Current Oil and Gas Industry News as of February 13, 2026: Price Dynamics for Brent and WTI Oil, TTF and Henry Hub Gas Markets, Sanction Risks, Refineries and Oil Products, Electricity, Coal, and Renewable Energy Sources. A Global Overview of the Energy Sector for Investors and Companies.
As of the beginning of Friday, February 13, 2026, the global energy sector enters the session with a conflicting set of signals: oil demand forecasts are becoming more cautious, however, geopolitical factors, sanctions, and logistical disruptions are intensifying volatility across oil, gas, and oil products. In Europe, electricity and carbon regulation once again take center stage, while coal in Asia faces spot risks due to export uncertainty. Below are the key benchmarks and events important for investors, oil and gas companies, refineries, and trading on global markets.
- Oil: Prices are hovering around psychological levels, but the supply-demand balance appears less strained on paper than in physical trading.
- Gas: Europe enters the injection season with elevated regulatory premiums and sensitivity to LNG and weather; the U.S. remains on a different curve with its own storage cycle.
- Electricity and Renewable Energy: ETS policy and energy prices for industry are becoming market factors alongside commodities.
- Refineries and Oil Products: Margins are supported by a structural shortage of capacities and localized disruptions, but infrastructure risks are increasing.
Market Numbers: Key Prices for Oil, Gas, Electricity, and Coal
| Indicator | Price | Daily Change | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brent Oil | $69.21/barrel | -0.27% | Global benchmark for oil; risk premium is dependent on sanctions and logistics |
| WTI Oil | $64.55/barrel | -0.12% | U.S.; sensitive to inventories and refinery utilization |
| Henry Hub Gas (NYMEX, NGH26) | $3.246/MMBtu | +2.75% | U.S.; impacts electricity and demand from generation |
| Dutch TTF Gas (CME, TTFH6) | €32.885/MWh | +2.23% | Europe; influenced by LNG, weather, regulation, and inventories |
| Coal (Newcastle benchmark) | $115.00/ton | ≈+0.09% | Indicative level for the sea coal market; significant for electricity and Asia |
Oil: Demand Reassessment Amidst "Tight" Geopolitics
Market Balance and Demand Expectations
The focus is on the dissonance between macro forecasts and trading reality. The reassessment of demand forecasts and expectations for oversupply form the baseline scenario of "range-bound" oil prices over the coming weeks. However, in the physical supply chain, the risk premium remains due to sanctions, restrictions on "grey" flows, as well as infrastructure threats along routes and processing locations. For investors, this means that even moderate oil prices may accompany high intraday volatility and widening spreads across grades.
Sanctions, Hormuz, and Risk Premium
The sanction factor is becoming a key driver of the "availability" of barrels, not just their price. New restrictions regarding carriers and trading chains increase the importance of insurance, compliance, and access to port infrastructure. In the upcoming sessions, the market will be especially sensitive to signals of de-escalation or, conversely, to news about the expansion of restrictions and incidents at global logistic choke points.
Gas and LNG: European Risk Profile and American Curve
For the global energy sector, gas remains a "transitional" and simultaneously strategic commodity: it defines the margin of electricity and the competitiveness of industry in Europe, while in the U.S. it serves as a bridge between production and LNG export. The European TTF strengthens due to sensitivity to weather, LNG supply status, and regulatory restrictions on Russian volumes and their marketing.
- Europe: The market is entering the pre-season injection, where gas prices react easily to any signals regarding the availability of LNG and potential contract restrictions.
- U.S.: Henry Hub remains a hostage to seasonal storage dynamics and short-term weather shocks; the effect is intensified by rising demand from generation and export infrastructure.
Electricity and Carbon: ETS as a Market Factor
In 2026, electricity increasingly responds not only to the fuel balance (gas/coal), but also to political-regulatory signals. The discussion regarding adjustments to the ETS and the industry's struggle to reduce costs brings "politics" back into the equation of forward curves. In practice, this means that investors in generation and networks will assess not only CAPEX and fuel prices but also the level of regulatory predictability.
Global Connection "Gas → Electricity → Industry"
For global geo-targeting, two effects are important. The first is the relative cost of electricity between regions (Europe vs. U.S./Asia), which influences capital migration into energy-intensive sectors. The second is the robustness of networks and availability of capacity: extreme weather conditions and military risks enhance price peaks and increase the value of flexibility (balancing capacity, storage, rapid repairs).
Oil Products and Refineries: Margin Growth Amidst Fragile "Physics"
The oil products segment receives support from structurally limited refining capabilities: the global base of refineries is growing slower than the demand for reliable fuel supply. Against this backdrop, any major refinery shutdown—be it an accident, maintenance, or force majeure—quickly reflects on diesel and gasoline spreads and on premiums to regional prices.
- U.S.: The recovery of margins among independent refiners raises interest in sector stocks and "crack spread" strategies.
- Eurasia: Risks to infrastructure and refinery shutdowns once again become a price factor for oil products and logistics.
- Europe: Changes in ownership and management regimes at refineries enhance the role of sanction compliance and corporate governance.
Renewables and Energy Transition: Goal Adjustments and Hidden Network Costs
Renewables remain a strategic area, but the pace and structure of the transition increasingly depend on network constraints and policies. Adjustments to national plans in Europe demonstrate that "planned" capacity installation trajectories are not guaranteed: the market is progressively factoring in project delays, rising connection costs, and subsidy revisions.
- For renewable investors, key risks include not only capital costs but also network connection speed and rules regarding cost allocation.
- For industry, predictability of electricity pricing and availability of long-term PPA/contracts is essential.
Coal: Asian Spot Risks and Fuel's Role in Energy Balance
Despite the increasing share of renewables, coal remains a "backup" fuel for electricity in many economies, particularly in Asia. Any export restrictions and disruptions in spot supply quickly translate into price momentum—impacting gas, demand for oil products in generation (fuel oil/distillates), and overall energy inflation.
Key Takeaway for the Energy Sector
The coal market in 2026 is significant not so much as a "long-term bet," but as a source of short-term deficits and shocks that propagate to gas and electricity through fuel substitution.
Logistics, Sanctions, and Insurance: Where Supply Chains May "Break"
Oil and gas trading in 2026 increasingly relies on the throughput capacity of choke points and vessel statuses. Under sanctions pressure, the role of the "shadow fleet" increases, routes become more complex, and transaction costs rise—from insurance to port procedures. In the short term, the market will react to any changes in transit statuses in Hormuz and to the expansion of sanction lists, including measures against the infrastructure of third countries and ports.
What Investors Should Monitor on Friday, February 13, 2026: Scenarios and Chart Ideas
For investors and corporate planning audiences in oil and gas, not only "absolute prices" but also the market regime: range/trend, liquidity, compliance risk, and the likelihood of force majeure events are critical for tomorrow.
Checklist for the Session
- Oil: Keeping Brent around $70 and the dynamics of grade spreads (signals availability of "clean" barrels).
- Gas: TTF's resilience above/below €30–35/MWh as an indicator of European stress; reaction to LNG news.
- Electricity: Any statements regarding ETS and mechanisms supporting industry; impact on utility stocks and power forward curves.
- Refineries and Oil Products: News about refinery maintenance/shutdowns and margin dynamics; risks in fuel logistics.
- Coal: Signals of normalization/increased export restrictions in Asia as a driver for spot prices.
Where Charts/Diagrams Are Relevant (Do Not Insert Images)
- Line Chart: Brent and WTI prices over 30 days + marking key news (sanctions/incidents/reports).
- Spread Diagram: TTF vs. Henry Hub (in conversion) as an indicator of regional gas imbalances.
- Bar Chart: Indicative levels for coal/gas/ETS and their contribution to electricity costs across regions.
- Map Diagram: Logistic choke points (Hormuz, key ports/hubs) with qualitative assessments of sanction risks.
As of February 13, 2026, the baseline scenario for commodity markets appears "moderately oversupplied" based on models, but "premium" concerning risk in real supplies. For energy sector participants, the optimal strategy remains a combination of hedging in oil and gas, compliance discipline, and increased attention to infrastructure risks for refineries and logistics of oil products.
