Oil and gas

KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (R) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (L) meet in Irbil on April 12, 2025.

Exclusive

Iraq's Kurds air fury over PM Sudani's stance after attack on gas field

“We were shocked at Sudani’s audacity. Imagine the state we would have been in had he gotten his way,” a senior Iraqi Kurdish official speaking not for attribution told Al-Monitor.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Mark Carney in UAE

UAE pledges up to $50B for Canada during Carney's Abu Dhabi visit

The agreement was signed by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday, during the former’s official visit to Abu Dhabi.

United Arab Emirates

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Syria signs deals with ConocoPhillips, Novaterra Energy: What to know

Syria signed a memorandum of understanding with US energy companies ConocoPhillips and Novaterra Energy to develop and explore gas fields as Damascus works to revive the country’s battered natural gas sector.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Kremlin in Moscow, on May 9, 2025.

Egypt, Russia advance construction at Dabaa nuclear plant: What to know

The Dabaa nuclear plant could help Egypt address its energy woes while boosting cooperation with Russia.

Latest News

Iran doubles down on Venezuela support as Trump ups threats: What to know

A woman waves an Iranian flag during a rally against Israel's attacks on Iran, in solidarity with the Palestinian people and to call for world peace in Caracas, on June 19, 2025.

Syria advances Qatar-backed $7B power project amid soaring electricity prices

This picture taken on July 10, 2022, shows a view of the thermal natural gas and fuel oil power plant serving Syria's northern city of Aleppo.

Egypt courts investors, signs new gas deals at Abu Dhabi ADIPEC summit

People sit listening as the Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanne speaks during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi, on Nov. 3, 2025.

Turkey, Iraq sign oil-for-water deal: What to know

sign

OPEC President UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei (C) speaks as he sits with Minister of Energy of Russia Alexander Novak (left) and OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo (r) of Nigeria during a meeting at the headquarters of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with OPEC members and non-OPEC members in Vienna, Austria on December 7, 2018. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE joins India's Global Biofuel Alliance on clean energy ahead of COP28

The UAE minister of energy and infrastructure announced Wednesday that his country is a willing participant in the global alliance and has been investing heavily in biofuels.

A flame from a Saudi Aramco oil installion known as "Pump 3" is seen in the desert near the oil-rich area of Khouris, 160 kms east of the Saudi capital Riyadh, on June 23, 2008. Oil producers are at war with speculators but they have been left speculating themselves over the future of their precious commodity after a unique summit, analysts said. Government ministers and traders alike are anxiously waiting to see which way prices go in coming weeks after Sunday's summit of consumers and producers, which Sau

Saudi oil exports hit new low, dropping by more than one-third

In May of this year, Saudi Arabia’s value of oil exports hit a low of just over $19 billion, reported the kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics. This includes both crude and refined products.

The Vladimir Rusanov, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) Russian tanker ship.

Dampened China demand driving up Middle East purchases of Russian oil

China's appetite for fuel oil has been slowly increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic when the country implemented some of the strictest lockdowns in the world.

A Sinopec employee looks at a group of jounalists visiting Polypropylene Plant No3 of the Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical Company (SYPC) during a tour arranged by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on May 25, 2018. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) (Photo credit should read WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi Aramco acquires $3.4 billion stake in a China petrochemical firm

The world’s biggest oil exporter is making further inroads in China, Saudi Arabia’s top customer for crude.

Xi Jinping Abdulmajid Tebboune

Algeria, China sign 19 agreements during Tebboune's visit, including energy, technology

Xi Jinping received Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his delegation at Beijing's Great Hall of the People to discuss bilateral relations.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida prepares before a roundtable meeting during the 29th EU-Japan Summit at the European Union building, Brussels, Belgium, July 13, 2023.

Analysis

On Gulf tour, Japan's PM secures energy ties as China’s influence grows

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s three-day trip that began Sunday to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — its key energy suppliers — is seen as a crucial move to secure Japan’s energy future.

By Salim A. Essaid

Traders follow the movement of stock prices at the Boursa Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait, March 2, 2022.

Kuwait's new sovereign wealth fund Ciyada to boost foreign investment

The Gulf country already has the Kuwait Investment Authority with assets of about $803 billion, making it the fifth-largest sovereign wealth fund globally.

This handout photograph released by the Indian Ministry of Defense shows India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Kazakhstan Defense Minister Col. Gen. Ruslan Zhaxylykov (C) and Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu (R) attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in New Delhi, India, April 28, 2023.

Can Iran balance dependence on China with economic openness on India?

The International North-South Transport Corridor project has become a matter of urgency for Russia, India and Iran, as it would help Moscow and Tehran develop new markets and evade sanctions.

An oil tanker unloads imported crude oil at Qingdao port in China's eastern Shandong province on May 9, 2022. - China OUT (Photo by AFP) / China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Republican lawmakers urge sanctions over Iran oil sales to China

Senate Republicans are pushing for harsher penalties against Chinese-linked actors involved in Iran’s oil and petrochemical trade.

ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia imports record volumes of discounted Russian fuel oil in June

Europe used to be the top market for Russian oil and petroleum products but all that has changed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Qatar leans east to achieve 40% global LNG output by 2029

Qatar took steps last year to maintain its lead in the LNG market and increase future output with the approval of expansion projects set to raise production by 64% to 126 million tons per year by 2027.

By Salim A. Essaid

Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al-Saud arrives for the 186th Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna on June 3, 2023. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

OPEC oil export revenues surpass $870 billion, highest in decade

The revenues from the Organization of Oil Petroleum Exporting Countries peaked in 2012, when they reached $1.2 trillion.