Mexico Fuel Price Caps Strain Supply Nationwide
Mexico’s voluntary fuel price cap, set at Ps24 per litre (about $4.45 per US gallon), is forcing retailers to shift away from private importers toward state‑owned Pemex. Pemex has responded with uniform wholesale rates, but its constrained logistics are creating delivery delays and rolling shortages across the country. Regulators, including consumer watchdog Profeco, are stepping up inspections, warning stations that exceed the caps may face penalties. The combined pressure is reshaping competition and tightening inventories at both state and private terminals.
Japan's Cracker Run Rates to Recover: APIC Delegates
Japan’s steam crackers are set for a modest run‑rate rebound from June after a sharp dip to 67.3% in April, driven by new naphtha supplies from Algeria, the United States and India. Despite improved feedstock availability, margins remain deeply negative...
Local Opposition Builds to Texas Data Centers
Texas counties and cities are increasingly imposing moratoriums, zoning bans and noise setbacks to slow the rapid rollout of data centers, citing water use, grid strain and rural industrialization. Developers have responded with lawsuits, arguing local governments lack authority. The...
Cheniere Taps Bechtel for Sabine Pass LNG Expansion
U.S. LNG exporter Cheniere Energy has awarded engineering, procurement and construction work for the first phase of a 7‑million‑ton per year expansion at its Sabine Pass terminal to Bechtel. The phase, slated for a final investment decision in early 2027,...
CEE Gas Stocks to Reach 70pc by 1 Nov Amid Deficit
Central and eastern Europe’s gas storage is on track to reach only 70 % of capacity by 1 November, a drop from 82 % a year earlier, as injection rates remain flat year‑on‑year. Austria records the biggest shortfall at 7.6 TWh, while the Czech...
BEV Sales Outpace PHEVs Across Europe in April
Battery‑electric vehicle (BEV) registrations surged across Europe in April, pushing BEV market share to 26% in both Germany and France and an extraordinary 82% in Denmark. Plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) shares stayed flat or fell, with Belgium and Denmark seeing shares...
Q&A: Australia's Santos Plans Growth in PNG, Alaska
Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher detailed the company’s operational roadmap spanning Australia, Papua New Guinea and Alaska. The Barossa plant is now operating at 70‑75 % of design capacity after heat‑exchanger issues were fixed, with full output expected shortly. In Alaska, the...
Indonesia’s Coal Policy Shifts Test Investor Confidence
Indonesia announced that a new state-owned entity, Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia (DSI), will handle coal and two other commodity exports, a move that reverses the three‑year RKAB quota system and adds a single‑window reporting requirement from 1 June. The policy aims...
Australia’s Santos to Pursue Papua LNG, Alaska Oil
Australian independent Santos announced a strategic shift to prioritize its most profitable assets, slashing domestic capex by roughly US$198 million and targeting annual savings of about US$99 million after 2027. The company will concentrate on the 80,000 b/d Pikka Phase 1 oil field in...
Demand for India Mn Alloy Export Falters, Surplus Rises
India’s manganese alloy sector is facing a sharp downturn as export demand collapses and domestic overcapacity widens. Prices for 60% silico‑manganese fell to $795‑810 per tonne, a 15% drop from mid‑April, while domestic prices slipped about ₹14,000/t (≈$147) amid weaker...
Australia’s Amplitude to Buy 50pc of Artisan Gas Field
Amplitude Energy announced a A$58.3 million ($41.8 million) purchase of Beach Energy's operatorship and a 50% stake in the offshore Artisan gas field in Victoria. Israeli OG Energy will acquire the remaining 10% of Beach's holding, creating a 50‑50 joint venture with...
US Refiners Boost Jet Fuel to Near Record Levels
U.S. refiners are producing jet fuel at over 2 million barrels per day, approaching the July 2024 record of 2.1 million b/d. Production has risen by roughly 290,000 b/d since the February 28 Iran‑Israel conflict, driven by capacity additions at Marathon and yield improvements at...
Kyrgyzstan Begins $430mn Coal Project Backed by China
Kyrgyzstan has launched a $430 million coal logistics complex in the Osh region, backed by Chinese partner Xinjiang Dacheng Yuanlong Technology and state‑owned Kyrgyzkomur. The infrastructure, beginning with a 7.7‑km conveyor, aims to boost coal transport capacity to 10 million tonnes annually...
CTO Fire Seen Having No Long-Term US TOFA Impact
US pine chemicals producer Mainstream Pine Products says the May 12 fire at its crude tall oil (CTO) fractionation plant in North Charleston will have limited impact on US tall oil fatty acid (TOFA) supply. The incident occurred during a planned...
US Boards Iranian Tanker While Others Get Through
U.S. forces intercepted the Iranian short‑sea tanker Celestial Sea, a 75,000‑barrel vessel, in the Gulf of Oman on May 20, suspecting a breach of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. While the ship was searched and released, tracking data show only...