Indian state-controlled oil marketing companies have raised commercial LPG cylinder prices for August after cutting prices for four consecutive months since April. A 19kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi now costs 1,652.5 rupees ($20), up by Rs6.5 from a month earlier, and in Mumbai costs Rs1,605, up by Rs7 from a month earlier. Prices in Kolkata rose by Rs8.5 to Rs1,764.5, while prices in Chennai rose by Rs7.5 to Rs1,817, state-controlled refiner IOC's website shows. Prices for 14kg residential cylinders remained at Rs803 in Delhi, Rs802.50 in Mumbai, Rs829 in Kolkata and Rs818.50 in Chennai.
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IRGC widens Hormuz into ‘vast operational area’
IRGC widens Hormuz into ‘vast operational area’
Dubai, 12 May (Argus) — Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday it has widened its definition of the strait of Hormuz into a "vast operational area", extending it from the coast of Jask to Siri Island. The move broadens the area the IRGC says falls under its Hormuz operations beyond the narrow strait itself, through which around a fifth of global oil supply transited before the US-Iran war began. In a statement carried by Iranian state media, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political director of the IRGC Navy, said the strait of Hormuz had previously been "defined as a limited area around the Hormuz and Hengam islands", but that definition has now changed. "Within our new framework, the area of the strait of Hormuz has been significantly expanded, and today it extends beyond the large islands, from the coast of Jask to Siri Island." Iran's Siri Island lies in the Mideast Gulf around 70km west of the UAE emirate of Umm al-Quwain. The port of Jask is on Iran's southern coast, east of the strait of Hormuz. Akbarzadeh said the area had expanded from 20-30 miles previously to more than 200-300 miles. He described the new footprint as "a complete crescent". This is the second expansion the IRGC has announced since war with the US and Israel prompted Iran to effectively close the strait. On 4 May, the IRGC published two maps showing an expanded area it said was "under its management and control". The outlined area extended from the western tip of Iran's Qeshm Island in the Mideast Gulf to Umm al-Quwain west of the strait, and to Kuh Mobarak in southern Iran and the UAE emirate of Fujairah east of the strait. The area outlined on Tuesday by the IRGC Navy extends beyond the borders shown in the 4 May maps. The new definition comes as tensions between Iran and the US grow over the continued disruption of shipping. US president Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed agreements with Iran that he said should restore at least some traffic through the strait. But little has changed since the war began, prompting the US to impose a blockade of its own on vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports last month. Washington and Tehran have been exchanging proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the conflict, but prospects for a breakthrough appear remote. Trump on Monday described Iran's latest offer as a "piece of garbage" and warned that the ceasefire, in place since 8 April, is under strain. By Nader Itayim Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Iran says its response to US 'reasonable, generous'
Iran says its response to US 'reasonable, generous'
Dubai, 11 May (Argus) — Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that Tehran's response to the latest US proposal to end the war was "reasonable" and "generous," pushing back against US president Donald Trump's characterisation of it as "totally unacceptable." "Is our proposal for safe passage through the strait of Hormuz excessive? Is an important issue like re-establishing security and peace in the region, an irresponsible demand?" foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei asked, rhetorically. "All we proposed were reasonable and responsible demands, and generous proposals, not only for Iran's national interests, but also for the good, stability and security of the region and the world," he said. Trump overnight labelled the Iranian position as "totally unacceptable," dashing hopes of an imminent conclusion to the conflict. Crude futures rose sharply in early trading today, with the front-month July Ice Brent contract hitting an intraday peak of $105.99/bl before coming off to trade just below $104/bl. Trump last week said a peace deal under discussion with Iran would reopen the strait of Hormuz to navigation and lift the US blockade on Iranian trade. Baghaei today said the US' conditions continue to be "one-sided… and unreasonable". The US has been highlighting the reopening of the strait of Hormuz, and a shuttering of Iran's nuclear capabilities, as its top conditions to bring the war to an end. Washington is looking for Iran to put an end to its nuclear enrichment activities, and to hand over its stocks of around 400kg of highly-enriched uranium. But Iran's priorities to end the war lie elsewhere, which has been complicating the diplomatic track. "At this stage, our focus is on what is urgent," Baghaei said. "And what is urgent is ending the war in all its forms, including Lebanon and ensuring the safety and security of navigation through the [Mideast] Gulf and the strait of Hormuz… which includes stopping the illegal actions of the US against commercial ships." "What decisions we make on the nuclear issue, on Iran's [highly enriched] materials and on issues related to enrichment activities is something we will discuss when the time is right," Baghaei said. By Nader Itayim Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
LPG World editorial: No longer a gap on the map?
LPG World editorial: No longer a gap on the map?
A wave of investment in the region aims to meet rising domestic demand and could narrow the infrastructure gap London, 6 May (Argus) — Global LPG storage capacity edged up by nearly 1pc to 73.5mn t in the new quarterly storage survey from LPG World. What might seem like a modest gain on the surface masks a more consequential shift — a growing if still uneven wave of infrastructure investment in sub-Saharan Africa, as the region builds capacity to support its clean cooking transition. The latest Global LPG Storage Survey updates Europe and Africa, expands the project dataset and provides more granular data. It captures 1,340 facilities across 123 countries — an increase of 56 from the 2024 iteration — while the list of projects under way nearly doubles to 23, representing close to 1mn t of capacity. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for much of this expansion in terms of new facilities. Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Gambia, Mayotte and Rwanda appear in the survey for the first time, while additional capacity emerges in Angola, Congo Brazzaville and Kenya. New import-oriented infrastructure dominates these additions, including Sonangol's 71,000t Barra do Dande facility in Angola and Lake Gas' 10,000t Vipingo terminal in Kenya. The survey also captures the 26,500t of storage linked to the floating LNG project offshore Congo Brazzaville, with LPG output there expected to serve domestic demand. The project pipeline reinforces this trend. The list of projects in sub-Saharan Africa expands by 10, reflecting the recent flow of capital for infrastructure projects in the region, much of it backed by international organisations and governments . Most of the projects are modest in scale, the largest being 24,000-30,000t in South Africa, Kenya, Gabon and Tanzania, with start-ups due in the next two years. Nigeria is set to add 33,000t across two developments, Angola has 15,600t under construction and Ghana is expanding its Tema terminal by 12,000t. These projects are small relative to the enormous storage caverns and tanks found in the US and China. But they point to a structural shift — a steady build-out of coastal import terminals designed to meet rising domestic demand. This reflects the reality that LPG adoption in sub-Saharan Africa remains constrained less by supply availability than by the infrastructure required to receive, store and distribute it. And while fragmented, the geographic spread of projects in western, eastern and southern Africa suggests a more regionally embedded approach. China continues to dominate in terms of global capacity additions, with four previously listed projects starting up over the past two years, adding a combined 370,000t. Russia also features prominently, with new terminals at Ust-Luga and Sovetskaya Gavan expected to add 267,000t, although the latter has faced repeated delays owing to funding constraints and the former could be hindered by Ukrainian drone attacks. In the Middle East, AD Ports' planned 82,000t facility at a new Abu Dhabi LPG terminal , due on line in 2029, represents one of the largest additions outside Asia. These projects are primarily export-oriented. The Iran war underlines why storage investment may take on greater strategic importance beyond Africa in the coming years. The conflict has already contributed to drastic export losses and supply shortages in key import markets, most notably India, where LPG is an important household cooking fuel. Such volatility has exposed the limits of India's meagre storage buffer capacity, which is likely to prompt policy makers to place greater emphasis on strategic reserves and expanded storage infrastructure in the future. The war also threatens to destabilise the expected growth in African cooking fuel markets and thwart capital by tearing up the assumed global LPG supply security. The region's recent terminal and storage investments will need to prove their worth by capturing low-cost supplies, alongside the required developments in distribution and inland affordability. This will then determine whether Africa's infrastructure gap can be meaningfully narrowed. Global LPG Storage Survey Total global storage '000t 73,518 Number of countries 123 Number of facilities 1,340 Projects 23 Projects capacity '000t 980 Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
African LPG storage boom signals import growth
African LPG storage boom signals import growth
A slew of projects are expected to boost supply, with further investment likely in the coming years, writes Yasmin Zaman London, 6 May (Argus) — A growing number of LPG storage projects are set to improve supply to sub-Saharan Africa as governments and private developers respond to expected demand growth from clean cooking policy targets. Another 10 storage projects with a combined capacity of about 180,000t are due to start up in 2026-28, according to the latest Global LPG Storage Survey . Angolan state-owned Sonangol is to open a further 15,600t of capacity at its new 200,000 b/d Lobito refinery with three more spherical tanks in 2027 — one is already in operation. The refinery, which will process 54,000 b/d initially, is expected to sell its LPG domestically in its early phase, although it may also export to neighbouring markets once operating at capacity. Angola's domestic demand rose by 4pc to 448,000t in 2026, ArgusConsulting data show. The country is a net exporter, shipping 448,000t last year, vessel-tracking data from Kpler show. Ghana is expanding storage at Tema. State-owned Goil is adding 12,000t at its terminal — due to open in the second half of 2026. This will help Ghana's government meet its goal of lifting LPG market penetration to 50pc by 2030 . Ghana consumed about 317,000t of LPG in 2023, with demand set to exceed 400,000 t/yr by 2030, Argus data show. LPG imports to Tema averaged 27,400 t/month in January-April, broadly flat on the year compared with the 2025 average, Kpler data show. Refinery output is up, despite worries of domestic shortages emerging . Nigeria remains sub-Saharan Africa's largest LPG market and a hub of investment as it targets 5mn t/yr of demand by 2030 . Master Energy's long-delayed Port Harcourt terminal joins the list, adding 18,000t of storage this year. Falcon's new terminal at the same port includes 15,000t of capacity but the firm has not confirmed a start-up date. Nigeria's import capacity has grown significantly over the past five years, with storage capacity of nearly 155,000t at largely mainland coastal facilities. This includes Stockgap Fuels' expanded 30,000t facility at Port Harcourt. Yet Nigeria's imports dipped to 196,000t last year from 370,000t in 2024, largely as a result of more supply emerging from the Dangote refinery . Imports averaged only 13,800 t/month in January-April, Kpler data show. Mombasa hub Kenya is driving growth in east Africa and positioning itself as a regional distribution hub, although consumption of about 7 kg/yr is still small and well shy of the government's target of 15 kg/yr . Taifa Gas' 30,000t terminal at Mombasa is one of the largest projects in the survey and is set to open this year. It will be able to receive VLGCs and involves converting an old 70,000 b/d refinery into an LPG import and storage facility. Arrivals to Kenya stood at about 52,800 t/month in January-April, according to Kpler. Neighbouring Tanzania is similarly looking to become an east African import hub. Trading firm Petredec's Tanga import terminal includes 24,000t of storage capacity and is due to open in 2027. It will be the country's first sizeable import terminal capable of taking VLGCs . Tanzania imported 14,100 t/month in January-April, according to Kpler. Its domestic demand stood at about 275,000t in 2025. South Africa is also continuing to see investment in LPG infrastructure. A new terminal at Durban port will add 30,000t of storage capacity by 2027, becoming the country's largest and helping to tackle supply shortages . Petredec is also involved in adding a 6,500t inland unit as part of an LPG rail hub in Gauteng, linked to its Richards Bay terminal, which is set to start up in the first half of 2028 . The list of existing sub-Saharan African LPG storage facilities in the latest survey grows to 76 from 52 in 2024, when the last survey was carried out, while the combined capacity reaches 773,000t, up from 574,000t. These latest additions and the likelihood of further investment suggest a glimpse of what is to come. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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