Refining
China begins issuing second batch of 2026 crude import quotas to refiners
The newest allocation, combined with a small batch issued in late November, accounts for about 70% of the refiner's total quota for next year.
EIA: U.S. crude, fuel inventories rose in the week ended December 19
Monday's data release was delayed over six hours and released after the oil market had closed.
Ghana's Tema oil refinery restarts after 9-yr shutdown
Refining began on December 19 at the 45,000-bpd refinery, which had been shut since 2017.
Five energy market trends to track in 2026, the year of the glut
This past year was a wild one for the oil and gas industry, punctuated by the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June, U.S. President Donald Trump's trade wars, the intensified targeting of energy infrastructure in Russia in its war against Ukraine, OPEC’s often perplexing production decisions and the recently threatened U.S. blockade of Venezuela.
Eneos plans to shut Marifu CDU in mid-January for maintenance
The refiner, a unit of Eneos Holdings, restarted the 172,100-bpd No. 2 CDU at its Kawasaki refinery near Tokyo on November 21 after it had been shut since August 16 for a planned turnaround.
Asia refinery 2025–2026 maintenance/outages
The table lists planned and unplanned refinery shutdowns for 2025 and 2026 compiled through a survey of Asian oil refiners and market sources.
Serbia's NIS gets U.S. approval to negotiate sale of Russian stake
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on NIS in October, as part of broader measures against Russia's energy sector, after granting a series of waivers since January.
Egypt, Qatar's Al Mana Holding sign $200-MM SAF deal
The project will be developed in three phases and will span 100,000 m2 in the Integrated Sokhna Zone on Egypt's Red Sea coast.
China's teapots boost Russian ESPO buying amid record discounts
Discounts for Russian ESPO Blend crude loading in January have widened to a record $7–$8 per barrel versus ICE Brent upon delivery in Chinese ports, as Western sanctions pressure weighs on the grade.
- OXEA confirms final investment decision for major capacity expansion at plant 7/10
- TotalEnergies ships to Asia the first cargo produced by the ECA LNG plant 7/10
- ADNOC L&S expands LNG fleet with order for four new carriers 7/10
- India's ONGC plans to build 13-MMbbl national strategic oil reserve 7/10
- Russian refineries, oil terminal, tankers hit, Ukraine says 7/10
- Tajikistan says it has 60 days' fuel in reserve amid Russian supply crunch 7/10
