Energy

Guyana, a tiny South American country, is experiencing an unprecedented economic boom thanks to offshore oil, benefiting from the price surge caused by the chaos in the Middle East, but it risks the resource curse if it fails to manage its sudden wealth with discipline. The Economist article.

The Salton Sea in California hides a huge lithium reserve valuable for batteries. But extraction risks worsening the environmental disaster already underway in the Imperial Valley, amid residents’ skepticism and unkept promises from the past. The New York Times article.

The Straits of Hormuz and Malacca are crucial for China’s energy supply. Today, the United States can exert leverage over both. An analysis by Gianclaudio Torlizzi taken from his Facebook profile.

South Korea, India, Malaysia, and Singapore are highly exposed to the Persian Gulf crisis and risk running out of oil. The article from the Financial Times is taken from Liturri’s press review.

Edison said it has replaced most of the LNG shipments that Qatar cannot deliver: the fuel will come from the United States. And on the return to Russian gas, CEO Monti—unlike Eni’s Descalzi—says there is no need. Numbers and details.

Catl’s economic results in the first quarter of 2026 exceed expectations, and the Chinese battery giant announces a new subsidiary dedicated to mining. The US-China competition over critical raw materials intensifies. All the details.

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have reached an agreement to limit steel imports and increase tariffs: the goal is to protect the EU steel industry, which is facing serious difficulties. Here is what the new measures entail.

Oil falls below $100 because the market—despite the failure of the Islamabad talks and the American blockade of Hormuz—expects an agreement between the United States and Iran. The situation remains serious but perhaps “not as dramatic as one might have expected,” writes Tabarelli.

The market is saying something very specific: the problem is not the price of oil. It is the time required to obtain it. And when time becomes scarce, the system stops functioning for optimization and starts functioning for survival. The analysis by Gianclaudio Torlizzi taken from his X profile.

Claudio Descalzi says that the European Union should lift the ban on importing gas from Russia to protect itself from the loss of supplies from the Persian Gulf. Another Eni CEO, Franco Bernabè, had already expressed the same position. Here is how much Russian fuel Europe purchases, what the ban from 2027 entails, and the situation for Italy (including on fuels).

Venezuela has approved a new mining reform, promoted by the United States, to encourage foreign investments. The subsoil of the South American country is believed to contain significant deposits of gold, bauxite, antimony, coltan, and more.

Today, Iran sells billions of dollars in oil every month. For this, it can thank only one country: China. Facts, names, and numbers in the Wall Street Journal article.

The war in Iran is driving up gas prices and favoring the “spot” model of the American company Venture Global, while competitors more tied to long-term contracts are falling behind. The WSJ article is taken from Liturri’s press review.

California imports about 75 percent of its crude oil, and nearly one-third comes from the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal article.

The Gulf War has prompted the European Union to purchase more LNG from Russia. However, Brussels does not want to lift the import ban starting in 2027.

If the price of oil has increased everywhere for everyone, why has the industrial price of diesel in Italy risen more than elsewhere despite the excise tax cut? It is not to be overlooked the possibility that distributors/refiners – for whom the excise tax is a cost – have pocketed the benefit of the lower cost without reducing prices to the same extent, thus increasing their gross refining margin. Liturri’s analysis.

In April, U.S. oil exports could reach a record level due to demand from Asia, which relies on supplies blocked in the Persian Gulf. Numbers, details, and context.

Despite the ceasefire agreement, Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries have not stopped. Among the targeted infrastructures is the East-West pipeline, crucial because it allows Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz (which has already been closed). All the details.

TotalEnergies has decided to cap fuel prices at its 3,300 service stations in France. The article from Le Figaro is taken from Liturri’s press review.

Russia says there is a huge demand for its fossil fuels and that it could redirect sales away from Europe. Moscow’s words are unlikely to prompt Brussels to reconsider its energy policy, especially given the damage to the pipelines. Here are statements, details, and figures.

Most of Italy’s oil refining capacity is under foreign control. Here is where the oil refineries in Italy are located, how much they produce, and who controls them.

In the face of the energy crisis triggered by the Gulf war and the LNG blockade, Asian governments are increasing their use of coal, despite warnings from experts about climate and health. This is what emerges from an article in The Guardian.

As the conflict in Iran disrupts oil markets, major Western companies are accelerating their return to Africa, attracted by promising geology, advanced technologies, and favorable contractual conditions. This is what emerges from an in-depth analysis by the weekly magazine The Economist.

From the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to the surge in gas and oil prices, the European chemical industry has seen costs for plastics increase by up to 50%. The article from Le Monde.

Iran has struck two of the largest aluminum refining complexes in the Middle East. Analysis by Gianclaudio Torlizzi from his X profile.

The crisis in Hormuz threatens agricultural supplies and opens the door to “non-linear” effects on the global economy. Excerpt from Stefano Feltri’s Notes.

The return of war requires rethinking the entire EU environmental policy. The article from Le Figaro taken from Liturri’s review.

The conflict with Iran is driving up gas and oil prices and putting fuel under pressure: Brussels is preparing urgent measures but warns that the crisis will be prolonged. Excerpt from the European Morning Brief.

The United States has obtained priority control over the heavy rare earths produced by the Pela Ema mine in Serra Verde, located in the state of Goiás, Brazil, thanks to a $565 million loan from the US International Development Finance Corporation.

Iranian attacks on foundries could hinder the expansion plans of Persian Gulf aluminum producers: the region could become a major hub alternative to China, but geopolitical instability is not helping the projects. Meanwhile, serious consequences are feared for prices and the availability of the metal.

Offshore wind energy is out of fashion. Geothermal energy is trending. And many startups in the climate technology sector are looking for ways to operate without federal support. The New York Times article.

Hormuz is no longer enough: now the Red Sea is also burning. Analysis by Gianclaudio Torlizzi taken from his X profile.

Italy immediately secured LNG supplies from Golden Pass, a new terminal recently put into operation in the United States: it is owned by QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil. All the details.

The possibility that Iran will gain control of the Strait of Hormuz is prompting the Persian Gulf countries to reconsider alternatives. Here are all the projects of Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and beyond.

The British government is about to proceed with the nationalization of British Steel, which owns the last two blast furnaces in the United Kingdom. The situation of the British company is very similar to that of Acciaierie d’Italia: both, moreover, have been targeted by Michael Flacks.

In Italy, coal power plants will remain active until 2038, thirteen years later than the target set by the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (Pniec). Our country is highly exposed to the crisis in the Persian Gulf due to its dependence on gas. However, the countries truly focusing on coal are Asian nations such as India, China, and South Korea. Numbers and details.

The first unit of Golden Pass, a large LNG terminal owned by QatarEnergy, has become operational on the Gulf Coast of the United States. The Qataris (and the Emiratis) are focusing on America to reduce dependence on Hormuz. Meanwhile, Trump allows a Russian oil tanker to enter Cuba: here’s why.

The United States is accelerating deep-sea mining to reduce dependence on China: two companies, Glomar Minerals and Cobalt Blue, aim to open a refinery for critical minerals extracted from the seabed. All the details.

Iran has imposed a toll for crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Not only that: it seems that Tehran is demanding payment in yuan, the Chinese currency. Meanwhile, the United States does not rule out the invasion of Kharg Island to seize Iranian oil.

Oil companies such as Equinor, Shell, TotalEnergies, and ConocoPhillips are pressuring the EU to abandon the ban on drilling in the Arctic in order to strengthen energy security.

While the world trembles over the war in the Persian Gulf and the oil crisis, the American CeraWeek fair is celebrating. But there are many shadows under the carpet.

When war drives prices: seven events, five years, and an energy market under pressure. Excerpt from the Papernest report.

The halt from Qatar and soaring gas prices are leading to the reopening of coal power plants in Asia and Europe. The article from the Daily Telegraph is taken from Liturri’s press review.

China is in pole position to become the world’s first “electrostate.” Analysis by Roman Boner, Senior Portfolio Manager of the Robeco Smart Energy strategy.

The energy price shock risks hitting UK businesses hard. Articles from The Guardian taken from Liturri’s press review.

The war in Iran is affecting not only oil and gas but also the global food supply. The Wall Street Journal article taken from Liturri’s press review.

The war in the Persian Gulf has also caused fertilizer prices to soar, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz risks putting farmers in Europe and beyond in crisis. It is a great moment for Russia, which can leverage its influence in the sector. Hungary has already asked Brussels to lift trade restrictions.

Iran might allow Spanish ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after the Sánchez government refused to grant the Americans the use of two military bases. Meanwhile, Spain secures an increase in gas supplies from Algeria, which is also being courted by Italy. All the details.

The UK government has said that Ming Yang’s wind turbines pose a national security risk. The Chinese company was supposed to open a factory in Scotland and has similar plans in Italy together with Renexia. All the details.