Between a rock and a hairpiece
America’s oil industry sees no love in Hillary Clinton’s green agenda but fears Trump’s populist bluster
Hillary or the Donald? If you’re an oil and gas executive or lobbyist, the contest that looks likely to emerge from the US primary season offers a dismal choice. The industry has overwhelmingly supported the Republican Party in recent elections, and resoundingly backed the conservative Texas senator Ted Cruz in the Republican primary this year. (At the time of writing, Cruz still had a slim chance of overtaking Trump for the nomination.) But a Trump presidency is not how most senior oilmen would have envisaged a Republican White House. If his campaign is anything to go by, unpredictability would be its hallmark. If his downright offensive – not to say racist and divisive – primary-season pos
Also in this section
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
4 March 2026
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
4 March 2026
The US president has repeatedly promised to lower gasoline prices, but this ambition conflicts with his parallel aim to increase drilling and could be upended by his war against Iran
4 March 2026
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed following US-Israel strikes and Iran’s retaliatory escalation, Fujairah has become the region’s critical pressure release valve—and is now under serious threat






