ENB Pub Note: This article was run on the California Globe by Mike Ariza, and he was just on The Energy News Beat Podcast Last week. We highly recommend following him and the California Globe. “The oil industry makes up 8% of California’s GDP. Without that 8%, the other 92% would be impossible to achieve.” — USC Professor […]
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A Russian tanker carrying crude oil from the Sakhalin-2 project is set to arrive in Japan today, marking a notable development in the country’s efforts to secure energy supplies amid ongoing disruptions in the Middle East. The cargo is destined for Taiyo Oil’s refinery in Ehime Prefecture and represents the latest step by Japan to […]
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TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces will begin supporting Project Freedom on May 4, 2026, to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The mission, directed by the President, aims to support merchant vessels seeking safe transit through this vital international trade corridor. A quarter […]
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The 2026 Iran war has triggered what the International Energy Agency (IEA) calls the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.” Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and significant LNG volumes flow—has upended global energy supplies. Over 50 countries have implemented emergency […]
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Europe is staring down a jet fuel supply crunch that could disrupt summer travel as early as June, with imports from the Middle East — historically its largest external source — completely halted this month. California, already grappling with refinery closures and heavy reliance on strained Asian imports, is only weeks behind, with tanker tracking […]
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The European Union’s energy policymakers have spent years touting their “REPowerEU” strategy as a masterstroke of independence from Russian fossil fuels. Yet in March 2026—mere weeks after the EU began rolling out its formal ban on short-term Russian LNG purchases—the bloc imported more Russian liquefied natural gas than in any month on record. According to […]
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In an era of global energy volatility—exemplified by the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis and surging U.S. oil and LNG exports—true energy security isn’t just about drilling and producing at home. It’s about controlling the vessels that carry American energy to the world. President Donald J. Trump’s administration has made this crystal clear: Energy dominance […]
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In a stark illustration of mounting pressure on Iran’s oil sector amid the U.S. naval blockade of its ports, Tehran has reactivated a 30-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) that had been languishing in retirement off Kharg Island. The vessel, NASHA (IMO 9079107), built in 1996 and capable of holding approximately 2 million barrels of […]
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The global oil market has been upended by the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran that began in late February 2026. The effective closure or severe restriction of the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint carrying roughly 20 million barrels per day (bpd), or about one-fifth of global seaborne oil and LNG — triggered the largest supply […]
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California’s energy system is teetering on the edge of collapse. Decades of aggressive refinery closures, strict CARB fuel specifications, and heavy reliance on long-haul imports have left the state uniquely vulnerable. The ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz—triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran—has now turned that vulnerability into an imminent crisis. Refined product […]
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