After decades of stagnation, nuclear energy is staging a comeback — and it’s no longer the gigawatt-scale reactors of the past leading the charge. Small modular reactors, once dismissed as niche or speculative, have moved to the center of a global energy and geopolitical pivot. Their appeal lies in scalability, siting flexibility, and the promise of dedicated, carbon-free baseload power—a vital ingredient in an era defined by the AI energy demand surge and industrial decarbonization. The shift from ambitious blueprints to billion-dollar…

U.S.-Venezuela tensions are again rippling through energy and security markets, prompting President Donald Trump to rule out immediate military strikes while maintaining a buildup of American naval assets in the Caribbean.  His comments followed reports of U.S. patrols and maritime interdictions targeting narcotics routes linked to Caracas, a campaign that has drawn condemnation from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and prompted renewed appeals to the U.N. Security Council.  Newsweek reported that Washington’s military…

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict Russia’s campaign in Ukraine has tightened, with fresh missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure across Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro cutting nationwide power and forcing Kyiv into rolling blackouts. Moscow claims incremental territorial gains (about 40 square miles over the past week); however, none decisive enough to alter the front. Putin publicly confirmed a test of the nuclear-capable Poseidon torpedo, signaling that deterrence theatrics remain part of Russia’s messaging mix as winter sets…

The Gaza ceasefire is technically still in effect, but it’s no longer functioning as an instrument of restraint. The deal that came into force on 10 October under U.S. mediation stopped large-scale fighting, yet Israel continues precision strikes around Khan Younis and Gaza City. Each action comes with civilian losses that undercut the original truce narrative. Hamas has been quick to frame those incidents as proof that Israel cannot keep its own commitments, and that framing now dominates Arabic and Western social channels alike (where an…

Big Oil Pumps the Brakes on Buybacks, Not Barrels The world’s leading oil companies are moving ahead with output expansions, brushing aside oversupply concerns on the heels of OPEC+ unwinding and largely disappointing Q3 earnings. France’s TotalEnergies kicked off the Q3 earnings call season, with adjusted net income falling 2% year-over-year to $4 billion, whilst ExxonMobil’s net income fell by an even steeper 12% to $7.55 billion.  Apart from OPEC+ countries, US oil majors have also contributed to oversupply concerns in…

This report provides an overview of global oil and natural gas market trends, including price changes, production data, and geopolitical developments impacting energy. The Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea, frequently lauded as a potential icebreaker moment between the United States and China, failed to provide any momentum to oil markets as discussions centered more on fentanyl than crude oil or LNG. As such, this weekend’s OPEC+ meeting is the next trend-setting market for the market at large, even if this time around reports all seem to…

Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) topped Wall Street expectations for the third quarter, posting $8.1 billion in adjusted earnings, or $1.88 per share—up from $7.1 billion in Q2—on record output from Guyana and the Permian Basin. Analysts had forecast $1.82 per share, according to LSEG data. The quarter’s operational strength came despite weaker crude prices, which averaged $68.17 Brent, down 13% year-on-year. Oil and gas production rose to 4.8 million boe/d from 4.6 million in Q2, with record-setting output in both key regions helping…

Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) topped Wall Street expectations for the third quarter, posting $8.1 billion in adjusted earnings, or $1.88 per share—up from $7.1 billion in Q2—on record output from Guyana and the Permian Basin. Analysts had forecast $1.82 per share, according to LSEG data. The quarter’s operational strength came despite weaker crude prices, which averaged $68.17 Brent, down 13% year-on-year. Oil and gas production rose to 4.8 million boe/d from 4.6 million in Q2, with record-setting output in both key regions helping…

ExxonMobil Corp. has filed a lawsuit aimed at stopping California from enforcing two new climate-reporting laws, according to Yahoo/Bloomberg.  The company argues the state isn’t just demanding data — it’s trying to conscript corporations into a particular climate narrative. According to the complaint, the laws force the company to “publicly endorse opinions about climate change that it does not agree with,” which ExxonMobil says crosses a clear First Amendment line. Yahoo/Bloomberg writes that the first law requires…

Chevron reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter results on Friday, supported by record oil and gas production following its roughly $53-billion acquisition of Hess Corporation. The U.S. supermajor posted adjusted earnings of $1.85 per share, above analyst expectations near $1.68, while total production rose to 4.1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) from 3.4 million boepd a year earlier, according to Reuters.  The increase reflects integration of Hess’s operations in Guyana and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, along with…

Chevron reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter results on Friday, supported by record oil and gas production following its roughly $53-billion acquisition of Hess Corporation. The U.S. supermajor posted adjusted earnings of $1.85 per share, above analyst expectations near $1.68, while total production rose to 4.1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) from 3.4 million boepd a year earlier, according to Reuters.  The increase reflects integration of Hess’s operations in Guyana and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, along with…

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban will seek to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to carve out an exemption for Hungary in the U.S. sanctions against Russia’s top oil firms.  “We have to make the Americans understand this strange situation if we want exceptions to the American sanctions that are hitting Russia,” Orban, a Trump ally and admirer, told Hungarian state radio on Friday, ahead of a visit to Washington D.C. next week for a bilateral meeting with President Trump. Hungary, whose top officials have remained…

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban will seek to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to carve out an exemption for Hungary in the U.S. sanctions against Russia’s top oil firms.  “We have to make the Americans understand this strange situation if we want exceptions to the American sanctions that are hitting Russia,” Orban, a Trump ally and admirer, told Hungarian state radio on Friday, ahead of a visit to Washington D.C. next week for a bilateral meeting with President Trump. Hungary, whose top officials have remained…

The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States fell this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday. The total rig count in the US fell this week to 546, according to Baker Hughes, down 39 from this same time last year.  The number of active oil rigs fell in the reporting period, according to the data, sinking to 414. Year over year, this represents a 65-rig decline. The number of gas rigs rose by 4 to 125, which is 23 more than this time last year. The miscellaneous rig count fell by 2…

Russian crude has accounted for a very small portion of supply for Indian state-run refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) as oil from Russia has not been economical to run at the refinery, HPCL chairman Vikas Kaushal said on the company’s earnings call. The call took place as Indian refiners are scrambling this week for alternative supply after the U.S. sanctions on Russia’s major oil firms.  Russian crude has not been economical for HPCL regardless of grades, the executive said.  Therefore, of all the crude…

A lack of oil discoveries is causing Colombia’s economically crucial petroleum reserves and production to deteriorate, sparking speculation that the industry is trapped in a death spiral. President Gustavo Petro’s bid to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by banning oil exploration and hydraulic fracturing is only accelerating the industry’s demise. This is severely impacting government income, exports, and the economy at a time when Bogota is particularly exposed to financial and geopolitical risks. Time is fast running out for…

One of Africa’s biggest oil producers, Angola, will sign next week an exclusive agreement with Shell under which the supermajor will explore and potentially develop several offshore blocks, Angola’s oil and gas agency ANPG has said.  “This event marks a historic moment for the Angolan oil sector, consolidating Shell's presence in Angola, an ANPG statement said, as carried by Reuters. Under the agreement Shell will explore Blocks 19, 34, and 35 and several ultra-deepwater blocks as Angola looks to revive its exploration and…

One of Africa’s biggest oil producers, Angola, will sign next week an exclusive agreement with Shell under which the supermajor will explore and potentially develop several offshore blocks, Angola’s oil and gas agency ANPG has said.  “This event marks a historic moment for the Angolan oil sector, consolidating Shell's presence in Angola, an ANPG statement said, as carried by Reuters. Under the agreement Shell will explore Blocks 19, 34, and 35 and several ultra-deepwater blocks as Angola looks to revive its exploration and…

The global energy system is witnessing the next greatest transition, standing on the cusp of a new energy era championed by clean electricity and the increased adoption of electrification across the board. Rystad Energy is pleased to announce the release of its flagship annual report, Global Energy Scenarios (GES) 2025, which provides in-depth degree scenarios toward 2100 and a newly developed nationally determined contribution (NDC) scenario to 2035. Clean electricity and electrification are expanding faster than any shift in modern history, with…

Like a lot of people, I have an inherent dislike and distrust of companies that have been through bankruptcy. It is often an indication of mismanagement for one thing, but it also leaves a bad taste in the mouth of any trader or investor when stockholders bear the brunt of bad decisions and failure. Less logically, that dislike and distrust is heightened when a bankrupt company continues operating, but under another name. It just feels like they are trying to hide something and con unsuspecting new investors. I know that as a supporter of capitalism…