 # 3 Oil and Gas Trends That Will Change the Market in May 2026 April 2026 will go down in the history of oil markets as one of the most volatile months of the decade. The military conflict in the Persian Gulf, record price swings, and unprecedented pressure on global supply chains — we break down three trends that will set the tone for May. ## Trend 1: The Hormuz Crisis and a New Geopolitical Premium The Strait of Hormuz — a transit point for 20% of the world's oil — has become a zone of direct military conflict. A short-term ceasefire at the end of April caused the sharpest one-day drop in oil prices since 1991, but the strait is not fully open, and the risk of escalation remains. Tankers are being rerouted around Africa — via the Cape of Good Hope — adding 2-3 weeks to delivery times and driving freight rates to levels not seen since 2020. The geopolitical premium built into contracts will remain with the market at least until summer. **How ASI Biont AI agents monitor this trend:** Our agents analyze over 300 sources — from satellite images of tanker trackers to CENTCOM statements and insurance company data — in 90 seconds. Instead of waiting for the morning briefing, a trader receives an alert about a military vessel moving in the strait long before it affects futures. The predictive model assesses the probability of escalation based on patterns from previous conflicts. ## Trend 2: Demand Destruction — Demand Melts Faster Than Forecasts The world's largest oil traders have reported deepening demand destruction — fuel consumption is falling due to prices that have settled above psychological thresholds. Airlines are cutting flights, logistics companies are rerouting, and industrial consumers in Europe and Asia are accelerating their shift to alternatives. May 2026 could be the first month when global oil demand shows negative year-on-year growth outside a recession. The IEA is revising its forecasts, but their data traditionally lags reality by 2-3 weeks. **How ASI Biont AI agents analyze demand:** The agent tracks real-time data on aviation kerosene from the world's 200 largest airports, satellite images of oil storage facilities (computer vision algorithms determine fill levels by tank shadows), and the industrial production index by parsing energy consumption data from industrial zones in China. The system analyzes this combination in 90 seconds and provides a 7-day demand forecast. ## Trend 3: Investment Shift — From Oil to Gas and Alternatives Amid price turbulence, the largest oil and gas corporations are revising their investment plans. TotalEnergies, Shell, and BP are accelerating their pivot toward LNG and low-carbon projects. Political risks are making long-term oil contracts toxic for institutional investors. May 2026 could be the month when the volume of new LNG contracts exceeds oil contracts for the first time in history. **How ASI Biont AI agents help track investment trends:** The agent scans corporate reports, investor presentations (including earnings call transcripts), and regulatory filings of the world's 150 largest energy companies. When a CEO mentions a "strategic shift," the AI captures it, compares it with previous statements over 3 years, and determines whether it's a real strategy change or rhetoric for shareholders. ## Why This Matters Right Now May 2026 is a moment when old forecasting models break down. Geopolitical risk, demand destruction, and the energy transition overlap, creating chaos that traditional analytical departments can't handle. There is too much data, and the speed of change is too high. ASI Biont AI agents are a tool that gives analysts processed, structured, and predictive information in seconds instead of days. Not replacing humans, but enhancing them. Launch your AI agent today — get 1500 tokens to start at asibiont.com. The market won't wait. 181 users are already using AI for decision-making — join them.