Oil Ground Up

Rory Johnston welcomes Arjun Murti, a partner at Veriten and former Goldman Sachs equity research analyst with 33 years of experience covering the full energy value chain. Murti discusses his Substack, SuperSpiked, explaining that the branding harkens back to the 2004 call for a super cycle, though the current framework emphasizes multi-year "super volatility" rather than a new permanent...

This episode of the Oil Ground Up, hosted by Rory Johnston, welcomes back Robert Connors of Crude Chronicles to delve into the broad historical sweep of oil market cycles. Connors explains his long-term analysis, introducing the "DOPE cycle" (Doubt, Optimism, Parabolic Euphoria), and suggests the current oil market finds itself in the early "doubt wave" phase. The discussion ex...

In this episode of Oil Ground Up, host Rory sits down with June Goh, Senior Market Analyst at Sparta, for a masterclass on the physical oil market. With a background as a chemical engineer and years of experience in scheduling, trading, and strategy at Shell's Pulau Bukong refinery, June offers a uniquely nuanced and holistic understanding of how refineries operate and drive global commodity f...

Today we speak with Dr. Ilia Bouchouev, former President of Koch Global Partners where he launched and managed the global derivatives trading business for over 20 years. Traditional supply and demand models no longer explain the oil market, where the correlation between fundamentals and price is now close to zero. Ilia leads Rory into a narrative about his "virtual barrel" thesis, explor...

ory dives deep into energy risk management with industry veteran Steve Sinos. Steve, with over 20 years of experience, explains how energy derivatives—from Futures and Options to CFDs—are crucial risk management tools designed to shift, not destroy, market risk. The episode frames this through the practical scenario of advising a regional airline on hedging its largest cost: fuel price exposure. S...

Rory speaks with Bloomberg expert Brett Gibbs about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and its profound impact across energy, agriculture, and gasoline prices. Brett highlights the market's policy-driven nature, contrasting stable ethanol volumes with the rapid, four-fold growth of renewable diesel, which now significantly displaces petroleum diesel. A key distinction is renewable diesel's...

In this conversation, Brandon Myers from Novi Labs discusses the intricacies of shale production, focusing on type curves, price sensitivity, and the evolving landscape of the US shale patch. He emphasizes the importance of understanding breakeven metrics and the impact of inventory dynamics on future production. The discussion also highlights the role of efficiency gains and technological advance...

In this episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, host Rory Johnston delves into the complex dynamics of US-India trade relations, focusing on the recent imposition of secondary tariffs by President Trump in response to India's continued purchases of Russian oil. Joined by Gregory Brew, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group, the discussion explores whether these tariffs are a strategic move in broader...

In this episode of "Oil Ground Up," host Rory Johnston delves into the dynamic landscape of the Western Canadian oil and gas sector with expert insights from Michael Spyker, Principal Analyst at HTM Energy Partners. The discussion navigates the complexities of the non-oil sands sector, focusing on the Montney and Duvernay plays, and explores the strategic implications of Strathcona's...

In this episode of "Oil Ground Up," host Rory engages with Rachel Ziemba, an expert in sanctions policy, to unravel the intricate web of economic statecraft. They delve into the complexities of sanctions regimes under the Trump administration, exploring their impact on global oil markets and geopolitical dynamics. From the bifurcation of the oil market to the shadow fleet's role in c...

In this episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, host Rory Johnston is joined by Arnab Datta, Managing Director of Policy Implementation at Employ America, to delve into the intricate history and evolving role of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Discover why the SPR was established in the aftermath of the Arab oil embargo, how it has been managed through various administrations, and the pi...

In 2014, the collaborative vision of engineers François Cazor and Jean Maynier ignited a journey towards revolutionising trade through the power of innovative data technology. Today, OGU Host, Rory Johnston, welcomes Francois Cazor onto the pod to discuss the evolution of oil market data, the journey of Kpler from carbon markets to oil analytics, and the impact of real-time data on price formation...

Rory Johnston speaks with Karim Fawaz, Director of Oil Markets and Refining at S&P Global Commodity Insights. They discuss the evolving dynamics of the oil market, particularly the geopolitical risk premium, spare capacity, and the changing demand landscape influenced by the US and China. Karim shares insights from his extensive experience in the oil market, highlighting how perceptions of ris...

Rory and Matt Reed discuss the recent escalation of tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States, focusing on the military actions taken by Israel against Iranian targets and the implications for regional stability and the oil market. They explore the motivations behind Israel's strikes, the U.S. response, and the reactions from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The conversatio...

This conversation delves into the critical role of tankers in the global oil market with shipping analyst Jeff McGee of Makai Marine. Him and Rory explore the importance in transporting crude and refined products using the tanker market. The discussion covers the various types of tankers, the role of ship brokers in chartering, and the dynamics of freight rates influenced by supply and demand. Add...

In this episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, host Rory speaks with Tamas Varga, a seasoned oil market analyst from PVM Oil Associates, about the current state of the oil market. They discuss the complexities of oil demand, particularly focusing on macroeconomic indicators, the impact of geopolitical tensions, and the evolving dynamics within OPEC. Tamas shares insights on the contradictory signal...

Mark Rossano connects with Rory and discusses the complexities of the oil and gas market, focusing on price volatility, OPEC's production strategies, and the geopolitical implications of Iran and Russia's oil exports. He emphasizes the importance of diesel in the economy and the impact of EU sanctions on global oil flows. The conversation provides insights into the current state of the energy sect...

OGU's new host, Rory Johnston, welcomes in Adi Imsirovic to delve into the complexities of the oil trading industry, exploring Adi's extensive background in both academia and commercial trading. They discuss the current challenges faced by OPEC, the impact of tariffs on oil demand, and the shifting dynamics of the energy market, particularly in light of the growing influence of electric ve...

In this episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, Dr. Robert E. Brooks discusses the evolution of the LNG market, the role of RBAC in energy modeling, and the current dynamics of global energy supply, particularly focusing on the relationship between the U.S. and China regarding LNG exports. Dr. Brooks highlights the significant changes in the LNG industry over the years, the impact of geopolitical fa...

Tony Greer interviews Brian Rainsborough and Chris Sembritzky from Renaissance Energy Africa about their exciting oil exploration efforts in Namibia. They discuss the significance of drilling one of the largest onshore wells in history, the geological challenges and potential of the region, and the economic viability of their operations. The conversation also covers the infrastructure in Namibia,...

In this episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, Patrick De Haan, Lead Petroleum Analyst at GasBuddy, discusses his career journey and the role of GasBuddy in tracking gas prices. He delves into the impact of energy policies on oil prices, the dynamics of OPEC's production decisions, and the forecast for future gas prices. The conversation also covers regional differences in gas prices across the...

Josef Schachter, President of Schachter Energy Research Services, provides insights into the oil market and Canadian energy sector. He discusses the impact of US tariffs on Canadian oil, noting that the weakened Canadian dollar can offset some of the tariff's impact, and that the US Midwest relies on Canadian heavy crude due to quality issues with Mexican oil and restrictions on Venezuelan imp...

In this episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, Ian Wagner sits in for Tony Greer and interviews Steve Sinos, managing partner at Blue Lacy Advisors, about the intricacies of risk management in the energy sector. They discuss the importance of understanding commodity risk, the dynamics of oil and crude tariffs, insights into the LNG market, and the volatility of WTI prices. Sinos emphasizes the need...

Tony Greer and Robert Connors delve into the current state of the energy markets, exploring the impact of political changes, trends in oil and natural gas prices, and the future of uranium and nuclear energy. Connors shares his insights on the importance of returns on capital in the energy sector and discusses the evolution of his business, Crude Chronicles, emphasizing the value of independent an...

In this episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, Dan Romito shares his journey from NASDAQ to Pickering Energy Partners, discussing the challenges and opportunities within the energy sector. He emphasizes the importance of understanding ESG, the need for better representation of the energy industry, and the impact of political changes on energy policy. Romito also highlights the critical role of reso...