RE: Update23 Sep 2025 21:13
South Korea Caps Coal-Fired Generation. South Korea's Energy Ministry has mandated that coal-fired power plants minimize their operations over the next two months, halting 42 among all 55 coal plants outside the Seoul metropolitan area to suspend operations altogether.
Kuwait Brags About Production Capacity. Simultaneously with OPEC's ongoing assessment of members' total crude production capacity, Kuwait's Oil Ministry stated that it currently wields an oil production capacity of 3.2 million b/d, some 200,000 b/d higher than its year-ago assessments.
China Mulls 'Strict' Steel Capacity Curbs. According to Chinese media, Beijing is considering harsh restrictions on new steel production capacity, in line with mandated curbs in recent months that saw 2025 output dip by almost 3% year-over-year in January-August to 672 million tonnes.
Exxon Greenlights Seventh Guyana Project. US oil major ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) has taken a final investment decision on its Hammerhead development offshore Guyana, its seventh project in the country, seeking to build a 150,000 b/d FPSO that is anticipated to come online in 2029.
Traders Warm Up to Uranium Markets. According to Reuters, global trading house Mercuria has become the first commodity house to set up physical trading in uranium, competing with banking giants Goldman Sachs and Citibank in a $15 billion market heretofore dominated by banks.
Congo Announces New Cobalt Quota System. The Democratic Republic of Congo announced that it would lift its ban on cobalt exports from October 16 and replace it with an annual export quota system, allowing miners to ship 18,125 tonnes of the metal in the remaining months of 2025.
Beijing Expedites Rare Earth Exports, But Not to All. Statistics from China's customs show that the country's exports of rare earth magnets increased again to reach 6,146 metric tonnes in August, up 10.2% compared to July readings, however, outflows to the US remain down 12% from a year ago.
Russia Mulls Extension of Gasoline Export Ban. With half a dozen Russian refineries impacted by Ukrainian drone strikes in recent weeks, Russia’s Energy Ministry is considering extending its gasoline export ban through year-end as export flows dissipated to a mere 16,000 b/d last month.