Interview: Creating your own demand
BB Energy has joined the club of oil traders investing heavily in downstream activities and pre-financing techniques to bolster demand for its products
Oil trading isn't what it used to be when Mohammed Bassatne started out in the business. In those days, oil traders aimed to tie up contracts for a sizeable chunk of their portfolios from a handful of major buyers through relatively straightforward tenders on a Friday afternoon. Now, with the downstream side of the business much more fragmented because of privatisations and the influx of new buyers, it's a tougher business. It's also one that's been made even harder by diminishing margins, Bassatne told Petroleum Economist. He's now chief executive of BB Energy, the family-run, mid-sized oil and commodities trading company set up in Lebanon by his father back in 1967. "As the market has evol
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
