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Vietnam prepares for flight reductions from April, after China and Thailand ban jet-fuel exports
Vietnam's authorities warned that the aviation industry should prepare for possible flight reductions in April, after China and Thailand stopped exports of jet-fuel due to the?Iran war. This increased the likelihood of shortages. Vietnam imports 60% of its jet-fuel needs from China and Thailand. Documents from the aviation regulator, and importers, seen by. In a document sent on March 9, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam warned that there was a risk of jet fuel shortages in the months to come for Vietnamese airlines. The report said that airlines should review their plans and, in particular, domestic routes. It also instructed airport operators to provide additional parking spaces for Vietnamese carriers, "in the event they are forced to reduce operations due to a lack of aviation fuel." The document also showed that Singapore has reduced its supplies to Vietnam. Petrolimex, a major importer, and Skypec, a major supplier, both viewed separate documents by. Both said they could only guarantee jet-fuel supplies for March. They warned that April contracts might not be met by suppliers. Skypec asked the regulator to limit air travel to only essential domestic routes, if the conflict continues. All documents were released after China asked its refiners to refuse new exports in the early part of this month. This was before a ban on refined fuels exports that began March 11. Thailand banned the export of fuel oil to all countries, except Myanmar and Laos, on March 6. The regulator, ministry and two importers did not respond to comments. Vietnam Airlines, VietJet and other major airlines in Vietnam declined to comment. DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS MADE According to Chinese customs data, Vietnam was the third largest buyer of aviation fuel from China in last year's figures after Australia and Japan. The Southeast Asian nation has raised the issue both with China, its principal supplier, as well as Thailand. According to a Vietnamese news portal, Le Hoai Trung, the Foreign Minister, asked his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, for close coordination, "to ensure energy safety," during a long-planned meeting in Hanoi. The Chinese summary of the meeting did not mention energy security. State media reported that Pham Minh Chinh, the Prime Minister of Vietnam, asked Thailand on Friday to assist in addressing the shortage at a meeting he had with the Thai Ambassador in Vietnam. Requests for comment from the foreign ministers of Vietnam, China and Thailand were not immediately responded to. In its document, the Vietnam Aviation Authority noted that "in this context it is hard to find new suppliers." The report also said that Vietnam's two refineries were under pressure to expand their production of other oil-based products, which made it difficult for them increase their jet fuel output. The report also noted that even if fuel supply stabilizes, the rising prices of fuel will disrupt the industry. According to a March document sent to the aviation regulator, local?airline Sun PhuQuoc Airways intends to "adjust" flight schedules in the coming months because of the volatility in?fuel prices. The company has not responded to a comment request. The documents show that Petrolimex, Skypec and other companies have also indicated the increase in jet fuel prices and the consequent 'limitation of credit lines. They have urged the banks to provide more flexible financing till market conditions normalise. LSEG data show that front-month jet-fuel paper swaps are currently trading in Singapore at $157 a barrel, which is more than 1.5 times the price of pre-conflict levels.
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Dubai Media Office reports that a fire breaks out near Dubai International Airport following a drone attack.
The 'Dubai Media Office' said on Monday that authorities are?dealing?with a??fire? resulting??? from a drone attack near the Dubai International Airport. They added that there were no reported injuries. Dubai authorities stated that the drone attack had hit a fuel tank, and civil defence teams are working to control the fire. Gulf Arab states have been subjected to more than 2,000'missile and drone attacks' since the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran began on February 28. These include U.S. military bases and diplomatic missions, but also vital Gulf oil infrastructure and ports, airports and hotels, as well as residential and office buildings. The United Arab Emirates - which normalised its relations with Iran's arch enemy Israel in 2020 - has been the most affected by?the attacks. All Gulf Arab countries have been affected and have condemned Iran.
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Sources: China relaxes BHP iron-ore ban for a week
Sources said on Friday that China will ease the ban on BHP's Jimblebar Fines, an iron-ore product, until next week. This comes only one day after Beijing tightened restrictions on its third largest supplier. China Mineral Resources Group (the state-run iron ore purchaser) told domestic steelmills they could take "delivery of Jimblebar fins already at port for around a week," said three sources who were familiar with the matter, but on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue. Steelmakers and traders are excluded from the exception. CMRG?barred? steelmakers and traders? from purchasing Jimblebar?fines in September and has progressively increased its restrictions. Most recently, this week, it is negotiating the terms of BHP’s 2026 supply agreement. Iron ore prices reached a two-month high on Friday as traders feared further bans could limit the iron ore supply at ports. The temporary reprieve highlights CMRG's?challenge? in lowering prices, when its primary tool is to remove supply from the market. One of the sources said that "the move is to reinin iron ore price rally." CMRG and BHPB did not respond immediately to requests for comments outside of normal working hours. Louise Heavens, News (reporting)
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Honda's $15,7 billion writedown on EVs is painful but China problems loom in the future
Honda's $15 billion write-down of its electric vehicles business is more than just a painful reversal in its U.S. strategy. It also shows that it will face even greater challenges from China where it faces an ever-widening technology gap. The second largest automaker in Japan announced on Thursday that it will restructure its electric vehicle business, primarily in the U.S., and write off some Chinese operations. This could cost an estimated?2.5 trillion dollars. It also said that it would report its first loss as a publicly listed company in nearly 70 years. It announced that it would cancel the three battery-powered models planned for the U.S. where demand for electric vehicles has plummeted since President Donald Trump cut subsidies. Honda sold 84,000 battery-powered vehicles last year, just 2.5% of its 3.4 million global vehicle sales. According to Christopher Richter, an automotive analyst at CLSA, the scale of the write-down reflects Honda's massive investments in research and production capacity, as it sought to sell more EVs. He said that the automaker should have acted faster to halt this investment when Trump returned to power. He said, "They took far too long to think about this." "They cancelled these projects almost on the eve before they were released." Honda unveiled its first two concept models of the "Honda 0 Series" in Las Vegas, including the Saloon Sedan, in January 2024. It had planned to launch the first vehicle in the series this year in North America. These plans have now been scrapped. The company has cancelled the three models which were to be produced in the U.S. The company will experience cash outflows up to 1.7 trillion Japanese yen as part of the financial hit. This is largely because of the costs of compensating its suppliers. Seiji Sugiura is a senior analyst with Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory (the research arm of Tokai Tokyo Securities) and he wrote to clients that he was "shocked by the scale" of this writedown. This decision was made at a time when it was very difficult, before mass production and after significant budgets were already committed. It was an extremely tough call. Honda is now pivoting to hybrids in America?and will be looking to strengthen its lineup and cost-competitiveness in India where it believes it could expand. CHINA'S PERFORMANCE SIGNS DEEPER EV TRUUBLES Honda may be putting behind them the worst, but fixing their China business could prove to be a greater challenge. The automaker said it was unable to compete with the newer Chinese companies, primarily because of their shorter development cycles, and?their strengths in software-driven cars, including advanced driver assistance systems. Honda said that in a competitive environment that was so difficult, it had been unable to produce products that were more cost-effective than those of the newer EV manufacturers. This resulted in a decrease in competitiveness. Vincent Sun, senior analyst at Morningstar said that there is uncertainty regarding Honda's ability to meet the technology challenge in the long-term. He said, "The move raises concerns about Honda's long-term technological competitiveness." Honda launched several battery-powered vehicles in China, the largest auto market in the world, but only sold 17,000 of them last year. This is just 2.5% of the 677,000 cars it sold there and just a fifth of the global total of electric vehicles. Analysts said that Sony Honda Mobility - the joint venture between Honda and Sony Group to develop the Afeela sedan - could also pose a risk. Honda announced on Thursday that the direction of its joint venture is being discussed but no decision has been made.
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US airline CEOs call on Congress to resolve the standoff and pay airport security personnel
Chief executive officers from major U.S. Airlines urged Congress to act quickly on Sunday to end the?29-day partial shutdown of the government that has forced 50,000 airport?security?officers to work without being paid, warning this could further disrupt U.S. airline travel. Travel at major airports has been disrupted by the absence of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers in the past week. This is alarming as spring break travel continues. In an open letter sent to Congress, the CEOs of American Airlines and United Airlines, as well as those from Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Air, Delta Air Lines and other airlines, wrote that "too many travelers have to wait in painfully long lines at checkpoints." First, the leaders must immediately reach an agreement on funding for Homeland Security. They added that they needed to take action so the problem would never happen again. A 43-day shutdown of the government in fall 2017 caused widespread flight disruptions. The FAA then ordered 10% flight cuts at major airports. "Once again, air travel is the political ball amid another government shut down," wrote the CEOs. The group of airline executives, which includes senior executives from cargo carriers such as FedEx, UPS, and Atlas Air, called for legislation that would ensure critical government aviation staff are paid during future shutdowns. Both parties of the Senate failed to reach an agreement on funding the TSA last Thursday, despite the fact that the TSA reported last week the resignation of more than 300 officers since the shutdown began. Homeland Security Department funding expired on February 13, after Congress failed in its efforts to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms requested by Democrats. "We're going to make it through this." Sean Duffy, U.S. Transport Secretary, said on Fox News Channel "Sunday Morning Futures" that he believes Democrats will come to their senses. Duffy hopes that Democrats will not wait for Americans to be hurt or killed before putting your security before those who have entered the country illegally. The airlines are anticipating a record spring travel period. 171 million passengers will fly during this period, an increase of 4% over the same two-month period in last year. Some airports, like Houston Hobby, New Orleans, and Newark, reported security lines that exceeded two hours last week as TSA absences increased. On Saturday, Newark announced it was experiencing longer than normal delays. The CEOs wrote: "Americans in your districts and home states are tired of the long lines, travel delays and cancellations that result from a'shutdown after shutdown. Airports are closing security checkpoints, and raising money to pay TSA employees for food and other necessities while they work without pay. Reporting by David Shepardson, Additional reporting in New York by Gertrude Chavez Dreyfuss; Editing and Jamie Freed by Diane Craft and Jamie Freed
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Iraq claims Kurdish authorities refuse to allow it to send oil through their pipeline
The Iraqi 'oil ministry' said that the Kurdistan Regional Government?refused it to use a pipeline for an alternative route for crude shipments disrupted by?the Iran _conflict. It accused authorities in Kurdistan of placing irrelevant conditions. Senior Kurdish officials told authorities that they would welcome the Iraqi government using the pipeline. However, Baghdad must first lift its "dollar embargo", which he called on the region. "We want to make a deal." "We want to help Iraq, and bring relief? to the markets. But this embargo has got to end first," said the official. Sources told The Daily Mail on 8 March that oil production in Iraq's southern oilfields has fallen 70%, to just 1.3 million barrels per day, as the Iran conflict has effectively closed off the Strait of Hormuz. Iraq's Oil Ministry sent a letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government in early March asking for permission to pump 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Kirkuk oilfields to Turkey's Ceyhan Energy Hub through the Kurdistan Pipeline Network, according to two oil officials last week. The Kurdish official stated that they were pressing to end what he said was a ban on the region’s banks being able to access dollars for importing goods through its borders and airports. Kurdish officials claim that tensions have increased with Baghdad after the federal government implemented a new electronic system to monitor imports and revenue. The KRG views this as a move undermining their autonomy and control over trade. Iraq's Oil Ministry said that the?Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources had "set up a number conditions unrelated to crude oil exports." Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Andrew Heavens
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After a terminal attack, an Indian vessel leaves Fujairah in the UAE
India's Government said that an Indian flagged vessel, loaded with 80.800 metric tonnes of Murban oil from the United Arab Emirates, left Fujairah on Sunday. This was a day after sources reported that'some loading operations were suspended' at the UAE port. Sources said that oil loading operations in the UAE's Fujairah, a major hub for bunkering and crude export, have resumed following a Saturday drone attack and fire. However, it is unclear whether the operations are back to normal. India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that the vessel, Jag Laadki was loading oil at Single Point Mooring when Fujairah Terminal was attacked. The statement stated that the vessel and all Indians on board were safe. Fujairah is outside the Strait of Hormuz and the "outlet" for UAE Murban crude oil. This volume is equal to 1% of global demand. Since the United States, Israel and other countries began a bombing on Iran in February, Tehran has stopped traffic through the Strait. The strait runs past its coast. Around 20% of the world's oil and seaborne natural gas are supplied through it. A spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry said that India has sought safe passage to 22 of its vessels, which are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz west of Iran. This comes after Iran granted a few Indian ships a rare exception to their blockade. Two Indian flagged LPG carriers carrying 92,712 tons of LPG each, Shivalik Nanda De, and headed to India, both crossed the Strait of Hormuz Saturday. The ships are expected to arrive in Mundra, India on March 16, and Kandla, India on March 17. (Reporting and editing by Aide Lewis in Mumbai, Vibhuti sharma)
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US airline CEOs call on Congress to resolve the standoff and pay airport security personnel
The CEOs from major U.S. Airlines urged Congress to act quickly on Sunday to end the 29-day partial shutdown of the government that has forced 50,000 security officers at airports to work without being paid, warning it could disrupt U.S. air travel. Travel disruptions at major airports due to the absence of Transportation Security Administration? officers have been occurring for the past week. This is alarming, as spring break travel continues. In an open letter addressed to Congress, the CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, Alaska Air, and other airlines wrote: "Too many travellers are waiting in extremely long and painfully slow lines at checkpoints." First, they should come together to agree on funding the Department of Homeland Security. They added that they needed to take action so this problem would never happen again. A 43-day shutdown of the government caused widespread flight disruptions last fall. The FAA then ordered a 10% cut in flights at major airports. "Once more, air travel is the political football amid another government shut down," wrote CEOs. The group of airline executives, which includes senior executives from FedEx, UPS, and Atlas Air, called for legislation that would ensure critical government aviation staff are paid during future shutdowns. Both parties of senators failed to succeed in their competing attempts on Thursday to fund the TSA. The TSA reported last week that over 300 officers had quit since the shutdown started. Homeland Security Department funding expired on February 13, after Congress failed in its efforts to reach an agreement on the immigration enforcement reforms that Democrats demanded. The airlines are anticipating a record spring travel period. 171 million passengers will fly during this period, an increase of 4% over the same period last year. Some airports, like Houston Hobby,?New Orleans, and Newark, reported that security lines were longer than two hours last week as TSA absences increased. On Saturday, Newark also said it experienced higher-than-normal delay. The CEOs wrote: "Americans in your districts and states are tired of the?long queues at airports?, travel delays?and flight cancellations? caused by shutdowns after shutdowns? Some airports have closed security checkpoints, while others are raising money to pay TSA workers for food and other necessities. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; David Shepardson)
Oil companies compete for projects that will boost Venezuelan production quickly. A real grind is in store
A rig that drills wells in shallow water completed its long journey from China to Venezuela’s oil-producing Lake Maracaibo region. Residents and workers were excited to see the passage of a big old rig called Alula, which passed just inches below a bridge that connects Maracaibo with the oilfields on the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo. This was due to U.S. sanctioned.
The rig struck an oil pipeline while it was passing through the lake, and also over the metallic spaghetti that was 20,000 kilometers worth of pipes below the water. The oil leaked out for several months before repairs were made. It was only last year that the rig was installed in the polluted water. Since then, the crude production has increased only modestly.
The Alula's story is a cautionary one for foreign energy companies, such as U.S. major oil company Chevron, that want to expand quickly in Venezuela and undertake short-term projects to boost the country's output of oil. Every step forward brings with it a whole new set of challenges.
Maurel&Prom, ENI of Italy, Spain's Repsol and China National Petroleum Corp. are also foreign companies that have a foothold in the country.
Donald Trump has asked American companies to invest $100 billion in rebuilding the oil industry, which was neglected for 20 years by socialist presidents Hugo Chavez & Nicolas Maduro. Washington has eased sanctions since its early January military invasion to snatch Maduro by issuing a few general licenses to energy companies that allow them to invest, export, and import oil and gas in the OPEC-member.
Two executives of companies with assets in the country said that early expansion could result in a crude oil output increase by as much as half a million barrels per day (bpd). The current production is 1,000,000 bpd.
The U.S. Secretary for Energy Chris Wright stated this month that he expected to receive a positive response from Venezuela.
"dramatic increase"
Venezuelan production is expected to increase in the next few months.
Houston, the U.S. capital for oil, and Venezuela's oil regions are a buzz, mobilizing to take part in the largest repair job ever undertaken by the energy sector. This is a massive undertaking comparable to the work undertaken to increase Iraq's oil production following the second Gulf War, or to restore the Kuwaiti oilfields that Saddam Hussein had set ablaze. According to a half dozen industry workers and oil employees who have experience in Venezuela, as well as executives planning to move there, along with numerous industry experts, analysts and other industry professionals interviewed for this article, the first phase of the project in Venezuela will involve relatively simple projects that can increase oil production quickly. These include refurbishing dilapidated oil wells, upgrading crude oil upgraders which are not working at full capacity, and repairing the ports and pipelines owned by the state oil company PDVSA. Even the "easy" projects, according to the experts, are difficult, and the rest of the work will be even more challenging. A reporter touring the Lake Maracaibo region in early February saw oil industry junk. Tanks overflowing with oil, abandoned oilfields. Blackened shorelines. And long lines of cars waiting to buy gasoline near storage terminals. The squalor and soiled shorelines, abandoned oilfields, tanks overflowing with crude, and long lines of vehicles waiting to buy gasoline near storage terminals or PDVSA operational sites were visible reminders that much work remains, even for what could be considered the "low-hanging fruits" in a region which is home to Venezuela’s oldest production facilities, as well as having the second largest output capacity.
The first step that companies anticipate is to implement projects such as the one planned by China Concord Resources Corp., which brought the Alula drilling rig to Venezuela in 2017. The company wants to increase the combined light and heavy oil output from two fields from 16,000 bpd to 60,000 bpd this year through a $1billion program. This would require refurbishing up to 875 inactive rigs before drilling new wells. A source with the project stated that the company is currently addressing many unplanned problems, including insufficient gas supply to maintain pressure on wells and the loss of technical data.
After Trump stated that companies from U.S. political rivals - China and Russia - are no longer welcomed in Venezuela, it is not clear if the project will go ahead. Companies from these countries were the only ones willing to work in Venezuela under sanctions.
Chevron, on the other hand, has been the sole U.S. oil major to produce crude in the United States for many years and is now in a prime position?to make early gains. The company is in a race with its rivals for supplies of the light crude produced by China Concord.
Energy companies in Venezuela are able to make a profit by importing fuels and light oil that can be used to dilute Venezuelan tar-like crude oil. The country's vast reserves of extra-heavy crude oil cannot be exported or transported without expensive upgraders and diluents. Foreign oil companies are more interested in producing barrels that are relatively simple to produce than those produced by PDVSA, who has ignored these regions for decades to focus on the Orinoco Belt and its heavy-oil wealth. Former employee of the Venezuela operations said that oil from Maracaibo would be more cost-effective for Chevron, as it doesn't need to be treated prior to export. This is especially true when crude prices are low. The former employee stated that other options included reopening wells closed due to lack of power or specialized equipment, reconditioning wells with low output to increase production, and drilling new ones.
Chevron stated that it has "been a part in Venezuela's history and remains committed to work in partnership for the future of Venezuela." It also added that it welcomed recent U.S. licensing and legal reforms.
PDVSA and the oil ministry of Venezuela did not respond to requests for comments. China Concord was not immediately available for comment.
HEAVIER ORINOCO CRUDDE Oil companies with stakes in projects and oil contracts across the country are vying for access to specialized machinery already present. There are up to 14 drilling rigs that have been in storage for years in Venezuela and are owned by Houston-headquartered SLB, one of the top global oil service providers, three sources with knowledge of its assets said. SLB is the main service provider for Chevron, since 2024 when it started its latest drilling program in Venezuela as part of an earlier U.S. wide license. SLB, like the U.S. giant, has a long history in Venezuela. SLB's rigs in Venezuela were used for PDVSA-related projects before the U.S. sanctions of 2019. U.S. companies, and those who adhered to U.S. sanctioned, could no longer operate rigs in Venezuela.
SLB says it has operational facilities, staff and equipment in Venezuela and is "in the early stages of collaboration" on next steps with customers. We are confident we can quickly ramp up operations under the right conditions.
The vast Orinoco Belt is in dire need of drilling and workover rigs, as the output usually involves clusters of wells. Diluents for blending with extra-heavy crude may be needed more urgently to reduce oil inventories that have accumulated over the past few months and to boost exports. Chevron, along with other PDVSA partners, is focused on securing the drilling equipment and access to crude upgradingrs as well as light oil and naphtha for blending. The U.S. firm would also have to renovate PDVSA-owned infrastructure, such as the Bajo Grande Export Terminal. It would also have to dredge a shipping channel on Lake Maracaibo, which hasn't been done for years due to sanctions that prevented companies from hiring dredges. Chevron would need to overhaul its Petropiar Project's upgrader in order to increase production at Orinoco. This converts the extra-heavy crude into exportable grades. Two Chevron sources also said that the facility hasn't been fully repaired in years.
Five projects, out of more than 40 joint ventures between PDVSA, foreign and local companies and other oil companies in Venezuela, have upgraded or blended the Orinoco extra heavy crude. This region holds over 80% of Venezuela's estimated 303 billion barrels worth of crude reserves. Without upgraders, companies would be forced to import expensive diluents in order to export barrels. This would lower their profits and also present logistical problems due to Venezuelan limitations on discharging and transporting them.
North American Blue Energy Partners has been working on repairing a PDVSA rig for the Orinoco Petrocedeno Project for several months. The company has close ties with American asphalt magnate Harry Sargeant. Two sources said that completing the repairs would allow the equipment to be brought online quickly.
North American Blue Energy Partners didn't immediately respond to a comment request.
Thomas O'Donnell is an independent energy analyst who says that many Venezuelan oilfields which are written off as being depleted still have significant production capacity.
"Many of the plants that were said to have died or been depleted are not actually depleted." He said that PDVSA lacked the skills or equipment to continue running these fields and cherry-picked them.
O'Donnell pointed out mature fields, where seismic surveys using 2D technology were last conducted in the early 1990s and the late 2000s. He said that companies could make substantial gains if they brought up-to-standard fields which were already in operation. This could result in "maybe a 50 or 100 percent increase over what is coming out currently."
LEGAL RISK REMAIN
A Venezuelan oil company executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity and has worked there, stated that the country's overall production could reach 1.5 million bpd in less than a calendar year, if oil producers obtain the necessary licenses.
Venezuelan oilfields, he said, are "very forgiving. You can increase production a great deal," referring the abundant reserves. The executive did add that there are still supply chain problems and security issues, especially around Maracaibo.
Executives also pointed out that there was still legal uncertainty, since it is not possible to guarantee that agreements made now will be honored by future governments. Venezuela's National Assembly approved in January a comprehensive oil reform that gave autonomy to foreign companies. However, some new contract models, which had been initially promoted by Maduro without much success, are still seen as risky by potential investors. The legitimacy of the passed reform is also questioned from a constitutional perspective. The U.S. and other countries have refused to recognize the results of the rigged parliamentary and president elections in the past.
Investors should also be aware of the possibility that future U.S. government may ease pressure on Caracas and allow it to regain control over oil exports and revenues.
According to a worker who has worked in the area for 22 years, the amount of investment needed will be huge. The worker stated that many companies have the ability to fix the problem, but the willingness to do so will depend on how they react once they see the disaster.
(source: Reuters)