European countries should expand the role of natural gas in their energy systems to reduce the risk of supply shocks caused by international crises, an energy industry chief has said.
Choeib Boutamine, chief executive of Ranadrill Energy, told AnewZ’s Prime Time that greater diversification would strengthen Europe’s energy security and support its economy.
“Even if the war stops today, the impact will be long-lasting. Europeans should focus on diversification, for example, by increasing the share of natural gas in their energy systems.
“Natural gas can also be used as fuel for cars and trucks, which could serve as an alternative,” Boutamine said.
“I think a new strategy is needed, one that focuses on resilience given ongoing global events. We already have the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Multiple crises are happening at once.
“So energy diversification should be a priority, especially through increasing the role of natural gas, which can act as a buffer for the European economy.”
The head of the International Energy Agency warned on Thursday that Europe may have only six weeks of jet fuel left if it cannot replace imports from the Middle East.
Europe has previously imported three-quarters of its jet fuel from the Middle East.
Since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to ships at the end of February, European countries have sought to replace Gulf imports with supplies from other countries.
Boutamine said he didn’t think Europe would end up suffering a jet fuel shortage, but said he expected prices to continue to rise in the next few weeks.
“They have some alternatives. One of the strongest alternatives they have is crude oil from the U.S. They also still have the Russian option,” Boutamine said.
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SOCAR has completed the acquisition of a 99.82% stake in Italiana Petroli (IP) from API Holding after receiving all required regulatory approvals.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
The U.S military said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran on Thursday (7 May). Meanwhile, Iran's Joint Military Command accused the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire, by striking an Iranian oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on several Iranian cities.
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides signalled they did not want escalation. The clashes come as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a proposed deal to end the war while leaving key disputes, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.
Singapore has isolated and is testing two of its residents who travelled aboard a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Thursday.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Ukraine’s military said it struck a Russian Karakurt-class small missile carrier in the Caspian Sea near Russia’s Dagestan region on Thursday. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, according to Kyiv.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
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