Oil Markets
S&P Global Commodity Insights
S&P Global Commodity Insights analysis of key oil price movements across the globe.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 9, 2014 • 7min
US fuel oil markets change focus as traditional demand fades
A frigid winter in the Northeast gave US fuel oil markets a boost, but new regulations and more fuel switching in power generation means the fuel oil industry is facing major changes. Platts editors John-Laurent Tronche, team leader, Americas bunker fuel and residuel fuel, and Patrick Burns,...
Apr 9, 2014 • 7min
Changes in shale flows could mean changes to US crude storage hubs
Alison Ciaccio, futures oil editor, and Bridget Hunsucker, editor, Americas oil news, discuss Cushing, Oklahoma, the basis for the NYMEX light sweet crude contract, and the possibility of starting new US futures contracts in Albany, New York, and Houston, Texas. This is the latest in a series of...
Mar 29, 2014 • 8min
US sanctions against Rosneft chief: limited impact so far, but could fall-out still hit markets?
Stuart Elliott, associate editorial director, and Rosemary Griffin, associate editor, discuss the move by Washington to add the CEO of Russia's Rosneft to its list of sanctions designed to put pressure on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. Rosneft's business interests so far are unaffected, but could...
Mar 25, 2014 • 16min
Interview with Port of Rotterdam Authority on bunker industry developments and outlook
Ahead of Platts' 5th Annual European Bunker Fuel Conference in Rotterdam on May 22-23, Chris Vowden, European fuel oil and feedstocks team leader, spoke to the Port of Rotterdam Authority's Ronald Backers, Business Developer, Liquid Bulk and Jaap van Dalen, Business Manager, Oil and Refining, about...
Mar 19, 2014 • 6min
Rise and fall: Recent Urals crude volatility and the European market
Russia's Urals crude oil grade has been volatile recently, briefly reaching a six month high in mid-March before rapidly falling back in the space of two weeks. What have been the fundamentals driving this change, and what has the impact been on the European crude markets? Platts' team leader for...
Mar 4, 2014 • 3min
Increase in demand for direct burning crudes from Japan seen following cold-snap
Record low temperatures in Japan are causing utilities to burn more direct burning crude for power generation. Daniel Colover, Platts Asia crude oil managing editor, and Ada Taib, senior editor for oil, discuss the continued pickup in demand for direct burning crude in Japan even after the cold...
Mar 4, 2014 • 5min
Russian diesel may struggle to sell in UK after importers enact new test
Charles Goldner, EMEA diesel editor, and Olivier Lejeune, EMEA team leader for middle distillates, discuss the recent decision by UK oil importers to enact a new test on diesel filter-blocking tendency. This could make it more difficult to export Russian diesel to the country. This is the latest in...
Feb 25, 2014 • 3min
Rise in West African piracy prompts boost to shipping security off Angola
Ellie Weir, team leader for EMEA shipping and Shubh Shukla, West of Suez freight editor, discuss the shipping security measures now recommended by the Norwegian Maritime Authority, following the hijacking of a vessel off shore Luanda, Angola in January. This is the latest in a series of weekly...
Feb 24, 2014 • 4min
Sinopec's planned divestment heralds non-state investment in oil sector
The Chinese oil sector is traditionally controlled by the state but this seems about to change as China's largest refiner, Sinopec, announced plans to seek investment for its oil product marketing and retail division. Song Yen Ling, Platts senior writer for oil and gas news, discusses the...
Feb 12, 2014 • 3min
Low sulfur fuel oil strengthens rapidly on regional outflows and refinery maintenance
Benno Spencer, senior managing editor Europe and Africa oil and Marko Trtica, fuel oil editor, discuss the recent strength seen in Northwest European low sulfur fuel oil, stemming from regional outflows to the US due to unprecedented cold across the Atlantic and European refinery maintenance. This...
