Petroleum

An oil and gas exploration platform in the Black Sea. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

A consortium of Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek plans on March 25 to start exploratory oil and gas drilling offshore from Montenegro under a concession contract signed in 2016.

Azerbaijan's integrated drilling and oil services management company, SOCAR AQS, opened 40 wells to expand the storage capacity of the Salt Lake (Tuz Gölü) Natural Gas Storage Facility in central Anatolia, head of SOCAR AQS said on May 27.

Around $103 million will be invested for storage expansion at the Salt Lake facility, SOCAR AQS Director General Ramin Isayev told Anadolu Agency.

The country's oil refineries, which are directly linked to the global oil market, are having to manage an unprecedented situation as a result of the volatility created by the slump in demand due to travel restrictions enforced around the world to contain Covid-19 and which sector officials describe to Kathimerini as the absolute imbalance of supply and demand.

The period during which the sale of heating oil is permitted will be extended beyond April 30, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Saturday, responding to a spike in demand following the sharp drop in prices.

Turkish refinery company Tüpraş has revised its 2020 expectations amid the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oil demand and prices.

We all know that Covid-19 has impacted the world greatly. Not only is it harming people as a highly contagious virus, it is also having a significant on the world's economy. In an unprecedented time, nearly the entire human population is being asked to stay home to mitigate the spread of this disease and it is sending ripples across the economy.

Asian shares skidded on April 21 after U.S. oil futures plunged below zero with storage for crude nearly full as demand collapses due to the pandemic.

Shares fell in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai and New York stock futures retreated after the S&P 500 sank 1.8% overnight, giving up some big gains from last week.

Brent oil price dived below $30 per barrel on April 14 with rising oversupply in the global market due to low oil consumption around the world.

Price of the international benchmark hit $29.85 a barrel at 1548GMT for a daily loss of 5.95% after closing Monday at $31.74 per barrel.

Oil price stability is needed for predictability in the global oil market, and volatility in oil prices must end immediately, Turkey's energy and natural resources minister said on April 11. 

OPEC and its allies agreed early on April 10 to lower their collective crude oil production by 10 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of the second quarter of 2020.

Saudi Arabia-led OPEC and Russia-led non-OPEC oil-producing nations started their 9th (Extraordinary) OPEC and non-OPEC ministerial meeting via webinar on April 9 at 1445GMT.