Hable con nuestros expertos hoy mismo

Regístrese a continuación y personalizaremos una solución que satisfaga sus necesidades específicas. Cuando hable con uno de nuestros expertos, es posible que esté calificado para probar nuestros productos líderes en la industria de forma gratuita.

Puede cancelar su suscripción a estas actualizaciones en cualquier momento. Argus gestiona la información personal de acuerdo con nuestra Política de privacidad.
Generic Hero BannerGeneric Hero Banner
Latest Market News

Qatar confirms US military base evacuation

  • Spanish Market: Crude oil, Natural gas
  • 14/01/26

The US military began to partially evacuate military personnel from the Al Udeid air force base in Qatar on Wednesday, according to the Qatari government.

US official sources have yet to provide a confirmation of the move, which would indicate, at a minimum, a possibility of US military strikes against Iran and subsequent retaliation by the Iranian forces against the largest US air force base in the Middle East.

The partial evacuation is "undertaken in response to the current regional tensions," the Qatari government said.

Al Udeid came under a missile attack from Iran in June, following the US bombing raid against key Iranian nuclear facilities. Tehran at the time signaled it was planning to retaliate symbolically, giving the US and Qatar sufficient notice to evacuate the air base. Qatar's LNG and energy facilities did not suffer any damage in the June attack.

US president Donald Trump has mulled possible air strikes against targets in Iran, ostensibly in support of nationwide protests that prompted a violent crackdown by the Iranian government. He has not explained how US strikes would help the protesters and has not articulated any other US strategic goal in Iran.

"The end game is to win," Trump told CBS News on Tuesday. "I like winning."

By Haik Gugarats

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

14/01/26

Romgaz still open to buy ferts producer Azmoures

Romgaz still open to buy ferts producer Azmoures

London, 14 January (Argus) — Romanian state-owned natural gas company Romgaz remains interested in acquiring fertilizer producer Azomures, but will consider investing in other Romanian fertilizer projects. Romgaz has made an offer for the company and remains "open to an honest and coherent dialogue" concerning an acquisition, the company said today. Azomures said earlier this week that it was mothballing production after negotiations with Romgaz stalled. Azomures has not produced fertilizer since August 2024 , barring small-scale production in the second half of last year . The company, currently owned by Switzerland-based trading firm Ameropa, can produce up to 1.6mn t/yr of NPK and nitrogen fertilizers, and consumes around 1bn m³/yr of gas when operating at full capacity. Around three-quarters of its production is sold on the Romanian domestic market. Romgaz first expressed interest in Azomures in February and an acquisition was presented as the best solution for Romanian farmers. By Aidan Hall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Opec forecasts slight demand growth slowdown in 2027

14/01/26
14/01/26

Opec forecasts slight demand growth slowdown in 2027

London, 14 January (Argus) — Opec unveiled its projections for 2027 today, showing a slight slowdown in global oil demand growth. In its first Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) this year, Opec said oil demand would grow by 1.34mn b/d to 107.86mn b/d in 2027, led by India, China and other Asian countries. This is slightly below its growth forecast for 2026, which sees oil consumption increasing by 1.38mn b/d to 106.52mn b/d — unchanged from its previous report . Opec said oil demand growth in 2027 would be primarily driven by rising transportation fuel consumption in Asia, including air travel, trucking and personal mobility. Opec's latest report shows oil demand in 2025 grew by just over 1.3mn b/d to 105.14mn b/d. The group's first 2025 oil demand forecast — released in January 2024 — saw consumption rising by 1.85mn b/d. The forecasts would see oil demand growing relatively steadily at 1.3mn-1.4mn b/d between 2025 and 2027. On supply, the group sees non-Opec+ supply slowing slightly in 2027 to 610,000 b/d, compared with 630,000 b/d in 2026. Most of the supply increases will be led by Brazil, Canada, Qatar and Argentina. The US, which has driven much of the world's rising oil supply over the past decade, is seen adding just 30,000 b/d in 2027, down from a forecast 100,000 b/d in 2026. Opec+ crude output — including Mexico — fell by 238,000 b/d to 43.831mn b/d in December 2025, based on an average of secondary sources including Argus . Opec estimates the call on Opec+ crude at 43mn b/d in 2026 and 43.6mn b/d in 2027. By Aydin Calik Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Trump calls off talks with Iran: Update

13/01/26
13/01/26

Trump calls off talks with Iran: Update

Updates with additional details Washington, 13 January (Argus) — US president Donald Trump said he called off talks with Tehran in the latest attempt to pressure the Iranian government beset by nationwide protests. "I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS," Trump posted on his social media platform on Tuesday, urging the demonstrations to carry on. Trump said on 11 January that Iran's leaders had reached out to him to negotiate, without providing details. Iran has not explicitly confirmed having reached out to Trump for the resumption of talks. Trump returned to the topic of Iran throughout Tuesday, without providing a clear statement on what he plans to do. The White House previewed a scheduled speech Trump planned to give in Detroit, Michigan, as possibly outlining his plans for Iran. But Trump merely restated his earlier social media post and claimed that his threat to impose a 25pc tariff on US imports from countries doing business with Iran went into effect Tuesday. The White House has not made public any executive order on new tariffs, and the Customs and Border Patrol agency's tariff portal makes no mention of them either. China is Iran's largest trading partner and the primary destination for Iranian crude, which reaches independent refiners through a well-established network of traders and tankers designed to avoid US sanctions. In later remarks to reporters, Trump again mulled possible US air strikes in Iran but declined to explain how that would help protect protesters in Iran. "You never know," he said. "So far, my track record has been excellent." Trump also downplayed possible retaliation by Tehran. "Iran said that the last time I blew them up with the nuclear capability, which they don't have any longer," he said. Iran's leaders "have got a big problem, and I hope they're not going to be killing people," Trump said. "It would seem to me that they have been badly misbehaving," he said, but added, "That is not confirmed." Public demonstrations began in several Iranian cities on 28 December in protest at deteriorating economic conditions, and unrest has escalated in scope and severity, particularly over the past week or so, which has triggered a crackdown by state security forces. The US oil industry has offered a cautious reaction to the prospect of the US getting involved in Iran, in the wake of another military operation against Venezuela. "We're monitoring that situation," industry group American Petroleum Institute president Mike Sommers said Tuesday at his group's annual event. "We don't know what the next steps are," Sommers said. "This is good news for the Iranian people, though," he said. "They're taking freedom into their own hands. Our industry is committed to being a stabilizing force in Iran if they decide to overturn the regime." The US is not importing Iranian crude but "the challenge in these conflicts is really what happens to the US consumer," refiner Marathon Petroleum chief executive Maryann Mannen said in remarks at the API event. "As we know, just when we think about the control over the strait [of Hormuz] or how long any disruption might be …. we certainly can survive for a period of time," Mannen said. By Haik Gugarats and Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

House Republicans want Venezuelan crude for SPR

13/01/26
13/01/26

House Republicans want Venezuelan crude for SPR

Washington, 13 January (Argus) — A major Republican caucus in the US House of Representatives has unveiled plans for another massive filibuster-proof bill that, among many other measures, would provide up to $1.1bn to purchase "discounted" Venezuelan crude for delivery to the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The Republican Study Committee, which represents 190 of the 218 Republicans in the House, unveiled a framework on Tuesday for a budget reconciliation bill they say would produce $1 trillion in savings over the next decade. The Republican-controlled Congress used the same budget process last year to enact sweeping tax cuts and energy policy changes, and some Republicans want to use it again to pass policies that failed to make it into the first bill. "President Trump has supercharged our economy, and now it's our time in Congress to act to codify what he has done," Republican Study Committee chairman August Pfluger (R-Texas) said. The budget framework seeks hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to social programs, in addition to putting limits on what it calls costly regulations, imposing "royalty-style fees" on environment lawsuits, eliminating some permitting requirements, and codifying Trump's deregulatory actions. The framework also seeks $1.1bn to partially refill the SPR "in whole or in part with discounted Venezuelan oil made available by Operation Absolute Resolve", Trump's surprise military raid in the South American country on 3 January. Even at a discounted price of $50/bl, $1.1bn in funding would only buy 22mn bl of crude for the SPR, which now has 300mn bl of spare storage. US energy secretary Chris Wright has suggested that expanded Venezuelan oil production could help refill the SPR primarily by reducing global oil prices. "That makes it easier to fill our Strategic Petroleum Reserve back up, which the president is committed to do and we'll get done," Wright said in an interview on Fox News on 11 January. US oil industry officials say the type of crude being produced in Venezuela might not necessarily be a good fit for long-term storage in the SPR, which injects and withdraws crude from massive underground salt caverns. Oil industry officials say the extra-heavy sour crude that Venezuela produces could be held in storage at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, rather than the SPR, or refined. "The grade of Venezuelan crude does have a higher sulfur content than the current SPR can take," American Petroleum Institute president Mike Sommers said. "There are some logistical issues about the SPR that make it difficult for it to just take in Venezuelan crude." House Republicans hold a razor-thin majority that could make it hard to enact a second reconciliation bill, particularly with moderate Republicans facing a tough political environment ahead of the midterm elections in November. Trump administration officials say there are other ways to refill the SPR. Wright said on 8 January he was looking at "creative" ways to refill the SPR without additional congressional appropriations. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US Gulf VLCC rates rally on demand spike

13/01/26
13/01/26

US Gulf VLCC rates rally on demand spike

Houston, 13 January (Argus) — Rates for 2mn bl very large crude carriers (VLCCs) loading out of the US Gulf coast (USGC) began pushing higher on Tuesday after a sharp spike at the start of the week, boosted by increasing demand for crude cargoes bound for Asia-Pacific, among other destinations. The rate to ship 270,000t of crude from the USGC to China rose by $1.9mn on Monday to $12.25mn lumpsum, including $250,000 Corpus Christi load-port fees. That rate, equivalent to $5.88/bl for crude benchmark WTI, was the highest level since 22 December, and only 97¢/bl below the more than three-year high reached in October 2025, according to Argus data. That level repeated on Tuesday after SK Energy put the Almi Hercules on subjects for a USGC-South Korea voyage at $12mn, excluding load-port fees. Transatlantic levels also pushed higher after an uptick in chartering activity. Equinor on Tuesday put the Amphritrite on subjects for a USGC-UKC voyage at $6mn excluding load-port fees. The deal included an option to discharge in China though one market participant noted the latter option was likely at a "throwaway" rate. The USGC-Rotterdam VLCC rate began this week at $5.25mn lumpsum including load-port fees, an increase of $250,000 from the end of last week. VLCC demand accelerated over the past week as market participants fully emerged from end-of-year holiday activity, sapping available tonnage in a similar vein to activity out of the Brazil, Mideast Gulf and west Africa segments. The rally in the VLCC market already began rippling to the midsize segments, a factor which should continue through this week at least. The increases come with mounting pressure, as little more than a month remains before the arrival of the lunar new year. That will eventually prompt more shipowners and charterers to cover positions before the holiday, which will run from 15-23 February in China. Venezuela outlook adds to sentiment The recent developments around Venezuela following the US capture of the country's president Nicolas Maduro are likely to support dirty tanker rates as well, according to several market participants. Executives from Trafigura and Vitol said on 9 January they were ready to start selling Venezuelan crude, with Trafigura saying it was loading a cargo this week. Another market participant said they expected Trafigura or Vitol to deliver a 1mn bl cargo of Venezuelan crude to India by March. "Many [are] quite confident still that most Venezuelan [crude] will continue to move on VLCCs, unsanctioned now," a separate market participant told Argus . VLCC shipowners have thus far held back given the ongoing situation, and early on several oil and gas companies signaled hesitation to return to Venezuela given the possibility of future losses. By David Haydon Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Independent market valuation tool to support investment and trading decisions on North American Electricity markets

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Independent market valuation tool to support investment and trading decisions on North American Electricity markets

Argus Refinery Gate Values: A crucial piece of the crude supply chain puzzle

Unlock the true value of your crude or choose the best crude for your refinery

Unlock the True Value of Crude with Argus Refinery Gate Values (RGVs)

Make smarter decisions across the crude supply chain - from production to refining

Argus Asia Crack Spread Forward Curves

Herramienta de valoración de mercado independiente para respaldar las decisiones de inversión y negociación en los mercados asiáticos del petróleo.
Generic Hero Banner

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