Venezuela blockade causes crude surge, Santos, Woodside grab attention

With US Coast Guard in active pursuit of third vessel after seizing two oil tankers earlier this month, Crude oil prices surged further.  Rebounding from near four-year lows subsequent to U.S. President Donald Trump ordering a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, the move has restored momentum in oil markets as supply risks have returned to focus and the following ASX energy stocks are well positioned to benefit from rising oil prices and improving sentiment across the sector.

Woodside Energy Group Limited (ASX: WDS) 

delivered production of 50.8 million barrels of oil equivalent in the September quarter which was slightly higher than the previous quarter.
Quarterly revenue reached $3.36 billion as the company benefited from its diversified asset base and an average realised price of around $60 per barrel of oil.

The Sangomar project alone generated approximately $477 million in revenue during the quarter which highlights the increasing contribution of this high margin offshore asset.
The Scarborough Energy Project is now more than 90% complete and is on track to achieve first LNG production in the second half of 2026.

Rising oil prices are supportive for Woodside given its significant exposure to crude oil which allows higher realised pricing helped by the company’s scale and low-cost operating profile.

Beach Energy Limited (ASX: BPT) 

delivered a strong start to FY26 which highlights its leverage to a supportive oil and gas price environment and the operational momentum that is building across its core basins.

In the September 2025 quarter, the company reported an 8% quarter-on-quarter increase in production to 5.0 MMboe and sales volumes increased by 15% to 6.8 MMboe while sales revenue rose by 18% to $537 million.
A key near-term catalyst is the Waitsia Gas Plant where commissioning is largely complete and first sales gas is expected imminently which positions Beach to benefit from rising domestic gas demand.

The combination of rising production and exposure to higher prices positions Beach Energy as an attractive stock for investors in this industry.

Santos Limited (ASX: STO) 

delivered a strong September 2025 quarter as production reached 21.3 mmboe while year to date production held steady at 65.4 mmboe which occurred despite planned maintenance activities and weather disruptions.

Sales revenue for the quarter was approximately $1.1 billion which lifted cumulative year to date revenue to $3.7 billion and free cash flow from operations was around $300 million for the quarter which highlights the strength of low-cost structure.

Santos is entering a catalyst rich phase as Barossa LNG moves into production while Pikka advances towards first oil alongside continued optimisation across the existing asset base.

With a diversified portfolio, an improving production profile and strong leverage to rising oil prices, Santos is well positioned to benefit from a supportive energy market while continuing to deliver sustainable cash flows.

(Source: Company Reports)