Gas pivot draws Premier lender’s fire
A switch to the perceived cleaner fossil fuel has been a popular narrative for E&P firms but a major creditor has raised price concerns
A row has broken out between UK independent Premier Oil and the largest holder of its debt, Hong Kong hedge fund Asia Research and Capital Management (ARCM) over the producer’s plans to push back repayment of its bonds to help fund two new North Sea acquisitions. And among ARCM’s concerns is that the proposed deals will increase Premier’s exposure to the UK gas market, where both spot and forward prices are currently low. Its latest public comment on the issue even bears a negatively charged title—Premier Oil becoming “Premier Gas”. That a pivot to gas is not positive is an interesting development that highlights a lack of certainty over the future shape of the energy industry. For many E&am
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
