Geopolitical Risk

China has been by far the largest single buyer of US crude so far this year, whilst for LNG...

Turkey has unashamedly mixed gas and politics in its East Med exploration strategy as the country approaches an upcoming exploration campaign.

The US on 7 August reimposed a slew of sanctions on third-party dealings with Iran. The measures will hit Iran hard. But worse is to come with the US aiming to halt Iran’s oil exports from November. MEES asks what the moves mean.

Saudi Arabia’s brief suspension of oil shipments through the Red Sea shipping lane of Bab al-Mandeb has ended, Energy...

OMV became the first IOC to restart production in Yemen in April. The risky return has begun to pay off, with exports resuming from the firm's Habban field.

Iran's oil exports to key buyers in Asia have so far stayed strong, but shipping data indicates that its third largest buyer South Korea has now halted purchases ahead of looming US sanctions. After a strong May, Asian imports fell to a 12-month low in June and worse is to come.

As Iraq's dominant Shia political groupings feel the wrath of protests, Saudi Arabia has spotted an opening to wean Baghdad away from Iran.

2018 looks to be one of the worst years in decades for Iraq’s chronically mismanaged water sector, fueling major protests. New Turkish dams are partly to blame.

Political stand-offs and posturing by rival factions mean that the December deadline for elections to Libya’s House of Representatives will be missed.

As rhetoric heats up, the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint is attracting concern that regional oil exports could be shut off. Riyadh’s ‘Plan B’ relies on the Bab al-Mandeb strait where Yemen’s Houthis this week attacked Aramco tankers. Egypt’s Suez Canal revenue is also threatened.

• Egypt’s Suez Canal notched up revenues of $1.484bn in the second quarter of 2018, a record quarterly...

A late June agreement between Sudan and South Sudan to increase crude output from the south raised hopes of cooperation that could help the two struggling economies. But Juba is withholding crude that Khartoum expects to receive in August.