Tootfinder

Oil Regulators Found Hundreds of Wells Violating Oklahoma Rules.
Then They Ignored Their Findings.
https://www.propublica.org/article/oklahoma-injection-wells-oil-regulators-database

Oil Regulators Found Hundreds of Wells Violating Oklahoma Rules. Then They Ignored Their Findings.
Oklahoma took on an ambitious project to catalog all of the state’s injection wells, which shoot toxic waste generated by oil drilling back into the ground. Despite records showing risk of drinking water pollution, the state chose not to act.

📉 $35 oil sinks Russia’s budget as UK detains shadow fleet and funds go to Ukraine: https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/oil-sinks-russias-budget-as.html

Oklahoma Ignored Records Revealing 600 Illegally Operating Injection Wells — ProPublica
https://www.propublica.org/article/oklahoma-injection-wells-oil-regulators-database
'Five years ago, Oklahoma oil regulators took on a project with an impressive name: the Source of Truth. State officials wanted a comprehensive database capturing all vital information about the more than 11,000 wells in Oklahoma that shoot the toxic byproduct of oil production back underground.'

EU offers to pay Ukraine to fix oil pipeline at the center of Ukraine-Hungary feud : NPR
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/18/g-s1-114243/eu-offers-to-pay-ukraine-to-fix-oil-pipeline-at-the-center-of-ukraine-hungary-feud

Oil prices climb again after strikes in crucial Iranian gas field (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/18/oil-jones-act-trump-iran/
http://www.memeorandum.com/260318/p87#a260318p87

With a stroke of his pen, Trump made the oil flow on behalf of Sable Offshore 
— oil that hadn’t flowed for 10 years.
It began flowing from underwater oil wells located seven miles out to sea.
It flowed up to what used to be Exxon’s massive industrial plant along the Gaviota Coast.
And, ultimately, it flowed into two old pipelines that caused the 2015 massive oil disaster,
-- pipelines so corroded that Sable had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to patc…

Why Trump’s Order to Restart Oil Production Along Santa Barbara’s Coast May Not Be the Final Word
History shows that in California, the battle over Sable Offshore is still ongoing.

Top secret footage of US government foreign policy meeting leaked. @… https://murica.website/2026/03/oil-and-gas-expe…

Analysis: Thousands of California Schools, Hospitals, Playgrounds Concerningly Close to Idle Oil Wells https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/analysis-thousands-of-c…

Analysis: Thousands of California Schools, Hospitals, Playgrounds Concerningly Close to Idle Oil Wells
LOS ANGELES— Thousands of idle oil and gas wells in California are concerningly close to 3,787 schools, hospitals, parks and eldercare centers, according to a new Center for Biological Diversity analysis of state data. Both idle and active oil and gas wells pose public health and safety concerns.

China’s Edge in an Oil Shock: Electric Cars and Renewables.
Beijing’s decades-long push to reduce its dependence on foreign oil with huge investments in clean energy sources like electric vehicles is now paying off. https://www.nytimes.com/20…

China’s Edge in an Oil Shock: Electric Cars and Renewables
Beijing’s decades-long push to reduce its dependence on foreign oil with huge investments in clean energy sources like electric vehicles is now paying off.

The largest oil refinery in southern Russia is ON FIRE #shorts: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/the-largest-oil-refinery-in.html

Cuba restores power after 29-hour blackout amid US oil blockade | Business and Economy News | Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/3/18/cuba-restores-power-after-29-hour-blackout-amid-us-oil-blockade?traffic_source=rss

Entire Team of Oil and Gas Experts Got DOGE'd Before Iran War (Hafiz Rashid/New Republic)
https://newrepublic.com/post/207857/doge-oil-gas-experts-fired-state-department-iran-war
http://www.memeorandum.com/260317/p100#a260317p100

The Trump administration purged the State Department of its oil and gas experts last year,
-- prior to launching its war on Iran,
--including people who would be responsible for examining scenarios related to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
By the time the layoffs were over,
the only people left in the energy bureau were people specializing in critical minerals and clean energy,
the administration said in a notification to Congress at the time.
The pe…

Oil and Gas Experts in State Department Fired in DOGE Efforts Prior to Iran War
The administration laid off people responsible for modeling scenarios like the Strait of Hormuz closure, reporting says.

Russia has an interest in high oil prices, it has an incentive to support the Iranian regime, in surviving and striking targets around Hormuz. It also distracts attention from their main conflict, the war with Ukraine. Also it can divide the european countries, NATO and the US further, all wins.
#russia #iran

In the ceasefire agreement with the Kurdish-led SDF, Syrian authorities will take over civilian institutions, border crossings and oil and gas fields, effectively ending Kurdish self-rule in Syria.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gwk37ewvwo.amp

Syria, SDF agree ceasefire and integration deal - BBC News
President Ahmed al-Sharaa said the deal would allow the Syrian state to reassert control over most areas.

RE: #solar

"Why $100 Oil Isn’t Going to Spark a New Shale Boom"
"So far, nothing has changed for us...even missile strikes aren’t shaking off the lethargy in oil right now."
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Why-100-Oil-Isnt-Goi…

Why $100 Oil Isn't Going to Spark a New Shale Boom
U.S. shale producers remain cautious despite oil prices surging above $100, with operators and service companies largely ignoring the war-driven rally and avoiding new drilling commitments.

"This means Scotland rapidly expanding its own decarbonisation efforts not just to limit our need for US fuels but also to limit our need for fuels in general – if the civilised world follows then basic economics means that over supply and under demand will crash the price of oil and make it economically unviable for the US to do things like invade other countries for their resources" -- excellent point, @…

"‘The trend is irreversible’: has Romania shattered the link between economic growth and high emissions?"
#Romania #Finance #Climate

Ukraine had a brutal plan to bankrupt Putin with his own war dead – until Trump’s oil U-turn wrecked it | The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-trump-putin-oil-iran-war-ukraine-troops-b2939854.html

A look at Norway's growing film industry, after it earned its first-ever Oscar, the Academy Award for best international feature, for the film Sentimental Value (Scott Roxborough/The Hollywood Reporter)
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/m

Norway’s Oscar Victory Was Decades in the Making
How Scandinavia’s "cinema underdogs” used innovation — and a lot of oil money — to build a film industry from scratch.

Oh no. And this follows a huge fire at the Matanzas refinery last year.
Sabotage? It wouldn't be the first time.
Fire at Havana oil refinery as Cuba’s fuel crisis deepens | Humanitarian Crises News | Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/new…

Fire at Havana oil refinery as Cuba’s fuel crisis deepens
A fire at a key fuel refinery in the capital comes amid Cuba’s mounting fuel emergency due to US-imposed restrictions.

a grizzled, bitter, chain-smoking oil fixer

Vance, Wright to address oil execs amid Iran tensions (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/18/vance-wright-to-address-oil-execs-amid-iran-tensions-00833940
http://www.memeorandum.com/260318/p69#a260318p69

Continuing in the process of measuring the speed of my turntable in the oddest way; here is the FFT before and after oiling & replacing it's belt. Hmm, it's clearly a bit fast before and a bit slow after; it's not got any speed adjustment mechanism, it's a belt on an AC driven motor.
This FFT and plot was done using #labplot using the waveforms gathered by

RE: https://mastodon.social/@etchedpixels/116250507805096526
At my house in Seattle, I removed an active underground oil tank (which had been leaking into the soil, it turns out!) and replaced it with a bunch of DIY mini splits.
Here in NYC, I t…

I love this so much: https://oilwell.app/ 😄

Oilwell - Meditate through the meltdown
A wellness app to help you embrace climate chaos, created by Edelman, Oil and Gas PR. From Smog Breathing Exercises, to Lifeless Rock Visualizations, to Wildfire ASMR.

And whose name is on those accounts?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-venezuela-oil-revenue-qatar-bank-b2901312.html

Trump is sending funds from Venezuela oil to a bank in Qatar: report
Senior officials claim Gulf state provides neutral location to store proceeds from which they can be moved safely and without risk of seizure

Croatia rejects transporting Russian oil to Hungary, Slovakia as flows via Ukraine halted: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/croatia-rejects-transporting-russian-oil.html

Oil prices have climbed again amid mounting supply fears after the US struck Iran’s vital Kharg Island oil hub and Donald Trump demanded allies help reopen the strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 1.8% to $104.98 per barrel during early trading on Monday.
Another weekend of violence across the Middle East compounded concerns over the conflict, and its ramifications for global energy markets.
Trump claimed on Saturday that US strikes had “totally …

Clémence Dubois, 350 dot org, said: “The right response is a strong windfall tax, which should be redirected to support households and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
(...)Cutting fossil fuel taxes during a crisis is not a relief for families, it’s a subsidy for companies that are already enjoying windfall profits.” https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/15/oil-company-shares-soar-to-all-time-highs-as-middle-east-war-turbocharges-price-per-barrel?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Trump Administration Orders Restart of Dangerous Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/trump-administration-orders-restart-of-dangerous-santa-barbara-oil-pipelin…

Trump Administration Orders Restart of Dangerous Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline
Center for Biological Diversity: Energy Secretary Uses Defense Production Act, Claiming to Preempt State Law

Calling the war in Iran a success doesn’t make it so | Cognoscenti https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2026/03/12/hegseth-trump-iran-israel-oil-regime-change-andrew-carleen

Calling the war in Iran a success doesn’t make it so
"Any American who has been alive for the past quarter century — especially veterans of our post-9/11 military adventures like me — has seen this movie before and knows how open-ended wars in that part of the world play out," writes Andrew Carleen.

I've often wondered if a Canadian EV "Kei Car" type program would help the country achieve zero emission goals, provide affordable transportation, and reduce grid lock in our cities.
In 1949, Japan created a special category of keijidosha (light vehicles) created for affordability and maneuverability in dense cities. The Kei car quickly became popular despite strict limits on dimensions (length, width, height) and engine displacement (under 660cc). They were given unique license plates for enforcement purposes and had tax benefits for owners.
What if an "Ion" vehicle category was created in Canada:
- must be manufactured in Canada
- minimum 100Km range, suitable for any urban commute
- limited to 50Km/hr
- restricted to street use, not to be used on highways
- size restrictions, perhaps Smart Car sized for personal vehicles, larger for commercial vehicle category
How many city-dwelling Canadians would buy a cheap EV to run errands and give the finger to big oil?
#KeiCars
https://youtu.be/LtTirdKvyeI

Trump's DOGE Cuts Slashed Staff That Handled Middle Eastern Oil and Gas Crises (Anna Kramer/NOTUS)
https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/trump-doge-cuts-middle-eastern-oil-gas-crises
http://www.memeorandum.com/260317/p36#a260317p36

Surging energy costs have choked the economies of megacities and rural areas across South Asia, where many live on daily wages with little to no savings to cushion sudden rising costs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/world/asia/pakistan-oil-prices.html

Surge in Oil Prices Shakes Pakistan’s Already Fragile Economy
Families preparing for Eid al-Fitr and farmers ready for harvest are being squeezed in a country that gets nearly all its oil through the Persian Gulf.

About 90 ships cross the Strait of Hormuz as Iran exports millions of barrels of oil despite the war (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/ships-iran-oil-china-us-trump-hormuz-82a9acb473837f1bf7a821d0c3f95205
http://www.memeorandum.com/260318/p24#a260318p24

“When there’s a supply disruption in the Middle East, that raises prices for every barrel of oil in the world,”
said Christopher Knittel, associate dean for climate and sustainability at M.I.T.
“Those price increases then trickle down to products that use oil, gasoline being the most relevant one.”
⚠️But isn’t the United States the world’s largest oil producer?
Yes, but not all American-produced oil can be easily used by American refiners.
The United States is a n…

America Is an Oil Exporter. Why Does a Mideast War Raise U.S. Gas Prices?
The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran have intensified and the conflict has widened, shaking global energy markets.

🙈🙈
Aaron Rupar ‪@atrupar.com€ :
'Trump on Venezuela: "They took all of our oil and we want it back. They illegally took it."
Via @… on Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3ma7kodttde2w

"‘The Dirtiest, Worst Oil’ Is in Venezuela"
#Venezuela #Oil #FossilFuels

‘The Dirtiest, Worst Oil’ Is in Venezuela - Inside Climate News
The country’s “extra heavy” oil packs some of the highest associated greenhouse gas emissions of any crude oil.

"There are two possibilities that offer better explanations of the US’s criminal action: oil and power. Petroleum has been widely cited as the key reason, and Trump himself has acknowledged this. There seem to be two plausible aspects to this."
From my new Venezuela article.
I conquer, therefore I am – the United States intervention in Venezuela

I conquer, therefore I am – the United States intervention in Venezuela
What is behind Trump’s intervention in Venezuela, and the kidnapping of its president? Is it oil, is it power?

Ukrainian drones strike oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, local authorities claim: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukrainian-drones-strike-oil-depot.html

Iran has threatened to target major oil and gas installations in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in retaliation for a strike on its South Pars gasfield, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.
https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/iran-names-saud

Iran names Saudi, UAE and Qatar energy sites as retaliatory targets
Iran has named oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar as potential targets after an attack on its South Pars gasfield, escalating regional tensions.

Oil patch appears after IRIS Dena sinking in Sri Lanka; origins still unverified https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/oil-patch-appears-after-iris-dena-sinking-in-sri-lanka-origins-still-unverified/

Oil patch appears after IRIS Dena sinking in Sri Lanka; origins still unverified
HIKKADUWA, Sri Lanka — On Saturday, March 7, three days after the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was torpedoed by a U.S Navy submarine close to the southern coast off Galle in Sri Lanka, fishers and coastal communities noticed a thick oil patch along the coast of Hikkaduwa. Hikkaduwa is one of the most pristine coastal […]

No surprises here, "Big Oil doesn’t share Trump’s dream of making Venezuelan oil great again"
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/05/business/venezuela-trump-oil-chevron?cid=ios_app

Big Oil doesn’t share Trump’s dream of making Venezuelan oil great again
President Donald Trump may have made a major miscalculation about Venezuela’s oil.

The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for the second time this year,
a widely expected move amid turmoil in the Middle East and rising energy prices.
Fed officials faced a confluence of issues to consider in their meeting this week:
soaring oil and gas prices,
fluctuating inflation that still remains above the Fed’s target of 2%,
and a weakened job market that unexpectedly saw 92,000 losses last month.
All but one of the 12 voting members of th…

The price of Russian OIL has dropped by another $3.5! #shorts: https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/the-price-of-russian-oil.html

“The US is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money,“ Trump posted on Wednesday as crude prices rose to $95 per barrel.
I wonder what this does to Dutch government's "understanding" for the illegal attacks.
https://www.

The Iran war already has a winner (Joshua Keating/Vox)
https://www.vox.com/politics/482771/iran-war-oil-russia-ukraine-putin
http://www.memeorandum.com/260317/p33#a260317p33

A review of a book from the Venezuelan left.
The debacle due to,
1) US imperial sanctions and blockade,
2) Vz leadership failure, despite rhetoric, to challenge & replace capitalist relations,
3) Continued dominance of oil and dependency on primary exports.
Venezuela: the end game – Michael Roberts Blog

Venezuela: the end game
The kidnapping of Venezuela’s President Maduro and his wife by US military forces, the subsequent takeover by the Vice President Rodriguez and her agreement to allow the US to control Venezuela’s o…

"Bombing of Iran’s oil infrastructure to have major environmental fallout, experts warn"
#Iran #Environment

“The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far,
so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money,”
Donald Trump boasted last week on Truth Social.
Oil prices are, of course, going up
because Trump launched an illegal war of aggression against Iran
without considering the
(incredibly obvious) possibility that Iran might retaliate by closing the Strait of Hormuz.
Gas prices have spiked 60 cents this month as oil hit $100 a barrel,…

The real affordability hoax
Trump's vow to lower prices was always a lie.

Unidentified oil washes up on South African beaches https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/unidentified-oil-washes-up-on-south-african-beaches/

Unidentified oil washes up on South African beaches
Unidentified oil is washing up on South African beaches, closing shores and raising fears for wildlife as officials investigate the source of dense tar balls and oil barrels.

Making Russia strong again (Lisa Needham/Public Notice)
https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-russia-nato-iran-oil
http://www.memeorandum.com/260317/p23#a260317p23

Wall Street ended higher on Tuesday, with gains in Delta Air Lines and other travel stocks, while the Federal Reserve began its ​two-day policy meeting amid investors' worries about high oil prices and the Middle East conflict
Fed expected to keep rates unchanged
Financials rebound from prior losses
Delta and American raise revenue guidance
S&P 500 0.25%, Nasdaq 0.47%, Dow 0.10%

Wall Street ends up as traders turn to Fed — Reuters
Wall Street ended higher on Tuesday, with gains in Delta Air Lines and other travel stocks, while the Federal Reserve began its ​two-day policy meeting amid investors' worries about high oil prices and the Middle East conflict.

Iran War Live Updates: Israel Says It Has Killed Iran's De Facto Leader (Reuters)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/17/world/iran-war-trump-oil-lebanon?unlocked_article_code=1.T1A.SVO0.idM5tm3fKgK_&smid=url-share
http://www.memeorandum.com/260317/p38#a260317p38

Ukraine war latest: Drones strike oil, chemical plants in Russia as fresh peace talks begin in Geneva: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukraine-war-latest-drones-strike.html

The Iran war throws Trump's China trip into doubt, but Beijing doesn't seem to mind waiting (NBC News)
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/trump-china-trip-iran-war-delay-beijing-trade-oil-hormuz-rcna263844
http://www.memeorandum.com/260317/p86#a260317p86

Do we want to keep fixing the same issue? Unlearned lessons from the first big oil crisis https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/13/fixing-the-same-issue-first-big-oil-crisis-middle-eastern-wars
UK energy…

Trump Sells First Batch Of Venezuelan Oil For $500 Million, Stores Funds In "Neutral" Qatari Bank Account - Joe.My.God.
https://www.joemygod.com/2026/01/trump-sells-first-batch-of-venezuelan-oil-for-500-million-stores-funds-in-neutral-qatari-bank-account/

"Trump’s decision to wage war abroad threatens to wipe out some of his key economic accomplishments at home.", says CNN.
It remains unclear what those key accomplishments would be.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/09/politics/rising-oil-costs-gas-trump

Trump administration starts to panic over rapidly rising oil costs
While senior Trump aides had anticipated some brief surge in oil prices in the first days of the war with Iran, the size and sustainability of the market reaction caught them off guard.

Trump vowed to “take” Cuba
as the Caribbean island plunged into darkness under a total power blackout
linked to a crippling oil embargo imposed by Washington.
After nearly seven decades defying the United States,
Havana’s communist authorities are under massive pressure from a Trump administration.
“You know, all my life I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it?” Trump said.
“I do believe I’ll be…having the honor…

Trump vows to 'take' Cuba as the island reels from US-imposed oil embargo
Donald Trump said he thinks he can ‘do anything’ he wants with the island as it suffers with power blackouts.

"Oil residues can travel over 5,000 miles on ocean debris, study finds"
#FossilFuels #Oceans #Pollution

Oil residues can travel over 5,000 miles on ocean debris, study finds
When oily plastic and glass, as well as rubber, washed onto Florida beaches in 2020, a community group shared the mystery online, attracting scientists' attention. Working together, they linked the black residue-coated debris to a 2019 oil slick along Brazil's coastline. Using ocean current models and chemical analysis, the team explains in Environmental Science & Technology how some of the oily material managed to travel over 5,200 miles (8,500 kilometers) by clinging to debris.

🇸🇰 Fico: Slovakia cannot give up CHEAP Russian oil #shorts: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/fico-slovakia-cannot-give-up.html

New Mexico Oil Group Makes Third Bid to Discharge Toxic Fracking Wastewater into Rivers, Crops https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/new-mexico-oil-group-makes-third-bid-…

New Mexico Oil Group Makes Third Bid to Discharge Toxic Fracking Wastewater into Rivers, Crops
Center for Biological Diversity: SANTA FE, N.M.— A fossil fuel industry trade group is pressing New Mexico regulators for the third time to allow the release of toxic oil and gas wastewater into the state’s rivers and onto pastures and irrigated crops.

ORBÁN IN PANIC! Hungary and Slovakia desperately hunt Putin oil routes around Ukraine!: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/orbn-in-panic-hungary-and.html

Drones strike multiple Russian regions, sparking major fire at oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/drones-strike-multiple-russian-regions.html

Oil Industry Warns Trump Administration That Fuel Crunch Will Likely Worsen (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/oil-industry-warns-trump-administration-energy-crisis-will-likely-worsen-0a5c8b1a?st=5vfkfo&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
http://www.memeorandum.com/260315/p65#a260315p65

SHOCK! Nightfall ballistics hit Moscow – “Oreshnik” myth debunked, Caspian oil defeated: https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/shock-nightfall-ballistics-hit-moscow.html

The Putin regime may be sharing intelligence that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is using to target US troops, but President Trump is more mad at NATO. Sure, Trump’s adoration for Putin stopped being surprising a long time ago, but it’s notable that he’ll make excuses for the Russian strongman even if he has American blood on his hands.
Alas, in recent comments to the press, America’s aspiring strongman has been railing against our erstwhile allies for not being more eager to pu…

Making Russia strong again
Trump's war is doing Putin's bidding on multiple fronts.

U.S. policy in Latin America has long been shaped by business interests
— but rarely with today’s level of openness (thread) ⬇️
https://skywriter.blue/pages/did:plc:s24o3i2gmddihekekk6tu6ac/post/3mcqadry7az2c

Two shipments of Russian oil and gas head to Cuba in defiance of US (Financial Times)
https://www.ft.com/content/bdb055d0-62c3-445c-ba89-349c63c82c1f
http://www.memeorandum.com/260319/p1#a260319p1

Donald Trump’s first Venezuela oil sale deal goes to ... megadonor’s company
(of course he did)
https://www.ft.com/content/da74c248-fb36-4ff1-8fb2-d2dd1e00fde8

Donald Trump’s first Venezuela oil sale deal goes to megadonor’s company
Senior Vitol trader met US president at White House last week and gave millions to his re-election campaign

Demand for Russian oil is falling! Even India has turned away! #shorts: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/demand-for-russian-oil-is.html

Trump is keeping proceeds from the first sale of Venezuelan oil
in an offshore bank account based in Qatar, according to reporting from Semafor.
The sale was worth $500 million.
This unprecedented move is yet another middle finger to Venezuelan sovereignty
and once again raises questions about the president’s cozy relationship with the Qatari government.
“There is no basis in law for a president to set up an offshore account that he controls
so that he ca…

Trump Is Keeping Money From Venezuelan Oil Sale in Offshore Account
This is completely unprecedented.

Private guns, public oil: Trump's Venezuela plans start taking shape (CNN)
https://cnn.com/2026/01/15/politics/trump-private-contractors-venezuela-oil
http://www.memeorandum.com/260115/p84#a260115p84

Darren Woods is known mostly as the chairman of ExxonMobil,
the largest U.S. oil company.
On Friday, however, he made noise in a different sphere by placing an obscure financial term into the political lexicon:
"#Uninvestible."
That's how Woods described Venezuela
—more specifically, Venezuela's oil industry.
His remark came during a meeting of s…

Hiltzik: Trump's Venezuelan oil adventure is coming apart at the seams
Trump thinks the spigots will soon start flowing with Venezuela's oil. The oil industry isn't eager to see that happen

Trump says US may strike Iran's Kharg Island oil export hub 'just for fun' (The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/14/us-kharg-island-oil-export-hub
http://www.memeorandum.com/260315/p19#a260315p19

In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran,
Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels.
He’s grown more agitated with news coverage
and has failed to find a way to explain why he started the war
— or how he will end it
— that resonates with a public concerned by American deaths in the conflict,
surging oil prices
and dropping financial markets.
Even some of his supporters are questioning his pla…

How mixed messaging on Iran may have Trump reeling politically
Two weeks of war in Iran has President Donald Trump increasingly knocked back on his political heels. He has struggled to sell the Iran war at home as oil prices rise, his polling numbers fall and his own electoral coalition shows signs of splintering. In response, Trump has fumed at news coverage and sent mixed signals on goals. On Saturday, he posted that other countries may need to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but it was unclear how or when that might happen. Iran says it will keep u…

🔥 Russian oil rigs hit! John Gilli is ready to KIDNAP PUTIN, and Britain is building NEW BALLISTICS: https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/russian-oil-rigs-hit-john.html

Energy Secretary Says 'No Guarantees' Oil Prices Will Fall Soon (Edward Wong/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/us/politics/energy-secretary-iran-oil-prices.html
http://www.memeorandum.com/260315/p22#a260315p22

Trump is eager to declare victory, but a battered Iran still has cards to play
Two weeks of conflict have not achieved the broader aims Trump has sometimes declared.
A hardened regime in Tehran remains in power, and it is roiling global oil markets by choking off the vital shipping lane that allows oil and gas out of the Persian Gulf.

The country’s leaders may be more eager than ever to race toward a nuclear weapon, diplomats and analysts say.
Iran retains control of wh…

Trump is eager to declare victory, but a battered Iran still has cards to play
The U.S. and Israel crippled Iranian forces in two weeks of war, but Tehran’s ability to disrupt oil flows and its uranium stockpile complicate the push to end it.

Trump wants Venezuela's oil — markets may not care: https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/trump-wants-venezuelas-oil-markets.html

US seizes sixth sanctioned tanker it says has ties to Venezuela in Trump's effort to control its oil (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-sanctioned-oil-tanker-seized-a415e247fca429b00b9fbcf6b6cd90a5
http://www.memeorandum.com/260115/p73#a260115p73

Trump drew a backlash on Sunday for suggesting US efforts to protect the Strait of Hormuz were unnecessary
– and that “maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all”
because his country has plenty of oil of its own.
The president made the contradictory comment to reporters on Air Force One
after pleading with European and Nato allies to enter the war in Iran to help the US secure the strait
amid the largest oil supply disruption in history.

Strikes by both sides on so-called upstream gas production facilities in recent days are a significant escalation in the war in the Middle East, with potentially long-term consequences.
The strikes were the first time facilities associated with the production of fossil fuel energy had been hit in the conflict,
rather than sites associated more generally with the oil and gas industry.
On Tuesday a successful Iranian drone attack resulted in operations at the Shah gasfield in…

“What we’re seeing is just one of the clearest depictions yet of the frailty of a global order that is grounded in fossil fuels.
All sides in this war are using fossil fuels as a weapon of war,”
says independent investigative journalist Antonia Juhasz,
who reports on energy and climate.
https://www.demo…

“Fossil Fuels as a Weapon of War”: U.S.-Israeli War on Iran Exposes World’s Dangerous Reliance on Oil
Oil prices surged past $100 a barrel this week as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran threatens global energy supplies and the broader economy. Iranian officials say no oil will be allowed to leave the Middle East until the bombardment stops, raising fears of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which about 20% of the world’s oil and gas flows. This comes as Israel has struck oil depots in Tehran, blanketing the capital in smoke and toxic rain. “What we’re seeing is jus…

Why Little Was Done to Head Off Oil's Strait of Hormuz Problem (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/business/energy-environment/iran-strait-hormuz-oil-middle-east.html
http://www.memeorandum.com/260314/p7#a260314p7

Saudi Arabia’s state oil company has warned of
“catastrophic consequences”
for the world’s oil markets
if the US-Israeli war with Iran
continues to block shipping
in the strait of Hormuz.
The world’s biggest oil company
expects to be able to export
about 70% of its usual crude output
despite the stranglehold on the vital trade artery,
but its chief executive warned that
there would still be
“drastic” consequences
f…

Iran strikes back after US bombs an oil-critical Iranian island as Mideast war enters third week (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/iran-iraq-us-trump-march-14-2026-oil-prices-a2399398b4c590995b814d7640362a11
http://www.memeorandum.com/260314/p34#a260314p34

In an effort to crack down on nations it views as promoting terrorism,
the Trump administration has been carrying out a campaign of seizing tankers carrying oil,
-- a move the president has repeatedly characterized as a financial boon for Americans.
But there’s a problem.
The seizures have put the U.S. government in a financial bind.
The ships are highly expensive to maintain.
And the Trump administration cannot legally sell their oil without a judge’s p…

Trump’s Move to Seize Oil Tankers Costs the U.S. Tens of Millions of Dollars
Although President Trump said seizing tankers would be a financial boon, the cost of maintaining just one aging ship has already reached $47 million.

China could emerge a winner from Trump’s global energy shock
The disruption caused by the war on Iran may reveal that years China spent preparing for a global energy crisis have left the country and its economy better positioned than most to endure a long-term hike in the cost of oil and gas.

Through massive stockpiles of crude oil,
an aggressive push into electric vehicles
and huge investments into coal, renewable power and battery storage,
Beijing has worked …

Why China could emerge a winner from Trump’s global energy shock
Spiking oil prices may reveal how China has been more successful in electrifying its economy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels than the United States.

Despite rare act of multilateralism,
there is no guarantee the IEA’s release of 400m barrels from reserves will depress oil prices
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/11/iea-oil-reserves-sto…

Gas prices rose for the 11th consecutive day on Wednesday,
jumping to a national average of $3.58 a gallon even as oil prices retreated from their highs,
according to the AAA motor club.
The increase has raised the cost for drivers 20 percent
https://www.nyti…

U.S. Gas Prices Jump for 11th Straight Day, and Oil Pushes Higher
Drivers are paying an average of 20 percent more at the pump since the strikes on Iran began. The global oil price was higher and stocks were mixed.

Nations agree to release oil reserves as war in Iran hits global economy
The International Energy Agency on Wednesday announced that it would carry out its largest-ever release of oil reserves
— 400 million barrels
— in a bid to control spiking energy prices caused by the United States-Israel war against Iran.

The plan, aimed at stabilizing oil prices that have soared since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, would deplete roughly one-third of glob…

Nations agree to release oil reserves as war in Iran hits global economy
The International Energy Agency announced that it would carry out its largest-ever release of oil reserves — 400 million barrels.

US plans to exploit Venezuela’s oil reserves could by 2050 consume 🔥more than a tenth of the world’s remaining carbon budget to limit global heating to 1.5C, according to an exclusive analysis.
The calculation highlights how any moves to further exploit the
South American nation’s oil reserves
– the largest in the world,
at least on paper
– would put increasing pressure on climate goals,
and risk plunging the globe further into climate catastrophe.
<…

Fears about the global economic fallout from the war in Iran grew on Sunday
as the U.S. energy secretary acknowledged in a televised interview that there were
“no guarantees” that oil prices would fall in the coming weeks.
A day after President Trump called on other countries to send warships to the region to end the de facto Iranian blockade of the economically vital Strait of Hormuz,
foreign governments responded with caution— if at all

Iran War Live Updates: Israel Launches Strikes as Trump Urges World to Defend Strait of Hormuz
Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz to America and its allies, but the president’s earlier call for more naval reinforcements has gained little traction. The U.S. energy secretary, Chris Wright, acknowledged energy prices could remain high.

The S&P 500 fell 1.5 percent on Thursday, as concerns grew about oil prices rising amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
The Stoxx 600, a Pan-European index, fell 0.6 percent.
Stocks in Asia, where countries import vast quantities of oil and gas, slumped broadly on Thursday. Major benchmark indexes in Japan closed just over 1 percent lower, while Taiwan fell about 1.5 percent. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong fell a little less than 1 percent.

S&P 500 Slumps in Worst Day Since War Began
The stock index fell 1.5 percent on Thursday, as concerns continued to grow about oil prices rising amid the war in the Middle East.

Trump declared a national emergency to shield Venezuelan oil revenue held by the U.S. government from seizure by private creditors,
framing it as critical to U.S. national security and regional stability
https://www.axios.com/2026/01/10/trump-venezuela-oil-natio…

Trump declares national emergency to shield Venezuelan oil cash
Trump said in the order signed late Friday that losing control of these funds would "materially harm" national security and foreign policy.