
Oil Markets
S&P Global Commodity Insights analysis of key oil price movements across the globe.
Latest episodes

Sep 7, 2023 • 12min
Is the bionaphtha market ready to soar as European biorefining booms?
The European bionaphtha market is starting to gain traction as the number of available feedstocks increases and demand for cleaner alternatives grows. Limited supply capacity has kept prices high, but production is set to increase amid a boom in biorefinery construction in the region. As a result, more trading opportunities will become available, along with the potential for a liberalized and transparently priced market. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets podcast, London-based oil price reporters Vinicius Maffei, Simone Burgin and Aly Blakeway join Francesco Di Salvo to discuss the development of bionaphtha, as well as SAF and biopropane markets, as Europe leads the way in alternative fuels. PAADU00 - Bio-Naphtha FOB NWE Premium $/mt ABPRB00 - Bio-Propane FCA NWE Premium $/mt AJNWF00 - Sustainable Aviation Fuel CIF ARA Premium $/mt

Sep 1, 2023 • 16min
Russia’s impact on Americas naphtha and refined products
Americas refined products markets are adjusting to altered trade flows more than a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Refined products that were once supplied to Brazil from the US Gulf Coast have now been replaced by Russian barrels, while other markets in Latin America are still being wary of touching Russian product out of fear of repercussions from the US. Oversupply has caused naphtha in particular to deal with volatility and low export demand. S&P Global Commodity Insights’ Maria Jimenez Moya, Latin America refined products price reporter, sits down with Sarah Hernandez, managing editor for Americas light ends pricing, to discuss the changes arising in North and Latin American markets of naphtha and refined products as a result of Russian inflows. Related prices: NEW: AULDA00 - ULSD DAP South Brazil (All-Origin) $/bbl AGSUA00 - Gasoline CFR Suape Cargo Differential USC/Gal

Aug 24, 2023 • 25min
APPEC to throw spotlight on oil's future, energy security vs sustainability debate
Asia's oil demand revival, China's role in aiding recovery, concerns about legal and regulatory risks, region's affinity for new energy, strategies of Asian energy companies, impact of Russian oil flows to China and India, role of oil in changing energy landscape, energy security versus sustainability debate in Asia

Aug 17, 2023 • 21min
European oil markets after the Russian embargo (part 2)
For many years, Russia was Europe's main supplier of key refined oil products until Western sanctions were imposed in February 2023. Six months into the embargo on Russian refined products, markets across the continent continue to adjust. Prices appear to be rising and shipping times have lengthened as European buyers find products further afield in India, the Middle East and the US Gulf Coast. In the second of a special two-part Platts Oil Markets podcast retrospective, OPEC+ Oil News reporter Rosemary Griffin and Refined Oil Products Managers Gary Clark and Kieran Hess join Francesco Di Salvo to discuss how European oil markets have adapted to a "new normal" following one of the most consequential events in the geopolitics of oil in decades. Click here to listen to part 1 of this special retrospective. Related price assessments: AAVBG00 – ULSD 10ppm CIF NWE Cargo PAAAL00 – Naphtha CIF NWE Cargo PMAAS00 – Propane FOB ARA S&P Commodity Insights APPEC is returning to Singapore this September 4-6. Save the date! Stay on top of our coverage of APPEC 2023 on our website. We want to hear about your podcast preferences so we can keep improving our shows. Take our podcast survey here and share your thoughts: https://www.surveylegend.com/s/4xyz

Aug 10, 2023 • 16min
European oil markets after the Russian embargo (part 1)
Trade disruptions. Refinery adjustments. New arbitrage flows. These are some of the consequences Europe faced as the continent had to wean itself off Russian crude following the embargo, which came into effect in December 2022. Russia has since managed to find new customers in Asia, but military attacks on oil infrastructure in the Black Sea could jeopardize such a strategy. In the first of a special two-part Platts Oil Markets podcast retrospective, OPEC+ Oil News reporter Rosemary Griffin and Crude Oil Managers Emma Kettley and John Morley join Joel Hanley to discuss how European oil markets have adapted to a "new normal" following one of the most consequential events in the geopolitics of oil in decades. KBCOB00 – KEBCO CIF Med vs Med Dtd Strip KBCOD00 – KEBCO CIF R'dam vs Med Dtd Stri AURLA00 – Urals DAP India vs Dubai DWCUB00 – Urals DAP India vs Forward Dated Brent S&P Commodity Insights APPEC is returning to Singapore this September 4-6. Save the date! Stay on top of our coverage of APPEC 2023 on our website. We want to hear about your podcast preferences so we can keep improving our shows. Take our podcast survey here and share your thoughts: https://www.surveylegend.com/s/4xyz

Aug 3, 2023 • 23min
Guyanese Dream: Oil boom in Guyana could transform global crude market
The small South American country of Guyana has experienced a quick transformation within the past decade, going from zero oil production in 2019 to nearly 400,000 b/d in 2023 and that is expected to reach around 600,000 by the end of 2024. That will position Guyana as one of the world’s top oil producing countries in the world and a rare exception in the market where exploration and production is expanding. S&P Global Commodity Insights' oil pricing and news experts Laura Huchzermeyer, Patrick Harrington, and Starr Spencer discuss investment and pricing trends in Guyana, as well as new price assessments for Guyana’s Unity Gold. Prices in this episode: Liza FOB Guyana Unity Gold FOB Guyana We want to hear about your podcast preferences so we can keep improving our shows. Take our podcast survey here and share your thoughts: https://www.surveylegend.com/s/4xyz

Jul 27, 2023 • 19min
Asian refiners look for answers in petrochemicals as EVs threaten transport fuels' future
Refiners in Asia are crafting out expansion strategies and pumping billions of dollars to diversify their portfolio and adapt to the changing energy landscape. Renewables, hydrogen and solar energy are starting to figure in their ambitions. But a key area of focus for refiners is to raise their petrochemicals intensity to ensure business models remain profitable in the event electric vehicles and other cleaner forms of energy take a toll on demand for transport fuels. In a wide-ranging discussion with Asia Energy Editor, Sambit Mohanty, three senior market experts at S&P Global Commodity Insights -- Maria Tsay, Global Head of Petrochemicals Pricing, Zhuwei Wang, Asian Oil Analytics Manager, and Pulkit Agarwal, India Content Head -- share their insights on whether going further downstream would be the only option for refiners to remain profitable and over the longer term. We want to hear about your podcast preferences so we can keep improving our shows. Take our podcast survey here and share your thoughts: SPGCI Podcast Survey More listening options:

Jul 20, 2023 • 11min
Nigeria: Another force majeure at Forcados?
Nigeria, Africa's largest crude oil producer, is struggling to keep oil flowing amid leaks at the Forcados oil terminal port. The ill-fated facility has been offline for much of 2022 due to sabotage, and now faces the prospect of another force majeure that could affect European markets. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets podcast, oil news reporter Charlie Mitchell and oil price reporters Luke Stuart and George Delaney join Francesco di Salvo to discuss what is happening in Nigeria and how traders have reacted so far. Related price assessments: AAGXP00 - Forcados FOB Nigeria vs WAF Dtd Strip AAGXL00 - Bonny Light FOB Nigeria London vs WAF Dtd Strip AAHPM00 - Azeri Light CIF Augusta vs BTC Dtd Strip We want to hear about your podcast preferences so we can keep improving our shows. Take our podcast survey here and share your thoughts: https://www.surveylegend.com/s/4xyz

Jul 13, 2023 • 13min
A perfect storm in the USGC buoys Americas sour crudes
North American heavy and sour crude price differentials have reached multiyear highs in recent weeks. These are prices that are typically seen only after major production disruptions like hurricanes. But there are no clouds in sight in the Gulf of Mexico. Sour crude prices are supported by a myriad of factors including global supply tightness, Strategic Petroleum Reserve buybacks and very strong values for high sulfur fuel oil. S&P Global Commodity Insights' Laura Huchzermeyer, Americas crude pricing manager, discusses current pricing trends with USGC crude reporter Kristian Tialios and residual and marine fuel manager Patrick Burns. We want to hear about your podcast preferences so we can keep improving our shows. Take our podcast survey here and share your thoughts: https://www.surveylegend.com/s/4xyz

Jul 6, 2023 • 16min
The dire consequences of falling Rhine water levels on refined oil products
Europe is bracing for challenges this summer as its main waterway experiences lower-than-usual rainfall. The Rhine is drying up well ahead of historical patterns, and the short-term forecast is for water levels to fall below critical levels for barge navigation as early as mid-July. In this Platts Oil Markets podcast from S&P Global Commodity Insights, John Morley is joined by oil news reporter Robert Perkins, as well as Natasha Tan and Vinicius Maffei, middle-distillates and light-ends price reporters respectively. Together they look at the immediate impact and potential disruption to European oil product markets should the Rhine suffer a severe dry spell. Related price assessments: AAJUS00 - ULSD 10ppmS FOB ARA Barge PJABA00 - Jet FOB FARAG Barge PAAAL00 - Naphtha CIF NWE Cargo $/mt We want to hear about your podcast preferences so we can keep improving our shows. Take our podcast survey here and share your thoughts: https://www.surveylegend.com/s/4xyz