Trump holds a signed executive order on 'Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting To Unleash American Energy' in the Oval Office in April
Trump’s energy policy paradox
US consumers are not likely to see gasoline prices fall to Trump’s ‘beautiful number’, at least if the president also wants to encourage more drilling
The Trump administration’s energy policy is as marked by conflicting goals as its tariff policy. It aims for lower gasoline prices, in line with the president’s pre-election promise of bringing them to $1.87/gal. The US is also putting pressure on OPEC to boost output to achieve this goal. Simultaneously, it is asking US oil producers to ramp up output and importers, especially in Europe, to take more US crude. Most energy analysts are of the opinion that ‘drill, baby, drill’ is an empty promise if Trump is interested in low gasoline prices. The US Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, arrived in Saudi Arabia on 9 April to put further pressure on Saudi Arabia to bring down prices. In addition,
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6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
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After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions
5 March 2026
Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
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The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
