BP Chair Ousted Amid Governance Crisis; Global Gas Supply Concerns Mount

BP's ousted chair, Albert Manifold, has publicly denied allegations of misconduct following his sudden dismissal by the company's board, according to a report from OilPrice.com. Manifold, who served just eight months, stated he drove "genuine change at BP – cutting costs, challenging excess and holding the organisation to higher standards" and disputed the characterization of his conduct. The board's decision was based on "serious concerns" about his conduct, including reports of "volcanic" behaviour and bullying claims.

This leadership crisis extends a period of upheaval for the energy major, which has had three chairs in the past year and four chief executives since 2020, OilPrice.com notes. Analyst Maurizio Carulli commented that the departure was "a surprise" but emphasized BP's operational improvements were the result of the entire organization. The turmoil threatens a nascent recovery in BP's financial performance, though its shares have outperformed rivals Shell, ExxonMobil, and Chevron this year, aided by higher hydrocarbon prices.

Separately, German energy giant Uniper warns that Germany could face natural gas shortages next winter if the rate of filling storage sites does not accelerate, OilPrice.com reported. Uniper's CEO Michael Lewis told a German newspaper that storage facilities were only 30.6% full as of May 27, well below last year's level. He stated, “If we don’t fill the gas storage facilities quickly, we’ll have a problem next winter.” The slow refill rates are attributed to unprofitable storage due to soaring European natural gas prices, which have jumped about 40% from pre-war levels.

The price surge and supply competition follow major global gas supply disruptions, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian missile attacks on Qatar’s LNG infrastructure, which wiped out about 20% of global daily LNG flows, according to the report. European buyers are now losing the competition with Asia for spot LNG supply.

In related geopolitical news, the U.S. carried out airstrikes on an Iranian military site near the Strait of Hormuz and imposed new sanctions, Rigzone reported. The actions aim to prevent Tehran from profiting from vessels transiting the strategic waterway, highlighting ongoing regional tensions that directly impact global oil transport and pricing.

For Bakken operators, these global events underscore the interconnected factors influencing crude markets: corporate governance instability at major players, precarious European energy security, and persistent geopolitical risk in key oil transit regions. The reported boost to hydrocarbon prices from the Strait of Hormuz closure remains a relevant backdrop for North Dakota production economics.