President Donald Trump and Central Command on Sunday said the US will start escorting foreign vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz under a new "humanitarian" initiative dubbed Project Freedom, marking a significant escalation in efforts to address the global energy crisis triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Centcom said the effort, dubbed "Project Freedom", would include guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, drones and 15,000 service members . About 800 commercial vessels are believed to be stuck in place because of the Iranian restrictions and U.S.-imposed blockade on Iran , according to The Washington Times. Many of these ships are running low on food and everything else necessary for large-scale crews to stay on board in a healthy and sanitary manner , Trump said in his announcement.

The operation began Monday morning Middle East time, with a quarter of the world's oil trade at sea and significant volumes of fuel and fertilizer products transported through the strait , according to U.S. Central Command. According to market data, WTI crude traded at $71.50 per barrel on Sunday, up 0.6%, while Brent crude stood at $75.20 per barrel, up 0.5%.

OPEC+ Raises Production in Symbolic Move

OPEC+ has agreed an increase in oil output of 188,000 barrels per day, the cartel said on Sunday, as it pushes on with production in the first meeting since the loss of its key member, the United Arab Emirates , CNBC reported. The countries — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman — held a virtual meeting on Sunday to review market conditions and outlook .

OPEC+ has agreed to a modest, largely symbolic oil output increase for June as the United States-Israel war on Iran disrupts Gulf supplies through the Strait of Hormuz , according to Al Jazeera. However, raising the quota on paper may not have much impact on actual production, which is already short of the limit , analysts told AFP.

The June increase comes against a backdrop of historic supply collapse across the Gulf. The Iran war wiped out 7.88 million barrels per day of Opec's production in March, marking a 27 per cent monthly decline to 20.79 million bpd , The National reported. The supply disruption has propelled oil prices to a four-year high of more than $125 per barrel as analysts begin to predict widespread jet fuel shortages in one to two months and a spike in global inflation , according to Al Jazeera.

Shell Bets Big on Canadian Energy

In a major reversal of strategy, British oil major Shell on Monday said it agreed a deal to buy Canadian energy company ARC Resources in an output-boosting deal valued at $16.4 billion. The transaction will add roughly 370,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to Shell's portfolio , CNBC reported.

After selling off a large chunk of its Canadian assets nearly a decade ago, U.K.-based energy giant Shell is now expanding its operations in Alberta and British Columbia by acquiring Calgary-based ARC Resources for $22 billion , according to CBC News. The Agreement strengthens Shell's integrated gas business and creates a new platform for growth in Canada by adding long‑duration, high‑quality Montney resource , Shell announced.

At a time when the world is facing severe energy supply disruptions because of the conflict in the Middle East, more companies could be looking for a stake in the large oil and natural gas reserves of Western Canada , analysts told CBC. With its reserve life index below 10 years, Shell is using the acquisition to move away from low-profit green energy and secure decades of profitable Canadian oil and gas , according to oil and gas analyst John Stevenson at Granite Point Research.

Trump Approves "Keystone Light" Pipeline

President Donald Trump granted a key approval Thursday for a major new oil pipeline from Canada into the U.S. that's been dubbed "Keystone Light" over its similarities to a contentious project blocked by the Biden administration , the Associated Press reported.

The three-foot-wide Bridger Pipeline Expansion would carry up to 550,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada through Montana and Wyoming, where it would link with another pipeline . The newly approved pipeline avoids some of the earlier controversies by largely following existing infrastructure corridors and not crossing Native American reservations , according to project developers.

OilPrice.com reported that the primary stated purpose of the proposed 647-mile Bridger Pipeline expansion is to transport up to 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Canadian crude from the U.S.-Canada border in Montana to Guernsey, Wyoming . Additional state and federal environmental approvals are required before construction can begin, with developers targeting a start date in as early as 2027 , according to The Washington Examiner.

Wind Industry Faces National Security Hurdles

President Donald Trump's administration has brought U.S. onshore wind development to a halt, citing national security concerns, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. Approvals for about 165 onshore wind projects on private lands are being held up by the Pentagon , Reuters reported, citing the American Clean Power Association.

The affected projects include wind farms that were awaiting final sign-off, others in the middle of negotiations and some that typically would not require oversight by the Pentagon , the FT said. The Trump administration has previously faced lawsuits after pausing wind projects after it cited new classified national security risks from radar interference .

OilPrice.com reported that in April, federal judge Denise J Casper in Massachusetts ruled against the administration's attempts to halt renewable energy projects , indicating the legal challenges facing Trump's renewable energy crackdown.

The convergence of these developments—from naval operations in the Strait of Hormuz to major acquisitions in Canada's oil patch—underscores how geopolitical tensions are reshaping global energy markets and driving investment back toward traditional hydrocarbon resources.