Iranian minister plays down JCPOA expectations
Iran's deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi has moved to temper expectations of a quick breakthrough in the Vienna talks about the 2015 nuclear deal, saying that he is "not confident" the sticking points that remain can be overcome in the round of discussions that began yesterday.
"We have made progress on [overcoming our differences], but we are still not in a position to say that we will reach a clear solution for the key issues that remain," Araqchi said in Vienna late yesterday.
A breakthrough would see Iran scale back its nuclear activities to levels allowed under the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in return for a lifting of US sanctions on oil and banking that have put tremendous strain on Iran's economy and government finances.
"I am confident that we will be able to make more progress this time… [but] while it is possible, I have to repeat that I am not confident we will manage to conclude the negotiations this round," he said.
Araqchi was speaking after a meeting of the joint commission of the JCPOA, which brings together all remaining parties to the deal — Iran, Russia, China and the E3 countries of Germany, France and the UK. US negotiators have been involved in the talks since they began early last month, but have only engaged with the Iranians indirectly via the EU and other participants.
Araqchi's comments came after bullish statements from Tehran late last week, when Iran's President Hassan Rohani said the US had already "agreed" to lift all major economic sanctions on Iran, and that only "small details" remained to be overcome.
"There are still some issues that we are discussing to reach the final agreement," Rohani said. "But the main issues — the oil sanctions, the sanctions on petrochemicals, on shipping, on insurance, on the central bank, on the banking sector etc… they have agreed to all these."
The toughest obstacle in the talks has been addressing those sanctions that the previous US government imposed on Iran between 2018 and 2020, which the current administration in Washington has described as "poison pills" designed to sabotage any return to the JCPOA. While Iran continues to insist that all these sanctions need to be lifted, Washington has so far said that it would only remove those that prevent the smooth functioning of Iran's economy, which would include removing the 'terrorism' labels imposed on Iran's central bank, state-owned NIOC and other oil sector entities.
But the US has serious reservations over lifting the same label from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a paramilitary force with extensive political and economy interests.
Related news posts
Yemen warring factions reach UN-mediated financial deal
Yemen warring factions reach UN-mediated financial deal
Dubai, 25 July (Argus) — The UAE today welcomed a UN-mediated agreement between Yemen's warring factions that could allay economic woes in the impoverished country. The UAE's ministry of foreign affairs hailed the 23 July announcement of an agreement between the internationally recognised Yemen presidential leadership council (PLC) and the Houthi militant group "with respect to airlines and the banking sector." The UAE, alongside Saudi Arabia, support the PLC. The agreement stipulates "cancelling all the recent decisions and procedures against banks by both sides and refraining in the future from any similar decisions or procedures," and calls for the resumption of Yemenia Airways' flights between Sana'a and Jordan at three a day and operating flights to Cairo and India "daily or as needed." The deal was reached two days after Israeli jets bombed the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port of Hodeidah. The internationally-recognised central bank in Aden in April ordered financial institutions to move their main operations from Houthi-held territory within 60 days or face sanctions. That deadline ran out in June, leading to a ban on dealing with six banks whose headquarters remained in Houthi-held Sana'a. The Houthis retaliated by taking similar measures against banks in PLC-held areas and seized four Yemenia Airways planes at Sana'a airport. The PLC said it hoped the Houthis would also meet a commitment to resume crude exports. Yemen's crude production collapsed soon after the start of the country's civil war, from around 170,000 b/d in 2011-13 to 50,000-60,000 b/d in 2022, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Data from analytics firm Kpler suggests Yemen has not exported any crude since October 2022. Threats yield results The Iran-backed Houthis earlier in July threatened to attack vital infrastructure such as airports and ports in Saudi Arabia, holding Riyadh responsible for decisions taken by Aden's central bank. The Houthis struck central Tel Aviv on 19 July, inviting an Israeli retaliation that took out a power station that supplies the Red Sea coastal city of Hodeidah and its port and fuel tanks, which are controlled by the Houthis. A breakthrough in the UN-mediated talks between the PLC and the Houthis resulted in the agreement on 22 July, a possible sign that Riyadh might have compromised to avoid a Houthi escalation. The Houthis have been attacking commercial ships in and around the Red Sea since November last year, six weeks after the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war, in what they say is an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. By Bachar Halabi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Refining, LNG segments take Total’s profit lower in 2Q
Refining, LNG segments take Total’s profit lower in 2Q
London, 25 July (Argus) — TotalEnergies said today that a worsening performance at its downstream Refining & Chemicals business and its Integrated LNG segment led to a 7pc year-on-year decline in profit in the second quarter. Profit of $3.79bn was down from $5.72bn for the January-March quarter and from $4.09bn in the second quarter of 2023. When adjusted for inventory effects and special items, profit was $4.67bn — slightly lower than analysts had been expecting and 6pc down on the immediately preceding quarter. The biggest hit to profits was at the Refining & Chemicals segment, which reported an adjusted operating profit of $639mn for the April-June period, a 36pc fall on the year. Earlier in July, TotalEnergies had flagged lower refining margins in Europe and the Middle East, with its European Refining Margin Marker down by 37pc to $44.9/t compared with the first quarter. This margin decline was partially compensated for by an increase in its refineries' utilisation rate: to 84pc in April-June from 79pc in the first quarter. The company's Integrated LNG business saw a 13pc year on year decline in its adjusted operating profit, to $1.15bn. TotalEnergies cited lower LNG prices and sales, and said its gas trading operation "did not fully benefit in markets characterised by lower volatility than during the first half of 2023." A bright spot was the Exploration & Production business, where adjusted operating profit rose by 14pc on the year to $2.67bn. This was mainly driven by higher oil prices, which were partially offset by lower gas realisations and production. The company's second-quarter production averaged 2.44mn b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d), down by 1pc from 2.46mn boe/d reported for the January-March period and from the 2.47mn boe/d average in the second quarter of 2023. TotalEnergies attributed the quarter-on-quarter decline to a greater level of planned maintenance, particularly in the North Sea. But it said its underlying production — excluding the Canadian oil sands assets it sold last year — was up by 3pc on the year. This was largely thanks to the start up and ramp up of projects including Mero 2 offshore Brazil, Block 10 in Oman, Tommeliten Alpha and Eldfisk North in Norway, Akpo West in Nigeria and Absheron in Azerbaijan. TotalEnergies said production also benefited from its entry into the producing fields Ratawi, in Iraq, and Dorado in the US. The company expects production in a 2.4mn-2.45mn boe/d range in the third quarter, when its Anchor project in the US Gulf of Mexico is expected to start up. The company increased profit at its Integrated Power segment, which contains its renewables and gas-fired power operations. Adjusted operating profit rose by 12pc year-on-year to $502mn and net power production rose by 10pc to 9.1TWh. TotalEnergies' cash flow from operations, excluding working capital, was $7.78bn in April-June — an 8pc fall from a year earlier. The company has maintained its second interim dividend for 2024 at €0.79/share and plans to buy back up to $2bn of its shares in the third quarter, in line with its repurchases in previous quarters. By Jon Mainwaring Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Indian budget lifts spending for refining, crude SPR
Indian budget lifts spending for refining, crude SPR
Mumbai, 24 July (Argus) — India allocated 1.19 trillion rupees ($14.2bn) to the oil ministry in its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year ending 31 March, up from Rs1.12 trillion in the 2023-24 revised budget. The budget presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 23 July was the first since the BJP-led administration was re-elected in June . Indian state-controlled refiner IOC was allocated Rs273bn for 2024-25, up from Rs270bn in the revised budget for 2023-24. Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) received an increased allocation of Rs110bn, up from 95bn, while Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) was allotted Rs107bn that was up from Rs102bn previously. No capital support was allocated to the oil marketing companies in the budget given IOC, BPCL and HPCL all reported record profits in 2023-24. India's crude import dependency rose to 88.3pc in April-June from 88.8pc the previous year, oil ministry data show. India's crude imports during January-June were up by around 1pc on a year earlier at 4.65mn b/d, according to Vortexa data. ONGC's allocation rose to Rs308bn for 2024-25, while fellow state-controlled upstream firm Oil India's increased to Rs68bn from Rs305bn and Rs56bn rupees respectively in the revised budget for 2023-24. India has been trying to reduce its dependence on imports and will offer 25 oil and gas blocks in the tenth bidding round in August or September under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy's Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP). It offered 136,596.45km² in 28 upstream oil and gas blocks in the ninth bidding round. ONGC in January secured seven of the 10 areas of exploration blocks offered under India's eighth OALP round. A private-sector consortium of Reliance Industries and BP, Oil India and private-sector Sun Petrochemicals received one block each. Allocation for the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) received a push to Rs4.08bn for the construction of caverns under its second phase against Rs400mn in the previous budget. The first phase of India's SPR built 1.33mn t (9.75mn bl) of crude storage at Vishakhapatnam, 1.5mn t at Mangalore and 2.5mn t at Padur. A provision of Rs119.25bn was made for LPG subsidies in 2024-25 compared with spending of Rs122.4bn in 2023-24. By Roshni Devi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Repsol 2Q profit doubles but cash flow turns negative
Repsol 2Q profit doubles but cash flow turns negative
Madrid, 24 July (Argus) — Spanish integrated Repsol's profit more than doubled on the year in the second quarter, as lower one-time losses and better results in the upstream and customer divisions more than offset a weaker refining performance. But its cash flow turned negative as it completed the buyout of its UK joint venture with China's state-controlled Sinopec, raised investments and experienced weaker refining margins. Net debt was sharply higher, largely reflecting share buy-backs. Repsol has said it will acquire and cancel a further 20mn of its own shares before the end of the year, which will probably further increase its debt. It completed a 40mn buy-back in the first half of the year. Repsol's profit climbed to €657mn ($714mn) in April-June from €308mn a year earlier, when earnings were hit by a large provision against an arbitration ruling that obliged it to acquire Sinopec's stake in their UK joint venture. Excluding this and other special items, such as a near threefold reduction in the negative inventory effect to €85mn, Repsol's adjusted profit increased by 4pc on the year to €859mn. Repsol confirmed the fall in refining margins and upstream production reported earlier in July . Liquids output increased by 3pc on the year to 214,000 b/d, and gas production fell by 4pc to 2.1bn ft³/d. Adjusted upstream profit increased by 4pc on the year to €427mn. The higher crude production and a 13pc rise in realised prices to $78.6/bl more than offset lower gas production and prices, which fell by 6pc to $3.1/'000 ft³ over the same period. Adjusted profit at Repsol's industrial division — which includes 1mn b/d of Spanish and Peruvian refining capacity, an olefins-focused petrochemicals division, and a gas and oil product trading business — was down by 16pc on the year at €288mn. Profit fell at the 117,000 b/d Pampilla refinery in Peru after a turnaround and weak refining margins, and there was lower income from gas trading. Spanish refining profit rose on a higher utilisation rate and gains in oil product trading. Repsol's customer-focused division reported adjusted profit of €158mn in April-June, 7pc higher on the year thanks to higher retail electricity margins, a jump in sales from an expanded customer base, higher margins in aviation fuels and higher sales volumes in lubricants. Repsol swung to a negative free cash flow, before shareholder remuneration and buy-backs, of €574mn in the second quarter, from a positive €392mn a year earlier. After shareholder remuneration, including the share buy-backs and dividends, Repsol had a negative cash position of €1.12bn compared with a positive €133mn a year earlier. Repsol's net debt more than doubled to €4.595bn at the end of June from €2.096bn on 31 December 2023, reflecting the share buy-backs and new leases of equipment. By Jonathan Gleave Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Business intelligence reports
Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.
Learn more