oil

Modern oil did not invent anything. China already extracted natural gas 2,000 years ago and transported it by bamboo pipes

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Possibly, many consider that oil industry And modern gas, with its platforms, deep wells, pumping systems and distribution networks, is a creation of the nineteenth century onwards, one associated with Western industrialization. And although they are not entirely wrong, the truth is that there was already a nation that had developed techniques for drilling, extraction and transporting energy resources with a simply amazing level of sophistication. That nation was China, and he did it a thousand years before Edwin Drake will pierce the first commercial oil well in 1859. Before the crude. As we said, although the collective imaginary places the beginning of the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the industrial revolution From the nineteenth century, history shows that ancient civilizations had already developed surprisingly advanced techniques of energy extraction. In fact, in the Chinese province of Sichuan, more than one millennium before the first commercial wells in the United States or Russia, entire communities already They pierced the earth To get brine And, later, natural gas. The salt searchvital for food conservation and human nutrition, led Chinese engineers to devise sophisticated Performant drilling systemsoperated with bamboo towers, pulleys, jump platforms and specialized metal tools that remember, in many ways, those used in the modern oil industry. Challenging your time. The wells, initiated during the PERIOD OF THE COMBATING KINGDOMS (480–221 AC), reached depths of up to 250 meters already in the Tang dynastyand exceeded the kilometer in the nineteenth century, long before the West even dreamed of such achievements. For each phase of the process they were used Different Broks (Fish tail, silver or horseshoe ingot) adapted to the type of rock. I also know They developed solutions for problems such as broken bits or collapsed wells, using ingenious technologies such as elongated bamboo tubes With fin valves, hydraulic cements based on Tung oil, and shutter with expanded straw. Then, around 1050, the introduction of flexible bamboo cables It allowed to achieve greater depths and simplify the operations a little more. By 1835, the Shenghai well reached officially The 1,000 meters deepa milestone in the world. From the byproduct to the energy treasure. Everything changed at a given time. During drilling in search of brine, workers began to run into Natural gas bagsinitially seen as dangerous or useless. But over time, that gas (mainly methane, often mixed with hydrogen sulphide) was recognized as energy resource and used for lighting, heating and, above all, to feed the boilers that evaporated the brine. This transition became crucial when deforestation prevented continuing to use firewood. The need promoted the invention of the call Drum Kang Penwhich allowed to extract and separate simultaneously gas and brine, and early carburetor that mixed gas with air to achieve more efficient combustion. In turn, the old perforators also included geology rudiments, placing gas wells in high areas and brine in valleys, according to the formation of underground bags. Industrial Network Without Pare. Over the centuries, the region was filled with bamboo towers, merchant ships and an infrastructure that included hundreds of kilometers of pipes Bamboo built completely. Far from being rudimentary, those pipes were precisely sealed by tung oil cement and braided rope, which made them surprisingly stagnant and durable. To get an idea, in the 1950s they were still operational More than 95 km of these conductions. A complex system that transformed Zigong and other cities into industrial, commercial and cultural centers. The operation was so extensive that it required uninterrupted shifts and written legal contracts (some of the first in the history of China) to distribute tasks and resources. Historical and legacy. The scale and sophistication of the Sichuan gas field eclipsed other premodern operations in Europe or Central Asia, such as those of Naples or Bakú. Beyond the volume produced, the most notable was the continuity and efficiency of the system itself. Even today, the region produces some 30,000 million cubic meters of gas annually, in many cases from perforated wells centuries ago. However, the work is still dangerous: in 2003, an explosion of gas near Chongqing He killed 233 people and left 9,000 intoxicatedbut the accumulated experience over almost 2,000 years avoided a major catastrophe. That technical and human legacy is, in fact, honest in the Shanxi Salt Museumwhere original tools and detailed models are preserved that document an industrial feat advanced to their time by millennia. If you want too, the Sichuan history Not only does it rewrite the origins of oil and gas in a certain way: redefine what we consider possible in ancient civilizations. Image | Thomas dependb, CSEG In Xataka | In its effort to extract oil, China is beating records: it has drilled a well -deep well In Xataka | 2025, a raw year: the sanctions to the Russian ships and the tension with China are raising the price of oil

We thought that the olive oil sector was so broken that the olivers were losing 270 million euros. Is more than double

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When Jesús Cózar, general secretary of UPA Andalucía, gave a press conference saying That “the olive growers have stopped receiving 270 million euros in the month of March, or what is the same, more than 8 million daily, due to the current situation of ruin prices in origin,” many raised an eyebrow. That’s the milkmaid accounts, they said. Now a team from the University of Jaén, the University of Córdoba and the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training has calculated the alleged imbalance of the oil market and a clear conclusion has arrived: Cózar fell short. Market imbalance? In general terms, we can conceptualize the olive oil market as if it were a huge equilibrium machine: the final price of the oil arises from a balance in which many things intervene; But above all, the total stocks and the expected demand. If there is little oil, as happened in recent years, the price tends to rise until the demand fits the amount there is. If there is a lot of oil, it occurs just the other way around. Well, with that principle in mind, we can evaluate whether the market is unbalanced: that is, if the price is above or below what it should be. That is what they have measured. After weeks and weeks with the fly behind the ear, the Provincial Council of Olive Oil of the Provincial Council of Jaén requested a report on the current market situation. To evaluate the real situation, the UJA/UCO/IFAPA team has used a series of new computer analysis models of imbalances. According to your conclusionsthe price of the AVE in origin should be between 5.55 and 6.14 euros/kg. The fork is due to the fact that some data are still missing and the final production can reach between 1.29 and 1.5 million tons. What does this translate? Basically, the 270 million euros spoken by the Secretary of the Andalusian UPA are an anecdote: what the Spanish olive groves are ceasing to receive are 626 million euros. From October to March, the average price at source in these months has been € 4.49. That is, one euro below the minimum estimated price in the study. What is happening? They don’t even know. A few days ago, Juan Luís Ávila, the head of the Olivar de Coag sector He wondered “What is happening in the market so that prices remain artificially low.” In fact, he is preparing a complaint with the National Markets Commission and the competence to find out. Why is it interesting? Because All this situation (That arrives, remember, at a particularly delicate moment for the olive industry after years of crisis and hoping that this year would be resolved) is very complicated: it is still clear that, Despite the weight of Spain in the sectormarket mechanisms are easily alterable. And not even in contexts Where we have the “pan for the mango”there are useful instruments to have it controlled (or even know that everything is working correctly). Image | FERI TASOS In Xataka | In the middle of the largest commercial chaos, olive oil seems immune thanks to a factor: consumption in Spain

Like coconut oil, it became the last trend of “thinning effortlessly”

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One more fashion to lose weight is virilizing on social networks, but this time comes in the form of saturated fat. Just look for “fasting coconut oil” on Tiktok to watch thousands of videos repeating the same formula Magic to lose weight. Meanwhile, in Spain, digestive diseases do not stop growing – they are already the second cause of hospitalization, According to the INE– And anxiety and intestinal imbalance They are increasingly common. What does one thing have to do with the other? Maybe much more than it seems. A morning phenomenon. You just need to slide a few seconds in Tiktok to run into the new welfare ritual: a spoonful of coconut oil, taken on an empty stomach and without mixing with anything. The videos, which accumulate millions of visualizations under labels how #Coconutoilinthemoring either #OACEEDECOCOthey repeat a narrative that is has become In dogma: “Since I take it I feel more energy”, “my stomach is more flat” or “it is my secret to purify the body.” Some of these videos even include a before and after With visual results of abdominal fat loss, improvement of intestinal transit or luminous skin. Everything seems to fit into that promise of immediate, easy and effortless health. And this, of course, is part of the problem. This phenomenon is not born from nothing. It is the 2025 version of a trend that has already been seen with Water with lemon, The intermittent fasting, The superfoods Or, more recently, type drugs Ozempic. What changed is not the message – calling effortless – but the wrapper. In social networks, especially in Tiktok, thinness remains an aspiring ideal disguised as health. Just explore hashtags how #Skinnytok To find thousands of videos of young people sharing tips to “look thinner”: from visual tricks to restrictive diets that barely reach 1000 calories a day. This is a symptom of how the algorithm is rewarding normative bodies and extreme habits, while penalizing more critical speeches. What science says. Coconut oil is not a new or mysterious product. Its use is has studied for yearsespecially in relation to cardiovascular health, the metabolism of fats and their antimicrobial capacity. Some studies, as published in Nutrition ResearchThey suggest that moderate coconut oil consumption could improve the lipid profile, increasing HDL cholesterol (the “good”) and partly reducing triglycerides, thanks to its concentration of medium chain fatty acids. Antifungal and antibacterial properties have also been documented, mainly due to the lauric acid, which represents almost 50% of its composition. Nutritionist Sandra Moñino, an expert in intestinal microbiota, has explained in the Spanish that coconut oil can help against certain fungi such as Candida Albicansbut has warned: “You have to remember that it is a saturated fat. It has specific benefits, but it should not be consumed without control or as a daily routine.” For its part, also the nutritionist Emma G., active in Tiktok, He has nuanced Even more: “Yes, it can be beneficial for some people, but it is not something that everyone should do. Many people have had digestive discomfort after introducing it on an empty stomach, and that is not counted.” In his video – which already exceeds 100,000 visualizations – he added a clear message: “There is no food that only makes you lose weight. It all depends on the set of your habits.” Other uses. Beyond the oral use on an empty stomach, coconut oil has been appearing in other corners of the world years Wellness. The one who is now in a trend is the Oil Pullinga Hindu practice that consists of rinseing the mouth with oil for about 10-15 minutes before brushing your teeth. The issue is that they say it reduces bacteria, improves the health of gums and prevents caries. However, like They have explained Several experts in dentistry for the New York Times does not replace traditional dental hygiene, although it can help reduce the number of bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans. Another recurring use is like Vaginal intimate or moisturizing lubricant. Here there are also lights and shadows: it can be effective in relieving dryness, but latex condoms weakens and can alter the vaginal pH, which makes it advisable in some cases, As warned in Healthline. And in cosmetics It is almost omnipresent: hair, lips, body, masks … its emollient properties and its antibacterial effect make it useful for some skins, but its use is not universal. In fatty skin or with a tendency to acne, for example, you can obstruct pores and worsen the situation. Once again, the pattern is repeated: a product with some potential, but to which universal virtues are assigned without taking into account individual differences or context. Beyond the ritual. Coconut oil can have interesting properties, and its use in certain contexts may be justified. But turning it into a universal routine or the last viral solution to lose weight is, at least, a dangerous simplification. As with so many trends that circulate through networks, which begins as an individual experience ends up transformed into mass recommendation without filter, without context and, often, without solid evidence. Health – the real one, not that of Tiktok – is not built with shortcuts or with miraculous tablespoons. It is built with information, sustainable habits and decisions that have more to do with care than with the pressure to fit into an aesthetic ideal. Image | Pexels Xataka | Summer is approaching and with him the new obsessive trend to lose weight quickly: the patches to lose weight

China had never been an important actor in global oil production. That is starting to change

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Recently, China has completed drilling of the vertical well of oil deeper from Asia, reaching a depth of 10,910 meters. At first glance, it may seem one more achievement In that career for megaestructurebut it is a symptom of something else: a strategy to reinforce your energy security and reduce its dependence on foreign crude. Record on record. In March 2025, China reached a new peak in its oil production, with an average of 4.6 million barrels per day, According to data cited by Global Times. This figure marks the culminating point of a trend that It has been in silence for years. Despite the fluctuations of the market, especially with the tariff war, Chinese production has continued to increase in a planned and sustained way. Drill, Baby, Drill. Or in Chinese: Zuan Ba, Bao Bei, Zuan Ba. This famous motto that is coined to Trump could also be applied to China. However, what happens in the Asian giant is a very different version. As He explained The energy analyst Javier Blas, Beijing is betting on squeezing his former conventional fields, many of them active from the Era of Mao. Summarizing it more easily: while in the US fracking and horizontal schist drilling They are based on profitabilityIn China, energy security is priority. In fact, state giants such as CNPC, Sinopec and Cnooc They have invested For years around 80,000 million dollars annually to sustain this strategy. In addition, the country is known for being a large importer of oil, so during these years the reserves were not known. However, in this growing silent production, According to Reutershas achieved a 167%replacement ratio. The state oil company CNOOC has declared that its proven reserves exceed 7 270 million barrels, which ensures stable production for the next 10 years. A strategy inwards. This year is fulfilled The established period for China’s autonomy with its “seven -year action plan to improve oil and gas exploration and development efforts”. Although its objective is not only to produce more, but to depend less and less abroad and not have to be subject to the tensions of global geopolitics. But for now …Keep importing and has changed a couple. Chinese refineries are importing Canadian crude record amounts after cutting American oil purchases at 90% due to commercial tensions. As has indicated Bloomberg, the expansion of a pipeline in western Canada, opened less than a year ago, has already provided China and other oil importers of the East Asian to greater access to the vast crude oil reserves in the Alberta tar sands region. Beyond its borders. China’s energy turn does not occur in a vacuum: it has direct implications for the rest of the world. In the first place, greater Chinese self -sufficiency will weaken the weight of export countries such as Saudi Arabia or Iraq, pressing further OPEC+ in its struggle for maintaining crude oil prices. With China pumping more oil locally, its demand for imports becomes more strategic and selective, displacing commercial flows and influencing the global barrel price. In addition, in this way you will have more autonomy to act in commercial tensions without compromising your energy supply. In short, it is sending a clear message: “Each barrel counts.” While the world looks at the Middle East or Texas, the real silent boom is happening in Asia. Image | China News Service and Pexels Xataka | Tariffs are already being charged to their first great victim of the global economy: the price of oil

We thought that oil was a thing of the past. But the oil companies that have remained faithful to raw live their golden age

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While the rise of renewables continues full -potato wind, as can be seen in projects such as GLOBAL RENEWABLE Watchthe big refineries are starring an unexpected return to the center of the energy stage. The commitment to hydrocarbons. Unlike other companies in the sector, French TotalEnergies did not turn completely in an energy conversion. Yes, he invested in renewables. Yes, he developed liquefied natural gas projects. But he never abandoned his base: oil and gas. According to Reutersthe company has increased its UPSTREAM production (crude and gas extraction) compared to the first quarter of 2024. Although oil prices are below the level of a year ago, gas sales have improved, and fuel production is returns to be profitable. Refinement in recovery. The situation is dragging the effects of a profitability drop that has affected the entire industry. According to the company, the profit margins in the oil refining in Europe have increased in the last six months, but there are still 59% below the levels of a year ago. All this is due to multiple reasons, such as a weak demand, the growth of New refineries in Asia and Africa, OPEC+ overproduction and Trump’s tariff war. Even so, as the news agency has detailed, Totalenergies has increased fuel production, partially benefiting from that slight recovery on the margins. The strategy. According to Ahmed Ben Salem, an analyst at Oddo BHF, among the greats of the sector, Totalenergies is “the most resilient in a weaker macro environment, backed by diversification towards liquefied natural gas and renewable energy.” And it is not the only one that has found a new balance between transition and profitability. While Timenergies clings to a hybrid strategy, its Anglo -Saxon rivals are also adjusting the course. BP, for example, has trimmed His green ambitions to focus again on hydrocarbons. Exxonmobil He has opted strong for carbon capture. Together, all of them seem to be converging in the same idea: crude has not yet said his last word. The paradox of the transition. In the decisive decade for climate action, refining recovery sounds almost to Anatema. Can the energy sector continue to win time with fossil fuels without losing the decarbonization train? This dynamic does not occur in a vacuum. As I know He explained The tariff war and the firmness of the OPEC+ to continue producing the barrels has caused a drop in oil prices, with the Brent and the WTI stabilized around 60 dollars a barrel. This scenario impacts directly on the refineries, which try to balance fossil profitability with the growing stark pressure. Image | Pexels Xataka | The US plan to reduce oil is about to derail what worked best in its economy

In the coming months, Jaén will control the world marketing of olive oil. It won’t help him

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While I write these lines, according to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture, there are 773,596 tons of oil in the country’s oil mills. Practically half, they are in Jaén. There is more oil in the Jienenses oil mills than those that all industrialists, packagers and refiners have. A lot more. Almost double. That is what turns Jaén into the gravitational center around which the entire international olive oil industry is going to turn. The big question is if he will know how to take advantage of it. We’re So Back. Let’s do A quick review. After a pair of nightmare years, at the end of March, the Jiennese wineries accumulated about 369,245 tons. That placed it (with a lot) as the main producer of the world. Córdoba follows (with 135,865 tons) and Granada (with 74,124). And a little further back are Seville (44,158) and Malaga (13,590). Castilla – La Mancha adds about 81,700 and Extremadura still has about 27,000. There are, if the figures are fine, reserves of 773,593 tons until the oil of the next season arrives. And we are selling it very fast. As we said a few days ago, According to data from the Information and Food Control Agencyonly in March, “135,000 tons have been marketed (including imports) to an average of 3.62 euros in all categories.” That is, we are selling oil at a rate that is not sustainable: that it will not reach us until the next campaign. It is not a problem for consumption because everyone knows that the boom of sales and low prices (which are causing losses of more than 270 million euros in the sector) is due to a concatenation of problems and circumstances: The commercial chaos of American tariffsthe delicate financial situation of the producers and the expectations that the price can continue to fall (for the rains). The situation is problematic because it does not allow companies to clean up their accounts, but cannot be sustained too much in time. And then? That is the big question. Because, as we see that it has happened in the banana, the Spanish countryside is getting used to passing one problem to the other without any transition period. Given this scenario, most Great challenges of the olive grove They remain in the air. And it begins to be A bad time not to make the right decisions. Image | Juan Moreno In Xataka | The price of olive oil in origin has returned to “normality.” What everyone wonders is what happens to supermarkets

The olive oil campaign is doing so well that Spanish olivers have already lost 270 million euros

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At the end of January, the Almazares de Middle Country They were working 24 hours a day and were direct to triple the amounts of olive last year. It seemed good news. Moreover, after years of drought, it was excellent news. But, As we warnedcould become a problem. Well, it is already becoming a problem. But how will it be a problem? I recognize that it may seem paradoxical. We carry several campaigns in which the big problem is that There were no olives. That shot prices, yes: but hardly compensated for the different links in the production chain. It is no coincidence that the world’s largest olive oil company lost 34 million euros only in 2023. Now there are olives. The problem is that there are too many and that the sector is in such a weak state, that it has not been able to contain the price drop. There the complications begin. Have prices fallen so much? At consumer level, not so much. But originally the situation has been very down. To get an idea, According to data from the Information and Food Control Agencyonly in March, “135,000 tons have been marketed (including imports) to an average of 3.62 euros in all categories.” The amount is important, yes. Above all, because (Docked by international trade problems) We have reached a rhythm that can be at risk of the campaign link: reserves that allow stabilizing the price throughout the year. That is, it is important. But the key is the price. What can we learn from the price? Historically, the line of the traditional dry land olive tree I was around four euros. It is true that the irruption of the irrigation olive tree and the New superintenive varieties They make many profitable farms at lower prices, but the bulk of the Spanish oil Keep from dry. And that dry land has been the worst the crisis of recent years. The current price drop in origin puts it in a very complicated situation. A complication of 270 million euros. In that amount, the UPA Secretary General Andalusia, Jesús Cózar, the dimension of the problem. “The olive groves have stopped receiving 270 million euros in the month of March, or what is the same, more than 8 million daily, due to the current situation of ruin prices at origin,” explained. Your complaint is debatable, but makes sense. Because, indeed, “There are no objective reasons that justify this bearish trend of prices at origin.” Taking into account current reserves, technically speaking the price would have to be superior: oil is coming out at a rate that is not sustainable. And that is what worries the producers. Knowing that in normal circumstances, the olive would have to sell almost two euros more expensive and, in this way, the 2024-2025 campaign would have been a revulsion. Right now is just another year of agony. Image | MILTOF | Pom ‘ In Xataka | Right now there are thousands and thousands of tons of olive oil embarking on the United States

The US plan to reduce oil is about to derail what worked best in its economy

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Brent and Wti crude prices suffered a great fall of the barrel two days ago. This situation caused a very large alert In the markets, since since February 2021 there was no such low data. After the storm, prices have stabilized around 60 dollars the barrel for the Trump measure of suspend for 90 days The highest tariffs to different countries. In this way, the commercial war has become A direct conflict against China that does not know the scope tariffs, leaving an economic paradox in reducing oil price. Lowering prices. Until now, the United States has managed to reduce its commercial deficit thanks to the revolution of the shale, which has made the USA Net oil exporter Since 2020. This expansion prior to Trump’s second mandate had achieved reverse decades of foreign oil dependence. However, the impulse to pierce with the famous “Drill, Baby, Drill” Together with tariff policies, it has caused global uncertainty, According to PVM analyst Tamas Varga in Reuters. There are no good ideas. And it is evident that Trump’s policies They lack a coherent direction. According to Reutersthe fall in crude oil prices is a reflection of the loss of confidence in American economic policy, especially in the middle of a commercial war, affecting the global demand for oil. Also, like He has stressed Energy expert Javier Blas, drilling and production costs are not profitable below $ 65 per barrel in the United States. In other words, if prices fall too much, production would decrease, which would force more oil and, therefore, would expand the commercial deficit, which is precisely what Trump wants to reduce. The paradox. The contradiction in Trump’s policies is clear: its strategy of reducing oil prices to control inflation and stimulate the economy will have the opposite effect to the desired one. According to Blas explainedTrump’s objectives was precisely to reduce the commercial deficit. Before its presidency, the revolution of the shale, which allowed the United States to become a net oil exporter, was one of the factors that contributed significantly to improve the trade balance in the last two decades. However, by pushing prices at lower levels, Trump is running the risk of undoing the advances achieved, generating a macroeconomic imbalance that would seriously affect local production and increase import dependence. Besides, Anz Bank analysts in Reuters They expect that, if world economic growth falls below 3%, oil consumption could decrease 1%, which would further aggravate the situation. Depending on oil. This Trump strategy also affects other countries than their income They are derived of the export of oil, such as Saudi and Russia Arabia. Although oil has experienced very significant fluctuations for more than five years, it is not even this commercial war when tensions have been exacerbated causing a strong fall. This situation can cause a new layer of geopolitical tension. On the one hand, Saudi Arabia needs raw barrels to exceed $ 90 to continue building and investing in their macroprojects, Like Neom. On the other hand, the fall in prices in Russia has generated Even more pressure on its economy, which is already weakened by the Ukraine War. Forecasts. As He has warned Javier Blas, “drilling, drilling, drilling” will not work if the barrel is 50 dollars and if the United States does not pierce, it must import it. In short, leaving a scenario in which the US president, in his attempt to control prices, can end up undoing the most effective tool he has had to reduce the commercial deficit in decades. Image | Gage Skidmore and Unspash Xataka | China responds again to US tariffs and rises to 125%: from here it would be a “joke” to keep climbing

In the middle of the largest commercial chaos, olive oil seems immune thanks to a factor: consumption in Spain

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For months, a fear has persistently toured the oil world. Often fear is undefined, inaccurate, it has no face. This time, on the other hand, it was something clear and easily identifiable: producers feared that, after the crisis of recent years, the olive oil consumption figures They will not recover. Now, the data start drawing an answer. An extremely rational fear. Throughout the last decade, the consumption of olive oil It has been falling year after year. It is not clear why, or what are they Sociodemographic factors that influence; But yes, crisis after crisis (and with the mediation of A deep cultural and gastronomic change), wide layers of the population have gotten out of the oil and the vast majority has not returned. It is evident that in Spain there is a “oil culture” and that, in a sense, makes the Spaniards a “captive public”. We can see it by analyzing the inelasticity of the demand. According to the year dataolive oil has been the product that has most increased this April. It is worth 62% more than last year and 100.4% more than two ago. The demand, on the other hand, only 19.8% fell with respect to the last year and 44.5% compared to two years ago. That is the great trick of the industry and, therefore, the simple idea that this culture is eroding is terrifying for them. And even more in times of change. Not just for The commercial chaos that has caused the tariff vailed of the US, but for The endemic paradoxes of the Spanish oil industry. Do not forget that we talk about a sector that, despite growing 15% every yearis seeing how its productive structure is de -industrialized to forced marches. But Spain has returned. After several bad years, this campaign has finally been the return to normal. That has hehco that prices, little to Cpoco, return to normal. In February, in fact, the year -on -year price had already fallen by 40%. But the good news is another: that demand has grown 48%, According to Nielsen data collected by Cordopolis. Has the curse broken? It is still early to know. In a few months, we can examine in detail how sales go and we can know if consumption levels have really recovered or not. But the sensations are good. And more at a time when, despite everything, the Oleícola sector has managed not to resent with the tariff measures of Donald Trump. For the first time in years, a smile is intuited in the Olivos Sea. Image | Norberto Ortiz In Xataka | The two speeds of the price of olive oil: much more in origin is being reduced than in the supermarket

Tariffs are already being charged to their first great victim of the global economy: the price of oil

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In this tariff war, China He has decided to get back to the United States with tariffs of 84% to all imports. A blunt response of the Asian giant, which has charged its first victim by crossfire: oil. Price drop. The price of barrels is below Los 60 dollars and going down. As He explained Energy expert Javier Blas, the oil market is going through a perfect storm: on the one hand, the fall in global demand as a direct consequence of the tariff war, and on the other hand, The answer a few days ago of the OPEC+ to continue producing more, which causes the offer to continue increasing. If this situation extends, it could evolve towards a real supply shock affecting two giants. The matter is more complex. OPEC+ decided to increase its oil production despite the fall in prices due to tariffs and concerns of a global economic slowdown. The organization I was looking to recover the market share I had lost due to the previous cuts. In addition, the growing production of non -member countries and Failurers of the rules to raise the offer. It will be very expensive. In all this situation, Saudi Arabia is one of the affected giants because in its recent projects it is diversifying its economy with the initiative, Vision 2030. It is betting on an economic model that is disconnected from oil, but It is still your currency To continue financing their mega -structures, such as Neom. As have indicated from Reutersthe fall in prices threatens to cut tens of billions of state dollars, as is already being seen in the stock market of the state oil company, Saudi Aramco. The impact is capital, since Riad can be forced to increase his indebtedness or postpone large infrastructure projects. In fact, according to the same news agency, the International Monetary Fund has estimated that Saudi Arabia needs prices greater than $ 90 per barrel to square its accounts. The other giant. The fall in prices takes with him another great economy ahead: Russia. As He has warned for Reutersthe governor of the Central Bank, Elvira Nabiullina, that the escalation of tariff wars represents a clear risk for Russia due to the fall in crude oil prices. In his words, the continuity of the commercial conflict reduces global trade, slows down the world economy and, consequently, decreases the demand for Russian energy resources. In fact, with the current situation of war, the dependence of Moscow of oil and gas is key, but the data is showing how in March 17% fell and it is expected that in April it will continue to descend. From Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov has acknowledged that the oil market is going through an “extremely turbulent” situation, derived from commercial tension caused by the United States. Meanwhile, the price of raw Urals, the Russian referent barrel, is dangerously approaching to the threshold of 50 dollars By barrel, the lowest level in almost two years. As Oilprice has had accessRussian authorities have indicated that a technical fiscal rule will help mitigate the effects on the budget, but oil prices are in free fall. Forecasts. The price of oil can continue down with all the situation that is being experienced: wars, sanctions and territorial instability. All this affects perception Investor risk and without a clear OPEC+ response the price falls without brakes. Image | Javier Colmenero Xataka | For great technological tariffs are an existential threat: their empires depend on the “world system”

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