Middle East Oil Shock: Oil prices slid to a three-week low as US and Qatari officials pointed to progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz, though no final deal is in place; Aramco also warned global inventories are running low after the war has removed 2.6bn barrels from the market. US Policy Pressure on Oil Majors: President Trump again attacked ExxonMobil and Chevron for “too much money,” urging lower retail fuel prices as both report record profits tied to the Iran-linked supply disruption. Energy Infrastructure Upgrades: Cadent will replace nearly 320m of 1930s gas mains near Colchester starting Aug. 17; NorthWestern Energy is swapping about a mile of 70-year-old gas pipeline near Lewistown, with work through year-end. Grid Reliability Worry: Moldova faces a potential 130 MWh electricity deficit tonight (21:00–23:00) amid heat-driven demand and low Danube flows, with officials warning of possible disconnections. Renewables Buildout in India: Apraava Energy acquired an SPV for a 765 kV transmission project in Andhra Pradesh to evacuate about 3 GW of renewables. Power Demand Meets Constraints: Newmark says data center growth is being held back by grid power limits and delayed connections, slowing AI rollout. Oil-to-Power in Iraq: Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum began delivering gas from Khor Mor to Iraq’s federal power sector under a one-year supply deal.