Tankers burning in Hormuz, and Secretary Wright is highly confident Europe will dump emergency diesel stocks

Tankers are burning in the Strait of Hormuz, visible traffic through the waterway has collapsed to a fraction of normal levels, and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says he is “highly confident” Europe will draw down emergency diesel stocks to ease a global shortage. The combination is keeping a firm geopolitical premium in crude while […]

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China now adding stress to diesel markets – Where do we go from here?

China is once again withholding refined products from the global market, layering fresh stress onto an already strained diesel complex. On October 1, 2026, trade sources reported that Chinese refiners have suspended oil-product exports for October to destinations other than Hong Kong and Macau, pending new guidance from Beijing. State-owned major PetroChina has canceled planned […]

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What is the real story on the Stelco plant idling and job losses in Canada?

  Stelco Holdings, owned by Ohio-based Cleveland-Cliffs since a $3.4-billion acquisition in late 2024, announced it will indefinitely idle cold-rolled and coated operations at its Hamilton Works plant beginning around October 9. The company says the move is required “to help ensure the survival of Stelco.” About 350 workers at Hamilton are expected to be […]

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Energy Security Under Fire: Drones, Sanctions, and the New Oil Wars

Kirk Edwards, President of Latigo Petroleum, stops by the Energy News Beat Podcast In this episode of the Energy News Beat Podcast, host Stu Turley sits down with Kirk Edwards, President of Latigo Petroleum, to discuss the critical energy challenges reshaping global markets. From diesel shortages and geopolitical tensions to drone warfare targeting refineries, the […]

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Why Are Global Diesel Prices So High? Exhibit A: Ukraine Drone Hits Novoshakhtinsk Refinery

A Ukrainian drone strike on Friday forced Russia’s Novoshakhtinsk refinery in the Rostov region offline, according to regional governor Yury Slyusar. The plant, which processes about 110,000 barrels per day (roughly 5–5.6 million tons per year), is not one of Russia’s giants. It is, however, a clean illustration of why diesel—the workhorse fuel for trucking, […]

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