Oil and gas

Benoit Tessier / AFP via Getty Images

Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest

France now has commitments for 295,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the Gulf, accounting for just over 10% of the European country’s consumption.

shoppers walking through the Tajrish Bazaar, a traditional market in Tehran

Analysis

As Iran’s oil lifeline runs dry, can it outlast Trump's economic siege?

The country's last barrels of crude stockpiled beyond the reach of a US naval blockade fell to zero in October, raising the stakes for Tehran amid mounting economic distress.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A vessel transits the Gulf of Oman

Analysis

How much oil can cushion another Middle East supply shock?

Global oil inventories stood at 3.35 billion barrels in October, the lowest level on record since January 2017, according to Kpler.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Fuel prices are displayed at a petrol station in Rabat

Explainer

Russian diesel heads to Morocco as supply crunch grips global markets

Gulf countries and Russia together accounted for almost 45% of global seaborne diesel and gasoil trade before the Iran war.

Latest News

Explainer

Aramco HQ attack exposes Saudi defense gaps, infrastructure vulnerabilities

Flames burn at a facility belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco south of Riyadh

Explainer

IMF projects Gulf rebound in 2027. Can energy production keep pace?

TOPSHOT - Smoke rises from the direction of an energy installation in the Gulf emirate of Fujairah on March 14, 2026. Smoke could be seen rising from the direction of a major UAE energy installation on March 14, in what appeared to be the latest strike targeting the Gulf's petroleum facilities hours after the US struck Iran's Kharg Island. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) /

Hormuz attacks spike after US airstrike on Iran-linked tanker

A cargo ship is pictured off coast of the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, along the Gulf of Oman, on June 28, 2026, after Iran's top diplomat warned that any attempt by shipping to bypass its preferred route through the Strait of Hormuz would "increase tensions" in the Middle East.

Jared Szuba

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Saudi Arabia outlines oil export plans amid escalating Houthi attacks

Guests attend the 25th WPC Energy Congress, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 12, 2026.

Prince Abdulaziz 1

Saudi energy minister reveals why Aramco cut oil target by 1m bpd

In January, the world's biggest corporate crude producer said it would halt its oil expansion plan and set a minimum sustained production capacity of 12 million bpd, 1 million bpd below its target announced in 2020 to be reached in 2027.

QatarEnergy India LNG

India bets on Qatar again with 20-year LNG deal

India is one of Qatar's top LNG customers, and the Gulf country is looking to expand its reach in Asia and Europe amid high export targets and increasing competition from the United States' expanding natural gas market.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Why has Saudi Arabia ordered Aramco to halt its plan to raise oil production?

The move may be simply a cost-cutting strategy, or it could be driven by a new, less optimistic outlook from the world's largest crude producer on future oil demand.

Newly elected President of the Sixth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA 6), Morocco's Minister for Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali (L) adresses delegates at the 50th anniversary of the UN Environment Program (UNEP) in Nairobi on March 3, 2022 - The world has a "historic" opportunity to address plastic pollution by starting discussions in early March on a treaty to regulate this phenomenon that chokes biodiversity, according to the Executive Director of the UNEP, Inger Andersen (Photo

Davos 2024: Green ammonia expansion integral to Morocco’s new hydrogen economy, minister says

Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali told Al-Monitor in an interview that the COP28 declaration marked the first time an emergence of more inclusive messaging has been seen in official climate text.

This picture taken on Oct. 31, 2022 shows a view of an oil tanker, seized by Iranian naval forces at the Gulf port of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

Turkey says tanker seized by Iran carrying Turkish oil purchased from Iraq

The ship was seized by the Iranian navy off the coast of Oman.

mbz baku

UAE President MBZ in Azerbaijan eyeing energy, investment cooperation

Emirati entities have inked several energy deals with Azerbaijan in the past year.

Getty Images

BP, Equinor change oil shipment plans after Red Sea Houthi attacks

The Iran-backed rebels have said the attacks are in retaliation for the war in Gaza.

People wait at a gas station as fuel distribution across more than 70% of gas stations is disrupted, Tehran, Iran, Dec. 18, 2023.

Iran says ‘enemy conspiracy’ behind outage at 70% of gas stations

The Oil Ministry’s Shana news agency reported that operations will be running again as normal within “a few hours” and until then fuel is being distributed offline.

A picture taken on November 23, 2016 shows smoke plumes rising behind a billboard at the Maaden Aluminium Factory in Ras Al-Khair Industrial area near Jubail City, 570 kms east of the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Middle East transparency on carbon emissions lags behind rest of world

Turkey and the UAE led the pack for most transparent countries in the region regarding greenhouse gas emissions.

United Arab Emirates

COP28 conclusion

COP28: historic deal agreed for world to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels

The summit stretched into prolonged negotiations over the terminology of the final text, after the “phase out” of fossil fuels was omitted from the draft a day before the scheduled end of the event.

United Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih speaks on stage during the 2022 Concordia Annual Summit at the Sheraton Hotel, New York, Sept. 19, 2022.

China-Saudi Investment Conference begins in Beijing

China is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner and biggest customer of its primary commodity: crude oil.

In this handout image supplied by COP28, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (L3), President of the Federative Republic of Brazil and Marina Silva (L2), Minister of the Environment, Joko Widodo (R2), President of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E Razan Al Mubarak (R1), President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Climate Change of Brazil and His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber (R3), COP28 President during the Nature Season at Al Waha Theatre during day two of the high-level segment of the UNFCCC CO

After US, India, UAE, World Economic Forum expects Brazil to enter green coalition

India, the UAE and the United States are part of the First Movers Coalition, a green alliance that Rob van Riet, senior adviser at the WEF's Center for Nature and Climate, told Al-Monitor he hoped Brazil will be the next to join.

United Arab Emirates