Venezuela’s oil production is growing at a crucial time, with conflict in the Middle East disrupting traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, thereby crimping global petroleum supply. Since the U.S. captured President Nicolas Maduro in a daring night raid in early January 2026, Venezuela’s petroleum output has soared to multiyear highs. Recent regulatory reforms, the easing of U.S. sanctions and greater foreign investment are all key to reviving Venezuela’s struggling petroleum sector and increasing oil output in what was once South America’s…

The Philippines is shaping up to be ground zero for the global geologic hydrogen revolution. The Southeast Asian nation reportedly has the largest natural hydrogen seeps anywhere on Earth, indicating that huge volumes of hydrogen could be stored under the ground, waiting to be exploited. If the Philippines is able to become the world’s first test case for a commercially viable geologic hydrogen operation, it would be groundbreaking for the country’s economy and energy security, not to mention enormously disruptive for global energy…

The Strait of Hormuz, the Middle East’s main choke point, is effectively closed as Iranian attacks on vessels continue, and the ripple effect is tearing through global supply chains. While crude oil and natural gas disruptions have grabbed headlines, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) also finds itself at the center of the crisis. The United States leads the world in LPG exports by a wide margin. However, the Gulf countries remain a critical supply center: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are all major LPG exporters currently cut off by the closure.…

Uzbekistan, one of Central Asia’s economic drivers, is experiencing a significant expansion of Chinese economic influence.  Bilateral trade during the first half of 2026 grew to $7.7 billion, according to official Uzbek government data, making China by far Uzbekistan’s largest trade partner. Beijing’s official statistics, meanwhile, put the number even higher – at $8.9 billion. Russia, Uzbekistan’s erstwhile overlord, lags far behind with bilateral trade turnover amounting to $5.8 billion. The number…

India’s ONGC is poised to take over operation of two Venezuelan oil projects from state-owned PDVSA, which would give the Indian producer direct operational control over assets of the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves. Reuters exclusively reported Wednesday that ONGC expects to sign new agreements “very soon” under Venezuela’s new petroleum law after years of limiting its activities because of U.S. sanctions. Speaking during ONGC’s June-quarter earnings call cited by Reuters, Finance Director Anupam Agarwal…

For the second time this decade, a war has upended global oil markets and sent oil prices and refining margins to multi-year highs, benefitting the world’s biggest oil companies and top refiners. The war in Iran has tightened fuel supply as crude oil has struggled to move through the Strait of Hormuz, triggering reduced refining throughput in Asia and a temporary Chinese ban on exports. The fuel markets tightened even more than the crude market to send refining margins to record highs. And the biggest refiners benefited from the new refining…

China and Turkey spent years strengthening a strategic partnership built on trade, investment and access to European markets. The sudden collapse of a flagship $1 billion Chinese investment now threatens to slow one of Beijing’s most important economic relationships in the region. For years, China and Turkey have maintained a cordial and strategic relationship, with Turkey’s access to the EU Customs Union making it an attractive destination for Chinese investments. Chinese goods produced in Turkey move into the EU without extra customs…

The race for critical metals and minerals has been heating up since President Trump took office, pitting the U.S. against many of its international allies. Yet while the federal government spends billions to build a position in critical minerals and challenge China’s dominance, there have been setbacks—even at home. Earlier this week, the Financial Times reported that a company had made the biggest discovery of tungsten in the United States. Tungsten is a critical metal that is used in applications ranging from electronics to defense…

Lithium has become a hot-button geopolitical issue as the critical mineral has become omnipresent and all-important in the tech and energy sectors. Chances are very good that you have more than one device powered by a lithium-ion battery within arm’s reach at this very moment, and chances are equally as good that that battery was made in China. At present, China has a near-chokehold on global lithium supplies and refining capacity, granting Beijing significant geopolitical leverage. Moreover, as the world continues its trajectory toward a…