turned out to be tighter than most analysts appeared to expect, and are ready to absorb OPEC+’s higher-than-forecast supply boost next month. For proof, look no further than oil prices after the latest OPEC+ announcement that took traders and analysts by surprise. On Monday, after OPEC+ said it would add more than half a million barrels daily to its combined output, Brent crude was trading at around $68 per barrel. Later in the week, it spiked to over $70 per barrel before retreating to end the week with a modest gain.…

China’s 2024 ban on exports of critical minerals antimony, gallium and germanium to the U.S. sent prices soaring nearly 50% in a matter of days. It was a retaliatory move following Washington's crackdown on the country’s chip sector. But there are always loopholes, and new reports now reveal how Chinese traders are circumventing the ban by re-routing U.S. shipments through third countries.  According to U.S. customs data, the U.S. imported 3,834 metric tons of antimony from Mexico and Thailand in the first four months following…

To meet the rising demand for energy and the increase in global renewable energy capacity, there is a clear need to expand critical mineral mining activities. Mining for metals and minerals, such as cobalt, copper, and lithium, has increased significantly in recent years and is expected to keep rising in line with the growing global demand. Although this has been widely supported by governments aiming to accelerate a green transition, some environmentalists and community groups are not so enthusiastic about the mining activities, which they are…

I came across a fascinating article on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty about the so-called Pentagon Pizza Index, a quirky theory suggesting that surges in late-night pizza deliveries to the Pentagon signal major geopolitical events. Ashamedly, I have to admit, it was my first time hearing about this indicator. Intrigued by the idea that something as ordinary as pizza orders could hint at global crises, I dug deeper into historical examples and other unconventional indicators. What I found is a pattern that’s hard to dismiss, blending open-source…

The world’s solar power capacity has risen dramatically in recent years, as governments have invested in a green transition and energy companies have taken advantage of favourable renewable energy policies. In addition to the growth in utility-scale solar power, more households across a wide range of countries have invested in solar panels. In line with the increase in demand, solar companies have started to offer a wider range of panels, suitable for non-conventional spaces, to provide more consumers with solar power. The silicon photovoltaic…

Brazil has become the latest target of U.S. President Donald Trump’s ire after the Republican frontrunner threatened 50% tariffs on the South American giant for allegedly persecuting right-wing ex-president Jair Bolsonaro. In a post on Truth Social, Trump called on Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to halt what he described as a “Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!” Bolsonaro is currently on trial for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2022 election. Tensions have escalated. Lula has promised…

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union has been working to decrease its dependence on Russian energy. The EU responded to Russia’s invasion by introducing sanctions on a range of energy products, including oil and gas, which it has gradually strengthened over the last three years as the region has reduced its reliance on Russian energy. Now, the EU and several energy experts believe that Europe will not need to go back to using Russian gas in the future, having successfully strengthened and diversified…

Iron ore futures in Singapore surged toward $100 a ton — the highest since May — fueled by renewed pledges from the Chinese government to curb overcapacity in key industrial sectors. Beijing's comments have boosted sentiment across ferrous markets.  Singapore futures jumped as much as 3.6% during the session, marking the largest daily gain since September. Iron ore futures have traded in a tight range between $90 and $110 a ton for more than 18 months. Futures on the Dalian Exchange — which are more influenced by the Chinese…

Many countries need to invest heavily in upgrading their electrical grid system, as vast quantities of renewable energy get connected, many from non-conventional energy-producing regions. In most countries, the transmission network was built several decades ago around conventional power plants in energy hubs. However, as countries increase their green energy capacity and decentralise energy production, most grid systems cannot cope with the influx of electricity from alternative regions at varying levels throughout the day. Governments worldwide…