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A volcano on Indonesia's main island of Java erupted Wednesday, throwing ash and gas kilometres into the sky and forcing officials to raise the alert status to its highest level. Mount Semeru in eastern Java, about 310kms west of the tourist hotspot of Bali, erupted at 2.13pm local time (0713 GMT), spewing what are known as pyroclastic flows, Indonesian geological agency head Muhammad Wafid said."The public is advised not to engage in activities within an 8km radius of the crater or peak of Mount Semeru due to the risk of being struck by ejected rocks," he said in a statement. The national disaster agency said the plume of ash had risen as far as 13kms into the air.

Greece signed a deal with Ukraine Sunday to supply US-origin liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the war-battered country whose energy infrastructure has been crippled by Russian strikes.The agreement came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Athens at the start of a European tour aimed at shoring up his country's defences and energy supply, as it enters another gruelling winter nearly four years into Russia's invasion.Exhausted and outnumbered Ukrainian troops are struggling to fend off Russian forces, and both sides have been attacking each other's energy infrastructure power stations and oil refineries as the war drags on with no sign of peace talks.Greece's national gas company DEPA Commercial and its Ukrainian counterpart Naftogaz announced the deal, which will run from December 2025 until March 2026, following a meeting between Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.The agreement "marks an essential step in strengthening regional energy cooperation and European energy security", according to a joint statement.The deal, signed at a ceremony attended by US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, will make it possible to "support Ukraine in the midst of a difficult winter", Mitsotakis and Zelensky said.Guilfoyle visited Zelensky at the Ukrainian embassy in Athens Sunday, the state-run ERTNEWS tv channel reported."Relations between our countries are taking on a crucial new dimension: that of a new secure energy artery, stretching from south to north, from Greece to Ukraine," Mitsotakis said.He called the deal a "decisive step toward definitive energy independence from Russian gas" — a key goal for Europe, which has struggled to wean itself off imports.Most European Union countries recently approved a ban on imports of Russian natural gas by the end of 2027, a decision aimed at hitting Russia's funding for the war.Mitsotakis also pledged Greek support for Ukraine's postwar reconstruction and to deepening defence cooperation, according to a joint declaration.They plan on "enhancing security in the maritime domain, including cooperation on the development and deployment of maritime (sea) UAVs, joint exercises and training related to unmanned maritime systems, and enhanced information-sharing on maritime threats."The Ukrainian president expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump "for the fact that we will be able to receive natural gas not only from Greece, but also (US gas) via Greece".Zelensky, who is to visit France and Spain on his tour, called the agreement a "significant part of the comprehensive energy package we have prepared for this winter".The approaching winter poses "a huge challenge... for the Ukrainian people", he said."Practically every night now, the Russians are striking our infrastructure, especially our energy infrastructure," he said."Most of Ukraine's power plants, our gas production facilities and our thermal power plants have become targets."Zelensky's first visit to Greece since 2023 follows the recent announcement of major energy projects in Greece, supported by the United States.Greek authorities plan to cooperate with US companies to increase the flow of American liquefied natural gas to Greek terminals.Greece is "the natural gateway for American liquefied natural gas to replace Russian gas in the region," Mitsotakis said at a conference this month in Athens hosted by the United States.The recent launch of a Trans-Adriatic pipeline connecting Greece and Bulgaria has enabled the country to contribute to a "vertical" corridor delivering gas towards Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary and Slovakia.The opening of storage infrastructure at the port of Alexandroupolis, near the Greek-Turkish border and where American LNG arrives, has also helped undermine Russia's market in the region.

The biggest oil company in the United Arab Emirates has secured a key European approval that brings it a step closer to completing a €12bn ($14bn) takeover of Covestro AG, part of a global deals push to create a natural gas and chemicals leader.Abu Dhabi National Oil Co won a conditional European Union go-ahead for the proposed buyout after addressing regulators’ concerns around state subsidies. The European Commission said on Friday that an offer from Adnoc to maintain Covestro’s intellectual property in Europe, as well as concessions around state guarantees, had settled earlier concerns, with the commitments valid for 10 years.The deal will be the largest takeover of a European firm by a Middle Eastern company and marks the region’s ambitions in employing its hydrocarbon wealth to build international networks. Adnoc and regional rival Saudi Aramco are snapping up liquefied natural gas supply contracts to feed growing trading arms.The Gulf countries are betting that demand for natural gas and chemicals will continue to grow as inputs for power and building blocks for consumer goods like the plastics, packaging and lightweight materials that go into mobile phones, computers and cars. Adnoc’s offer would be a cash injection into an industry that’s suffering falling prices and slack margins, hurting profit across the chemicals sector in Europe.The planned purchase of Covestro would give Adnoc control over a German company that supplies materials for some of the world’s most prominent phone and carmakers. Adnoc would own Covestro through its investment unit XRG, set up in last year as the company’s international platform for natural gas, chemicals and energy solutions.A year ago, Abu Dhabi launched the high-profile energy investment firm hoping to deploy billions of dollars on deals around the world. The company had early successes with gas deals in the US, Africa and central Asia. XRG’s biggest effort yet fell apart in September when the firm dropped its planned $19bn takeover of Australian natural gas producer Santos Ltd. It bounced back with a deal announced last week to explore buying into an LNG project in Argentina.In July, the commission, the EU’s antitrust arm, opened a full-scale investigation into the Covestro deal under tough new foreign subsidies rules. EU officials warned at the time that Adnoc’s state funding may have given it an unfair advantage over rivals with less-deep pockets, concerns that were allayed during negotiations between the parties.“Commitments offered by Adnoc effectively address the potential negative effects by allowing market participants to access key Covestro patents in the field of sustainability,” EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement. “Clear, pre-defined access to these patents will enable others to innovate and advance research in an area that is critical for Europe’s future.”Adnoc also transferred to XRG its holdings in four subsidiaries listed on the Abu Dhabi stock exchange in September. The transaction will bolster XRG’s balance sheet by providing it with cash flows from companies with total market capitalisation of nearly $120bn.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that global demand for oil and gas may continue to rise until 2050, marking a departing from its previous forecasts that had predicted a faster shift toward clean fuels.The Agency, headquartered in France, said in its World Energy Outlook 2025 report that oil demand could reach 113 million barrels per day by mid-century, an increase of 1 3% compared to 2024 levels. It added that global energy demand is expected to rise by 15% by 2035 under the current policies scenario, which assumes the continuation of existing government measures without factoring in more ambitious climate goals.The report also pointed to a significant potential increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, with around 300 billion cubic meters of additional export capacity to be added by 2030. This would expand the market from 560 billion cubic meters in 2024 to more than one trillion cubic meters by 2050, driven by growing demand in sectors such as artificial intelligence and data centers.The IEA further projected that investments in data centers could reach USD 580 billion in 2025, surpassing global annual spending on oil, which currently stands at around USD 540 billion.

Qatar shipped 25 more LNG cargoes in the first nine months of this year compared to 9M 2024, according to Gas Export Countries Forum (GECF).In its latest monthly report, GECF noted that the United States shipped 181 more cargoes during the period compared to 9M 2024.In September, some 507 LNG cargoes were exported globally, which were six fewer shipments than one year ago, as well as 30 fewer shipments than in the previous month.In the first three quarters of 2025, total cargo exports reached 4,771, which was 54 more than during the same period in 2024, GECF notedDuring these months, 46% of LNG cargoes exported originated from GECF countries, led by Qatar, Malaysia and Russia, the report said.In September, global LNG exports rose by 4.2% y-o-y (1.40mn tonnes) to reach 34.91mn tonnes, marking the slowest pace of growth since June this year.The increase was primarily driven by non-GECF countries, and to a lesser extent from LNG re-exports, which offset weaker LNG exports from GECF Member Countries.Between January and September, cumulative global LNG exports grew by 4.7% y-o-y (14.31mn tonnes) to reach 319.46mn tonnes.This growth was supported by stronger LNG exports from non-GECF countries and a modest uptick in LNG exports from GECF Member Countries and re-export activity.The share of LNG exports from non-GECF countries continued to rise, increasing from 50.6% in September 2024 to 55.4% in September this year.Similarly, the share of LNG re-exports moved slightly higher from 0.5% to 0.6%.In contrast, the share of GECF Member Countries declined over the same period, falling from 48.9% to 44%.“The US, Qatar, and Australia remained the top three LNG exporters,” GECF noted.In September, LNG exports from GECF Member and Observer Countries fell by 6.3% (1.03mn tonnes) y-o-y to 15.17mn tonnes reversing four consecutive months of annual growth.The decline was most pronounced in Algeria, Nigeria, Peru and Russia, while Qatar recorded a sharp increase in its LNG exports.In Algeria, Nigeria, and Peru, reduced feedgas availability contributed to the decline in LNG exports.In Algeria, upstream maintenance activities curtailed feedgas supply, resulting in lower LNG output.In Nigeria, pipeline maintenance is believed to have constrained feedgas flows to liquefaction facilities.Meanwhile, Russia’s lower LNG exports originated from the Portovaya, Vysotsk, and Yamal LNG plants.Conversely, Qatar recorded higher LNG exports, supported by stronger output from the Ras Laffan LNG facility, which operated above its nameplate capacity.From January to September, aggregated GECF LNG exports moved marginally higher by 0.1% (0.20mn tonnes) y-o-y to reach 143.79mn tonnes, GECF noted.

His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Thursday with Their Excellencies Ministers of Oil, Gas, and Energy participating in the Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha. His Excellency welcomed the guests, wishing them success in their meeting. His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, reiterated Qatar's call to enhance dialogue and cooperation among the GECF's member states to ensure the security of natural gas supplies and the stability of the global gas market.

His Excellency the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi has reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to cooperate with members states “to promote natural gas as a primary vehicle to achieve access to cleaner energy.”He was addressing the opening session of the 27th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha today.Al-Kaabi who headed Qatar’s delegation to the Meeting said: “We must be clear in our opposition to trade barriers and discriminatory measures that disadvantage energy products, especially natural gas.”Al-Kaabi also affirmed that “despite geopolitical tensions and faltering climate policies, the outlook for natural gas - and particularly LNG - is positive. It is driven by economic growth in Asia, a growing desire for cleaner and more economic sources of energy, and booming power demand from data centers and artificial intelligence.”**media[372560]**The ministerial meeting tackled a number of issues of importance to the mission of the Forum particularly with regards to the role of natural gas in the ongoing energy transition.The Gas Exporting Countries Forum is a gathering of the world’s leading gas exporting countries. It aims to build a mechanism for a more meaningful dialogue between gas producers and consumers to ensure stability and security of supply and demand in global natural gas markets.

Ukraine drones hit Russia's Orenburg gas processing plantGas from Karachaganak is being processed at the Orenburg plantShell, Eni, Chevron are among Karachaganak stakeholdersA Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Orenburg gas plant has forced neighbouring Kazakhstan to reduce production at its Karachaganak oil and gas condensate field by 25% to 30%, two industry sources told Reuters on Monday.One of the world's largest gas processing plants, Orenburg was forced to suspend its intake of gas from Kazakhstan after the attack, Kazakhstan's energy ministry said on Sunday.Ukraine confirmed it hit a gas plant in the Orenburg region, some 1,700 kilometres east of the Russian border with Ukraine, and an oil refinery in the Samara region.Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russian refineries and other energy facilities since August to try to disrupt fuel supplies and deprive Moscow of funding.Output at Karachaganak on Monday was down to between 25,000 metric tons (196,500 barrels per day) and 28,000 metric tons from the usual level of 35,000-35,500, according to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.They said Orenburg, which is controlled by gas producer Gazprom, might resume some gas intake from Karachaganak on Monday. However, they declined to say when normal levels of supply would be restored.Oil and gas output at Karachaganak are closely linked, meaning the field is not able to produce much oil if its gas production is down.Apart from processing at Orenburg, Karachaganak gas is used for re-injection to maintain reservoir pressure as well as for power generation at local facilities.Karachaganak produced around 263,000 bpd of oil in 2024. It is exported by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium via a Russian Black Sea terminal, as well as through Russia's Druzhba pipeline to Germany.The field is operated by a consortium which includes US major Chevron (18%) and European energy firms Shell (29.25%) and Eni (29.25%).Russia's Lukoil (13.5%) and local firm KazMunayGaz (10%) also hold stakes.The consortium, Gazprom, and Kazakhstan's energy ministry did not reply to requests for comment.Kazakh authorities agreed with Karachaganak shareholders in 2024 to build a new gas processing plant at the field with annual capacity of up to 4 billion cubic metres, expected to start operations in 2028.However, the project has been suspended under the current consortium, and the government is seeking new investors, aiming to attract Kazakh companies.Industry sources has said that oil and gas condensate production at Karachaganak declined in September by 24% from August to 200,000 bpd amid maintenance at the Orenburg plant.

Japan recorded a current account surplus for the seventh consecutive month in August, driven mainly by lower prices of energy imports such as crude oil and natural gas. Preliminary data from the Ministry of Finance showed a surplus of 3.77 trillion yen (about $25 billion). The current account, a key indicator of a nation's trade and investment flows with the rest of the world, remained in positive territory but fell 4.8% from a year earlier, according to Japan's public broadcaster NHK World. The decline was largely attributed to a drop in the primary income surplus, reflecting lower dividends from overseas subsidiaries of Japanese financial and automotive companies compared with last year.

Qatar's renewed commitment to the North Field gas expansion will provide a big medium-term boost to the country's economy, according to Oxford Economics.The country grew by 1.9% year-on-year in the second quarter or Q2 of 2025, reflecting the economy's resilience against the regional and global headwinds, although the energy sector and the less supportive base from last year dragged on activity, Oxford Economics said in its latest research note.The non-hydrocarbon economy grew by 3.4% year-on-year, lifting the headline GDP (gross domestic product) by 2.2 ppts, but the oil sector contracted by 0.9% year-on-year, shaving 0.3 ppts from headline GDP growth, it said.On an annualised basis, Q2's expansion reflected strong performances from construction, trade, accommodation services, and the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector, it said, adding the manufacturing made a second consecutive positive contribution to annual growth in Q2.Keeping its 2025 growth forecast at 2.7% year-on-year but expecting the rate to nearly double in 2026-27 as the energy and non-energy sectors should contribute positively this year and beyond; it said "the authorities’ renewed commitment to the North Field gas expansion will provide a big medium-term boost, with North Field East's first production increase due by mid-2026, followed by the North Field South phase."Qatar targets LNG (liquefied natural gas) capacity target of 142mn tonnes per annum (Mtpa) by end-2030; up nearly 85% from the current 77Mtpa, and up 13% on the intermediate target of 126Mtpa by 2027.The first production boost will come from the North Field East project by mid-2026, followed by the North Field South phase of the expansion. The North Field West phase is in its early stages, with construction likely to begin in 2027."We forecast non-energy sector growth of 3.6% this year and a similar number in 2026, up from 3.4% in 2024," Oxford Economics said.Accordingly, Qatar's fiscal surplus is expected to improve from 0.7% of GDP in 2024 to 1.7% this year and further to 5.4% by 2026.On consumer price index (CPI) inflation front, the research note said it is expected to be 0.3% this year but would jump to 2.6% in 2026.The research note also said Saudi equity market may revive as cap on foreign ownership eases. "The Saudi equity market has underperformed its GCC peers year-to-date, but a higher foreign ownership limit could be a positive catalyst, reigniting global investor interest. Combined with expectations of resilient consumption growth, we see Saudi equities offering compelling investment value and expect the strong upward momentum to continue," it said.Dubai consolidated its global leadership in Greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half (H1), attracting a record 643 projects and $11bn in FDI inflows (up 62% year-on-year), highlighting the strong investor confidence in robust economic fundamentals amid the heightened global uncertainty."We believe the combination of lower rates, strong employment growth, contained inflation, and a robust fiscal position creates a favourable environment for sustained growth and economic transformation. We forecast UAE GDP growth of 4.9% in 2025, underpinned by recovering oil production and an expansion of non-oil business activity, where FDI continues to play a pivotal role," Oxford Economics said.

Qatar and the United States have played a key role in stabilising the European energy crisis due to the reduction of Russian piped gas supply, according to International Gas Union (IGU).“The 2022-2024 European energy crisis following the reduction of Russian piped gas supply was stabilised using LNG imports from the US and Qatar,” IGU said in its just released Global Gas Report 2025.Similarly, East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea rely on spot LNG purchases to balance seasonal fluctuations, establishing natural gas and LNG as tools for preventing deeper economic or social fallout through resilient and diversified supply, the report noted.Gas has proved itself a vital component of global energy security. LNG trade has historically offered cross-border flexibility to respond to shifting demand- supply dynamics during market uncertainties, it said.Amid rising demand, there is indication of growing LNG supply reinforcing natural gas’ role as a reliable fuel to meet expected shortfalls.Despite tightness in the near term, the global LNG market is expected to gradually ease over the next few years, and move into surplus as new supply comes online toward 2030.Around 270 bcm of approved or under construction liquefaction capacity is currently in the pipeline to be commissioned by 2030, primarily driven by projects in the US and Qatar.This marks a new growth phase following a prolonged period of stagnation, reflecting the inherently cyclical nature of the liquefaction sector.These cycles are driven by the capital-intensive nature of projects – typically costing around $0.75bn per bcm – and long development timelines, often spanning four to five years from FID to operation. To manage market risk, developers usually secure most of their capacity through long-term contracts.“Due to these factors, the LNG market is expected to remain broadly balanced, with limited opportunity for new developments in the short term and ample supply by 2030,” IGU said.Uncertainty surrounding the timing of LNG supply persists despite the expected surge associated with the next wave of LNG projects. In October 2024, TotalEnergies revised its forecast, now anticipating that the next wave of LNG supply will only come to market from 2027, two-years after the previously projected 2025 timeline.The supply outlook remains uncertain due to potential delays as well as regulatory, technical and financial risks to projects. While there is a potential for increased project FIDs as a result of US import tariffs, policies such as the sanctions on Russian LNG are set to strike a blow to global LNG supply as upcoming projects’ ability to acquire necessary equipment, secure vessels and find buyers is becoming increasingly limited.IGU said, “Disruptions to key LNG transit routes, such as the Strait of Hormuz, increase shipping times and costs, undermining project economics and investor confidence. This may lead to slower FIDs for projects dependent on long-distance or chokepoint- exposed routes.”

Qatar's Barzan project has contributed to the Middle East region's natural gas production growth last year, according to International Gas Union in its 2025 Global Gas Report.Commissioned in 2022, the Barzan facility supplies pipeline gas to local industries and Qatar’s power generation sector. It also supplies associated hydrocarbon products to local refineries and petrochemical industries and international markets.According to QatarEnergy, the facility can provide 1.4 BSCFD of sales gas to local power generation and water desalination plants as well as local industries.In addition, Barzan has the production capacity to supply ethane, condensate, LPG and sulphur for local markets and export.Further increases are expected in 2025, with Saudi Arabia’s production projected to rise by 8 bcm, as the first phase of Jafurah field – the country’s largest unconventional natural gas development – is expected to begin operations before the end of the year.The development of Saudi Arabia’s gas resources aligns with national plans to replace up to 1 mmbbl/d of oil with natural gas in the power generation sector and to support the expansion of petrochemicals, blue hydrogen and ammonia production.In the Middle East, natural gas production growth was recorded across all major oil and gas producers in 2024, with the UAE leading the increase with a gain of 7bcm, IGU noted.Natural gas supply grew by 65 bcm (1.6%) y-o-y in 2024, reaching 4,090 bcm, driven by significant production gains in the Middle East (+30 bcm, 4.4%) and Russia (+30 bcm, 5.1%).These increases were supported by marginal growth in Asia (+17 bcm, 2.5%), and North America (+5 bcm, 0.4%), which collectively offset declines in other regions.This growth was supported by a 9bcm increase in global liquefaction capacity. In the US, capacity expanded with the year-end startup of Plaquemines LNG.Congo became an LNG exporter with the commissioning of Congo FLNG, while Mexico – still a net importer – exported its first cargo to Europe from the new Altamira FLNG facility, IGU said.