Petrobras Invests $450 Million in World’s Largest Seismic Monitoring Project
Petrobras and its partners Shell, TotalEnergies, CNPC and CNOOC are spending roughly $450 million on what they call the world’s largest deep‑water seismic monitoring program in Brazil’s Mero pre‑salt field. The first phase, completed in March, laid 460 km of optical‑sensor cables across 222 km² to feed real‑time reservoir data to two FPSVs. A second phase is adding 316 km of cables over an additional 140 km², with full deployment expected by 2027. The data will support a planned fifth FPSO that could process 200,000 bpd of oil and 12 MMcmd of gas.
How the US-Israel War on Iran Is Affecting African Economies
The US‑Israel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has choked a key oil and fertilizer corridor, driving fuel prices up 30‑70% across Africa and as high as 150% in Somalia. East African and some North African nations that depend on...
Equinor to Exit RE Producer Scatec
Equinor sold an 8.07% stake in renewable‑power producer Scatec for NOK 1.6 billion (about $169 million), cutting its holding to 8.05% and entering a 90‑day lock‑up on the remaining shares. The transaction makes Norway’s sovereign‑pension manager Folketrygdfondet the largest Scatec shareholder with 9.6%...
Samsung Heavy Industries Handpicks GTT for LNG Vessel’s Tank Design
Samsung Heavy Industries selected French specialist Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) to design the cryogenic tanks for a new 174,000 cubic‑meter LNG carrier. The vessel will use GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system and is scheduled for delivery in 2029. The contract, booked in Q1 2026,...
Power Insider: The Markets Are Obsessed with the Strait of Hormuz. Why It Matters Less than You Think
Traders are fixated on the Strait of Hormuz, believing ship traffic can forecast oil prices, but new Saudi and UAE pipeline capacity has halved the waterway’s relevance. The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports adds volatility, yet the market’s real...
These Are Not the Containers You Are Looking For — Or Are They?
A new wave of startups is packaging next‑generation nuclear microreactors inside standard shipping containers, delivering roughly one megawatt of electricity per unit. These factory‑built reactors promise rapid deployment, on‑site operation for years without refueling, and advanced safety systems that rely...
Manufacturers Develop Non-Penetrative Alternatives to Ballasts for Rooftop Solar
Manufacturers SolarStack and SolarStrap are rolling out non‑penetrative mounting systems that replace traditional concrete ballasts on flat commercial rooftops. SolarStack uses spray‑applied polyurethane foam to bond block‑style racks, while SolarStrap heat‑welds a thin roofing membrane to create a sealed, load‑bearing...
Top Energy Democrat Probes Trump Administration's Preparations for Strait of Hormuz Closure
Sen. Martin Heinrich, the leading Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has sent a formal letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright demanding a full accounting of the Trump administration’s preparations for the effective closure of the Strait...
'Demand Destruction Will Spread': IEA Forecasts Sharpest Fall in Global Oil Demand Since Pandemic
The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that global oil demand will contract by about 2.5 million barrels per day in the third quarter of 2024, marking the steepest quarterly drop since the COVID‑19 pandemic. The decline is driven by reduced consumption...
Tata Motors to Launch Hydrogen Bus Production in Lucknow
Tata Motors announced it will start producing hydrogen fuel‑cell and hydrogen internal‑combustion‑engine buses at its Lucknow plant, expanding its green‑mobility portfolio. The launch was unveiled by Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran alongside Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, coinciding with...
EIA Boosts 2026 Brent Oil Price Projection to $96
The U.S. Energy Information Administration raised its 2026 Brent crude price outlook to an average of $96 per barrel, up sharply from the $78.84 forecast in March. The agency now expects a volatile quarterly path, with Brent hitting $114.60 in...
Norway Eyes Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery Projects to Boost Production
Norway’s Offshore Directorate (NOD) has launched a task force to fast‑track enhanced oil and gas recovery (EOGR) pilots on the mature Norwegian Continental Shelf. A prior Imperial College study put the theoretical upside at 350‑700 million standard cubic meters of oil...
Why Oil Refiners Are the Real Winners of $100 Oil Prices
Oil prices breaching $100 a barrel have lifted refinery crack spreads to an unprecedented $54 per barrel, fueling robust margins for U.S. refiners. Valero, Marathon Petroleum and Phillips 66 are capitalising on geographic advantages, heavy‑crude access and diversification, posting record throughput...
High‐Performance Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction to Formic Acid on Cypress‐Like Enzyme‐Antimony‐Bismuth Biohybrid
Researchers have created a cypress‑like biohybrid catalyst that couples carbonic anhydrase enzyme with antimony‑decorated bismuth to electrochemically reduce CO2 into formic acid. The enzyme acts as a CO2 shuttle, concentrating the gas at the electrode surface, while antimony tunes the...
Synergistic Polysulfide Regulation by Nanodiamond and Sulfur Iodide on Cathode for Achieving Long‐Cycling Na–S Batteries
Researchers have created a sulfur‑iodine‑carbon‑nanotube/nanodiamond (SIC/ND) composite cathode for sodium‑sulfur batteries. The design uniformly coats sulfur iodide on a conductive CNT framework while embedding nanodiamonds for mechanical support and catalytic activity. The cathode delivers a specific capacity of 1,096.7 mAh g⁻¹ after...
Coverage of the Fossil-Fuel Industry ‘Doesn’t Have to Be This Way’
Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University scholar, warns that legacy newsrooms are allowing fossil‑fuel money to shape energy coverage through undisclosed native advertising. She cites the New York Times’ paid partnership with Chevron that framed oil as essential and local propane ads that...
European Solar Must ‘Embrace Volatility’ (and Energy Storage)
European solar developers are being urged to treat market volatility as a source of value rather than a threat, amid macro‑economic shocks, regulatory swings, and volatile power prices. Speakers at SolarPLUS Europe highlighted that energy storage is now essential, turning...
Swedish Firm Looking to Deploy Its Hybrid Ocean Energy Platform in Costa Rica
Swedish renewable energy company NoviOcean has signed a memorandum of understanding with Costa Rican partner MIR Green Energy to study deployment of its 850 kW hybrid wave‑wind‑solar platform, the Medi Wave 850H, along the Pacific coast. The feasibility study will focus on three...
Vår Energi Unveils $360 Million Investment in Barents Sea Field
Vår Energi announced a $360 million investment to modify the Goliat Gas Export (GGE) project in Norway’s Barents Sea, extending the field’s operational life to around 2050. The plan adds a 12‑kilometre gas export pipeline and connects the FPSO Goliat to...
Carmakers Navigating the Costly and Tricky Transition to Battery Storage Systems
U.S. automakers and battery makers are converting underused EV‑battery plants into factories for stationary energy‑storage systems as EV demand stalls. General Motors, Ford and LG Energy Solution together plan to spend billions on repurposing capacity, but the projected 76 GWh of...
RWE Completes Installation of Two Substations at Nordseecluster A
RWE has finished installing two massive offshore substations at the 660 MW Nordseecluster A wind farm, located about 50 km north of Juist island in the German North Sea. The 1,800‑ton and 2,500‑ton units were lifted onto their foundations by the Gulliver floating...
New Episode: How Have Global Oil Supply Chains Shifted Around the Iran Conflict?
The latest episode of Energy Technology examines how the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict has reshaped global oil supply chains. With the Strait of Hormuz closed and U.S. blockades on Iranian vessels, Middle Eastern exporters such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have...
New Episode: How Have Global Oil Supply Chains Shifted Around the Iran Conflict?
The latest Energy Technology episode examines how the US‑Israel‑Iran confrontation has reshaped global oil supply chains. With the Strait of Hormuz closed and U.S. blockades on Iranian tankers, Middle‑East exporters such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have trimmed output...
DOE Allocates $160M to Secure Energy Systems as Cyber Threats Converge With Grid Modernization
The U.S. Department of Energy’s FY 2027 budget earmarks $160 million for the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER). The funding will bolster protection of the nation’s energy grid, its supply chain, and nuclear assets while deploying rapid‑response experts...
Analyst Flags Peace Momentum but Gives Oil Market Warning
SEB commodities analyst Ole R. Hvalbye noted that front‑month Brent fell to $94.79 per barrel, a drop of more than 4% from the previous day's high of $103.87. He attributed the sell‑off to growing diplomatic momentum, including potential U.S.–Iran talks...
Asahi Kasei Postpones Canada Battery Plant as Honda Defers EV Plans
Japanese materials supplier Asahi Kasei has pushed back the start‑up of its Ontario battery separator plant to 2029 or later after Honda Motor deferred its own EV manufacturing plans in the province. The facility, originally slated for mid‑2027, would produce...
ABL Secures Work at South Korean Offshore Wind Farm
ABL Group has been selected as the marine warranty surveyor for South Korea's 390 MW Shinan Ui offshore wind project. The role covers technical document review, vessel‑suitability surveys, and on‑site supervision of marine operations for 26 turbines on bottom‑fixed foundations. The project...
What Canada Might Learn From U.K.’s Response to Energy Price Volatility
The United Kingdom is rolling out a sweeping clean‑energy housing agenda, mandating electric heat pumps and photovoltaic panels covering 40% of floor space for all new homes starting March 2027. Plug‑in solar panels will be sold in retail stores within months,...
Spain Introduces Subsidy for Diesel Locomotives
Spain announced a €3.15 million (≈$3.4 million) subsidy scheme for diesel‑powered rail freight operators, running through 2026. The program pays €15,000 (≈$16,350) per active diesel locomotive to offset soaring fuel costs caused by the oil crisis linked to the war on Iran....
Utility Investment Plans Jump 21%, Further Threatening Affordability: PowerLines
Investor‑owned utilities have lifted five‑year capital spending plans by roughly 21%, targeting $1.4 trillion through 2030, up from $1.1 trillion last year. The Southeast alone accounts for $572 billion of that spend, more than double any other U.S. region. Rate‑increase requests surged to...
Toyo, OneSubsea Form Subsea CCS Partnership
Toyo Engineering Corporation and OneSubsea have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore joint subsea carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, initially targeting Japan and Southeast Asia. The partnership pairs Toyo’s expertise in on‑shore CCS project development with OneSubsea’s subsea...
Oil Prices Inch Higher After A Two-Day Slump
Oil prices rebounded on Wednesday after a two‑day slump, with Brent crude climbing to $96.18 a barrel (+1.5%) and WTI to $92.40 (+1.2%). The previous declines were sparked by an International Energy Agency warning that sustained high prices could curb...
Varta Launches All-in-One Residential Inverter and Modular Battery
Varta, the German energy‑storage specialist, unveiled the Varta.hybrid.wall, an all‑in‑one residential system that bundles a three‑phase inverter, modular battery packs and an energy‑management platform. The solution offers 4.5 kWh to 20 kWh of storage, can be configured for AC or DC coupling,...
Japan's Chemicals Sector Likely to Reduce Coal Demand
Japan’s petrochemical industry is expected to trim its thermal‑coal imports as a slowdown in naphtha‑fed cracker output reduces fuel needs. Major producers such as Mitsui Chemicals and Idemitsu have already cut production, while the sector’s annual coal demand of roughly...
Exmar Embarks on FSRU Conversion Job for Dutch LNG Terminal
Exmar has started converting a dual‑fuel diesel‑electric membrane LNG carrier into a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) for the EemsEnergyTerminal expansion in the Netherlands. The project includes a 750 MMscfd regasification plant, targeting a combined storage capacity of about 190,000 cubic metres...
Market Calm Endures Ahead of Possible US-Iran Talks
Investors are holding their breath as a possible second round of US‑Iran cease‑fire talks keeps markets unusually calm. Oil prices and major currencies are flat, while S&P 500 futures remain steady and Asian equities post modest gains after Wall Street’s overnight...
Bp CEO Meg O’Neill Moves to Simplify Structure, Refocus on Upstream-Downstream Model
bp Plc’s new chief executive Meg O’Neill announced a sweeping reorganization that will collapse the company into two core divisions – upstream (exploration and production) and downstream (refining). The plan folds technology, legal, gas, low‑carbon and human‑resources units into these...
Energy Supply Disruptions From Middle East War to Persist, IEA and IMF Warn
The International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund and World Bank warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict will keep global oil and gas markets disrupted, even if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalizes. The shock is described as substantial,...
Senegal Strengthens Hydrocarbon Framework as Oil, Gas Output Grows
Senegal is strengthening its hydrocarbon framework with new local‑content regulations while oil and gas output accelerates. The Sangomar field exported about 3.8 million barrels of crude in January, marking a milestone for the emerging producer. The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim floating‑LNG project...
Japan to Launch $10B Fund to Help Asia Secure Oil
Japan announced a $10 billion financial framework, administered by state‑backed lenders JBIC and NEXI, to help Asian nations secure oil amid heightened Middle East tensions. The fund is equivalent to roughly 1.2 billion barrels, or about one year of crude imports for...
Many Companies Want Clean Energy. Georgia Power Will Soon Let Them Build It.
Georgia Power has launched a Customer‑Identified Resource program that lets corporate and industrial customers propose and fund clean‑energy projects to be integrated into the utility’s grid. Approved by the state public service commission on April 7, the initiative opens this summer,...
Eni Ships Venezuelan Crude to Europe After Two-Year Gap
Italian energy giant Eni loaded a 1‑million‑barrel cargo of heavy Venezuelan crude bound for Spain, the first European shipment in almost two years. The cargo left the Jose terminal aboard the Marshall Islands‑flagged tanker Front Cruiser after U.S. licenses cleared...
Petronas Confirms Fuel Supply Across Its Network of Stations in Malaysia Secured Through End of June 2026
Petronas announced that its Malaysian retail network will have sufficient gasoline and diesel supplies through the end of June 2026, extending the previous forecast that only covered until May 2026. The state‑owned oil company supplies about 50% of the country’s...
S. Korea Secures 273 Mil. Barrels of Crude Oil, 2.1 Mil. Tons of Naphtha by Year-End: Presidential Aide
South Korea secured 273 million barrels of crude oil and 2.1 million tons of naphtha for delivery by year‑end after a diplomatic tour of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kazakhstan. The volume covers roughly three months of oil consumption and one month...
Iran Holds the Trump Card in This Energy Crisis
The International Energy Agency warns the Gulf standoff is cutting 13 million barrels of oil daily, potentially rising to 15 million if the U.S. blocks Iranian shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has threatened to extend the conflict to the Red...
Evolve Energy, Shell Sign Race Bank Wind PPA Through 2035
Evolve Energy Supply has signed a long‑term power purchase agreement with Shell Energy Europe for the 573 MW Race Bank offshore wind farm. The deal, extending to 2035, will deliver roughly 112 GWh of renewable electricity each year, exceeding one terawatt‑hour over...
Porous Silica-Based Anti-Reflective Coating Increases PV Glass Optical Transmission by 5.2%
Researchers at Spain’s CIEMAT have created a porous silica anti‑reflective coating that lifts solar‑panel glass transmission by up to 5.2%, reaching 99.8% at 600 nm. By fine‑tuning the ratio of TEOS to MTES, the concentration of the pore‑forming agent Pluronic P‑123,...
Taxation as a Driver of Energy Transition: How China Rewrote Its Vulnerability to Oil Shocks
China’s resilience to recent oil‑supply shocks stems largely from its environmental taxation regime rather than pure geopolitics. The 2018 Environmental Protection Tax (EPT) internalized pollution costs, making coal and heavy industry more expensive and accelerating renewable‑energy investment. Empirical evidence shows...
EU Approves €5 Billion German and Czech Carbon Removal, Green Fuel Plans
The European Commission approved a €5 billion ($5.4 billion) climate‑focused state‑aid package, comprising a €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) German program to rewet peatlands and a €3.7 billion ($4.0 billion) Czech scheme to expand sustainable biomethane production. Peatland rewetting targets the 7 % of EU emissions caused by...
Renewable Energy Stocks To Follow Now – April 13th
MarketBeat’s stock screener highlighted Quanta Services, WEC Energy Group, and Clearway Energy as the top‑trading renewable‑energy stocks on April 13. These firms span infrastructure construction, regulated utility services, and large‑scale wind, solar, and gas‑fired generation assets. Their combined trading volume...