Saturday, 10 October 2026

Ranger Energy Services has closed its purchase of U.S. assets from STEP Energy Services, covering coiled tubing along with fluid pumping, nitrogen pumping, and associated well services operations, World Oil reported from a regulatory filing.

The total deal value came to roughly USD 27.5 million, with customary post-closing adjustments still to apply, according to World Oil. Ranger paid USD 22.5 million in cash and issued 307,503 Class A common shares pegged at USD 5 million.

What changed hands includes coiled tubing units, their supporting equipment, further operating assets, and lease rights tied to the acquired business.

The Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) has issued a Proposed Notice of Sale for offshore oil and gas leases in Alaska's Cook Inlet, with the auction scheduled for March 2027, according to World Oil.

The sale would cover approximately 1.05 million acres, World Oil reported.

The proposed sale would offer 224 blocks in the northern Cook Inlet Planning Area, according to World Oil.

Proposed lease terms include a 12.5% royalty rate, World Oil reported.

SLB has commissioned a new liquid mud plant in Pemba, Mozambique, to prepare, store and deliver drilling and completion fluids for offshore oil and gas operations, according to World Oil.

The facility has an initial storage capacity of 21,000 bbl and is built to serve multiple customers as offshore activity increases in Mozambique, World Oil reported. The plant expands SLB's capacity to supply fluids for offshore drilling and completion work.

More than 100 jobs were created during construction and commissioning, with Mozambican nationals making up approximately 80% of the workforce, according to World Oil.

SLB reported more than 67,000 work hours without a recordable safety incident during delivery of the project.

A BMW Group survey found that 73% of US adults consider 25 to 75 miles of EV range sufficient for their daily routine, according to Electrek.

The reported daily needs sit well below the range buyers say they want before purchasing. According to Electrek, 42% of Americans want at least 300 miles of range before considering an EV, and 18% want 400 miles or more.

Big Village conducted the online survey among 1,005 US adults from September 11 to 13, 2026, and weighted the results to represent the US adult population, according to Electrek.

Shell will acquire a 30% interest in the Bay du Nord project offshore Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada under an agreement with Equinor, according to Offshore Magazine.

Equinor will retain a 70% interest and remain the project's operator, according to Offshore Magazine. Shell's stake comes through the signed agreement between the two companies.

The transaction supports the project's progress toward an investment decision currently targeted for early 2027, according to Offshore Magazine.

With Tropical Storm Isaias tracking toward the US Gulf of Mexico, Shell and Chevron have started scaling back offshore work and relocating crews, drawing on company statements reported by Offshore Magazine.

Shell is clearing all staff and halting output at five of its assets, naming Mars, Olympus, Ursa, Vito and Appomattox, according to Offshore Magazine.

At Chevron, shut-in steps are under way across four operated platforms, with extra workers being flown back onshore, the publication reported.

By midweek, precautionary shut-ins had pulled roughly a quarter of the region's oil output offline, according to industry reports cited by Offshore Magazine, which added that natural gas supply saw a smaller reduction and that further operators, BP among them, were sending non-essential staff ashore.

BlackRock and other large U.S. asset managers, along with a climate-focused investor group, drew a warning from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week over a 2021 campaign that replaced directors on ExxonMobil's board, according to Inside Climate News.

The commission closed its probe into the firms and found no evidence of violations, Inside Climate News reported. In a published letter, the SEC still raised "serious concerns" about their conduct.

That campaign installed three new directors on ExxonMobil's board, winning in large part after convincing major asset managers including BlackRock to back the slate, according to Inside Climate News.

US special envoy Jared Kushner and Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev held discussions that touched on the Nord Stream pipelines, according to Offshore Magazine.

Offshore Magazine identified Kushner as the son-in-law of President Donald Trump and Dmitriev as a close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Two sources cited by Offshore Magazine said the Nord Stream pipelines remain on the agenda of recent meetings between the two envoys, though it was unclear how extensively the topic was addressed.

A White House official told Reuters there had been no Nord Stream discussions recently.

Volkswagen will replace its ID.4 E-SUV and the derivative ID.5 with the ID. Tiguan in early 2027, according to electrive. The name ties the electric model to the combustion-engine Tiguan.

The ID. Tiguan will come in three powertrain variants spanning 140 kW to 220 kW, electrive reported. The entry rear-wheel-drive model pairs 140 kW with a 58-kWh LFP battery, while a second rear-wheel-drive version carries 210 kW and a 77-kWh NMC battery. The top 4MOTION all-wheel-drive variant delivers 220 kW and also uses the 77-kWh battery.

Volkswagen expects the model to achieve WLTP ranges of up to 600 km, depending on drivetrain and battery size, according to electrive. Homologation of the three variants is not yet complete.

Global cumulative energy storage capacity is forecast to exceed 7 TWh by 2035, according to ESS News citing Wood Mackenzie.

Demand growth in 2026 alone is close to 30%, ESS News reported.

Wood Mackenzie's split of commercial and industrial storage shows industrial demand is materially larger in some regions, according to ESS News.

Shell plc will take a 30% stake in Equinor's Bay du Nord project offshore Canada, according to Offshore Engineer OEDigital.

Equinor will keep the remaining 70% and stay on as operator of the project, Offshore Engineer OEDigital reported.

The two companies are working toward a final investment decision in early 2027, according to Offshore Engineer OEDigital.

Terrestrial Energy submitted its Thermal and Electric Facility (TEF) Topical Report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the company announced.

The filing seeks approval to build and operate the non-nuclear portions of its Integral Molten Salt Reactor Plant separately from the nuclear components.

If approved, the facility could be constructed and operated before the company obtains a nuclear construction permit and operating license, according to Terrestrial Energy.

Power LNG plans to build a liquefied natural gas facility on Pelican Island capable of producing about 400,000 gallons of LNG per day, according to Houston Public Media.

The plant could later expand to 800,000 gallons per day, Houston Public Media reported.

Production is expected to begin near the end of 2028, subject to required approvals and agreements.

Prediction-market contracts put the odds at 87% that the U.S. national average gasoline price will stay above USD 4 per gallon on Nov. 3, according to TokenPost, pointing to limited relief for drivers before the midterm elections.

The national average stood at USD 4.36 per gallon on Thursday, TokenPost reported.

Contracts assigned a 42% chance that prices would remain above USD 4.25 per gallon on Election Day, according to TokenPost, suggesting prices may ease from current levels while staying above USD 4.

Bangladesh and Türkiye held talks on cheaper electricity generation, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), with both sides weighing wider power-sector cooperation.

The two sides also took up heavy fuel oil (HFO) supplies as part of a push for lower-cost energy that Bangladesh wants to shore up its energy security.

Idle power plants were central to the talks. Bangladesh's energy minister said the country needs affordable and sustainable supply options to bring those stalled generation units back into service.

The Turkish delegation asked to meet ministry officials soon to lay out its proposals in detail, and the minister agreed to continue the talks on where the two countries might work together.

The U.S. Department of Energy approved the nuclear safety design agreement, or NSDA, for Deep Fission's reactor in southeast Kansas.

The approval is an initial step in the federal safety review process. Deep Fission still needs additional documentation and reviews before it can secure federal authorization to operate.

Iceberg Research criticized the company's plans. In its report, Iceberg Research argued that power from the reactor would not be competitive and that the timeline for approval and construction was too ambitious.

Following that report, four stockholder rights law firms announced they were investigating Deep Fission.

Thirteen industry groups urged the European Commission to keep binding EU renewable-energy targets for transport in place beyond 2030, according to MLex, which reported a joint letter sent on Thursday.

The signatories said continuing the targets would support investment and reduce reliance on imported fuels, MLex reported.

The groups, which include FuelsEurope, Hydrogen Europe and the European Biogas Association, warned that relying predominantly on carbon pricing would leave a policy gap, particularly in road transport, according to MLex.

The Commission is preparing a revision of the Renewable Energy Directive for the period after 2030, MLex reported.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Suncor Energy, Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County, according to RSN. The outlet described the case as one that could give fossil fuel companies a get-out-of-jail-free card for the harms caused by climate change.

Scientists have used data compiled on fossil fuel industry emissions to connect climate harms to individual companies, RSN reported.

Separately, newly reported filings in an ExxonMobil climate deception case include statements from Exxon scientists challenging the company's climate-solution claims, according to Truthdig. The documents cover the company's work on biofuels and carbon capture and storage. Truthdig said several of the documents in the filings were being reported on for the first time.

A White House executive order intended to secure the US power grid from Chinese-made equipment is more likely to disrupt battery storage supply chains than the transformers and switchgear it targets, according to Rystad Energy.

The exposure runs through imports. China supplied 50% of US lithium-ion battery imports by value in the 12 months through June 2026, and no alternative source approaches that scale, according to Rystad Energy.

The next-largest suppliers trail far behind. South Korea accounted for 15% of US lithium-ion battery imports and Japan for 13%, with neither able to absorb displaced Chinese volume at scale, according to Rystad Energy.

China dominates the global battery and renewable equipment market, giving it a major cost advantage, while US efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese technology could make domestic alternatives more expensive.

A critical Sungrow vulnerability could have allowed attackers to access the company's iSolarCloud management platform without a valid password.

The flaw stemmed from a business-logic error. Researchers found that when a particular login_type value was used, iSolarCloud authenticated the account named in the request while ignoring the password field.

The affected cloud service is used to manage solar plants, inverters and battery storage systems. The flaw created a serious risk for customers and energy operators in Europe, China, Australia and other regions.

Elevated oil prices will hold until flows through the Strait of Hormuz are normalised, according to Jim Burkhard, Vice President and Head of Research for Oil Markets, Energy and Mobility at S&P Global.

Burkhard described the current price level as the new normal until shipments out of the strait return to usual patterns.

The strain is registering in Turkiye, where softer demand conditions slowed new orders further in September, according to fibre2fashion. Firms partly linked that uncertainty to the war in the Middle East, and the pace of moderation quickened slightly from August.

The Standing Committee on Appropriations adopted the Second Special Appropriations Bill, which aims to bring relief and stability for fuel prices.

The bill would allow National Treasury to withdraw R10 billion from the National Revenue Fund and appropriate it to the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Department.

Parliament said the committee's report would be scheduled for debate in the National Assembly.

The Pacific Link oil pipeline, in which Pembina Pipeline holds a modest economic interest, was designated a Project of National Interest by federal authorities.

According to Kalkine Media, the designation gives the project a clearer and more predictable path through the federal review process, though it does not guarantee that the pipeline will ultimately be built.

Pembina Pipeline's current economic interest in Pacific Link does not carry development capital obligations before a final investment decision is made, meaning no immediate funding commitment is attached to the designation, Kalkine Media reported.

RES has secured a development consent order for its Steeple Renewables Project, pairing 450 MW of solar generation with a 150 MW battery energy storage system, according to Solar Power Portal.

The solar element is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 180,000 homes each year, roughly half the households in Nottinghamshire, according to RES.

Companies and institutions in Ghana are sorting, recovering and recycling waste into industrial materials, including plastic flakes and pellets for industry, according to metrotvonline.com.

The University of Ghana's Valoplastique initiative is exploring the conversion of difficult-to-recycle plastics into useful hydrocarbon products, metrotvonline.com reported.

Ghana's discarded plastic holds recoverable economic and energy value, according to ghanawebbers.com. The outlet described the proposed next step as establishing a national plastic-to-resource and waste-to-energy economy.

India should build grid storage around several battery types rather than one, the NetZero Energy Transition Association (NETRA) told the government, pointing to the country's storage needs.

In recommendations filed with the government, NETRA said India should set aside part of its grid-scale battery deployments and public procurement for cells made domestically and for chemistries beyond the dominant one, the association said in a statement.

The Central Electricity Authority projects that India will need around 411 GWh of energy storage by 2031-32, according to the statement.

Alongside lithium-ion, NETRA called for continued funding of research, development and manufacturing for sodium-ion, flow, zinc-based and iron-based batteries.

Chile's energy-sector emissions trading system (ETS) pilot will launch near the beginning of 2027, a Chilean minister said this week, according to Carbon Pulse.

The timing comes as Chile's new right-wing government moves to eliminate a just energy transition programme and cut the renewable energy budget, Carbon Pulse reported.

In the Philippines, the Just Transition Framework establishes an interagency approach to building a low-carbon, climate-resilient and energy-secure economy, according to the Manila Times. The framework was adopted through Joint Administrative Order 2026-01 by the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Labor and Employment, and Energy, and sets a coordinated approach across those agencies.

India's non-fossil fuel energy capacity passed 300 GW in July 2026, more than half of its total installed capacity, according to The Diplomat.

The generation mix remains weighted toward coal and other thermal sources, which still produce around 70% of India's electricity, The Diplomat reported.

Electricity itself covers only a limited slice of the country's total energy demand. Around 23% of the energy India's economy consumes comes from electricity, according to The Economic Times.

That gap frames the case for green hydrogen beyond the power sector. The Economic Times reported that green hydrogen can help decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors and support a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

The Strait of Hormuz is no longer paralyzed, yet fuel prices remain painfully high, according to CNN. Gasoline averages $4.36 a gallon nationally, a record for this time of year, according to AAA data.

Shipping costs are a key driver. Hiring a Very Large Crude Carrier for the Persian Gulf-to-China route now costs $1.6 million per day, according to Clarksons.

The combination of higher tanker hire, elevated payments to sailors and surging insurance rates is making energy more expensive for consumers and businesses worldwide, according to CNN.

The Pentagon has reportedly drawn up plans for a potential three-day campaign of strikes against Iran, according to The New York Times. The reported options include targets tied to Iran's missile and drone arsenal, energy facilities and military command centres.

Tehran is said to have preserved its missile and drone factories despite months of bombing, according to Bloomberg. That survival has allowed Iran to replenish its arsenals during the current lull, Bloomberg reported.

NASA has signed an agreement with the US Department of Energy to develop nuclear-powered spacecraft and lunar reactors, according to Fudzilla. The report describes the deadlines attached to the deal as ambitious.

The collaboration will span reactor research, nuclear fuel production, testing, launch integration and operations, according to Fudzilla.

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said nuclear power would let the agency go farther, operate longer, and field more capable spacecraft and instruments than before.

African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 will take place in Cape Town from October 12 to 16, according to Event Registry. More than 10,000 delegates are expected to attend.

The gathering brings together African governments, energy companies and international investors to discuss financing, partnerships and developments across the continent's energy sector, Event Registry reported.

The Enugu State Government has secured a USD 200 million investment to develop 100 MW of solar power in Enugu State, aimed at improving electricity supply to homes and businesses, according to The Moment.

Separately, Axian Group signed a power purchase agreement with Africa GreenCo to develop the 200 MW Kudu solar plant in Zambia, according to Business Elites Africa. Axian Group is the pan-African conglomerate led by Malagasy billionaire Hassanein Hiridjee.

Oil prices fell as rising crude exports and a planned emergency reserve release eased supply concerns. Brent crude futures dropped 0.65%, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 1.03%.

G7 countries agreed on Friday to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude from emergency reserves. The release is expected to add to West Asian crude exports, which rose above pre-war levels on four of the seven days in the final week of September, according to shipping data.

The looser supply picture comes against disrupted shipping flows. Crude moving through the Strait of Hormuz fell 27% in a week, to at least 10.1 million barrels a day, as tanker attacks picked up and Yemen's Houthis warned workers at a Saudi oil site.

The UK's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero granted a development consent order for the Green Hill Solar Farm in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes, according to Power Technology.

The project will provide up to 500 MWac of solar generation alongside a 500 MW battery energy storage system, according to Energy Global.

Once built, its solar generation is expected to produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of more than 200,000 UK homes, according to Energy Global.

Tata Power Solaroof, the rooftop arm of Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL), installed 801 MWp during H1 FY27, Construction World reported. The figure runs 25% ahead of the 639 MWp added in the same stretch of FY26.

In a separate deal, property developer Oakridge Realty Development Corp. (ORDC), based in Cebu, signed First Gen Corp. to fit rooftop solar across two Mandaue City sites, with a combined 1.053 MWp, according to SunStar.

The agreement, dated September 23, 2026, splits the work between a 648 kWp array at Mantlewood Town Center and a 405 kWp array at Oakridge Business Park.

NTPC's coal stocks at its plants have fallen to 5.5 million tonnes from 18 million tonnes in April, as higher generation and heavy rain in mining areas constrained replenishment, according to Millennium Post.

The company's coal consumption is expected to rise to nearly 300 million tonnes in 2026/27, up from an average of 270 million to 280 million tonnes, as demand increases, Millennium Post reported.

US solar generation reached an all-time high of 45.5 TWh in May, according to Ember's data cited by OilPrice. The figure was up 17% from a year earlier and surpassed the previous record set in July last year.

Coal's share of the US electricity mix slumped to 12.2% in May, the fourth-lowest monthly share of coal on record, as OilPrice noted.

Zambia called for stronger regional oil pipeline integration and harmonised open-access frameworks to cut fuel transportation costs, strengthen energy security and promote cross-border trade across Africa, according to Zambia Monitor.

The call accompanied a renewable power deal in the same market. Africa GreenCo and AXIAN Group signed a power purchase agreement to develop the 200 MW Kudu solar photovoltaic project in Zambia, according to SolarQuarter.

SolarQuarter described the agreement as a step toward expanding renewable energy generation and strengthening regional electricity trading across Southern Africa.

The daily drawdown of coal stocks at power plants fell by more than half in October, dropping to 0.116 million tonnes per day from 0.243 million tonnes per day in September, according to hiindia.com.

The Coal Ministry said the stock position was stabilising, though rebuilding had not yet begun, as reported by psuwatch.com.

The Mizoram government has called for modern technology, upgraded equipment and deeper technical expertise to restart its search for oil and natural gas, according to dy365live.

A new exploratory well is being planned in the state's Kolasib district, dy365live reported.

ONGC and OIL jointly presented plans to identify prospective areas for future Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) bidding in Mizoram, officials said, according to Nagaland Post.

Mizoram official H Lianzela said a more promising exploration roadmap was taking shape through closer coordination among the Centre, oil companies and the state government, according to dy365live.

Researchers found 8,547 internet-facing systems at wind farms and solar parks that should not be reachable from the internet, spanning 35 countries in and around the EU, according to Modat and NCSC-NL, the Dutch government's cybersecurity center.

Solar installations made up the bulk of the exposure. Modat and NCSC-NL reported 7,942 exposed solar systems across 34 countries. Wind farms accounted for 605 exposed systems across 23 countries.

The researchers estimated that 181 of the exposed sites could have allowed full operational control.

The LNG bunkering vessel KAGUYA has completed its 200th ship-to-ship LNG fuel supply operation in Japan, according to JERA Co., Inc. and JERA Global Energy Solutions Pte Ltd.

The milestone operation took place on September 30, 2026, when KAGUYA supplied LNG fuel to SWEET PEA LEADER, a car carrier operated by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), at Mikawa Port.

KAGUYA was the first LNG bunkering vessel to begin operations in Japan.

The 360 MW Poatina Power Station in Tasmania, Australia, has returned to service after one of its largest planned outages in recent years, according to Hydro Tasmania, which reported the restart in October.

The refurbishment covered both generating equipment and the infrastructure carrying water to it. During the outage, crews recoated the station's 1.8-kilometer penstock and its 5.6-kilometer headrace tunnel, according to SSBCrack News.

Hydro Tasmania is running a separate AUD 200 million program to renew all six turbines at Poatina, according to Water Power Magazine. The first turbine upgrade was completed earlier in 2026, and the second is expected to be completed in April 2027.

A bipartisan federal permitting reform bill co-led by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico is drawing support from labor unions, energy producers, environmental and policy nonprofits, business organizations, and state and local government groups, according to the New Mexico Political Report. The bill seeks to speed federal approval of energy and infrastructure projects while maintaining environmental safeguards.

Several environmental groups with close ties to Democrats have not settled their positions on the measure, Axios reported. The outlet named the Natural Resources Defense Council, the League of Conservation Voters and Evergreen Action as still weighing their stances.

A busy legislative calendar, potential changes to the bill and uncertainty about lawmakers' appetite for legislating after the election could leave too little time to secure passage through both chambers, according to Axios.

Two proposed UK data centres would produce more carbon emissions than ExxonMobil's entire UK operations, according to analysis by Foxglove.

The two centres together would consume 1.3 GW of power and emit more than 4.5 million tonnes of carbon, Foxglove found. ExxonMobil's total UK carbon emissions came to around 3.9 million tonnes in 2023, per the same analysis.

Separately, Energean reported that its Energean Power floating production vessel off Israel stopped producing in late February following a directive from the Israeli energy ministry. The outage lasted until April, after which the facility returned to full capacity within a couple of days.

Production fell sharply over the period, and net profit dropped by a large margin as sales volumes were lost, according to Energean. Management trimmed full-year output guidance, particularly for Israel, and cut the quarterly dividend.

Deutsche Bank supported the financial close of an AUD 430 million financing package for Foresight's approximately 130 MW Kondinin Wind Farm Stage 1 in Western Australia, according to Deutsche Bank.

The bank acted as Initial Financier and Hedge Provider on the transaction.

The senior debt package comprises a Construction and Term Facility of up to AUD 430 million, an AUD 86 million Contingent Instrument Facility and an AUD 10 million Debt Service Reserve Facility, together with interest-rate swaps, according to Deutsche Bank.

Researchers at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, have developed an electrochemical process that produces green hydrogen alongside a valuable industrial chemical, according to Interesting Engineering.

The approach replaces the oxygen normally generated during water electrolysis with an epoxide, a class of chemicals used to manufacture polymers, coatings, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and other products.

The researchers said that optimizing the entire electrochemical system allowed them to produce both hydrogen and epoxide efficiently without a membrane separating the electrodes, according to Fuel Cells Works.

Interesting Engineering reported that producing a saleable chemical alongside the fuel could make green hydrogen production more economically attractive.

There are 450 methanol-capable merchant vessels operating or on order, making methanol the second-largest alternative marine fuel behind LNG.

The main uncertainties surrounding methanol in shipping are now fuel price and availability, regulation, and whether owners can develop strategies robust enough to withstand a changing decarbonisation landscape, according to DNV.

In aviation, recycled gutter oil has become a sought-after feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel in China, with Hong Kong-based Ecoceres sourcing it across the Greater Bay Area.

Geenex Power has disclosed the proposed site for its small modular nuclear reactor in Amherst County. The location covers about 250 acres between Joshua Falls Road and a bend of the James River, south of Galts Mill Road, according to Cardinal News.

The project, named Beck Creek Energy, is planned to produce up to 650 MW.

Geenex said it chose the site partly for its proximity to an Appalachian Power substation and a connected high-voltage transmission line able to carry that much power.

Opening Brazil's retail electricity market to low-voltage consumers raises credit and liquidity concerns, according to a study reported by pv magazine. The research, by energy market specialists Guilherme Susteras and Alexandre Bueno, found that the planned market opening could require stronger credit assessment, liquidity management, regulatory oversight and consumer protection mechanisms.

The study examined 88,000 consumer units participating in subscription-based solar generation schemes in Brazil. According to pv magazine, it identified a 17% average monthly payment delinquency rate and a 4% monthly customer churn rate.

The researchers warned that in a highly competitive market, significant levels of overdue payments could pressure electricity retailers' cash flow and undermine their ability to meet financial obligations.

Bucharest is receiving EUR 87.44 million from the Modernisation Fund to renew its public transport fleet, according to electrive.

The city's plans include 45 trolleybuses and 40 battery-electric buses, electrive reported. The new trolleybuses are set to replace older Astra-Ikarus models.

The funding is non-repayable, with the city required to cover only the VAT, according to electrive.

The European research project EV4EU has concluded after four years of operation, according to electrive.

A central technical result was the development and successful testing of a fully functional prototype for bidirectional DC charging based on the Combined Charging System (CCS), electrive reported.

Project partners also built open-source tools that let charging point operators manage communications for smart and bidirectional charging, according to electrive.

Brent crude futures reached USD 104.75 per barrel by 1205 GMT on Thursday, their highest level in more than a week, as attacks on shipping in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz raised concerns about Middle Eastern supply and a hurricane cut US offshore output.

US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed to USD 92.28 per barrel, its highest since October 2.

The price moves tracked an increase in attacks on shipping in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which intensified worries about supply from the Middle East, while a hurricane menaced US offshore production.

The storm shut in roughly 25.08% of current regional oil production and 16.37% of natural gas production in the US Gulf of Mexico, according to Investing.com.

An executive order dated October 5, 2026, lets off-road dyed diesel run on highways and tells the Treasury Secretary to hold off collecting the federal excise tax on that on-road use until December 31, 2026, the Institute for Energy Research reported.

That deferral, worked out with the Secretary of War, carries no interest or penalties, and the order tasks officials with finding ways to wipe out the deferred tax altogether.

The Institute for Energy Research noted the move leaves the 24.4-cent-per-gallon federal tax on the books. State dyed-diesel rules and state diesel taxes stay in force as well.

A USD 50 million renewable natural gas plant at the Lena Road Landfill has entered construction in Manatee County, with Nopetro Energy running development and operations alongside Johnson Controls and Mead & Hunt, according to WENG.

Decomposing waste at the site releases methane that the plant will trap and purify, then inject into existing natural gas pipelines that supply offtakers including bus and truck fleets, according to WENG.

Organizers described the plant as the first of its kind on Florida's west coast, according to mysuncoast.

PanAfrican Energy Tanzania (PAET) rejected the proposed Songo Songo licence extension terms, telling TPDC on October 9, 2026 that the commercial and fiscal terms are uneconomic and unacceptable, according to Orca Energy Group.

Despite the rejection, PAET said it is willing to keep operating the Songo Songo facilities under the existing licence and production sharing agreement framework to ensure gas continues to flow to customers for the 60-day statutory period, supporting an orderly transition of operations to TPDC and Songas Limited.

PAET intends to cease operating the Songo Songo facilities by November 29, 2026, or earlier if TPDC and Songas confirm operational readiness, per the Orca Energy Group update.

The update also noted that Tanzania's Fair Competition Commission issued a notice on October 5, 2026 prohibiting the merger application relating to Orca Energy Group's proposed transaction.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two virtual power plant bills on September 30, adding the state to a push already underway in Virginia and Vermont, according to Oilprice. The bills passed despite past utility opposition.

The two measures, Senate Bill 905 and Senate Bill 913, are expected to create opportunities for virtual power plants to reduce utility costs, Oilprice reported.

Other states have moved on similar programs. Virginia passed legislation for a 450 MW virtual power plant pilot program, while Minnesota committed to 200 MW, according to Oilprice.

The United States now has more than 40 GW of virtual power plant capacity, based on an internal analysis by Wood Mackenzie cited by Oilprice.

A 2025 Department of Energy report suggested that US virtual power plant capacity could rise to 160 GW by 2030, equivalent to about one-fifth of the country's expected peak energy demand, Oilprice reported.

A 2020 wind-tunnel study found that closely spaced, counter-rotating vertical-axis turbines achieved average power-coefficient increases of 13% to 16% compared with two isolated turbines, according to a Renewable Energy paper cited by the Times of India.

The measured gain applied to paired turbines set against two turbines run in isolation.

Turbine output varies widely across installed machines. At full power, wind turbines can produce from a few hundred kilowatts to 20 MW, according to BGR.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that new land-based turbines installed in 2025 had an average capacity of 3.8 MW, BGR reported. The lab's 2025 data is not complete, so that average could still change.

Yellow Door Energy has broken ground on the 49 MWp Lion Thorn Solar Park near Leeudoringstad in South Africa's Maquassi Hills local municipality, according to the company. The move marks the project's shift from financial close into construction.

Commissioning and commercial operation are expected in 2028.

PowerChina has been appointed as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the solar park.

The project has secured power purchase agreements with PPC, a South African cement and construction materials producer, and with PowerX, a NERSA-licensed electricity trader. The PPC agreement forms part of the producer's strategy to increase its use of renewable energy and reduce its carbon footprint.

Lion Thorn Solar Park is expected to generate about 115 GWh of renewable electricity in its first year, according to the company. The plant is estimated to avoid 104,190 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

At least eight transportation-related companies sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, according to bankruptcy documents reviewed by FOX Business.

Marcus Overcast, owner of Truckload LLC, said diesel and insurance costs contributed to his company's bankruptcy filing, with insurance representing the biggest pressure, FOX Business reported.

Diesel was selling for about USD 6.26 per gallon on Thursday at a Flying J truck stop in Orange, Texas, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Constellation Energy signed two 20-year power contracts with technology companies in about a week, according to a Yahoo Finance analysis republished by Insider Monkey.

Amazon signed a deal tied to a 190 MW expansion at Calvert Cliffs, the analysis said.

Days later, Google committed to 890 MW of new nuclear capacity on PJM, the grid that serves 67 million people, according to the same analysis.

ENGIE will begin civil works for eight new wind turbines at the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, with a total capacity of 42.6 MW, according to a report carried by Event Registry.

Three of the turbines will go on the RoRo terminal of Wallenius Wilhelmsen, with the remaining five sited at the premises of International Car Operators. ENGIE, together with ICO and Portfineco, already commissioned a wind farm of 11 turbines with 44 MW of capacity at the ICO site in 2020.

The new turbines are scheduled to be erected and fitted with nacelles and blades in the second half of 2027.

From early 2028, the turbines are expected to generate about 115 GWh of renewable electricity per year, equivalent to the average electricity consumption of approximately 33,000 households over the same period, according to Tractebel.

Diesel in North Carolina has averaged around USD 6 per gallon over the past two weeks, up from USD 3.48 a gallon a year earlier, according to AAA North Carolina. The jump is adding to the pressure on tobacco growers in the state.

Rising diesel costs, weather damage and weak tobacco prices are squeezing growers selling crops in Wilson's secondary markets. AAA North Carolina put the recent two-week average at about USD 6, compared with USD 3.48 per gallon the previous year.

The fuel strain tracks a broader crude market that has stayed elevated. Brent crude has held above USD 100 per barrel for most of the past month despite reports from tanker-tracking services and investment banks that crude flows from the Strait of Hormuz had recovered or exceeded pre-war levels, according to baystreet.ca.

With markets depleted of sizeable cushions to absorb new shocks, crude continues to price in an elevated war-risk premium, keeping Brent above USD 100 per barrel since early September, baystreet.ca reported.

The EU is better prepared for winter than it was in 2021-2022, the Gas Coordination Group said in a statement, pointing to greater gas supply diversification, higher liquefied natural gas import capacity and reduced gas demand.

The assessment comes as the European Commission moves to study a levy on energy companies' windfall profits. The Commission told EU finance ministers it will examine whether an EU-wide tax on windfall profits is feasible and what its financial impact could be, according to sources cited by Bloomberg.

The UAE has published a report examining how artificial intelligence interacts with water and energy systems, according to maagulf.com.

The report, titled Crosscurrents: Navigating the AI-Water-Energy Nexus, examines water use across the full AI value chain, extending beyond data centers to semiconductor manufacturing and the power generation needed to run AI systems, according to maagulf.com.

It argues that water availability, power supply and digital development need to be planned together, according to Smart Water Magazine.

The report also says AI raises resource demand while offering tools to detect leaks, forecast floods and improve water operations, according to Smart Water Magazine.

Jaime Gilinski, the richest person in Colombia, agreed to transfer a Venezuelan oil-field contract to GeoPark in exchange for a stake worth more than $500 million that would give him majority control, according to Forbes. Gilinski signed the deal just hours after signing the contract itself.

An affiliate of Grupo Gilinski, the Colombian corporate, financial, and industrial conglomerate run by Gilinski, agreed in September to sell its 95% interest in the company holding the Bare oil-field contract to GeoPark in exchange for shares, Forbes reported.

GeoPark agreed to issue 42.1 million shares priced at $12.22 each, for a total of about $514 million, according to Forbes.

RWE has sold its 33.33% lead development stake in the consented 1.1GW Five Estuaries offshore wind farm off east England to EDF, according to reNEWS.

The transaction hands EDF the lead developer position on the project, which it will hold alongside existing joint venture partners Macquarie, ESB and Sumitomo, reNEWS reported.

RWE said it will continue to work with the project in the short term to support the transition to the new owners.

Melbourne-based Allume Energy won the 2026 Australian Good Design award of the year for its SolShare system, according to the Guardian.

The product splits power from a shared rooftop solar system among several apartments without requiring multiple installations, individual inverters or messy wiring, the Guardian reported. The Guardian described it as working like a "traffic controller for solar".

SolShare also received the Australian Good Design award for sustainability.

Renewed Russian strikes on power and energy infrastructure have prompted some people in Kyiv to consider leaving Ukraine's capital, according to The Brief.

Russia has targeted Ukraine's power grid, the network of plants and lines that delivers electricity, leaving people without electricity and heating, The Brief reported.

Kyiv resident Olena Konoplia decided to move to the countryside as attacks intensified before winter, according to The Brief.

Home heating oil prices in Ireland have continued to rise since the budget, even after the Government announced carbon tax relief of around EUR 43 per 1,000 litres this week, according to price comparison app cheapestoil.ie.

The price per 1,000 litres climbed from EUR 1,205 in July to EUR 1,660, based on figures cheapestoil.ie gathered from home heating oil suppliers nationwide.

In Cork, 500 litres cost EUR 803 the day before the budget was delivered and stood at EUR 809 afterward, according to the same data.

Africa GreenCo and AXIAN Group have agreed a power purchase deal covering the Kudu solar PV plant in Zambia, according to Green Building Africa. The contract was concluded at the Energy Forum for Africa 2026 in Lusaka.

Kudu will run at 200 MW of AC installed capacity, which Green Building Africa puts at 240 MW on a DC basis. Annual output from the plant is projected at roughly 530 GWh.

Africa GreenCo will take the electricity under the agreement and sell it on to utilities, mining firms, agricultural operators and commercial buyers trading through the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero approved the 500 MW Green Hill Solar Farm, which spans Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. Development consent was granted to Island Green Power, the developer behind the scheme.

The project will include solar arrays, battery storage and underground electricity cables, according to Island Green Power.

Government inspectors acknowledged that 854.5 hectares of high-quality agricultural land would be unavailable for arable farming during the project's lifetime.

Island Green Power pledged a minimum 47% biodiversity net gain in habitat units as part of its environmental commitments.

Restoration work on Tripura's only hydroelectric project, in Gomati district, is set to begin in December at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said on October 9.

The state government has decided to revive the Gumti hydroelectric project at that cost, according to the minister.

Cambodia spent USD 1.47 billion on diesel fuel from January through September 2026, according to Xinhua.

Thong Mengdavid, deputy director of the China-ASEAN Studies Centre at the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, attributed the higher fuel import costs to a mix of domestic and international factors. He cited rising industrial production, expanding transport and logistics networks, and heightened electricity demand as key drivers of the surge.

Renewed discussions over the cryogenic specifications of the jetty at the Vasilikos LNG import terminal in Cyprus are raising fresh questions about the project's priorities, costs and completion timeline, according to Cyprus Times.

The terminal remains unfinished after extended delays. A new tender for completing the LNG import terminal in the Vasilikos area, designated E.013-2026, was launched on July 30, 2026, according to Typos and Cyprus Times.

That tender carries an estimated value of EUR 180 million. The anticipated duration of the new contract is two years.