By Anders Lorenzen

As part of an expanded focus on real-time coverage, this live blog tracks developments across global energy markets, including electricity prices, oil and gas benchmarks, and renewable generation trends.

It is updated throughout the week with the most significant developments around energy and related markets with a sustainability lens.

Monday 13th of April 2026

17:00 GMT

Oil markets: Oil markets remained volatile on Monday after Donald Trump threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global crude supply.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil supply, and any disruption would have significant implications for energy markets.

17:45 GMT

Oil markets: Brent Crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the two main crude oil benchmarks are currently at $101.60 and $102.40/bbl (per barrel) respectively. This is up by 5.81% and 6.44% respectively from Friday’s (the last trading day)’s data.

We began tracking Brent Crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices last month. Full weekday data is available below.

18:45 GMT

Oil supply: OPEC have released it’s March crude oil production data which indicates it has not been this low since 1999.

Tuesday 14th of April 2026

11:00 GMT

Oil supply: More info and context on that extraordinary Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) data which shows that crude oil production in the region drastically dropped between February and March.

OPEC’s March 2026 data dropped to 20.8 million barrels per day (mb/d), down from 28.7 mb/d in February, marking a month-on-month decline of 7.9 mb/d (27%), the largest single monthly drop on record for the group.

The record-breaking decline was driven by steep output losses across key producers, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE and Kuwait as a direct result of Iran having closed and taken over the critical oil trade route, the Strait of Hormuz.

As we are still waiting for the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) to release their March data, this data should be viewed with some caution.

See the full data on our data dashboard.

21:30 GMT

Energy capacity: Meanwhile the UK government have announced they have signed the contract with Rolls Royce for rolling out nuclear Small Modular Reactors (SMR’s)

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said about the agreement:

“We are backing a British company to deliver our first small modular reactors – creating a generation of good jobs, driving growth and providing clean, homegrown power for decades to come. Our clean energy mission is the only route to getting off the rollercoaster of fossil fuels and take back control of our energy independence.”

Our story below from when the government first announced the project:

Wednesday 15th of April 2026

11:30 GMT

Oil demand: On Tuesday, the IEA drastically cut its Q1 and Q2 2026 oil demand and supply forecasts.

Its analysis found that Q1 oil demand was down by 0.1 mb/d, while for Q2 the downward revision rises significantly to 1.9 mb/d.

Oil supply: On the supply side, Q1 supply was also revised down by 0.1 mb/d, in line with demand. For Q2, supply is reduced by less than demand, at 1.4 mb/d. This leaves supply 0.5 mb/d higher than demand.

Oil markets: This revision prompted a reaction in oil futures with the prices of Brent Crude and WTI falling by 7% and 11% respectively as markets priced in a Q2 surplus.

14:00 GMT

Coal demand: The widespread concern that the oil and gas crisis as a result of the US-Israel war on Iran would lead to an increase in coal usage has not materialised, in fact quite the contrary.

According to Lauri Myllyvirta, analyst and co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air say that with the overall trend in reduction in energy demand, coal usage is also down with seaborne coal transport volumes falling to 3%, to the lowest levels since 2021.

His analysis is published here.

Thursday 16th of April 2026

00:30 GMT

Oil markets: Norway, the largest oil and gas producer in Europe has reported profits increase of a whopping 68% year-on-year in March.

In March alone, the Scandinavian country exported 56.6 mb/d worth a record 57.4 billion Norwegian kroner ($6.1 billion).

21:30 GMT

Oil supply: Iran has suspended exports of petrochemical products to secure domestic supply.

21:45 GMT

Oil markets: Brent Crude and WTI are both up by 3% as markets cast doubts on the US-Iran negotiations.

Jet fuel: Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director has warned that Europe only has six weeks left of jet fuel and warned that flight cancellations could be a reality if oil supplies from the Middle East are not restored within weeks.

Friday 17th of April 2026

14:45 GMT

Oil markets: Brent Crude and WTI have surged in the early trading hours in the US by 9% and 11% respectively as markets react positively to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and optimism of a peace agreement reached between the US and Iran.

18:45 GMT

Oil supply: Fatih Birol has warned that even with the Strait of Hormuz we should not expect a quick fix to oil supply saying it could be two years before it is restored to pre-war levels.

In an interview with the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, IEA’s Executive Director explained: “We estimate that it would take about two years for the Gulf region to reach pre-war levels again. The timeline for the return of supply will vary from one country to another”. He added that Iraq for instance would need much more time to restore output to pre-war levels compared to Saudi Arabia.

Saturday 18th of April 2026

17:45 GMT

Oil supply: The oil markets are closed today, but even though it is Saturday it does not make the political tension in the Middle East less volatile. What looked like progress on Friday has shifted in the other direction as a response to the US continuing to block the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has closed the crucial oil export route again.

If the situation has not been resolved before Monday, we can expect the markets to pose a strong reaction.

22:15 GMT

Energy demand: The energy crisis has prompted a acceleration in electric vehicles and battery technologies, with the China being one of the strongest benefactors of this with their exports of these technologies surging.

Sunday 19th of April 2026

11:00 GMT

Oil supply: Reuters have calculated that since the US and Israel started the war with Iran around 50 days ago around there has been a decline in oil production equal to $50 billion worth of revenue.

11:15 GMT

Energy capacity: Figures from the Italian solar PV association Italia Solar the country installed 1,439 megawatts (MW) of new solar capacity in the first quarter of 2026 – a 13% drop compared to the same period last year.

Similarly, the French grid operator Enedis have said the country installed 1,418 MW of solar capacity in the first quarter of 2026, roughly matching the same period in 2025.

We are winding this live blog up now, but follow the latest developments in a new live blog tracking this weeks developments.