Aberdeen oil man gets three years in prison for bribery
An Aberdeen oil chief convicted of paying £400,000 in bribes to win contacts in war-torn Iraq has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Iraq
Oil advances after OPEC+ extends production cuts
Oil rose to trade near $43 a barrel in London after OPEC and its allies agreed to extend historic output curbs by an extra month, promising stricter compliance to ensure members don’t pump more than they pledged.
OPEC+ agrees to extend output cuts as cheats offer penance
OPEC+ agreed to a one-month extension of its record output cuts and adopted more stringent methods to ensure members don’t break their production pledges.
Updated: Oil’s climb continues as strong jobs data adds to OPEC+ optimism
Oil headed for a sixth weekly gain after OPEC+ reached a tentative agreement to prolong its record production cuts and U.S. jobs data were better than expected.
African rig count plummets, while Middle East holds up
Africa has been the hardest hit region in terms of rig numbers, according to Baker Hughes’ May data.
Oil slips with planned Opec+ talks stymied by Iraq obstacle
Oil declined as OPEC+ unity was threatened by a long-running feud over compliance with production cutbacks.
DNO warns of declines in North Sea, Kurdistan
DNO and Genel Energy have cut production estimates and spending this year in Kurdistan, although allowing that work could resume should prices strengthen.
SFO drops Unaoil probe into ABB
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has dropped its investigation into ABB linked to the Unaoil case.
MEA banks under oil price pressure
Middle East and African banks face mounting pressure from the gathering macroeconomic storm and oil price pressure, Fitch Ratings has said.
DNO presses ahead with Kurdistan exploration
Norway’s DNO has tested and appraised its Baeshiqa-2 exploration well in Kurdistan and is moving to spud an exploration well on a separate prospect on the same licence.
Dana considers demerger, sukuk payment
Dana Gas has taken a step towards splitting its upstream and midstream businesses off from each other, following approval for the plan from its shareholders at an AGM vote.
Gulf Keystone waits for conditions to improve
Gulf Keystone Petroleum does still intend to increase production to 55,000 barrels per day in Kurdistan but this is dependent on conditions improving, including the resolution of outstanding payments from the local government.
Trump authorises Navy to tackle Iran vessels
US President Donald Trump has given the US Navy to “shoot down and destroy” Iranian vessels “if they harass our ships at sea” in a tweet.
Will Covid-19 kill the oil industry?
As Coronavirus lockdowns continue to spread around the world, the oil industry faces more disruption to demand and supply chains, with many margins and prices already collapsing.
Updated: Oil flirts with $70 as Middle East crisis deepens fear of supply disruption
Oil extended its gains, briefly surpassing $70 a barrel in London for the first time since September, as Middle East tensions flared after the U.S. assassinated one of Iran’s most powerful generals.
The great decoupling of energy stocks from oil creates carnage
This year has been one of moderate gains for the price of oil, but it has been bleak for producers.
Oil near 12-week high after Saudis surprise with output curbs
Oil traded near the highest level in almost 12 weeks after Saudi Arabia surprised the market Friday with a significant supply cut beyond what was agreed to with fellow OPEC+ members.
Oil price spike a welcome but short-lived boost for North Sea, Prof Kemp says
The oil price spike caused by a drone attack on a major Saudi processing facility will provide a welcome − but short-lived − boost to North Sea revenues, a prominent petroleum economist has said.
Oil market gripped by uncertainty over lost Saudi production
Oil markets are grappling with uncertainty over how long it will take Saudi Arabia to restore output after the devastating attacks that knocked out 5% of global crude supply.
Former Unaoil executive pleads guilty in Serious Fraud Office bribery case
A former Unaoil executive has pleaded guilty to five offences of conspiracy to give corrupt payments amid a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation.
Iraq says Exxon Evacuation of staff is `unacceptable’
The evacuation of some Exxon Mobil Corp. workers is “unacceptable and unwarranted” because it has nothing to do with the security situation in southern Iraq, according the country’s energy minister.
Former Marathon Oil boss joins Cairn Energy board
A former vice president of Marathon Oil has joined the board of Scottish firm Cairn Energy.
Petrofac wins contracts worth £23m-plus in Middle East
Petrofac has secured a number of new awards and contract extensions, with a combined value of more than £23 million, to provide training solutions for key National Oil Company and International Oil Company clients in Oman, the UAE and Iraq.
Political uncertainty is certain in Middle East
Since the Arab Spring in 2011, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has faced continued political upheaval. But energy production and export remains central to its prosperity.
Genel to buy stakes in Kurdistan blocks from Chevron
Genel Energy has agreed to buy stakes in the Chevron-operated Sarta and Qara Dagh blocks, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, for $60 million.