Viktor Katona is an Group Physical Trader at MOL Group and Expert at the Russian International Affairs Council, currently based in Budapest.
Disclaimer: views set out in Viktor's articles are solely those of the author in his private capacity.
The Karachaganak saga has become one of the poster children of the oil-producing post-Soviet nations’ sea change in how they perceive themselves and their place…
The coronavirus pandemic has already taken way too many hostages in the world of oil and gas – countless are the projects put on hold…
There seems to be a point of saturation when it comes to assessing Angola’s crude exports for the upcoming months – beyond a certain point…
Proverbs tell us a great deal about how a views the same phenomenon. Brits would say that necessity is the mother of invention whilst many…
Protracted economic crises always challenge the forbearance of governments and militaries across the world when it comes to border disputes, be they maritime or onshore.…
It all started as an ordinary geopolitical spat. When Australian authorities called for an official inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, few could…
As the United States and Europe falter under the weight of ever-increasing coronavirus cases and a general lull in markets, the health of the Asian…
Denmark’s announcement that it would stop offering exploration licenses came down on the European oil and gas sector like a bolt from the blue. Not…
There is a long history of drilling for hydrocarbons in the Black Sea. After all, oil-rich Azerbaijan, and the Caspian region in general, was one…
Each and every market recession seems to resurrect intense speculation that such and such underperforming refinery would need to be closed down for good as…
The relationship between Baghdad and Erbil has been strained ever since Iraq managed to eliminate the threat of the Islamic State. Both sides perceive the…
In a year that has been destructive for the global oil and gas industry, there are now worrying signs that North Sea producers may be…
Oftentimes the most interesting and challenging moments in life come when you least need them. Nowhere is it truer than with Russia’s eternal uphill battle…
In late October, as the world was transfixed by the final U.S. Presidential debate, U.S. authorities removed Sudan from the list of state sponsors of…
Nearly a decade following the Fukushima Daiichi 2011 nuclear disaster, Japan is trying to reassess its energy prospects. One of the most energy dependent economies…
Every new crisis is a formidable opportunity to try new things, oftentimes merely to have another go with methods that have failed in the past…
With Europe and North America falling ever deeper into the quagmire of second-wave coronavirus lockdowns and curfews, caution has become the universal buzzword. In Asia,…
Much of the 2020 media discussion has recently been taken over by the prospects of crude demand never really recovering from the ongoing pandemic-induced market…
The prospect of a 2nd coronavirus wave and consequent demand slump is putting substantial downward pressure on crudes in Europe. Differentials are weakening as most…
Within less than 12 months Bolivia has managed to come full circle. First Evo Morales resigned as President of Bolivia in November 2019 amidst widespread…