 ## The Energy Paradox: Oil at $103, Big Tech on Gas, and BP Pumps Again While the world discusses the energy transition, reality paints a very different picture. Brent has settled above $103 per barrel — a +45% increase from March lows. Russian oil revenues are rising despite sanctions. BP, under new CEO Meg O'Neill, is pivoting back to oil and gas. And Big Tech, which pledged carbon neutrality, is funding space solar and fusion but still relies on gas. What is really happening? Three trends defining energy in 2026: 1. Oil is not going anywhere. Sanctions have reshuffled logistics but not demand. Russia has redirected flows, and oil revenues are growing. Brent above $100 is not a speculative bubble but a structural supply deficit. The world simply hasn't had time to replace Russian volumes. 2. BP returns to its roots. A historic pivot: the new CEO — an American, a veteran of oil and gas — is scaling back the green experiments of her predecessor. This is a signal to the entire industry. The energy transition has proven more expensive and slower than McKinsey consultants promised. 3. Big Tech plays the long game. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are investing in orbital solar stations and nuclear fusion — projects with a 2035+ horizon. Meanwhile, their AI data centers burn gas. The paradox: the AI boom has created such energy demand that it cannot be met without fossil fuels. What does this mean for investors? The oil and gas sector remains a cash flow machine for at least 5-7 years. US shale production is not growing — drilling rigs are stagnating. OPEC+ controls the market. Brent $90-110 is the new equilibrium range. Green energy is a bet on the 2030s. Not on tomorrow. Analytical department of ASI Biont. Data: OilPrice.com, Alpha Vantage, Investing.com. https://asibiont.com/