North Asia

The freight rates for Russia’s flagship Urals oil shipments from western ports to India jumped by a little over 50% since mid-July, as rising shipping costs globally and increased security risks in the “Black Sea” discourage shipowners. Russia will increase its oil exports in August due to strong demand in Asia. However, a lack of tonnage may put a stop to its plans. In July, Ukraine intensified its?attacks against tankers in Black Sea. This resulted in damage to several vessels and forced the suspension of loading at Novorossiysk as well as the Caspian pipeline consortium terminal. The increased'security risk' in...

According to satellite images and shipping experts, a sanctions-hit oil tanker has been leaking oil near the coast of Oman. The spill has increased in recent days and is increasing concern about possible environmental damage. Ship tracking data indicates that the Caroline Bezengi stowed Russian oil at its Black Sea port, Novorossiysk, before departing for its latest voyage. Two maritime security sources confirmed that the ship first reported problems on June 8, off the southern Yemeni Port of Mukalla. They added that preliminary assessments suggested that an explosion had occurred onboard. Satellite image taken on July 28 shows that there...

Saudi Arabian state oil producer Saudi Aramco raised its official prices for liquefied petroleum gas by between 6% and 7% in August, traders reported on Friday. This was due to a higher demand for the product on global markets. Algeria's Sonatrach raised LPG prices between 19% and 23 % for August, according to traders. Saudi Aramco’s August OSPs have increased by $40 per metric tonne to $620. For propane, the price has increased by $40 per ton up to $640. Butane is a good alternative. LPG comes in two types: Propane (also known as butane) and propane. Both have different...

Two industry sources have told? Two industry sources told? After repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries caused shortages and price spikes, Moscow has introduced a "range" of measures to support its domestic fuel market. The measures include rail imports from Belarus and Kazakhstan of gasoline?and an export ban. Sources claim that a tanker flying the Panama flag loaded the cargo in Morocco's port Tangier at the end of July and is now dumping it at Russia's Arctic Port of Murmansk. Sources added that Lukoil was the supplier. The St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX), which is a part of...

The Ukrainian association of 'grain producers' and 'exporters' said that the 2026 crop is expected to reach 84.6 metric tons. According to the statement of the grain association, this forecast has been increased by 1,000,000 tons due to favorable weather conditions. The association estimates that potential exports for the 2026/27 seasons could reach almost 52 million tonnes. It said that the wheat harvest is expected to be 23.7 million tonnes, and exports will reach 18 million tons. The capacity of Ukraine to export grain has declined significantly over the past few weeks, as Russia intensified its strikes against Black Sea...

Russia said on Thursday that it had launched a series of 'overnight strikes' on Ukrainian military factories, including in Kyiv, the capital, and Lviv in western Ukraine. It also claimed to have hit three cargo ships at sea in the Black Sea. The Defence Ministry claimed that it used missiles launched from land, sea, and air, along with strike drones to 'hit the Mayak Factory in Kyiv, which was said to be involved in the production of Ukrainian FP-1 & FP-2 strike robots. In the same statement, it claimed that it had hit Kyiv’s Electrical Technical Plant where it was...

Five industry sources have confirmed that three major Russian Black Sea grain terminals have limited grain deliveries via?truck due to increased shipping risks and the increased flow of grain following restrictions on the Sea of Azov. This month, Russia, the largest exporter of wheat in the world, has restricted shipping on the Sea of Azov after Ukrainian drones targeted several Russian grain ships along the route. The route accounts for about a quarter of Russia's grain exports. The authorities redirected grain that was previously shipped by rail and truck through the Sea of Azov from the fertile south to terminals...

The Russian Defence Ministry reported that Russian forces struck at least two Ukrainian vessels on Tuesday, including a bulk carrier transporting military cargo to the Black Sea, and another vessel in the port Mykolaiv. The statement said that it had also targeted the port itself. The Defence Ministry released a statement that said: "As a result of strikes using hovering munitions or attack drones, infrastructure facilities at the Mykolaiv port transhipment complex?used for delivery and storage of military cargo as well as fuel and oil tanks intended to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces were damaged." It said that "in addition,...

The Romanian defence ministry announced on Sunday that an F-16 fighter jet pilot had shot down a Russian drone over the Black Sea. This was the latest in a string of airspace violations by NATO members, which?President Nicusor Dan deemed "inadmissible" and "intolerable". Romania shares a land border of 650 km (400 miles) with Ukraine, and Russian drones repeatedly violated Romania's airspace throughout the four-year Ukraine conflict. Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian ports located across the Danube River. Romania hadn't destroyed any drones before Friday, when a Romanian was able to safely bring down one in an uninhabited...

After a poorly explained government reshuffle erupted into a political crisis, protesters in Kyiv announced a rally that would last until the end of time. They demanded that Volodymyr Zelenskiy reappoint Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister. The protest reached its peak last week when thousands of angry Ukrainians marched to demand the reinstatement of Fedorov and the dismissal of Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in chief. Syrskyi was accused by some of disregarding soldiers' lives and delaying army modernisation. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the president's office Friday, even though Zelenskiy had replaced Syrskyi by respected commander Mykhailo Drapatyi. They chanted "We...

Russia announced?on Friday? that its forces had'struck three Ukrainian ports overnight? in a?attack which targeted infrastructure, including loading and unloading areas and fuel reserves which supported Kyiv’s armed forces. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that air-launched rockets and strike drones had?hit the ports of Odesa Izmail, and Mykolaiv as part of a campaign of heavy strikes against Ukraine. In a press release, it said that tanks of fuel and lubricants intended for the Ukrainian army had been damaged in Odesa and that storage and unloading facilities for military cargo had been destroyed in Izmail. The floating dry dock in Izmail...

Three industry sources reported on Thursday that drones had attacked two more oil tankers as they approached the terminal of 'the Caspian Pipeline Consortium,' on 'Russia's shores' of 'the Black Sea. This has further harmed prospects for exports to Kazakhstan, who uses this outlet. Authorities alleged that the closure of the terminal earlier this week, which accounts for more than 80 percent of Kazakhstan's oil exports, was due to safety concerns. This forced Kazakhstan to reduce its oil production. Sources said that the CPC should have provided oil to the HERA and ALATAU tanks. HERA, however, was set ablaze and...

A source familiar with the operational data said that Kazakhstan's crude oil and gas condensate?production?fell from 2,16 million barrels per days in June to?about 1,85 million barrels a day or 7,6 million metric tonnes in July 2026. Sources said that the decline in oil exports was due to disruptions on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the main route of export for Kazakh crude. Kazakhstan's oil output is heavily dependent on the CPC. It has no other real options to export the vast majority of its oil output elsewhere. Last month, oil exports via CPC were interrupted several times. Loadings at...

Calculations showed that the average daily natural gas supply to Europe by Russian energy giant Gazprom via TurkStream's undersea pipe fell 5.2% compared to a year earlier, falling from 48.8 million cubic meters in July. The only remaining transit route for Russian gas into Europe is through Turkey after Ukraine did not extend the five-year transit agreement with Moscow that expired in January of 2025. According to calculations based on data from the European Gas Transmission Group Entsog, total Russian gas supplies via TurkStream were?at 1,51 billion cubic metres in July last year. This is down from 1,59 bcm. The...

A chef prepared to serve dozens if people who were waiting for a hot meal after Ukrainian attacks had cut off power in their kitchens. Fuel supplies in cities and towns throughout Crimea, the area that Russia annexed as part of Ukraine in 2014, were limited for most of the summer due to Ukrainian attacks on power plants and other infrastructure. Ukraine says that it is "bringing the war home to Russia" through intensified strikes on the territory and deep within the country controlled by its neighbor. Oksana Mdyud, the head of Massandra's town administration, said that her workers serve...

Serbia has received another waiver from the United States to allow its Russian-owned oil firm NIS to continue importing crude until August 28, said energy minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic on Friday. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control has granted a waiver to NIS which operates Serbia's sole oil refinery. This will give NIS more time as Hungary's MOL oil and gas firm negotiates with the Russian majority share in the company. "Thirty-days is good news. NIS will have enough time to buy and bring in enough crude oil," Djedovic handanovic said during a live broadcast by state television RTS....

Chevron exceeded analyst expectations for second-quarter earnings?on Friday. It reported its highest quarterly profit for at least six-years as the U.S./Israeli war against Iran disrupted world energy markets and boosted?profits?for the largest oil companies. LSEG data shows that adjusted earnings of $12 billion or $6.06 a share beats the average analyst forecast of $5.56 a share. Chevron's shares rose about 2% during premarket trading. The results were similar to those of European oil giants TotalEnergies, Shell and others who also reported record profits in the second quarter. Higher oil prices were a major factor. ExxonMobil's quarterly profit missed analyst expectations...

Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned on Saturday an attack by Ukraine on a commercial Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea. It said that a resulting explosion killed one sailor and injured another. Throughout the Ukraine war, Kyiv had to combat drones designed by Iran that were deployed by Moscow. Kyiv offers its drone intercepting expertise to Middle East countries that have been hit by?Iran. Tehran called the attack on the Iranian vessel an act of aggression, and said it would defend national security and interests. It also accused Kyiv of trying to escalate the conflict in Ukraine. The Iranian denial coincided...

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, was quoted on Saturday as saying that the suspected Ukrainian attacks on facilities connected to 'Kazakhstan Caspian Pipeline Consortium' amounted "energy terrorism", aimed at Kazakhstan and Russia. Kazakhstan announced on Thursday that it had cut oil production after suspected Ukrainian drone strikes forced the CPC-operated Black Sea export terminal to close. Peskov was quoted by RIA as saying: "This is clear energy (terrorism), this is what they are doing in 'the Black Sea, in 'the Sea of Azov". These are terrorist acts, international terrorist acts, which could be extremely dangerous. RIA reported that he said the...

Three industry sources reported on Tuesday that the Caspian Pipeline Consortium has ceased receiving oil from Kazakhstan after the suspension of 'loadings' due to a sabotage attack against 'oil tankers? at its Black Sea Terminal. Two sources said that the oil?reservoirs are also full at the terminal. CPC, the company that accounts for 80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports, declined to comment. CPC announced on Monday that oil loads were'suspended' at the Black Sea Port following a ukranian drone attack against tankers. Chevron continues its monitoring of the situation at CPC. Safety and security for personnel are our highest priority. Chevron's...

CPC announced on Sunday that two?oil tanks were attacked by a gang of armed men at a terminal near the Black Sea coast in?Russia. Oil loadings have been suspended. CPC reported that the ASIA and NISSOS tanks were attacked during loading operations. CPC said that the ASIA tanker caught on fire and was put out. CPC employees and contractors were not injured or killed. CPC confirmed that there was no oil spill, adding that the tankers were still afloat. CPC has not identified any party responsible for the incident. In the past week, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their...

CPC reported that two drones attacked and damaged an oil tanker, which was chartered to load oil at the Caspian Pipeline consortium terminal near Russia's Black Sea coast. ExxonMobil was said to have chartered the Suezmax class Nordic Zenith. CPC has not identified any party responsible for the incident. In the past week, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their attacks on shipping in the Black Sea and Azov Seas. This marks a new phase in a war which has been fought mainly on the ground. CPC stated in a press release that a fire had broken out on the...

Fuel shortages are affecting Russians in all 11 time zones. Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries have disrupted supply and caused long queues, high gasoline prices, and even rationing?in some regions. Fuel access has improved in Moscow and other cities, mainly due to measures such as increasing imports and clearing low-quality fuels for use. However, the situation in Russian-annexed Crimea is still tense. Fuel shortages began in June, when some regions began to restrict gasoline and diesel use. Here is the situation in some Russian regions: CENTRAL RUSSIA According to 'witnesses, local media, and service aggregators who monitor the availability of...

In the last two weeks, Ukrainian forces have intensified their attacks on Russia's infrastructure for energy. Fuel shortages are worsened by the drone attacks in Russia. People have reported high prices and long lines at fuel stations in most regions. Here is a brief summary of recent attacks, starting with the latest. SALAVAT According to industry sources, the Salavat Petrochemical Complex, located in Bashkortostan's Urals region, stopped operations on July 14th following an attack by a Ukrainian drone. A fire broke at the Afipsky refinery, in southern Krasnodar Region of Russia. The cause was drone debris that fell from the...