oil Archives - TPR: The Public's Radio

NPR

Beer cans, helium balloons and mortgages: An unexpected mix of things affected by the war

by NPR Staff April 7, 2026April 7, 2026

It’s not just oil and gas that are affected by the Iran war. All sorts of shortages and price spikes are starting to pop up that stand to affect people’s daily lives.

International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol speaks during a media conference regarding recent developments in global energy markets in Brussels, Friday, March 6, 2026.

NPR

Countries agree to a historic release of stockpiled oil to ease global disruption

by Camila Domonoske March 11, 2026March 11, 2026

Members of the International Energy Agency have announced a coordinated release of 400 million barrels of stockpiled oil in an attempt to counter the disruption in oil trade triggered by the Iran war.

Michael Gagliano works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.

NPR

Oil surges to its highest price since 2023, and stocks drop after U.S. jobs report

by The Associated Press March 6, 2026March 6, 2026

Stocks fell Friday on worries that the economy could become stuck in a worst-case scenario of stagnating growth and high inflation. Oil prices touched their highest levels since 2023 after surging again because of the Iran war.

NPR

WATCH: How traffic dried up in the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began

by Camila Domonoske March 4, 2026March 4, 2026

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is “about as wrong as things could go” for global oil markets. Iran achieved it not with a naval blockade, but with cheap drones.

A motorboat cruises off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, on the Strait of Hormuz, with a tanker seen in the background, on February 25, 2026. Tanker traffic through the strait has come essentially to a stop after Iran declared the strait closed following attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel.

NPR

Oil prices surge amid fears over Iran war

by Camila Domonoske March 2, 2026March 2, 2026

Global oil prices are in the high $70s as traffic through Strait of Hormuz comes to a halt. Some analysts have warned they could top $100 a barrel if the stoppage is prolonged.

Vendors sell vegetables at an open market in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 21, 2026.

NPR

Venezuela’s oil revival brings hope but little relief for workers

by Manuel Rueda February 17, 2026February 18, 2026

As U.S. sanctions ease and oil money begins to trickle back after Nicolás Maduro’s removal, Venezuelans weigh hopes for recovery against the harsh reality of surviving on wages that barely cover food.

Iraqi flags flutter during the opening ceremony of a new oil refinery plant in the Shiite holy city of Najaf

NPR

As Trump pushes for Venezuela’s oil, here’s what to know about the U.S. and Iraq’s oil

by Julia Simon February 4, 2026February 4, 2026

Oil analysts who worked in Iraq say Iraqi oil sales had more protections after the U.S. invasion than Venezuelan oil sales today.

Lupita Gutierrez, a fruit and vegetable vendor, poses for a portrait on Jan. 14 at the Houston Farmer’s Market in Houston. Gutierrez says she thinks Trump ordered the intervention in Venezuela to distract Americans from his failure to address inflation and other issues at home.

NPR

U.S. intervention in Venezuela divides Houston

by Frank Langfitt February 1, 2026February 1, 2026

In nearly two dozen interviews, Houstonians expressed everything from admiration and relief to skepticism and dread following the seizure of leader Nicolás Maduro.