Tag: Oil

World Oil Supply, Demand And Price Outlook, January 2019

Posted on by Robert Boslego

The Energy Information Administration released its Short-Term Energy Outlook for January, and it shows that OECD oil inventories likely bottomed last June at 2.806 billion barrels. It estimated an 8 barrel gain for December to 2.883 billion, 39 million barrels higher than a year ago.

Throughout 2019, OECD inventories are generally expected to rise. At year-end, EIA projects ending the year with 2.951 million barrels, 68 million more than at the end of 2018.

EIA also extended its outlook through 2020 for the first time. It projects that stocks will build another 75 million barrels to end the year at 3.025 billion. That would push stocks into glut territory.

Short-Term Energy Outlook

Oil Price Implications

I performed a simple linear regression between OECD oil inventories and WTI crude oil prices for the period 2008 through 2017. As expected, there are periods where the price deviates greatly from the regression model. But overall, the model provides a reasonably high r-square result of 79 percent. Continue reading "World Oil Supply, Demand And Price Outlook, January 2019" →

World Oil Supply, Demand And Price Outlook, December 2018

Posted on by Robert Boslego

The Energy Information Administration released its Short-Term Energy Outlook for December, and it shows that OECD oil inventories likely bottomed in March at 2.807 billion barrels. It estimated a 10-million barrel gain for November to 2.902 billion. Though it forecasts that stocks will drop in December to 2.894 billion, that is 50 million barrels higher than a year ago.

Throughout 2019, OECD inventories are generally expected to rise, reaching 3.010 billion barrels in November. Its projections end the year with 88 million barrels more than at the end of 2018, glut territory.

oil

OPEC pledged to cut its production by 800,000 b/d from the October level for the first six months of 2019. EIA estimates OPEC production at 32.9 million barrels per day (mmbd), including Qatar, which will no longer be a member of OPEC in January. EIA’s assume OPEC production for 2019 is 31.8 mmbd, and so that represents a larger 1.1 mmbd drop. Continue reading "World Oil Supply, Demand And Price Outlook, December 2018" →

"OPEC, The Market and Oil Bulls Have Run Out of Runway" - Andy Hall

Posted on by Robert Boslego

Robert Boslego - INO.com Contributor - Energies


Andy Hall has forsaken his bull oil market position. In an investment letter dated July 3rd, he wrote, “Whereas it once seemed positions could be held with an eye to a longer-term secular appreciation, that is no longer the case…. In short, OPEC, the market and oil bulls have run out of runway.”

Andy Hall
Source: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg

Mr. Hall explained his reasoning this way:

“Hitherto, it had been our view that oil would trend higher as prices would need to rise to a level that would justify investment in more costly sources of supply than just the core areas of US shale. However, not only has the core shale oil resource grown significantly — above all in the prolific Permian Basin — but break-evens have dropped because of secular productivity gains outpacing cyclical cost increases, at least for now…. If the marginal cost of oil for the next 3 or 4 years is headed to the mid-$40 range, then OPEC’s attempts to push prices to $60 seem futile.” Continue reading ""OPEC, The Market and Oil Bulls Have Run Out of Runway" - Andy Hall" →

OPEC Deals Have Effectively Collapsed

Posted on by Robert Boslego

Robert Boslego - INO.com Contributor - Energies


When OPEC announced its agreement 30 November 2016, it pledged to bring its collective ceiling to 32.5 million barrels per day (mmbd), effective 1st of January 2017. At the time, that ceiling included Indonesia, which was in the process of withdrawing from the cartel. The adjusted ceiling, therefore, became about 31.76 mmbd, excluding Indonesia’s 740,000 b/d output.

The deal was extended at the end of May for an additional nine months through March 2018. At the press conference, OPEC president and Saudi energy minister, Khalid Al-Falih, answered a question about the rising production in Libya and Nigeria. He responded by saying that other OPEC members would adjust their output accordingly to allow, for their increases.

But data throughout 2017, and most recently June, reveal no such adjustments have been made. According to Reuters, June production averaged 32.57 mmbd, about 820,000 b/d above its ceiling, as adjusted.

And Libyan production has continued to rise, topping 1.0 mmbd at month’s end. Nigerian exports are scheduled to reach at least two mmbd in August, 500,000 b/d higher than in the cartel’s base month (October 2016).

OPEC’s output in October was around 33.7 mmbd (including Indonesia). And so June’s production of 33.3 mmbd (including Indonesia) is only about 400,000 b/d lower.

Based on the above expectations for rising output in August, the OPEC deal is effectively dead. OPEC production will be back to about where it was in October. Continue reading "OPEC Deals Have Effectively Collapsed" →

Where Will OPEC's Cuts Affect Imports, Inventories?

Posted on by Robert Boslego

Robert Boslego - INO.com Contributor - Energies


OPEC agreed to cut oil production by 1.164 million barrels per day beginning in January. Non-OPEC producers agreed to cut production around 560,000 b/d. The agreements were silent on exports.

Thus far, U.S. crude oil imports have been rising, despite the OPEC-non-OPEC cuts. In the year-to-date, net crude imports averaged 7.583 million barrels per day, up 2.7% v. the same period last year.

U.S. Net Crude Imports

U.S. crude imports from OPEC, in total, and Saudi Arabia, in particular, remain at high levels seven weeks into the cut. Crude imports from OPEC countries averaged 3.248 mmbd over the past 4 weeks, 14% higher than the same weeks last year. Continue reading "Where Will OPEC's Cuts Affect Imports, Inventories?" →