Diesel fuel exports from the United States hit an all-time high last week, driven by shortages of the fuel in other parts of the world as a result of the energy crisis in the Middle East. According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States exported diesel fuel at a rate of 1.9 million barrels daily last week, breaking the previous record, set in spring. However, the EIA data also showed that diesel fuel production fell last week—as did inventories of the fuel. They now sit 12% lower than the five-year average. Most of the…

Iran and Oman are close to agreeing on joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, media have reported, citing a statement by Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei. Crude oil prices have been trending lower, in the meantime, with Brent crude dipping below $80 per barrel and trading at $79.12 per barrel at the time of writing. West Texas Intermediate was changing hands for $74.79 per barrel, down 0.57% According to Baghaei, the deal with Oman was “in the final stages”, the BBC reported today. Bloomberg, meanwhile, quoted…

Extreme heat and drought are beginning to impair Europe’s energy system. Refineries are losing cooling efficiency, river levels are forcing cuts to nuclear generation, hydroelectric output is falling and inland fuel transport is becoming more expensive as barges carry smaller cargoes. Temperatures above 40°C have become increasingly common across large parts of southern and central Europe, with prolonged drought shrinking rivers, drying soils and fueling destructive wildfires. A recent analysis by the World Weather Attribution group concluded…

The Middle East war has caused what may well be an unprecedented degree of disruption in global energy flows. While crude oil gets a lot of the attention—and with good reason—the situation in liquefied gas is arguably worse and deserving of more attention. The war, some believe, could reshape the long-term outlook for the commodity. At the end of June, Shell released a forecast for LNG demand trends over the long term, seeing that demand reaching close to 700 million tons annually by 2050. That would be up by an impressive 65% from…

Tech giants are tapping fuel cell developers and providers to power data and AI computing centers with technology that is cleaner and faster to implement than a conventional gas-powered electricity source. Fuel cells generate electricity by directly converting chemical energy into electrical energy without combustion. This technology can run on a variety of fuels, including hydrogen, natural gas, and biogas. As power grids become congested with the surge in power demand due to the AI boom, fuel cells could offer distributed power generation and…

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…