Oil Markets

In a fast-changing landscape where energy transition is the most popular catch phrase, the trading community is looking for answers on what's in store for the oil market over the next decade. Ravinder Kumar Malhotra , Director General of the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry, and Dave Ernsberger , Global Head of Pricing and Market Insight at S&P Global Platts, join Sambit Mohanty , Senior As...

While demand for tankers of clean and dirty oil products has yet to recover fully from the pandemic, prices of bunker fuels have been rising to 16-month highs, thus threatening the profitability of the shipping industry and making shipowners less willing to offer a certain number of loss-making routes. In this episode of the Oil Markets Podcast, S&P Global Platts reporters Britt Russell-Webster an...

Gasoline imports into the US Atlantic Coast have surged to record highs in recent months. Andrea Salazar and Anna Trier of S&P Global Platts look at what has been driving the flurry of imports -- from the recent Colonial Pipeline cyberattack to a winter storm that impacted the Gulf Coast -- and how long that is expected to last.

While the pandemic is far from over and coronavirus cases are still rising in some Asian countries, the front-month Brent crude futures breached on June 1 the $70/barrel ceiling and extended the rise the next day. From OPEC 's optimistic demand forecasts to uncertainty over Iran's production, caution seems to dominate the medium-term, and the longer-term role of energy transition may not be as bea...

China on May 14 announced that it will implement a consumption tax on mixed aromatics, light cycle oil and bitumen blend from June 12 in an effort to close a loophole in its tax system. This tax is expected to have repercussions not only in the domestic market, but also in the regional refined products market and crude markets.   Mixed aromatics and light cycle oil or LCO are used as blend stocks...

While the May 7 outage of the Colonial Pipeline prompted fears of fuel shortages on the US Atlantic Coast, it also led to talk of extra gasoline and diesel moving from Europe. But with COVID restrictions easing on both sides of the Atlantic, there are longer-term drivers at play. In this episode of the Oil Markets Podcast, S&P Global Platts reporters Rowan Staden-Coats and Allen Reed discuss with...

Global crude prices have staged an impressive rally, recovering to pre-COVID levels. However, many US Gulf Coast crude differentials and regional spreads are yet to normalize, raising the question if the 2020 demand shock and ongoing infrastructure buildout will have a permanent impact on relative prices. S&P Global Platts Americas Crude Managing Editor Laura Huchzermeyer discusses recent price tr...

While the European jet fuel market has yet to recover from the pandemic and continues to trade at low cash premiums, will demand for aviation fuel be boosted by the upcoming easing of travel restrictions within Europe and the potential resumption of non-essential trans-Atlantic flights? In this episode of the Oil Markets Podcast, S&P Global Platts reporters Virginie Malicier and Thomas Washington...

The astronomical surge in India's COVID-19 cases to record highs has baffled policymakers and overwhelmed the country's medical infrastructure. The current spread of infection has raised concerns that a crisis of unprecedented magnitude would take a toll on oil demand. S&P Global Platts Senior Asia Energy Editor Sambit Mohanty talks to Rajat Kapoor , Managing Director for Oil and Gas at AWR Lloyd,...

While the European gasoline market has been increasing strengthening versus its middle distillates counterpart, weighed down by COVID-19 restrictions in Europe, this has in turn led to a growing divergence between prices of low-sulfur and high-sulfur vacuum gasoil on the old continent. In this episode of the Oil Markets Podcast, S&P Global Platts reporters Stepan Lavrouk and Joseph Mcdonnell discu...

Soybean futures continue to support RVO prices as the US market awaits a Supreme Court decision to determine the future of small refinery exemptions. European exports continue to head toward the East Coast on improved gasoline cracks and market optimism, pressuring New York Harbor prices lower. Gulf Coast prices have spiked to three-year highs as refineries stabilize operations.

While the grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal has created countless memes, it has also reminded the world on the fragility of supply chains. In this episode of the Oil Markets Podcast, S&P Global Platts reporters Charlotte Bucchioni and Britt Russell-Webster discuss with Joel Hanley the impact of the blockage on freight and fuel markets, as well as the outlook as the queue slowly clears.

Major airlines in Asia have identified sustainable aviation fuel as having a potential to make a significant contribution to the global goal of reducing carbon emissions from commercial aviation. But the industry faces many challenges to overcome before SAF's potential can be realized. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the travel industry is on top of this list. S&P Global Platts oil exper...

The market for low sulfur fuel oils – 0.1% S and 0.5% S – has tightened on the refinery response to COVID-19 , while as a result of IMO 2020 , lackluster demand for 3.5% S is encouraging shippers to fit scrubbers which could flip fundamentals between the grades in the future. Meanwhile, a recent cold weather spell in Asia drew fuel oil supplies away from Europe, further adding to price volatility...

Rising prices and a failed trucker strike last month have rocked the Brazilian diesel market this year. Petrobras, Brazil's state-owned oil company, has raised fuel prices several times this year after pressure from independent importers, angering consumers and trucking unions. Petrobras' CEO was recently ousted by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, all while Petrobras sells off eight of its 13 r...

With oil prices reaching 13-month highs, surprising many market analysts, are these higher levels here to stay and how might they impact production levels of OPEC+ in the coming year? In this edition, S&P Global Platts Associate Editorial Director John Morley discusses the current crude fundamentals and expectations with Senior Editor Eklavya Gupte and North Sea Crude Editor Emma Kettley.

Middle Eastern crude producers are sending fewer cargoes to Asia, but refiners in the region are unfazed. S&P Global Platts Head of News for Asia Mriganka Jaipuriyar , Editor Mark Tan , and Adviser for Asia Oil Analytics JY Lim examine Asia's current refining landscape, the impact of the Myanmar coup on supply, and refiners' strategies to manage an unwanted buildup in stocks.   Related event: 8th...

Bad weather on the US Gulf Coast and a rise in crude oil prices has added to volatility in the European naphtha paper market -- belying more balanced physical fundamentals -- while export demand for European gasoline has shot up. S&P Global Platts reporters Evridiki Dimitriadou and Joseph McDonnel discuss the market with Francesco Di Salvo.

For fuel oil markets, 2020 was a strange year, as the global pandemic overshadowed implementation of the landmark IMO 2020 regulation. With global demand slowly returning, these grades are back in focus. S&P Global Platts editors Beth Brown and Patrick Burns talk with Matt Eversman, associate director of crude and fuel oil markets, about fuel oil market trends as well as Platts' consultation on ce...

The price of aviation fuel dropped to record lows at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. In this podcast, Platts reporters Emma Thomas and Chris Ewen tell Joel Hanley of the fuel's faltering steps back to a more normal market environment amid the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

The last few weeks saw temperatures in many parts of North Asia drop to record lows, and energy prices hit record highs.  Platts JKM , the benchmark for Asian spot  LNG prices, surged to $32.50/MMBtu , the highest since it was launched in early 2009. LNG freight rates hit unprecedented levels of nearly $300,000/day, trucked LNG in China rose to around $28/MMBtu, Japan's spot electricity prices hit...

As most refined products struggle to find demand through the pandemic's destruction, naphtha has found itself riding on a three-year high crack spread, supported by petrochemical demand. S&P Global Platts Associate Editorial Director Francesco Di Salvo discusses the unusual strength in naphtha prices with pricing reporters Evridiki Dimitriadou and Joe Mcdonnell, as well as the limitations for the...

US NGLs have strengthened across the board early in 2021, with some of those gains tied to increases in West Texas Intermediate and others linked in robust demand from the petrochemical sector and other global markets. LPG editor MK Bower discusses what is driving pricing strength for propane and butane, how ethane is recovering from the demand destruction wrought during hurricane season, and why...

As the major road freight fuel for Europe and beyond, how has diesel coped with the global pandemic and what are its prospects heading into the new year? Platts reporters Virginie Malicier and Rowan Staden-Coats discuss the diesel markets with Joel Hanley.

As 2020 finally draws to a close, Oil Markets Podcast hosts from around the world – Mriganka Jaipuriyar, Joel Hanley and Richard Swann – gather to discuss the year in detail, and try to chart a path to recovery in 2021.