Russian Crude Piles Up but Oil Prices Refuse to Move

Core Insights - The oil market is currently influenced by sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, leading to an accumulation of Russian crude at sea rather than a significant reduction in daily loadings [1][9] Group 1: TotalEnergies' Strategic Moves - TotalEnergies has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Western European power generation assets from Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky [3] - The company will invest $6 billion in EPH's generation assets, which include gas-fired plants and battery systems across Italy, France, the Netherlands, and Britain, enhancing its generation portfolio to 19 GW [4] - This acquisition indicates a potential shift in strategy for European oil majors, moving away from renewables towards conventional energy generation [4] Group 2: Other Market Developments - Chevron is reportedly considering the purchase of international assets from Lukoil, part of a broader trend of investment in Russian oil assets [6] - ConocoPhillips announced a gas discovery offshore Australia, with a total net pay of 90 meters, targeting prospective resources of 260 billion cubic feet [6] - Tokyo Gas sold its upstream business in Louisiana for $255 million, indicating a focus on portfolio optimization [7] - BHP was found liable for the 2015 Mariana dam disaster, with a court ruling requiring it to pay $48 billion in damages [8] - ExxonMobil's joint venture with QatarEnergy is set to begin operations at the Golden Pass LNG plant in February, marking a significant addition to the US liquefaction capacity [8]