US producer Talos Energy has finalised the unitisation agreement for its shallow-water Zama discovery in Mexico following an operatorship dispute with state-owned Pemex. In 2017, Talos announced the Zama find of up to 950mn bl of recoverable oil equivalent in block 7, which neighbours Pemex acreage. But after more than two years of talks, the parties failed to agree and the energy ministry designated Pemex as operator in July last year. That decision was criticised for deterring investors, for the strain it will put on Pemex's stretched finances, and because of Pemex's lack of experience drilling a reservoir at Zama's depth. The block could produce up to 160,000 b/d of oil equivalent, Talos says, making it the largest exploration and production contract awarded since 2014's energy reforms.
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Opec continues to see healthy oil demand growth
Opec continues to see healthy oil demand growth
London, 13 May (Argus) — Opec continues to see "healthy" global oil demand growth this year and has upgraded its forecast for 2027. In its Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) released today, the Opec secretariat lowered its oil demand forecast for April-June by 500,000 b/d, bringing its total consumption downgrades for the quarter since the Iran war began to 1mn b/d. It also made a first downgrade to its annual oil demand growth forecast since the war started, but still sees consumption increasing by 1.17mn b/d. This is down by 210,000 b/d from both its previous forecast and its pre-war forecast, putting demand this year at 106.33mn b/d. But the group upgraded its 2027 oil demand growth forecast by 200,000 b/d to 1.54mn b/d, which would leave total consumption at 107.87mn b/d — the same level as its pre-war forecast. Opec's projections are diametrically opposite those from the IEA, which sees global oil demand falling by 420,000 b/d in 2026 as the world adjusts to the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz. Opec again made few direct references to the Iran war, but it said the world is well placed to withstand the disruptions to energy markets. "Given the size and underlying resilience of the global economy, it is expected to generally absorb temporary events such as trade-related challenges and the current geopolitical developments in the Middle East," Opec said. Opec does not forecast its own members' oil output, but it publishes production estimates from secondary sources that includes Argus . These showed Opec+ production — including Mexico — fell by 1.74mn b/d on the month to 33.19mn b/d in April. The fall was driven by the Mideast Gulf members Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain, which saw a combined decrease of just under 1.9mn b/d. This brings their total production losses, compared with pre-war February, to around 10mn b/d. Opec kept its non-Opec+ supply growth forecast this year at 630,000 b/d and 620,000 b/d for 2027, bringing these totals to 54.83mn b/d and 55.45mn b/d, respectively. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Chevron, TotalEnergies advance Nigeria offshore plans
Chevron, TotalEnergies advance Nigeria offshore plans
Lagos, 13 May (Argus) — Canada's Meren Energy has said appraisal and infill drilling at the Chevron-operated Ikija and Agbami oil fields, offshore Nigeria, has been brought forward into the fourth quarter of this year. Meren has an 8pc stake in the undeveloped Ikija and producing Agbami fields, where the latest drilling work had been planned for the first quarter of 2027. Infill drilling is one method international operators are using to reverse a fall in Nigerian offshore production. Combined output of the seven Nigerian deepwater leases operated by international oil companies was 352,000 b/d in the first four months of 2026, down by 20pc on the year according to upstream regulator NUPRC. Output was 704,000 b/d in the first half of 2020, when NUPRC data began. Production of the very light Agbami, which Argus categorises as crude but that Nigerian authorities define as condensate, was 63,000 b/d in January-April, down by 20pc on the year according to NUPRC. Meren said Agbami's output had "to recover" from maintenance on the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility in November–December. The drilling campaign is planned to start with an appraisal well at Ikija. First oil is expected in 2032, Meren previously said, with the field to be developed as a tie-back to the Agbami FPSO. "The broader infill drilling [for] Agbami remains on track, with six infill wells currently planned across 2027 and 2028", Meren said. It also said TotalEnergies is on course to mobilise a rig for an extensive drilling campaign that will start with the Akpo Far East exploration well in the second half of this year. Meren has a 32pc stake in the TotalEnergies-operated Akpo, Akpo Far East, Akpo South, Egina and Preowei fields. Akpo Far East is estimated to hold about 144mn bl of oil equivalent with the targeted liquids similar to the condensate produced from the Akpo field. Successful exploration drilling will utilise existing infrastructure, including the Akpo FPSO. TotalEnergies will then restart Akpo and Egina infill drilling, having paused this in the third quarter of 2025 while it examined seismic data. Akpo condensate production was about 46,000 b/d in January-April, down by 18pc on the year. Egina crude output was about 51,000 b/d, down by 25pc. Infill drilling is expected to add to production from early 2027, Meren said, and intervention activities will boost production this year. Meren said an Egina South appraisal well is planned for this year. By Adebiyi Olusolape Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
IEA sees big oil demand fall, but still 2026 deficit
IEA sees big oil demand fall, but still 2026 deficit
London, 13 May (Argus) — Global oil demand in 2026 will contract at a vastly quicker pace than previously forecast, but not by enough to close the supply shortfall, the IEA said today. In its latest Oil Market Report (OMR), the IEA said it sees demand at 104mn b/d in 2026, a 420,000 b/d contraction on the year. The IEA's pre-war forecast for the year was 640,000 b/d of demand growth, and its previous monthly forecast was for an 80,000 b/d contraction. Weakening economies and demand-saving measures are having an effect on consumption, it said, as governments and consumers alike respond to the price volatility recorded in the 10 weeks since the US and Israel began their war with Iran. "For now, the steepest losses are seen in the petrochemical sector where feedstock availability is becoming increasingly constrained," the IEA said. "Aviation activity is also running well below normal levels". Around half the demand downgrade from pre-war levels, or 700,000 b/d, is for LPG/ethane and naphtha. Jet fuel demand is cut by 210,000 b/d. The agency sees the biggest hit coming in the current quarter, when it forecasts demand to fall by 2.45mn b/d. Of this, 1.5mn b/d is in non-OECD countries, mostly in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Net lost supply since February now stands at 12.8mn b/d, with 14mn b/d of shut-in Mideast Gulf production relieved only slightly by higher exports from the US, Kazakhstan, Russia and Venezuela. The IEA sees supply this year at 102.2mn b/d, on the assumption that the strait of Hormuz reopens to tanker traffic in June. The resulting deficit will see inventories falling throughout the year, the IEA said. Global stocks drew by 129mn bl in March and by 117mn bl in April, the latter a preliminary figure. Overall drawdown, including from industry stocks and from the IEA co-ordinated release in March , could reach 900mn bl by September. Rebuilding this will require around an extra 1mn b/d of supply for the next three years on top of underlying demand growth, the IEA said, again assuming a June resumption of shipping through Hormuz. The IEA has postponed publication of its Oil 2026 report, which was scheduled for June, until "a later date". The report was to give analysis and forecasts to 2031. By Ben Winkley Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
VG sees growing demand for 5-year LNG deals
VG sees growing demand for 5-year LNG deals
Houston, 12 May (Argus) — Disruptions and fallout from the Iran war have raised buyer demand for five-year LNG deals, US LNG producer Venture Global (VG) said today after announcing two new medium-term agreements. The company announced combined sales of 1.05mn t/yr to TotalEnergies and Vitol, both for five-year periods beginning in 2026. VG will sell TotalEnergies 850,000 t/yr and increased the volume on a previously announced contract with Vitol by 200,000 t/yr to 1.7mn t/yr. "What maybe before (the war) would have been more one- and two-year deals, we're seeing more five-year deals," VG chief executive Mike Sabel said Tuesday on the company's first-quarter earnings call. Iranian drone attacks in March damaged 12.8mn t/yr of capacity at Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG export terminal, reducing capacity to 64.2mn t/yr. QatarEnergy says could the damage could take three to five years to repair. Venture Global's production profile has enabled the company to offer more short-term and medium-term supplies. The company's two operating terminals in Louisiana — Calcasieu Pass LNG and Plaquemines LNG — have a combined peak capacity of about 39.6mn t/yr, with the 28mn t/yr CP2 terminal expected to begin producing in the second half of 2027. Uncontracted production from VG's first two terminals and commissioning cargoes from CP2 will allow more medium-length deals, with additional supplies coming from the expansion projects at CP2 and Plaquemines, Sabel said. Sabel detailed VG's expansion plans to add another 16.4mn t/yr through 2029 (see table). The company raised its planned additions to CP2 to 10mn t/yr, up by 3.6mn t/yr with 12 new liquefaction trains. The company is targeting a final investment decision (FID) on the additions in early 2027, with first production in late 2028. VG also intends to reach FID on a 6.4mn t/yr expansion at Plaquemines in 2027, targeting first production in 2029 from eight new trains. With the new production capacity expected through 2029, VG has 33.1mn t/yr of LNG available to sell, most of which will still be sold under long-term contracts, Sabel said. Those typically run for periods ranging from 15 to 20 years. VG narrows 2026 cargo range The company tightened its expected cargo range this year to 494-523 shipments from 486-527 previously. About 84pc of those cargoes are already under contract. To date, VG has realized weighted average liquefaction fees of $4.51/mn Btu for its 2026 cargoes, with a weighted average of $2.20/mn Btu at Calcasieu Pass and $5.63/mn Btu at Plaquemines. The company expects the unsold cargoes to retrieve weighted average liquefaction fees of $9.50-10.50/mn Btu. VG anticipates selling 550-600 cargoes in 2027, 850-900 cargoes in 2028 and 950-1,000 cargoes in 2029, based on current production schedules. VG reported first-quarter profit of $625mn on sales of $4.6bn, up from year-earlier profit of $517mn on sales of $2.9bn. By Tray Swanson Venture Global LNG terminals Name Output (mn t/yr) Status Calcasieu Pass 12.4 Operating Plaquemines, phases 1-2 27.2 Commissioning CP2, phases 1-2 28 Under construction CP2 expansion 10 FID targeted early 2027 Plaquemines expansion 6.4 FID targeted 2027 — Venture Global Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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