These Tanks Can Hold 90 Million Barrels of Oil. They Have Just 22 Million.

By: Rebecca F. Elliott · Ruth Fremson and Leanne Abraham

30 August 2026 at 16:04

Oil companies and governments are consuming their once vast stockpiles as Iran and the United States continue to struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Mexico Declares War on Stinky Seaweed

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Claire Brown

4 August 2026 at 20:08

A changing climate is helping to fuel the growth of a gigantic blob of foul-smelling seaweed that has washed up in some coastal communities. Mexico is fighting back.

Iran War Drives Oil Profits to Highest Levels in Years

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott

31 July 2026 at 17:09

The world’s biggest oil companies are benefiting from the high commodity prices that have been a drag on the rest of the economy.

An Exxon Mobil refinery in Baytown, Texas. The war with Iran has been a boon for many oil producers.

Fossil Fuel Executives Cash In

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Claire Brown

28 July 2026 at 20:30

Insiders at leading oil and gas companies have made millions from stocks since the Iran war began.

Tankers Sail Through Red Sea Despite Houthi Blockade

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Leanne Abraham and Jenny Gross

25 July 2026 at 10:02

Dozens of ships continued to traverse the Red Sea this week, but with scattered disruption, uncertainty about the passage grows by the hour.

See How Houthis Put the Red Sea at Risk as an Alternative Oil Route

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott · Lazaro Gamio and Samuel Granados

22 July 2026 at 13:17

Saudi Arabia has diverted huge amounts of oil to the Red Sea since the Iran war began, but now the Iranian-backed Houthi militants say that they intend to block that route.

Will Oil Prices Rise as the US-Iran Truce Frays? The Answer Lies With China.

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott and Lisa Friedman

13 July 2026 at 19:00

For decades, OPEC influenced the market by how much oil it produced. But China, the largest importer, is demonstrating its remarkable power over prices.

A tanker at a crude oil terminal in Qingdao, China. Typically the world’s largest oil importer, China slashed purchases this spring.

Oil Market Calm Shattered by Fresh Hostilities Between US and Iran

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott and Lisa Friedman

8 July 2026 at 19:45

Oil prices are likely to remain volatile as long as the United States and Iran are unable to resolve the status of the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil Prices Return to Prewar Levels After Four Months

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Gregory Schmidt · Rebecca F. Elliott and Lisa Friedman

26 June 2026 at 22:23

The cost of crude has become a real-time barometer of the Iran war’s toll on the global economy.

In Europe, Tesla Sales Are Rising Despite Views on Elon Musk

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Jack Ewing

26 June 2026 at 19:05

Price cuts and low-interest-rate loans are luring buyers, including people offended by the company’s chief executive.

A Tesla Supercharger station in Germany. Tesla’s sales have rebounded sharply in Europe alongside sales of all electric cars.

How a Jet Fuel Refinery Is Scrambling After the Iran War Oil Shock

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: John Yoon and Chang W. Lee

26 June 2026 at 10:40

For a mega-refinery in Ulsan, South Korea, a top exporter of jet fuel to the West Coast of the United States and other places, weaning off Middle Eastern oil is no small feat.

U.S. Oil Is Skipping the Chance to Grab Market Share From the Gulf

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott

22 June 2026 at 15:14

U.S. oil production is expected to grow only modestly next year as companies hesitate to spend more in an uncertain market.

Smaller U.S. oil producers are starting to drill more wells, but big companies like Exxon Mobil and Chevron have said they are not changing their plans as a result of the war with Iran.

While the World Scrambles for Oil, China Sits on Full Tanks

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Keith Bradsher

21 June 2026 at 10:01

The possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz may not prompt China to return quickly to prewar levels of oil purchases from the Persian Gulf.

An oil refinery in Nanjing, in China’s eastern Jiangsu province, last month. Chinese companies kept their refineries running throughout the war.

Average U.S. Gas Price Falls Below $4 After U.S.-Iran Agreement

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Kailyn Rhone

18 June 2026 at 10:12

Drivers are enjoying some relief at the pump after the United States and Iran signed an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Gasoline prices rose sharply after the start of U.S.-led war with Iran.

U.S. Will Waive Oil Sanctions That Have Long Crimped Iran

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott

17 June 2026 at 21:19

The preliminary U.S.-Iran deal temporarily waives restrictions that have limited the country’s oil sales and how much money it has been able to make from those exports.