Oil Markets

The recent expansions of the US Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) vessel sanction list have sent shockwaves throughout the tankers and crude oil markets, raising questions about potential shifts in crude import strategies for China and India. Market participants are closely monitoring the extent to which Iranian and Russian crude exports may be disrupted, how major importers like China and In...

With European stockpiles of gasoline reaching uncharacteristically high levels in recent weeks, Joel Hanley is joined in this episode by Ernest Puey and Matthew Tracey-Cook . Together, they delve into the factors driving the incentive to store gasoline and explore the latest shifts in the product's flows across the Atlantic Basin. Links: Platts 10ppm Premium AR barges - PGABM00 Platts Eurobob FOB...

US refiners have had a dramatic start to the new year, facing wintry blasts on the East Coast and devastating wildfires on the West Coast. Plummeting transportation fuel demand in Southern California, strong heating fuel demand in the Northeast, and cheap blending components in the Gulf Coast have created a balancing act for producers and shippers of gasoline and distillates -- and consumers pay t...

High volumes of WTI Midland crude arrived in Europe in December, significantly impacting light sweet sentiment in both the North Sea and West African markets. As we enter the new year, a resurgence of demand from Asia is beginning to reshape the landscape. Joel Hanley is joined by Joey Daly and George Delaney to explore the effects of renewed Asian demand for Western barrels and reflect on a month...

It's been quite the year for oil markets. In this special episode of the podcast, Joel Hanley , Jeff Mower , Sambit Mohanty and Richard Swann look back at 2024 and try to untangle the biggest themes, including slowing demand growth, the incoming Trump administration, and the formidable challenge for OPEC+ in its quest for market control. The panel also discusses trade flows, new crude supply, and...

The Russian government's announcement of the partial resumption of gasoline exports by the country's refineries comes at a time when global oil product flows are constantly evolving. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets podcast, Francesco Di Salvo is joined by Elza Turner , Robert Perkins and Matthew Tracey-Cook to discuss the reasons behind Russia's decision and what it means for product tra...

China will slash its clean oil product export tax rebates from 13% to 9% starting December 1, which will likely dampen outflows from Asia's third-largest oil product exporter. While this move may be seen as China laying the groundwork for potential trade talks with the US, other factors, such as capacity rationalization and mounting government debt, could also be at play. In light of a potential U...

After several false starts in developing domestic refining capacity, the African continent is now home to one of the world's largest refineries. But while Nigeria's Dangote refinery was expected to meet domestic fuel demand, distribution costs and affordability issues have driven it to export markets.  With new projects soon to come on stream in Angola, Congo, Ghana and elsewhere, Francesco Di Sal...

Much has been said about Donald Trump's ambitions in upstream oil sector, specifically his promise to unleash US oil producers and boost output. Conventional oil refiners, many of which have invested in renewables, are hopeful that Trump will reduce support for electric vehicles, propping up demand for conventional fuels. Biofuels producers are looking for Trump to maintain the tax incentives that...

The election of Donald Trump for a second term as US president has brought significant attention to US energy policy. Meanwhile, OPEC+ announced on November 3 its decision to delay tapering production cuts of 2.2 million b/d from December to January, having previously postponed from October 2024. As markets absorb president-elect Trump's victory, Payam Hashempour and Charlie Mitchell join Joel Han...

Crude production in the Permian Basin is growing, but pipeline capacity growth out of the West Texas/New Mexico play is lagging. With Permian crude output expected to reach roughly 7 million b/d by December 2025, some industry watchers are concerned that tight exit capacity could lead to wider crude price discounts for Midland WTI. Will the market see a repeat of August 2018, when the WTI Midland...

The footprint of US crude oil is rapidly expanding, intensifying competition with OPEC and non-OPEC supplies in key Asian markets. As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalate, how much US crude can fill potential supply gaps in Asia? Additionally, how could policies under a new US administration, whether led by Trump or Harris, impact oil outflows? In a wide-ranging discussion with Sambit...

As high sulfur fuel oil cracks in Europe hover at year-to-date highs outside of their traditional summer peaks, reporters Tommy Petrou and Takis Gounaris join Joel Hanley to delve into the fundamentals that are providing a firm footing for fuel oil markets in Europe as heightened tensions in the Middle East stir up volatility across the commodities complex. Links: FIRST TAKE Whatsapp channel: http...

California gasoline prices are notoriously volatile, and state's lawmakers are taking notice. California's Senate is considering a bill proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom that would require state refiners to increase gasoline inventories and would also give the state additional control over refinery maintenance programs. How much does California's boutique blend play into the state's high gasoline...

As oil derivatives and futures contracts navigate volatile seas, how are the more prompt physical spot markets reacting to an expected return of Libyan supply amid other regional developments? Join Joel Hanley in this episode of the Oil Markets podcast as he engages with market experts Luke Stuart , George Delaney , and Joey Daly . They explore the impact of escalating tensions in the Middle East...

Oil demand in India and China—the two Asian giants—was a key topic of discussion at the Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference. China's oil demand going forward remains a significant concern for oil-producing nations as oil consumption from Asia's largest economy is waning amid weaker-than-expected economic growth and ongoing property woes, a double whammy for diesel demand. Meanwhile, crude producers...

The impending closure of Grangemouth, one of the last six refineries in the UK, raises urgent questions about the future of Europe's refining landscape as profitability declines. Our experts examine the challenges facing the European downstream sector, including evolving supply chains and the impact of energy transition trends. In this Oil Markets podcast episode, join host Herman Wang, Elza Turne...

Crude futures prices have tumbled recently in part as supply expectations are outweighing demand forecasts. On the supply side, non-OPEC crude production has been rising, driven largely by output gains in the US, Canada, Guyana and Brazil. On the demand side, slowing economic growth, notably in China, has reduced the expected need for crude, at least in the near term. What role is technology playi...

Since the politically motivated suspension of crude oil production in Libya on August 26, the oil markets have experienced a heightened level of volatility, with price fluctuations depending on almost every new headline. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets Podcast,  Joel Hanley is joined by reporters Charlie Mitchell and Luke Stuart to delve into the country's long history of production woes...

Emerging trends in Asian oil consumption centers, enhancing energy security and the decarbonization strategies Asian countries are pursuing will be some of the themes in focus at the Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference or APPEC 2024, by S&P Global Commodity Insights, which is scheduled to take place from September 9-12 in Singapore.   In a wide-ranging discussion with Asian Energy Editor  Sambit  Mo...

Economic growth has slowed in China, cutting into US crude exports and softening spot price differentials for US Gulf Mars crude. The expected supply surplus stemming from reduced Chinese buying has also helped to cushion the bullish impacts of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, keeping oil futures in a well-worn range.    Jeff Mower speaks with US crude reporter Laura Huchzermeyer, crude a...

OPEC's latest and eagerly watched monthly oil market report, which presented a softer near-term demand outlook compared to its July forecasts, has coincided with a dip in oil prices at a time when the group has made clear its intention to gradually reintroduce supply to the market. Can OPEC and its allies remain calm in the face of a sluggish demand picture? In this episode of the Oil Markets podc...

The future of Venezuela's oil industry is in the crosshairs of a political battle. Current president Nicolás Maduro is fighting to maintain power following a contested July 28 election, and protests have caused gasoline shortages in the country, where supply is already limited by low refinery run rates. While crude production has held up, Venezuela's exports have fallen, and it is possible the US...

In July, US diesel exports to Europe surged to multi-year highs, displacing Middle Eastern flows due to inverted arbitrage economics and a bearish near-term outlook for the commodity in Europe. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets Podcast, host  Joel Hanley is joined by Robert Perkins , Nadia Bliznikova , and Rebeka Foley to explore the latest developments in diesel flows, crack spreads, and...

Never before India's oil import basket has changed so dramatically as it has changed in the past three years. The sharp rise in the share of Russian barrels have displaced big volumes of Middle Eastern crude. And now, as Indian refiners start to explore the possibility of signing term deals for Russian crude, market players are looking for answers on how this might further change trade flows as we...