How private energy traders secure global energy supplies
The often-hidden yet powerful hand maintains supply chain linkages and global flows amid disruptions
Energy security is a fundamental pillar of modern civilisation. Without reliable access to oil and gas, economies grind to a halt, homes go dark and essential services collapse. Yet, ensuring that energy continues to flow across borders and markets is a complex, high-stakes endeavour—one that governments and state-owned enterprises often struggle to manage efficiently. Politics, slow-moving bureaucracies and shifting national interests frequently hinder their ability to respond to market realities. In contrast, private energy traders operate with a different mandate, supported by free markets: efficiency, adaptability and results. Their quiet but crucial role in global energy markets ensures
Also in this section
17 February 2026
Eni’s chief operating officer for global natural resources, Guido Brusco, takes stock of the company’s key achievements over the past year, and what differentiates its strategy from those of its peers in the LNG sector and beyond
16 February 2026
As the third wave of global LNG arrives, Wood Mackenzie’s director for Europe gas and LNG, Tom Marzec-Manser, discusses with Petroleum Economist the outlook for Europe’s gas market in 2026
13 February 2026
Artificial intelligence is pushing electricity demand beyond the limits of existing grids, increasing the role of gas and LNG in energy system planning as a fast, flexible solution
13 February 2026
Panellists at LNG2026 say demand growth will hinge less on the level of global supply and more on the pace of downstream buildout, policy clarity and bankable market frameworks
