Archive · 31 Aug 2026
Big Oil’s Secretive Trading Arms Profit From Energy Shock
Big oil companies make money in more than one way.
They can sell oil and gas that they produce themselves.
They can also buy oil from other companies.
Then they resell those barrels to customers willing to pay the most.
This kind of buying and selling is called trading.
A major energy shock has made trading especially profitable.
The third Gulf war has shown how important these trading divisions can be.
The effect has been particularly notable in Europe.
Oil majors can profit by selling hydrocarbons they produce and refine themselves.
They can also buy barrels produced by rival companies and resell them to the highest-demand buyers.
The third Gulf war has highlighted the importance of this trading strategy.
Secretive trading arms are having an extraordinary year, particularly among European oil companies.
The article says trading has become a major source of industry profit during the energy shock.
- Who
- Oil majors and their trading arms, particularly in Europe.
- What
- Oil companies are earning substantial profits by trading barrels produced by rival companies during an energy shock.
- When
- During the current extraordinary year and the third Gulf war.
- Where
- Particularly in Europe; the article also refers to the Gulf region.
- Why
- The energy shock has increased the value of buying and reselling oil to whoever wants it most.
- Companies involved
- Oil majors and their specialized trading arms.
- Profit sources
- Selling self-produced or self-refined hydrocarbons, and trading rival companies’ barrels.
- Trading strategy
- Buying barrels and reselling them to the highest-demand buyers.
- Trigger
- An energy shock associated with the third Gulf war.
- Reported performance
- The trading arms are having an extraordinary year.
- Regional emphasis
- The trading strategy is described as particularly important in Europe.