Sweeping changes to crude and product flows following sanctions and tariffs, shipping disruptions and questions surrounding China's demand outlook—oil markets have seen it all in 2025. The year was also a mixed bag for oil investments across the globe amid accelerated push towards clean energy and rising EV usage, while some regions also unveiled concrete plans on refinery expansions.

In this special episode of Platts Oil Markets Podcast, Sambit Mohanty, Asia energy editor, John Morley, global director for crude oil, Francesco Di Salvo, global director for refined products, and Jeff Mower, head of Americas oil news, look back at the key drivers for oil markets in 2025 and the themes that are likely to spill over and remain in the spotlight in 2026.

In the winter months, demand for gasoline in Europe softens, and stocks in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub begin to thicken. But recent developments in West African government policy and intermittent maintenance at Nigeria's Dangote refinery have resulted in an unconventionally robust gasoline market, shadowed by an existing tightness in supply. Where have the gasoline markets diverged, and what unusual patterns have we seen in blending economics?

In this episode, host Gary Clark is joined by S&P Global Energy reporters Geraint Moody and Matthew Tracey-Cook to discuss these topics.

The adoption of AI among energy and shipping companies is growing steadily. While it's helping to cut operational costs, boost productivity, and reduce emissions, a shortage of skills, data integration complexity, and trust are posing some challenges. In exploration, AI is helping to analyze complex sub-surface data and improve success rates. In midstream logistics, it is helping to optimize complex route planning and lastly; by deploying AI across refinery operations, oil companies are achieving higher yields in high-value fuels while cutting energy use.

In this episode, Asia Energy Editor Sambit Mohanty discusses with Dave Ernsberger, president of S&P Global Energy, and Arun Biswas, strategic engagements leader at IBM Consulting for Asia-Pacific, some of the themes around AI's ability to influence how energy is produced, traded, and distributed in the years ahead.

Physical differentials in the North Sea crude market and wider Atlantic basin have reached multiyear lows amid high freight rates and market length in the region. While high freight rates are often expected in the last quarter of the year, oversupply and market structure have also come into play.

In this podcast, Emma Kettley, S&P Global Energy's associate director, price reporting, is joined by senior crude oil reporters Natasha Tan and George Delaney to dig into how these fundamentals are impacting the North Sea and West African crude markets.

Global tanker markets are riding high as shipowners post strong third-quarter earnings amid bullish forecasts. What's driving the surge in day rates? Why are newbuilds still lagging even as fleet capacity tightens? How have sanctions reshaped both dirty and clean tanker markets? And could US shipyards stage a comeback in the global shipbuilding race?

Join host Jeff Mower as he discusses these and other related issues with Catherine Kellogg and Binish Azhar.

The US has ramped up its naval presence in the Caribbean, following several strikes against suspected drug smuggling vessels off the coast of major oil producer Venezuela. Yet oil prices have barely budged as Latin American production continues to ramp up. What is the role of Guyana and Argentina's emerging crudes, and how do flows to destinations like India fit into Trump's strategy? How are Permian operators responding to sustained low prices?

Jeff Mower unpacks how low oil prices play into the Trump administration's military push in the Caribbean, along with Latin America oil markets reporter Jada Johnson and senior news reporters Ashok Dutta and Eamonn Brennan.

Links:

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