Qatar locks in US LNG through 2054 as it looks beyond Hormuz The Gulf state agreed to buy up to 4 million tons of US liquefied natural gas annually through 2054. Qatar
Gulf oil exports surpass prewar levels despite escalating tanker attacks According to data from Kpler, oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and alternative routes across the Middle East averaged more than 24 million barrels a day last week, surpassing prewar levels of 23.3 million. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
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. Bahrain
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. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis How much oil can cushion another Middle East supply shock? By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
China-Saudi Investment Conference begins in Beijing China is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner and biggest customer of its primary commodity: crude oil. Saudi Arabia
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
With world's eyes on Gaza, Turkey attacks Syria's Kurds again As of the beginning of 2023, at least 32 civilians have died in Turkish attacks in northeast Syria, including seven women and five children, according to local monitoring organizations. Syria
Iran says it seized ships in Gulf for alleged fuel smuggling The seizure and arrest of the foreign crew members occurred south of the disputed Abu Musa island, according to Iranian state media. Iran
Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power to develop green hydrogen project in Indonesia Green hydrogen has potential environmental benefits as well as drawbacks and is being pursued by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states. Legacy: Gulf
What’s on Putin’s agenda on rare trip to Saudi Arabia, UAE? The Russian president's trip comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where the Hamas-Israel war has threatened to spill into a wider regional conflict. Legacy: Gulf
The COP28 scorecard: US leads methane charge, China to slash emissions COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber also announced a deal to cut methane emissions from the fossil fuel industry, with ExxonMobil and Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil firm Aramco being among the 50 businesses that signed up. United Arab Emirates
Brazil to join OPEC+ as Saudi-led bloc agrees to oil cuts Saudi Arabia, which leads the alliance of oil producers, has been instituting voluntary production cuts in an effort to keep prices up. Legacy: Gulf
COP28 opens in UAE amid intense scrutiny over fossil fuel links A breakthrough was made on the first day of the UN climate summit as world leaders established a loss and damage fund to help developing countries adapt to climate change. United Arab Emirates
Interview IEA calls COP28 'big opportunity' to slash methane emissions In an interview with Al-Monitor, the International Energy Agency's chief energy economist, Tim Gould, said the climate summit should focus on methane as well as climate finance for the developing world. Tim Gould Chief Energy Economist of the International Energy Agency
Italy and Saudi Arabia in talks for major deals as ties grow under Meloni The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which came into power in October 2022, has been working to deepen ties with energy- and cash-rich states in the Middle East and North Africa. Saudi Arabia
Middle East state oil firms ‘should set the tone’ for lowering emissions at COP28, IEA says Chief energy economist Tim Gould said it was “a legitimate expectation that these companies should be doing more” to support the clean transition. United Arab Emirates
