Monday, 12 October 2026

A new energy permitting bill introduced in the U.S. Senate has brought fossil fuel and renewable energy sectors into alignment while opening a rift among environmentalists, according to Cryptobriefing.

The bill, backed by Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Sheldon Whitehouse, aims to expedite infrastructure projects needed to meet rising electricity demand driven by AI data centers, according to Cryptobriefing.

According to Fortune, the legislation would accelerate permitting timelines for projects ranging from solar farms and power lines to oil and gas pipelines. Fortune reported it would also make it harder for presidential administrations to pull permits, narrow environmental reviews, and limit litigation outside federal courts.

Environmental groups argue the proposal compromises environmental protections, according to Cryptobriefing.

Ukraine's defense intelligence (DIU) published data on 20 vessels involved in exporting Russian crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas, as well as bunkering sanctioned vessels.

All 20 vessels are under sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom or Ukraine, according to the DIU, while one is subject to U.S. restrictions.

The DIU said the vessels form part of a Kremlin logistics network used to generate revenue to finance Russia's war against Ukraine.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a Rajya Sabha MP and member of the parliamentary committee on external affairs, emphasised India's need for Russian oil supplies to support energy security, according to the Economic Times.

Shringla said India had to keep the energy security of its 1.4 billion people in mind and make decisions accordingly, the Economic Times reported.

He said that if India, one of the world's largest energy importers, stopped buying Russian oil, it would affect global oil prices.

The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is seeking views on targets for years 3 to 6 of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism and on proposals including support for resilient and sustainable supply chains. The consultation proposes extending the scheme's regulations until 2032.

The proposals cover awarding credits for heat pump installations in new-build properties and continuing existing scheme mechanics, including credit carry-over, target carry-forward and payment-in-lieu, according to DESNZ.

The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 8 November 2026.

France's Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has set out proposed parameters for the country's first long-term capacity auction, according to ESS News. The regulator proposes a target volume of 82 GW, of which 3 GW would be eligible for multiyear contracts.

RTE estimates that France will need between zero and 2.5 GW of new capacity, depending on the scenarios considered.

On pricing, CRE proposes retaining the mechanism's two price caps, known as PPG and PPI, at EUR 72/kW and EUR 15/kW, respectively.

Saudi Arabia plans to expand its oil pipeline network to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, according to Semafor Net Zero.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said a gas pipeline is being converted to carry crude and could move around 1 million barrels per day within eight weeks, rising to 3 million with further investment, according to Semafor Net Zero.

The minister said Saudi Arabia may end up with 10 million barrels of pipeline capacity within two to three years to divert oil to a different destination, Semafor Net Zero reported. He added that the government, not Aramco, is footing the bill.

Before the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz handled nearly 20 percent of liquefied natural gas trade and roughly 27 percent of global seaborne oil trade, according to Al Jazeera figures cited by Archyde.

That flow has thinned. Vessel traffic through Middle Eastern chokepoints has dropped as the Iran war extended into other territories and fighting intensified in Yemen's civil war, Archyde reported. Some petroleum cargoes are now taking longer routes around Africa.

The US-Israel war on Iran has disrupted some energy flows and prompted governments to reassess energy security, according to Archyde.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz would stay closed until the United States meets seven conditions tied to a 14-point June Memorandum of Understanding.

Oil prices rose more than 2% on Oct. 12 as escalating Middle East security risks raised concerns over regional crude exports, according to Oil & Gas Journal.

Renewed attacks on Saudi Arabia and on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz kept oil markets on edge, Oil & Gas Journal reported.

Those developments overshadowed US President Donald Trump's announcement of additional Russian diesel supplies and a proposed Russia-Ukraine energy ceasefire, according to Oil & Gas Journal.

The diesel agreement's effect on physical markets remained uncertain, Oil & Gas Journal said. Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries have reduced processing capacity, and Russia has faced domestic fuel-supply pressures.

Pakistan plans to introduce a new electricity and gas subsidy system in 2027 aimed at verified low-income households, according to Daily Times.

The new electricity subsidy mechanism is scheduled to begin in January 2027. The revised subsidy system for gas consumers is set to take effect on July 1, 2027.

To identify eligible consumers, the Power Division has started developing a socioeconomic registry with support from the World Bank, Daily Times reported.

The Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin was attacked at Sohar Anchorage off Oman on October 11, according to Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

All 11 crew members aboard the vessel were Indian nationals. Nine sailors were rescued and confirmed safe, while two remained missing.

The local Coast Guard began search-and-rescue operations, and Indian officials coordinated with Omani authorities to locate the missing sailors.

Britain introduced a tax change on October 1 that removes VAT from household electricity bills, according to AOL. The government expects the move to reduce the annual energy price cap by around £45.

The measure is intended to ease pressure on families as colder weather approaches and energy use typically rises during winter, AOL reported.

The government expects energy suppliers to pass the VAT reduction on to customers with fixed energy tariffs, potentially helping to lower their bills, according to the Express.

Spain's general election could reshape the country's energy policies and create both opportunities and risks for utility companies, according to Goldman Sachs. The vote is scheduled for November 29, brought forward from August 2027.

In an October 6 report, Goldman Sachs said a government led by the centre-right People's Party could introduce more market-friendly energy policies. Those would include greater support for nuclear power, renewable energy and data centre development.

Goldman Sachs expects the election's overall impact on most Spanish utilities to be neutral to positive. Detailed party manifestos have not yet been published.