Saudi air defense forces intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Saudi Aramco’s Dhahran headquarters, as Moscow and Washington negotiated commercial contracts for 3.5 million tons of monthly Russian diesel exports. Concurrently, Yerevan hosted its inaugural Youth Nuclear Dialogue, with experts advocating for a new 1,000 MW nuclear power plant.
Global market
Saudi air defense forces intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Saudi Aramco’s administrative headquarters in Dhahran, with fire crews localizing a limited blaze, Saudi Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Turki Al-Malki reported. Expanding Asian processing, Huajin Aramco Petrochemical received its inaugural Saudi crude cargo in China for refinery commissioning. In gas trade, Oman overtook the US as India’s top LNG supplier in September as European buyers absorbed American cargoes. Additionally, the 25,000 mt ammonia tanker Gas Aqua traversed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first chemical shipment through the waterway since July, while the Baltic Dry Index dropped 134 points to 2,667.
Russia & CIS
Russia aims to capture over 10% of global diesel trade by exporting 3.5 million tons monthly by late 2026, Vice Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated. Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev confirmed negotiations with Washington on commercial contracts to supply US consumers with cheaper fuel. Regarding infrastructure, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced plans to decommission a 22 km gas pipeline section connecting to Latvia and Kaliningrad. In corporate arbitration, Yamal LNG secured a court order to enforce a $30 million ICC award against Baker Hughes Rus Infra, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted energy ceasefire details with Ukraine remain unfinalized.
Armenia
Armenia hosted its first National Youth Nuclear Dialogue in Yerevan, focusing on long-term power generation. Addressing growing demand from data centers and industrial recovery, energy experts emphasized that Armenia requires a new nuclear power plant with at least 1,000 MW capacity, calling Russian reactor technology the most logical choice. Domestically, safety authorities urged installing gas cylinder equipment exclusively through licensed centers. Meanwhile, retail prices for petrol, diesel, and compressed natural gas in Armenia remain stable. Gas imports from Russia and generation at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant continue under EAEU agreements shielding the market from fluctuations recorded by international market price assessments.