Exclusive US firm HKN Energy takes over 7 oil fields from Syria's Kurds HKN Energy has begun operating seven oil fields under a 25-year agreement with Damascus, marking the first major production-sharing deal between Syria's new government and an international oil company. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Explainer US strategic oil stockpile nears four-decade low as Iran war drags on The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell to 349.2 million barrels amid the global energy shock caused by the war in Iran. United States
Syria says Iraqi oil shipments surge as Damascus courts foreign energy investment Speaking at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum in Washington on Tuesday, Syrian Petroleum Company CEO Yousef Qiblawy said Iraq's overland oil exports through Syria have expanded rapidly in recent months. Syria
Explainer Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriguez meets Erdogan in surprise Turkey visit: What to know Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez visited Turkey as part of Caracas' post-Maduro diplomatic outreach, seeking to deepen ties with Ankara in energy, trade and mining despite the continued constraints of remaining US sanctions. Turkey
Gulf consolidates stature as sovereign wealth hub, lags on per capita holdings A frenzy of recent initial public offerings has again highlighted Gulf states' statuses as global wealth hubs. By Sebastian Castelier In Dubai, reporting on regional business
Saudi Arabia 'conservative' on oil revenue as it pares back Vision 2030 plans Mohammed Al-Jaadan warned that being a resource-rich country was a curse as well as a blessing because being dependent on one commodity such as oil can hold a country "hostage" to the volatility of global demand and prices. Saudi Arabia
Turkey’s BOTAS signs $1.1B long-term LNG deal with ExxonMobil Turkey and ExxonMobil have signed a major liquified natural gas deal as Ankara looks to diversify its energy sources. Turkey
What's behind Saudi Arabia's increase in crude oil prices for Asian market? The kingdom wants to restrain oil production to keep demand up, but the increase in prices to Asian customers is more related to refining values, says one expert. Saudi Arabia
Turkey eyes ExxonMobil LNG as country reduces dependence on Russian gas The long-term deal being discussed with the American energy giant would give Turkey up to 2.5 million metric tons of LNG a year, Turkey's energy minister said in an interview. Turkey
UAE company agreed to loan $13B to South Sudan in exchange for oil A $13 billion loan to South Sudan, funded by Hamad Bin Khalifa Department of Projects, marks the largest-ever cash deal for the country. United Arab Emirates
Oman LNG deal spree continues with France's TotalEnergies The French energy major is also working on the Marsa project in Oman, which it claims is the first LNG bunkering hub in the Middle East. Oman
Soaring regional tensions boost Gulf budgets, threaten long-term goals Most of the Gulf’s economic diversification plans still rely heavily on oil and gas revenues, especially in Saudi Arabia, where the most speculative parts of Vision 2030 face a lack of interest by foreign investors. By Sebastian Castelier In Dubai, reporting on regional business
Iraq plans to reopen own oil pipeline as talks to restart Kurdish route stall The move to reopen the pipeline will irk the Kurdistan Regional Government, as it introduces a rival route to a section of the pipeline in Kurdistan that has been shut for a year and is a crucial economic source for the semi-autonomous region. Iraq
Turkey, Iran launch talks on energy cooperation The talks, aiming to enhance energy cooperation between the two countries, kicked off in Tehran. Turkey
What’s behind Abu Dhabi’s $13 billion investment in gas? The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is seeking more foreign partners as it aims to boost gas production capacity. United Arab Emirates
From PKK to corridor project: Ambitious agenda awaits Turkey’s Erdogan in Iraq Security cooperation and transport corridor plans are expected to top the agenda of the Turkish president’s visit to Iraq in April, the first of its kind since 2011. Turkey
