NorthAmOil - North America Oil & Gas
Canadian oil sands giants unveil plans to ramp up output in 2026
Canada’s four leading oil sands producers are all targeting higher output next year, though some are cutting capital spending at the same time.
BP announces first oil from Atlantis Drill Center 1 expansion in US Gulf
BP has achieved first oil from the Atlantis Drill Center 1 expansion project in the US Gulf of Mexico.
Shell sanctions Kaikias waterflood project in US Gulf
Shell has taken a final investment decision on a waterflood project at its offshore Kaikias field in the US Gulf of Mexico.
Oil prices jump after Trump orders blockade of Venezuelan tankers
Brent and West Texas Intermediate both gained more than 2% before giving up part of the advance
Chevron cuts Venezuelan crude prices after US seizure raises supply risks
The company sold a batch of Venezuelan oil on December 11, a day after the seizure of a vessel off Venezuela’s coast, at lower prices than cargoes offered earlier in the week
Asian buyers push Venezuela to deepen oil discounts
Asian refiners are pressing Venezuela to offer sharply lower prices for its crude as abundant discounted supplies from Russia and Iran crowd the market and rising geopolitical risks add to buyer caution
Venezuela bond rally builds on hopes of political change
Prices have climbed to about 33 cents on the dollar, up roughly 40% since early October, as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Caracas
Condor to accelerate gas development activities in Uzbekistan by mobilising second drilling rig
Canada-based Condor Energies Inc (TSX: CDR) said on December 16 in a press release that it intends to accelerate natural gas development activities in Uzbekistan by mobilising a second drilling rig.
Asian LNG spot prices sink to two-year low
India’s Russian oil imports: a complex picture of contradictory claims
Indian refiners appear set to take in substantial volumes of Russian crude this December, confounding predictions that new Western sanctions would sharply curtail flows.
Energy Transfer to take FID on Lake Charles project in early 2026
US pipeline operator Energy Transfer will take a final investment decision on its Lake Charles LNG facility in Louisiana.
Ovintiv inks deal for Cedar LNG capacity
US petroleum company Ovintiv has inked a deal for liquefaction and transportation capacity at Pembina Pipeline’s Cedar LNG facility.
Oil slides as Venezuelan disruptions clash with fears of global oversupply
Losses extended declines from last week, when markets were weighed down by forecasts pointing to excess supply in the years ahead
Dozens of tankers near Venezuela face US seizure risk
Samir Madani, chief executive of Tanker Trackers, said 37 vessels listed by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control are still operating in Venezuelan waters, with only limited departures in recent days
PDVSA alleges cyberattack as tensions with US escalate over oil seizure
In a statement, the company said the attempted attack formed part of Washington’s “public strategy to seize Venezuelan oil through force and piracy.”
OPEC points to drop in Venezuelan output as data gap and export risks grow
OPEC said production slipped 2.8% to 934,000 barrels per day (bpd) based on secondary sources, while Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons reported a 0.9% increase to 1.14mn bpd
Venezuela accuses US of ‘international piracy’ over tanker seizure
Venezuela’s government condemned the United States for seizing a massive oil tanker off its coast
Venezuela’s oil potential remains limited despite US pressure
Talk of a political shift in Venezuela has intensified as the US bolsters its military footprint offshore, with analysts at RBC flagging the possibility of regime change as early as the first quarter of 2026
Venture Global pushes back against Shell in New York Supreme Court
Tensions continue to boil between the two companies after Shell’s arbitration case loss.
US seizure tanker carrying Venezuelan oil targeted Caracas–Havana oil link
Cuban and Venezuelan authorities condemned the operation as “piracy,” while US officials told The Economist that further seizures are planned as Washington tightens enforcement against Venezuela’s oil export network
US seizure of tanker signals tougher stance on Venezuelan oil smuggling
The US has seized the Skipper, a tanker carrying illicit Venezuelan crude, marking a significant escalation in efforts to curtail the Maduro regime’s oil revenues
Venezuelan oil exports slow after US seizure and fresh sanctions
Venezuela’s oil shipments have declined following the US seizure of a tanker earlier this month and the imposition of fresh sanctions on ships and maritime firms involved in the country’s crude trade
Chevron presses case to maintain Venezuelan operations
Chevron Corp. is in talks with the Trump administration over how its Venezuelan business can continue to operate within the boundaries of US sanctions
US-intercepted supertanker near Venezuela heads toward Houston
The vessel, the Skipper, is transporting about 1.85mn barrels of Merey heavy crude, based on satellite monitoring
Indonesia ties tariff negotiations with Washington to long-term energy security
Indonesia has moved to underline the central role of energy cooperation in its trade negotiations with the United States, insisting that talks on reciprocal tariffs remain on course and that pledges to import American oil and fuel will be upheld.
US seizure of tanker carrying Venezuelan crude escalates standoff with Maduro
The United States seized an oil tanker off Venezuela in international waters, President Donald Trump told media on December 10, describing the vessel as “a big tanker, a very big one—the biggest ever seized, in fact.”
Fluor, JGC complete LNG Canada Train 2
Fluor and JGC have completed Train 2 at the LNG Canada project and handed it over to the LNG Canada consortium
Producers submit $372mn in bids in US Gulf lease sale
The lease sale held in the US Gulf of Mexico this week attracted a total of 219 bids worth a combined $372mn.
Antero shakes up Appalachian shale portfolio
Antero Resources and Antero Midstream have announced a set of major transactions centred on Appalachia
Shell reportedly in talks to acquire LLOG in US Gulf expansion
Shell is reported to be in talks to acquire privately held US player LLOG Exploration Offshore
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