09 Dec Energy/Automotive news,commentary and analysis | December, 09 2025
London, December 09, 2025, (Oilandgaspress) –––Major oil companies are repositioning to stay viable in a challenging climate — consolidating assets, cutting costs, and adjusting to stricter taxation and regulatory environments. It could influence energy security, investment flows, and long-term North Sea output. Even a temporary disruption at large fields cause oil prices to move, reminding markets how sensitive global supply is to operational issues — especially in politically sensitive regions. This tension between oversupply risks and geopolitical instability is shaping a highly uncertain market. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects global oversupply to push down oil prices, forecasting that the global benchmark (Brent crude) will average around US$55/barrel in 2026.
Renault Group and Ford have announced a major strategic partnership to expand Ford’s electric vehicle lineup in Europe. The deal includes developing two Ford-branded EVs built on Renault’s Ampere platform and produced in northern France, with the first model slated for early 2028.
The companies also signed a Letter of Intent to explore joint development and manufacturing of light commercial vehicles in Europe, strengthening both automakers’ competitiveness in a rapidly shifting market.. Read More
Volvo FL Electric – is now coming in a 14-tonne entry level version with new battery configuration, making it an ideal transport tool for the city. The Volvo FL medium-duty truck was one of Volvo’s first models to be offered with an all-electric driveline and this model has since then been embraced by many transport companies. Its compact dimensions are ideal for navigating tight city streets for door-to-door deliveries, with the electric driveline keeping noise levels to a minimum and tailpipe emissions to zero. The new version of Volvo FL Electric comes in several wheelbases, axle configurations, and battery configurations so that each customer can tailor their truck to specific needs.
The shape and installation of the batteries ensure that they do not interfere with any bodybuilding installations on the frame. Further, the new Volvo FL Electric variant is also more agile thanks to the possibility of a vehicle width of down to 2.4 meters.
The new batteries are available in several of Volvo’s electric truck models – all the way from the new 14-tonne FL Electric and the 16- and 18-tonne FL Electric and up to Volvo FE Electric versions with a GCW of up to 26 tonnes. . Read More
TechnipFMC has been awarded a significant(1) contract by Ithaca Energy for flexible risers on the Captain development in the U.K. North Sea.
TechnipFMC will design, manufacture, and install flexible risers, flowlines, and associated hardware. The Captain field has benefited from technology enhancements since first production in 1997, including the second phase of an enhanced oil recovery project supported by TechnipFMC in 2024. Read More
Europe’s automotive industry is facing growing economic, environmental and sovereignty pressures as demand surges for strategic battery materials such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. With supply expected to grow three- to sixfold by 2040, according to the IEA, reducing dependence on imported resources has become critical.
The Future is NEUTRAL, through its GAIA subsidiary, is expanding circular-economy solutions to extend battery life and maximise recovery. More than 90% of defective EV batteries can be repaired, and GAIA has already repaired over 18,000 batteries since 2012. When no longer suitable for vehicles, batteries are repurposed for stationary storage or other mobility uses. Since August 2025, EU Extended Producer Responsibility rules require carmakers to fund collection, ensure full traceability, and help meet tightening recycling targets for lithium-ion batteries. The new framework reinforces recycling as a central pillar of Europe’s long-term clean-mobility strategy.. Read More
Stellantis and Bolt announced they have entered a partnership to jointly explore the development and deployment of Level 4 (driverless) autonomous vehicles for commercial operations across Europe.
The collaboration will combine Stellantis’ AV-Ready Platforms™ – specifically the eK0 medium size van and STLA Small platforms – with Bolt’s extensive mobility network. Bolt currently provides ride-hailing services in more than 50 countries including 23 EU Member States and aims to integrate Stellantis’ autonomous vehicles into its shared mobility platform to provide fully autonomous, driverless ride-hailing services.
Stellantis’ AV-Ready Platforms™ are engineered for flexibility and scalability, integrating advanced sensor suites, high-performance computing and system redundancies to meet the highest safety and reliability standards while optimizing total cost of ownership for service operators, making them one of the most competitive solutions in the industry.
The companies plan to begin deploying test vehicles for trials in European countries starting in 2026, with a strong focus on building a service that provides the highest safety and performance standards in Europe. Deployment will follow a phased approach, from prototypes and pilot fleets to progressive industrial scale-up, with an initial production target in 2029.
Both companies will work closely with European regulators to support a responsible approach to testing, certification and scalable deployment, in full alignment with applicable safety, data protection and cybersecurity standards.. Read More
Stellantis showcased its latest automated driving technologies at the Hi-Drive Final Event in Brussels, demonstrating how next-generation systems can manage complex traffic and real-world driving conditions.
Hi-Drive is Europe’s flagship project dedicated to advancing vehicle automation and enabling higher levels of automated driving across diverse environments. The program focuses on expanding automated vehicles’ capabilities while ensuring they operate safely, reliably, and efficiently in everyday conditions. Read More
Eni announces a significant gas discovery in the Konta-1 exploration well, drilled in the Muara Bakau PSC, in the Kutei Basin, about 50 km off the coast of East Kalimantan in Indonesia. Estimates indicate 600 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas initially in place (GIIP) with a potential upside beyond 1 trillion cubic feet (TCF).
Konta-1 was drilled to a depth of 4,575 meters in 570 meters water depth, encountering gas in four separate sandstone reservoirs of Miocene age with good petrophysical properties that have been subject to an extensive data acquisition campaign. A well production test (DST) has been successfully performed in one of the reservoirs and it flowed up to 31 mmscfd of gas and approximately 700 bbld of condensate. Based on the DST results the well has an estimated potential for a multi-pool gas rate of up to 80 mmscfd of gas and about 1.600 bbld of condensate.
Preliminary estimates indicate a discovered volume of 600 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas in place in the four reservoirs hit by the well trajectory. Additional reservoir segments in the Konta Prospect area, not penetrated by the well, but with similar gas signature, may bring the overall volumes beyond 1 TCF GIIP. Read More
TotalEnergies has signed an agreement with Galp Energia SGPS SA (“Galp”) under which:
TotalEnergies is to acquire from Galp a 40% operated interest in PEL83, which includes the Mopane discovery;
Galp is to acquire from TotalEnergies a 10% participating interest in PEL56, which includes the Venus discovery, and a 9.39% participating interest in PEL91;
TotalEnergies will carry 50% of Galp’s capital expenditures for the exploration and appraisal of the Mopane discovery and the first development on PEL83. The carry will be repaid through 50% of Galp’s future cash flows from the project.
TotalEnergies and Galp agreed to launch an exploration and appraisal campaign including three wells over the next two years, with a first well planned in 2026, to further derisk resources and progress diligently toward the development of the Mopane discovery.
Concurrently, TotalEnergies, operator of PEL56, remains fully committed to the development of the Venus discovery and is working to secure all conditions enabling a potential final investment decision in 2026. After completion of the transaction, TotalEnergies will own:
a 40% operated interest in PEL83 alongside Galp (40%), Namcor (10%) and Custos (10%);
a 35.25% operated interest in PEL56 alongside QatarEnergy (35.25%), Galp (10%), Namcor (10%) and Impact (9.5%);
a 33.085% operated interest in PEL91 alongside QatarEnergy (33.025%), Namcor (15%), Galp (9.39%) and Impact (9.5%). Read More
Plenitude today inaugurates the Caparacena solar project in Chimeneas (Granada) at a ceremony attended also by institutional representatives, including the Secretary General of Energy of the Junta de Andalucía and the Mayors of Chimeneas and of Ventas de Huelma.
The project, one of the most significant in the company’s portfolio in Spain, covers 264 hectares and comprises three photovoltaic parks of 50 MW each. The complex, which incorporates over 274,000 bifacial modules and has a total installed capacity of 150 MWp will be able to generate approximately 320 GWh of electricity annually.
In compliance with the requirements established for the project authorization process, during the construction of the plant, several measures were implemented to protect the natural environment and preserve the soil. In April 2024, archaeological monitoring works at the solar plant led to the discovery of an Iberian necropolis dating back to the 6th century BC, where funerary ceramic urns and period artefacts were found. This allowed to preserve a historic finding, contributing to the protection and enhancement of Andalusia’s cultural heritage. Read More
John Crane announced it has signed a major Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with a large international energy company, formalising a long-term partnership focused on improving equipment reliability, standardising performance across global operations and addressing critical challenges in seal management.
For several years, the operator had been working to shift its strategic focus from equipment availability to long-term reliability. Variations in sealing technology, differing service levels across regions and fragmented supplier models were contributing to inconsistent reliability performance and avoidable downtime at a number of sites. The customer required a unified global approach that would bring consistency, accountability and measurable improvement to high-criticality equipment.
John Crane demonstrated its ability to solve these challenges through the successful delivery of a structured Managed Reliability Programme (MRP) at one of the operator’s flagship refineries, now considered its best-performing site for seal reliability. The programme introduced standardised reliability methodologies, proactive failure prevention and tighter lifecycle governance, leading to significant performance improvement. This success prompted the operator’s global leadership team to seek a broader, long-term agreement.
Under the multi-year framework, John Crane will provide a comprehensive range of sealing technologies and lifecycle services, including pump mechanical seals, compressor dry gas seals, seal support systems, reliability programmes, field service engineering, failure analysis and training. The agreement provides the customer with a consistent reliability model across all participating sites. Read More
Baker Hughes Rig Count: International +14 to 1,073, U.S. +5 to 549 Canada +3 to 191
U.S. Rig Count is up 5 from last week to 549 with oil rigs up 6 to 413, gas rigs down 1 to 129 and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 7.
Canada Rig Count is up 3 from last week to 191, with oil rigs up 5 to 126, gas rigs down 2 to 65 and miscellaneous unchanged at 0.
International Rig Count is up 14 from last month to 1,073 with land rigs up 14 to 833, offshore unchanged at 226.
The Worldwide Rig Count for November was 1,812, up 12 from the 1,800 counted in October 2025, and down 95, from the 1,907 counted in November 2024.
| Region | Period | Rig Count | Change |
| U.S.A | December 05, 2025 | 549 | +5 |
| Canada | December 05, 2025 | 191 | +3 |
| International | November 2025 | 1073 | +14 |
Baker Hughes |
More Energy, Oil & Gas Stories !!! �The squeaky wheel gets the oil�
OilandGasPress Energy Newsbites and Analysis Roundup | Compiled by: OGP Staff, Victor Cole , victor@oilandgaspress
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