Oil Markets

Heavy crude supplies to the US Gulf Coast have tightened. Waterborne imports have dropped sharply, driven largely by declines from Mexico and Venezuela. Canadian wildfires have further limited access to heavy barrels, and refiners like Valero are starting to feel the squeeze. Why are Mexican and Venezuelan crude imports collapsing, and can they recover? Why aren’t USGC refiners just turning to Canada via pipeline to replace lost barrels? What Canadian pipeline expansion plans are in the works to bring more crude to the USGC or overseas markets?  Jeff Mower, director of Americas oil news, speaks with senior oil news editor Ashok Dutta and Canadian oil market reporter Alex Saucer to break down what’s driving the tightness and where new supply might come from. Links: Pacific Cold Lake vs ICE Brent ATMXC00 Pacific Dilbit vs ICE Brent ATMXG00 Western Canadian Select at Hardisty vs WTI CMA AAPPP00 Western Canadian Select at Cushing vs WTI CMA AAWTZ00

  Oil is going through a period of uneasy calm. The higher-than-expected rise in OPEC+ production quotas for August, combined with a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, has provided oil markets some breathing space and introduced a bearish sentiment to prices, but new EU sanctions on Russia and the possibility of additional secondary sanctions by Washington could alter the price and trade flow scenarios. In this episode of Platts Oil Markets Podcast, Asia Energy Editor Sambit Mohanty discusses with Rahul Kapoor, vice president and head of oil shipping analytics at S&P Global Commodity Insights, and Dan Colover, head of oil and chemicals market engagement, on the implications of some of these developments on Asia.

With the UK at risk of losing its second oil refinery in less than six months, Europe's refining sector is showing growing signs of strain. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets podcast, Gary Clark is joined by reporters Elza Turner and Kelly Norways to unpack why healthy margins are failing to prevent closures in a year that has already seen the most shutdowns since the coronavirus pandemic. Links: UK faces surge in imports amid new refinery closure risk (Subscriber content) UK's Lindsey refinery resumes fuel deliveries as government battles local shortages (Subscriber content)  AAVBG00 - ULSD 10ppmS CIF NWE Cargo PJAAU00 - Jet CIF NWE Cargo

In this episode, the Americas NGLs pricing team discusses Gulf Coast and Canada NGL market dynamics. Light ends manager Sarah Hernandez and LPG reporters Hunter Marrow and Marcus Still review conditions from 2024 that led to record-high export premiums and compare those conditions with the current market context. They also analyze changes in export flows amid geopolitical tensions and discuss possible summer challenges for the supply-demand balance of Gulf Coast and Canadian LPG. Links:Propane FOB USGC AAXIN00Propane Enterprise Mt Belvieu Mo01 PMAAY00Isobutane Enterprise Mt Belvieu PMAAB00 Isobutane Sarnia Mo01 AEDMF00

With European middle-distillate markets remaining well-supplied amid turbulence in the Middle East, the prospect of new legislation regarding the origin of European product imports provides fuel for thought for market participants. To discuss the latest developments in the middle-distillate markets, Gary Clark is joined by Virginie Malicier and Nadia Bliznikova with a sharp focus on diesel and jet fuel dynamics in the EMEA region. https://plattsconnect.spglobal.com/#platts/insightsArticle?articleID=5a322417-d739-41cc-b246-3bc5aebeb28a&insightsType=Top%20News https://plattsconnect.spglobal.com/#platts/insightsArticle?articleID=fb3a0446-6929-4832-a1c9-5329b050815c&insightsType=Top%20News  Jet CIF NWE Cargo PJAAU00 ULSD 10ppmS FOB ARA Barge AAJUS00 ULSD 10ppmS CIF NWE Cargo AAVBG00 ULSD 10ppmS CIF Med Cargo AAWYZ00

Tensions in the Middle East caused oil prices to spike and then fall, illustrating market volatility. The impact of U.S. military actions on oil supply dynamics is significant, especially regarding China and the Strait of Hormuz. The conversation reveals shifting demands for tanker sizes and the complexities of U.S.-Iran relations amidst continuing geopolitical friction. Increasing U.S. crude exports and the potential for rising oil volume from Iran add layers of uncertainty to global markets and diplomacy.

A sudden ramp-up in tensions as Israel and Iran exchange blows has proved impactful for oil markets in the EMEA region. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets podcast, Gary Clark is joined by front-line reporters Joey Daly, Jan Kedzior and Dias Kazym to discuss how the volatility in the Middle East is shaping the European markets in crude oil, middle-distillates and light ends.

Vartika Shukla, a leader at Engineers India Ltd, joins energy experts Atul Arya and Nick Sharma from S&P Global Commodity Insights for a deep dive into Asia's energy landscape. They tackle the push for net-zero emissions while juggling energy security and fossil fuel growth. The trio discusses how national oil companies can drive the transition amid geopolitical challenges. They also explore the role of technology, particularly AI, and the balancing act required for different Asian economies to achieve sustainable growth.

The Memorial Day weekend in the US is often considered the kickoff to the summer driving season, a period of heightened gasoline demand where families take vacations and refiners profit on healthier margins. But how is the European supply and demand balance coping with changes in the global refining picture, as some European refineries shut down while production ramps up in Africa and further afield? Senior crude specialist Joey Daly speaks with European gasoline and WAF products specialist Matthew Tracey-Cook to discuss the current market dynamics in the Atlantic Basin and how they are affecting the European gasoline market.  The Refining Scenario Manager (RSM) allows for scenario modeling of any refinery globally, to optimize trading and operational decision-making.  Links: Platts Premium 10ppm FOB Rotterdam barges PGABM00 Platts Premium 10ppm FOB Mediterranean cargoes AAWZA00Platts Gasoline STS Lome ABNWG00 Gasoline exports to West Africa fall to 2-month low amid well supplied market (subscriber content)

Mexico is facing regional gasoline shortages as its refining system struggles to meet demand, deepening reliance on U.S. imports. With the Dos Bocas refinery not expected to reach full capacity until 2026, questions loom over the role of private importers in supplying the country with gasoline. In this episode of the Oil Markets podcast by S&P Global Commodity Insights, host Jeff Mower is joined by Sarah Hernandez and Sheky Espejo to break down the numbers, the policy shifts, and what’s next for Mexico’s fuel supply.