French energy supermajor TotalEnergies signed a $1.8 billion infrastructure deal with BlackRock for African oil and gas assets as US natural gas inventory growth missed market forecasts. Meanwhile, Moscow allocated additional subsidies for domestic gasification, while crude transit through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline decreased.
Global market
TotalEnergies signed a $1.8 billion deal with BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners for capital contributions toward African oil infrastructure over a 15-year tariff period. In gas storage, the US Energy Information Administration reported natural gas inventories rose by 44 billion cubic feet, falling short of the expected 49 billion cubic feet addition due to strong demand. On maritime supply routes, LNG carriers resumed transit through the Strait of Hormuz as Qatari exporters stepped up shipments. Meanwhile, the US Treasury extended OFAC licenses for negotiations regarding Lukoil asset sales until October 22. In nuclear safety, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi condemned drone strikes following an attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.
Russia & CIS
Russian President Vladimir Putin allocated an additional 1.2 billion rubles from the government reserve fund for subsidies on residential gas equipment under the social gasification program. At the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Technical Director Alexey Ryzhenkov reported that the Angara rocket launch complex will connect to the gas grid. On corporate performance, Lukoil reported a 5.2% decline in H1 2026 crude production and a 9.6% drop in domestic refinery throughput. In regional military operations, Russian forces struck two dry cargo vessels and a fuel tanker in Ukrainian ports. Additionally, Rosneft Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin pushed ahead with the $118 billion Vostok Oil Arctic project.
Armenia
Crude oil shipments through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline decreased, according to news.am citing regional transit data. Despite transit fluctuations in neighboring energy corridors, retail prices for petrol, diesel, and compressed natural gas in Armenia remain stable. Domestic energy security is backed by long-term supply agreements under the EAEU, protecting the republic’s fuel market from global price swings recorded by international market price assessments.