Commodities Focus

S&P Global Platts senior natural gas writer Harry Weber and S&P Global Market Intelligence natural gas reporter Corey Paul discuss with Platts senior digital editor Jason Lindquist current trends in the North American gas midstream sector as operators of pipelines, processing facilities and liquefaction terminals begin to release third-quarter financial results. The outlook for demand and growth spending will be among the key things the market will be watching.

Ira Joseph, head of gas and power for S&P Global Platts Analytics, and Ryan Ouwerkerk, manager of Americas natural gas pricing for S&P Global Platts, are back, this time to lay out the bullish and bearish cases for Henry Hub, TTF and JKM heading into winter. While the key element will be whether winter temperatures will arrive in key global demand markets, listen in to hear about how the interplay of declining US production, bulging US and European storage inventories, floating LNG storage, new pipeline infrastructure and Chinese demand will converge to drive pricing higher or lower.

Front of mind to the California Independent System Operator is resource adequacy, as it also works to adapt the market to the energy transition taking place globally. Outgoing President and CEO Steven Berberich talks with S&P Global Platts editor Kassia Micek about those issues and continuing regional collaboration in the West.

To date, there is no integrated strategic vision for trading low carbon hydrogen, but European gas grid operator SNAMs VP of Hydrogen Cosma Panzacchi discusses ways that could happen over time with S&P Global Platts Hydrogen Content and Pricing Specialist Jeffrey McDonald. Discussion topics include development of the European Hydrogen Backbone, the formation of local vs. international supply chains, and the need for clear international standards on low carbon hydrogen. Panzacchi indicates where markets will develop first, and what kind of pricing will be needed, as hydrogen markets emerge.

Southwest Power Pool expects wind generation to return to the top of the fuel stack and become the No. 1 fuel source for 2020, while keeping an eye on the evolution of energy storage and continuing its expansion of the Western Energy Imbalance System market. Barbara Sugg discusses her first six months as SPP president & CEO, which started with the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic, with Kassia Micek, an editor covering North American power markets for S&P Global Platts.

Ira Joseph, head of gas and power for S&P Global Platts Analytics, and Ryan Ouwerkerk, manager of Americas natural gas pricing for S&P Global Platts, are joined by John Hilfiker, S&P Global Platts Analytics in-house Mexico natural gas expert, to discuss the impact that the long-awaited infrastructure developments in Mexico will have on supply reliability, pricing on both sides of the border, and the long-term impact on the global LNG market. Beyond Mexico, topics include the global gas market and the continued rise of JKM and bullish tendencies in the North American market.

While a weak orderbook is seen with enthusiasm by tanker owners, who have suffered from increased competition amid structural overtonnage, floating storage enquiries and weaker scrapping prices have caused owners to refrain from scrapping their oldest tonnage in 2020. Our shipping experts discuss the latests developments in an oversupplied freight market. To learn more about the shipping markets, check out our latest special report, which looks at what's in store for Q4 2020 and beyond.

In a year of high volatility in the energy basket and more uncertainties than in recent history, S&P Global Platts editors discuss the main aspects that have been supporting Brazilian ethanol prices, despite the turmoil at the beginning of the 2020-21 Center-South crop and plunging demand in 2020. Senior price specialist Nicolle Monteiro de Castro talks with senior biofuels analyst Beatriz Pupo about estimates for Brazilian sugar and ethanol production, consumption, trade flows and price behavior amid COVID-19.

With trans-Pacific container rates at an all-time high, even more containers are flowing from Asia to the US. The return leg is a different story, however, with empty space frequently seen on board. The US agriculture industry has spotted this crack, and expectations are high that containerized soybeans, wheat, and corn could fill the gap.

Harry Weber, Platts senior natural gas writer in Houston, and Stuart Elliott, editorial lead, Generating Fuels News, in London, discuss with Platts senior digital editor Jason Lindquist themes from the recently completed Gastech virtual conference and the outlook for gas, LNG and the integration of renewables in the energy transition occurring in parts of the world heading into 2021.