An Islamist insurgency that froze TotalEnergies SE’s $24.5-billion gas project in Mozambique four years ago is intensifying, just as the French oil major prepares to restart development. Militants affiliated with Islamic State have in recent months carried out raids across the northeastern Cabo Delgado province that hosts the Total project and another led by Exxon Mobil Corp. The number of attacks against civilians in the region has almost doubled in 2025 to the highest in years, according to the United Nations. TotalEnergies’ announcement last weekend that it’s restarting the project — seen as pivotal to transforming one of the world’s poorest nations — lifted Mozambique’s eurobonds 2.9% on Monday. At the same time, there are growing fears among local communities that the security situation near the project site at Afungi is deteriorating — with more than 90,000 people fleeing attacks since the last week of September. “Right now, people are living in fear,” Andrew Bogrand, a senior policy adviser at Oxfam America, said after a visit to the region that included a resettlement village adjacent to the project. “Folks in Quitunda, police officers, contractors — they don’t see how this project can work if people are concerned about security.” The militants have in recent weeks made incursions into both Palma — neighboring the LNG site — and nearby Mocimboa da Praia, where they filmed themselves preaching in a local mosque. That was symbolic: The port town is where the extremist insurgency began in 2017 as a ragtag army of local youth in one of the poorest parts of Mozambique. They later occupied the town for about a year. Total has estimated charges of $4.5 billion during the halt to construction, adding to the original $20 billion project cost — revisions that require government approval before work resumes. The company paid

Indian Oil Corp. plans to start a joint venture with commodities trader Vitol Inc. in Singapore to trade oil and fuel products early next year, a person familiar with the development said. The agreement will include a clause requiring Vitol’s exit after five to seven years, said the person, who asked not to be named as talks aren’t public. The New Delhi-based refiner had held talks with several other companies, including BP Plc and TotalEnergies SE, but finally decided to move ahead with Vitol, the person said. Global trading giants have lost some hold over India’s market as the country turned to cheaper Russian barrels for its spot purchases. With India expected to lead global oil demand growth, they are now trying to regain ground. Teaming up with Indian Oil could give Vitol a stronger presence in the country as it cuts back on Russian oil due to sanctions from the West. Indian Oil and Vitol didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.  Indian Oil will capitalize on the strength of the global trader which has access to real-time market intelligence, in addition to its wider reach and established risk management systems. That may help the Indian company source crude at lower prices.  The refiner, which meets nearly 90% of its oil demand via imports, is likely to see a surge in consumption as its crude processing capacity is expected to expand by 346,000 barrels a day to 1.76 million barrels next year. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

In a statement sent to Rigzone recently, the American Petroleum Institute (API) said it had “strengthen[ed]… offshore safety standards with new updates”. The API announced the release of the third edition of API Standard 2RD, Dynamic Risers for Floating Production Systems, in that statement, adding that this standard “addresses the design and integrity management requirements for risers that carry oil and gas between the seafloor and floating production systems, such as spars, semi-submersibles and tension leg platforms”. The industry body noted in the statement that the standard applies to all risers from these systems, including steel catenary risers and top-tensioned risers.  “Dynamic risers are critical for offshore energy production,” the API highlighted in the statement. “Their safe performance supports the reliable flow of energy while minimizing risks to the environment and personnel,” it added. “This updated edition incorporates advances in riser integrity management and addresses evolving offshore conditions, enhancing clarity, consistency, and safety,” it continued. The API pointed out in its statement that the third edition of API Standard 2RD unifies design methods from earlier editions, “integrating multiple methods for measuring loading in a way that should reduce confusion among end users and regulators and improve clarity around permitting”. “It also introduces strengthened robustness requirements, requiring risers to be tested against extreme environmental conditions beyond what is anticipated in normal operations,” it said. “These provisions are designed to ensure that even in severe events, risers are more likely to require repair rather than suffer catastrophic failure,” the API noted. The industry body also highlighted in its statement that the new edition “provides clear guidance for reassessing existing risers in coordination with API RP 2RIM, Riser Integrity Management, 1st edition, supporting ongoing integrity management and extending service life”. “By expanding on previous editions and coordinating with API RP 2RIM, the third edition of API

Dive Brief: United Natural Foods, Inc., one of the largest publicly-traded wholesale food distributors in North America and a major supplier for Whole Foods, has completed its largest rooftop solar array installation to date, the company announced Friday. Spanning nearly 1,000 yards, the installation sits atop the company’s distribution center in Riverside, California, and is expected to generate approximately 80% of the facility’s electricity. The project is part of UNFI’s efforts to reduce its emissions footprint through energy efficiency, fleet electrification and renewable energy. Dive Insight: The Providence, Rhode Island-based company said that the 6.7-megawatt solar array generates enough electricity to power roughly 1,500 homes annually. The solar array will reduce the Riverside distribution center’s emissions by 85%, according to the announcement.  United Natural Foods worked with PowerFlex on the project, and the energy provider will continue to support the solar array’s ongoing performance.  “Our onsite renewable energy projects, specifically our solar arrays, are one of our most important strategies to achieving our climate goals and supporting operational resilience,” Kevin Alavi, United Natural Foods’ sustainable operations director, said in the announcement. The company finished its 3.2-megawatt solar array installation at its distribution center in Howell, New Jersey, in 2023. It has completed a similar project at its facility in Gilroy, California.  Its latest Impact Report, which it released in January, said the company had eight distribution centers with solar power arrays.  By the end of fiscal 2030, United Natural Foods aims to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from all other emission sources by 50% at its facilities, the report said. During fiscal 2024, the company prioritized increasing its solar energy capacity, supplementing on-site generation by buying renewable energy certificates and investing in energy efficiency programs, per the report.  Other grocery companies have also turned to solar energy.

After a hot start to the year, U.S. upstream mergers and acquisitions slid into a slump in the third quarter, with deal value dropping to $9.7 billion, marking the third straight quarterly decline. That’s what Enverus Intelligence Research (EIR), a subsidiary of Enverus, said in a statement sent to Rigzone recently, adding that “persistently low crude prices have kept many buyers on the bench, particularly for oil-weighted private equity-backed oil and gas exits that fueled much of the activity in the recent past”. A table included in the statement highlighted that the top five U.S. upstream deals of the third quarter comprised a deal between Crescent Energy and Vital Energy for $3.049 billion, a deal between Stone Ridge Holdings and ConocoPhillips for $1.3 billion, a deal between Mach Natural Resources and IKAV for $787 million, a deal between California Resources and Berry Corp for $717 million, and a deal between Diversified Energy and Canvas Energy for $550 million. Andrew Dittmar, principal analyst at EIR, noted in the statement that “crude prices in the mid-$60s or worse have made it tough for sellers” and said “most remaining shale M&A opportunities need stronger pricing to justify public companies paying for the undeveloped locations”. Only about 1,800 shale locations held by private equity can deliver a 10 percent return at $50 per barrel West Texas Intermediate, according to Dittmar, who added that 6,700 require higher prices to hit that benchmark. “Many firms are holding off on exits, anticipating a more favorable market in 2027 or later,” he noted. EIR went on to highlight in the statement that the quarter “wasn’t a complete shutout”. “SMID-cap corporate combinations and gas-weighted deals provided some action,” EIR said. “Notable transactions include Crescent Energy’s (CRGY) acquisition of Vital Energy (VTLE) for more than $3 billion in stock and

The world’s biggest oil companies are expected to press ahead with plans to accelerate production growth when they report earnings this week, despite weak crude prices and higher supplies from OPEC and its allies.  Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp., Shell Plc, BP Plc and TotalEnergies SE will likely grow output 3.9% this year and 4.7% in 2026, according to analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The increases — which include new projects as well as acquisitions — appear designed to capitalize on an expected oil-price upturn in the latter half of next year.  But they could add to the supply glut in the short term. “They’re taking the long view that oil demand is going to be a lot more resilient post-2030,” Noah Barrett, a research analyst at Janus Henderson, which manages about $457 billion. “If they’re not making the investments today, then their portfolios will be really disadvantaged when prices move higher.” After years of outsized profits as oil demand roared back following the pandemic, the world’s largest energy companies are feeling the pinch of crude prices that have dropped about 14% this year near to a four-year low. In response, they’re cutting jobs, reducing low-carbon investments and trimming share buybacks to channel funds toward the most valuable part of their business: oil and gas production. “All the supply coming to the market is shrinking OPEC’s spare capacity — so there’s a light at end of the tunnel, Betty Jiang, an analyst at Barclays Plc. “Whether that’s second half of 2026 or 2027, the balance is going to tighten. It’s just a matter of when.” Recent US sanctions on key Russian giants Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC provided respite from oil’s fall this year, with Brent crude rising 7.5% last week to more than $65 a barrel. But the oil market is