Oil Market News, OPEC+, sanctions and price shocks

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EU Escalates Crackdown on Russia's Shadow Fleet With Full Maritime Services Ban

Explore the implications of the EU maritime services ban on Russian oil amid heightened sanctions against Moscow.

gcaptain.com

Oil Tankers Wait Offshore as Russia Redirects Barrels to China | OilPrice.com

Russian oil cargoes are piling up in East Asian waters as India scales back purchases under U.S. pressure, forcing sellers to court Chinese refiners with deeper discounts.

oilprice.com

 

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Vague Oman Talks Set Oil Up for Whiplash | OilPrice.com

U.S.–Iran nuclear talks in Oman cooled oil markets, pushing Brent back to $67 and setting up volatility as vague outcomes leaves traders on edge.

oilprice.com

 

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Supertankers Speed Through Strait of Hormuz as Geopolitical Risk Mounts

Explore the impact of US-Iran tensions on supertankers in the Strait of Hormuz and their response to shipping risks.

gcaptain.com

 

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Embiricos fixes 2010-built VLCC at $147,135 a day - Splash247

A 2010-built VLCC has been fixed out at a striking $147,135 per day. The scrubber-fitted Kalamos, built at Shanghai Waigaoqiao, has reportedly been taken on at the bumper rate while currently positioned off India’s west coast. The vessel is listed as operated by Embiricos, with IOC named as the...

splash247.com

 

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EU Escalates its Crackdown on the Russian Shadow Fleet...But Increases its Import of Russian LNG​

Feb 7, 2026 What's Going on With Shipping - Maritime Industry Today
The European Union escalated its crackdown on the Russian Shadow Fleet by a complete ban on maritime services for Russian crude oil, by choking off Moscow's access to shipping, insurance and related support for its ships. But, at the same time, the import of Russian LNG surpassed its purchase of Russian Yamal Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) in January 2026.


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You can read the sources below the vid on youtube.

 

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EU Eyes Ban on LNG Tanker Services in New Sanctions, Timing Will Be Key to Ensure Effectiveness

The EU's 20th sanctions package proposes restrictions on LNG tankers and ice-class vessels, aiming to target Russia’s Arctic gas exports by banning related maintenance and services.

en.highnorthnews.com

 

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Transocean snaps up Valaris in $5.8bn stock deal - Splash247

Transocean is set to absorb rival offshore driller Valaris in a move that reshapes the upper end of the global rig market and adds fresh momentum to an already busy consolidation cycle.T he Switzerland-based offshore drilling heavyweight said it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire...

splash247.com

 

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US forces board runaway tanker

Tanker tracked from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean by US forces before it was boarded overnight

www.lloydslist.com

 

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Breakwave Bi Weekly Tanker Report - February 10, 2026​

Feb 10, 2026
For the full report visit our website www.breakwaveadvisors.com , or click here: https://static1.squarespace.com/stati...


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Dark fleet expansion looms as EU seeks to cut maritime lifelines for Russian oil - Splash247

Russia’s shadow tanker fleet faces greater pressure, although it is forecast to rise in numbers, if the European Commission’s proposed a 20th sanctions package gets voted through later this month. Europe plans to scrap the crude oil price cap and replace it with a full ban on maritime services...

splash247.com

 

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The Era of Quiet Tolerance May Be Ending for Iran’s Dark Fleet

Explore Iran's shadow fleet and its resilient illicit trade amidst increasing U.S. enforcement and dwindling safe havens.

gcaptain.com

 

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Arctic tourist resort is becoming shadow tanker hub

Carriers involved in transportation of sanctioned LNG are increasingly using the waters off the coast of Teriberka, a settlement promoted as a top tourist attraction on the Kola Peninsula.

www.thebarentsobserver.com

 

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Northern Sea Route Traffic Slips in 2025 as Sanctions Constrain Russia’s Arctic Ambitions

Cargo volumes along Russia’s Northern Sea Route fell in 2025, underscoring how Western sanctions are increasingly curtailing Moscow’s long-held ambitions to transform the Arctic passage into a global energy export corridor.

gcaptain.com

 

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Shadow fleet reflagging to Russia surges - Splash247

Windward, a maritime analytics firm that tracks the sprawling shadow fleet, is predicting at least 120 falsely flagged, sanctioned tankers are likely to reflag to Russia’s registry in the coming months, as Western interdictions of stateless shadow fleet vessels accelerates a structural shift in...

splash247.com

 

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Oil giant TotalEnergies on Trump's Venezuela dream: ‘Too expensive and too polluting'

TotalEnergies completely exited its oil and gas operations in Venezuela in 2022, following a strategic shift away from heavy and high-sulfur crude.

www.cnbc.com

 

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EGS 11/26 - Chevron's Syrian O&G Exploration, Venezuelan Oil to Israel, Namibia Vs. Total-Petrobras, No Cyberthreat to US from Chinese Inverters, Indonesia's Nickel Move

Because Energy = Power = Politics

energygeopoliticsandstatecraft.substack.com

 

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Indian Scrapyards Welcome Growing Number of Dark Fleet Tankers | OilPrice.com

At least three U.S.-sanctioned "dark fleet" tankers have recently arrived at India's Alang demolition hub, following a record 15 last year, signaling the retirement of the fleet's oldest ships, partly due to the US-authorized legitimate sales of Venezuelan oil.

oilprice.com

 

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The shadowy world of abandoned oil tankers​

Over the past year there has been a big rise in the number of oil tankers and other commercial ships being abandoned around the world by their owners. What is causing the spike? And what is the human impact on the affected merchant sailors?

Ivan (not his real name), spoke to me last month from an oil tanker that lies abandoned outside the territorial waters of China. He is a senior deck officer.

"We had a shortage of meat, grain, fish, simple things for survival," said the Russian officer. "It's affected our health and our operational atmosphere.

"The crew was hungry, the crew was angry, and we tried to survive only day-by-day."

The ship, which we are not naming to protect Ivan, is loaded with nearly 750,000 barrels of Russian crude oil with a nominal value of around $50m (£37m). It had set sail from Russia's Far East for China in early November.

More:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...oned-oil-tankers/ar-AA1VWC7o?ocid=socialshare

 

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Supply Fears Return as OPEC+ Eyes Output Expansion | OilPrice.com

OPEC+ signaled a return to production hikes after its first-quarter freeze, pressuring oil prices even as strong U.S. inflation data tempered the market reaction.

oilprice.com

 

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US Allows Oil Majors to Broadly Operate in Venezuela, New Energy Investments

The U.S. eased sanctions on Venezuela's energy sector on Friday, issuing two general licenses that allow global energy companies to operate oil and gas projects in the OPEC member and for other companies to negotiate contracts to bring in fresh investments.

gcaptain.com

 

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Valero Energy Set to Become Top Importer of Venezuelan Crude Oil

Valero is planning to import up to 6.5 million barrels of Venezuelan crude in March, surpassing Chevron. The move marks a major shift as U.S. sanctions continue to ease following Maduro's capture.

gcaptain.com

 

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U.S. Boards Shadow Fleet Tanker 'Veronica III' in Indian Ocean

U.S. forces have boarded the sanctioned oil tanker VERONICA III in the Indian Ocean, marking the ninth vessel seized or interdicted in an intensifying campaign against the shadow fleet transporting illicit Venezuelan oil

gcaptain.com

 

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A Huge Bet on Supertankers Reverberates Through the Oil Market

A niche but crucial part of the oil market is being rocked by a huge bet from a South Korean tycoon who has amassed a large share of the tanker market — with help from one of the industry’s wealthiest men.

gcaptain.com

 

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Revised pension proposal halts planned strike by 400 Billfinger offshore workers - Splash247

UK’s largest offshore trade union, Unite, has announced that 48-hour strike action involving over 400 Bilfinger UK employees has been suspended following an improved offer from the company. The strike, scheduled for February 19 and 20, was set to affect offshore assets operated by BP, CNR...

splash247.com

 

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Oil Bears Are Dangerously Underestimating Geopolitical Risk | OilPrice.com

Despite a general assumption of security due to U.S. shale production, geopolitical risks, particularly those stemming from potential U.S.-Iranian conflict and the threat to the Strait of Hormuz, continue to pose a significant and underestimated risk to global oil prices.

oilprice.com

 

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