Russia Ships Naphtha to China via North Sea Route
Russia is shipping a naphtha cargo via the North Sea Route (NSR) as Moscow seeks to increase supplies using the route to major trade partner China, cutting its way through European waters, traders said and Refinitiv data showed.SCF Irtysh is loaded with with 37,000 tonnes of naphtha onboard, loaded at Ust-Luga port on August 5, 2023, for delivery to China. It is the first such loading since at least the late 2000s, according to two traders.The supplier of the cargo was Gazprom Neft, the traders said. Gazprom Neft did not respond to a request for comment.The NSR is an Arctic route connecting Russian ports with China.
Valero Seeks US Approval to Import Venezuelan Oil
Valero Energy Corp, the second-largest U.S. oil refiner, is seeking Washington's permission to import Venezuelan crude, according to four people close to the matter, hoping for a repeat of the approval granted to Chevron Corp in November after a four-year ban.President Joe Biden's administration has eased some U.S. sanctions on the OPEC-member nation in an effort to encourage a political dialogue with the country's opposition. That has led to further pressure from U.S., European and Asian energy firms, but Washington has resisted any additional major steps for now.Venezuelan oil resumed flowing to the U.S.
Exxon Banks Record $56B Profit in '22
Exxon Mobil Corp posted a $56 billion net profit for 2022, the company said on Tuesday, taking home about $6.3 million per hour last year, and setting not only a company record but a historic high for the Western oil industry. Oil majors are expected to break their own annual records on high prices and soaring demand, pushing their combined take to near $200 billion. The scale has renewed criticism of the oil industry and sparked calls for more countries to levy windfall profit taxes on the companies.Exxon's results far exceeded the then-record $45.2 billion net profit it reported in 2008…
U.S. Natgas Demand, Price Nosedive Continues
U.S. natural gas futures held near a 21-month low on Tuesday, keeping the contract on track for its second-biggest monthly drop in history, as a decline in output from this week's extreme cold offset forecasts for warmer weather and less heating demand next week than previously expected.Gas prices have been depressed for weeks due to a growing belief that the country has more than enough gas in storage for the rest of the winter and expectations that Freeport LNG's liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant in Texas is…
Guyana's Oil Exports Double, with Europe Taking Half of Cargoes
Guyana's oil exports jumped 164% last year, boosted by growing output and demand for the newest Latin American oil producer's light sweet crudes, particularly in Europe, where thirsty refiners ramped up imports to replace Russian supplies.Since a consortium led by Exxon Mobil began pumping in late 2019, Guyana's shipments have soared, bringing the South American nation's oil export income to $1.1 billion last year, according to official figures provided to Reuters.The government's $1.1 billion share of oil revenue was up sharply from a combined $409 million in profit and royalties in 2021.
Britain to Receive Rare LNG Cargo from Australia
Britain is set to receive a rare shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Australia later this month, as countries across Europe strive to secure enough supplies ahead of winter.European nations are seeking to diversify energy supplies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a sharp drop in Russian gas flows to the continent.LNG tanker Attalos, with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters, is set to arrive at Britain's Isle of Grain terminal on Aug. 22, according to data and analytics firm Kpler."The (LNG tanker) Patris was the original vessel that loaded at the North West Shelf liquefaction plant in Australia.
Oil Outshines Stocks and Dollar in 2022
Oil prices are proving resilient to global economic recession fears and have outperformed major equity indices and the U.S. dollar so far this year as Western sanctions on Russia further limit supplies to an already tight market.The two major crude futures contracts are up about 30% so far this year, while the All Country World Index (ACWI) is down about 15%, Refinitiv Eikon data shows.MSCI's 47-country world stocks index suffered its biggest first-half drop since its creation in 1990 as inflation hit 40-year highs and central banks raised interest rates.The U.S.
U.S. LNG Exports to Europe on Track to Surpass Biden Promise
When U.S. President Joe Biden promised European leaders in March that he would help secure new supplies of liquefied natural gas to offset shortages from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his pledge was greeted with skepticism.After all, the U.S. LNG industry was already hitting its export limits and the global market is dominated by long-term contracts that can dictate where exported gas would go for 20years at a time.It turns out, however, that Biden's promise may have been far too modest.The United States is on track to blow past Biden’s March commitment of an additional 15 billion cubic meters of LNG for Europe this year…
US Steps Up Heavy Crude Imports
U.S. refiners last month imported the most heavy crude in nearly two years, customs data showed, as they cranked up motor fuel production and sought to replace sanctioned Russian oil.Higher heavy-crude imports are common in summer-driving months, but this year's increase comes as the Biden administration is calling on for refiners to ramp up output and shave profit margins to ease soaring prices. The administration has asked for a parley to explore further efforts.Heavy crudes are cheaper than lighter shale oils produced in the United States and typically make more diesel and less gasoline. Diesel stocks are draining, with U.S.
U.S. Natgas up 2% on Higher Demand, Soaring Global Prices
U.S. natural gas futures edged up about 2% on Tuesday on record power demand in Texas, forecasts for more gas demand over the next two weeks than previously expected, a reduction in gas output, low wind power and much higher global gas prices.Power demand in Texas failed to hit a new all-time high on Monday due to less hot weather, but will likely break peak use records on Tuesday and later this week as homes and businesses keep air conditioners cranked up to escape a lingering heatwave. Read full storyLow wind power forces generators…
Two Gasoline Tankers Divert from Nigeria
Two tankers carrying gasoline loaded in Antwerp, Belgium, have turned back to their load-port after initially being destined for Lagos in Nigeria, Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking and sources said on Friday.The two tankers, STI Symphony and Velos Diamantis, turned back in last week. The U-turns happened after Nigeria rejected other gasoline cargoes loaded in Antwerp for containing too much methanol.Reuters was not able to immediately confirm the methanol content in these two cargoes or why they turned back.Earlier this week…
Europe Remains Top Destination for US LNG
Europe last month remained the top destination for shipments of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), according to Refinitiv data, outpacing exports to Asia for the second month in a row.About two-thirds of U.S. LNG volumes went to Europe last month, compared to around 61% in December when sky-high European prices and demand drove U.S. LNG exports to a record, Refinitiv data showed.In both months, a lack of supply drove demand and led to cargoes being re-routed from other destinations. The crisis over the Ukraine has highlighted…
Gas Prices Soar in Europe on Tight Russian Supply
European gas prices soared more than 30% on Tuesday as low supplies from Russia reignited concerns about an energy crunch as the region heads for colder weather.A key pipeline which normally delivers gas from Siberia to Europe continued to work in reverse on Tuesday, traders said, sending flows from Germany to Poland, while supplies of Russian gas from Ukraine to Slovakia were also subdued.Russian energy exports have been in the spotlight amid the country's broader standoff with the West , including over its tensions with neighboring Ukraine…
Exxon Q4 Earnings Poised to Exceed Pre-pandemic Level
Exxon Mobil Corp's fourth quarter profit should top Wall Street's consensus and surpass its pre-pandemic levels, lifted by better-than-expected earnings from oil and gas, analysts said.Credit Suisse, Scotiabank and JPMorgan have raised their fourth quarter earnings estimates following Exxon's flagging of sharply higher oil and gas operating profit last week. Official results are due on Feb. 1.The higher earnings outlooks lifted Exxon shares 3.8% on Monday to $63.51 on top of Friday's less than 1% gain. The stock rose 48% last year but remains below where it traded two years ago.In 2020, the largest U.S.
LOOP Did Not Deliver Sour Crude from Storage in September
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), the largest U.S. privately owned deepwater crude terminal, said on Friday it made no deliveries of sour crude from storage last month, following two storms that hit the U.S. Gulf Coast.The facility closed on August 28 ahead of Hurricane Ida, which damaged production and processing facilities in the U.S. side of the Gulf of Mexico, forcing the suspension of millions of barrels of crude and gas output. A second storm, Nicholas, also caused brief interruptions for vessel navigation.The weather events particularly hit output of the Gulf's Mars sour crude…
Opinion: Weak Crude Imports in Asia Undercuts Oil Bulls
Another month, another weak outcome for crude oil in Asia, the world's top-consuming region, with July's imports declining for a fourth month in five as demand weakened amid high prices and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.Asia's imports for July were assessed at 21.77 million barrels per day (bpd) by Refinitiv Oil Research, a 10-month low and down from June's 23.08 million bpd.The weakness was led by China, the world's biggest importer, with July's arrivals estimated at 9.21 million bpd, a seven-month low.Kpler, which similar to Refinitiv assesses crude flows using vessel-tracking and port data, was slightly more optimistic on China's import
Petrobras Post Strong Results as Crude Rises, Gas Strengthen
Brazil's Petrobras beat second quarter profit estimates on Wednesday, as higher Brent prices, strong natural gas sales and relatively controlled expenses boosted the company's bottom line.In an evening securities filing, Petroleo Brasileiro SA , as the company is formally known, reported a quarterly net income of 42.855 billion reais ($8.29 billion), up from a loss in the same period last year and well above the Refinitiv consensus estimate of 30.7 billion reais.Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization…
Chinese Firms Seek LNG Cargoes, Demand is Strong
Two Chinese firms are seeking liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes for delivery over August to November as summer demand in the southern region remains strong and as companies prepare to meet winter demand, industry sources said.China's Shenzhen Energy is seeking two cargoes for delivery into Yuedong over Aug. 19 to 27 and Oct. 30 to 31, in a tender that closes on Aug. 5, the sources said.Beijing Gas is also seeking cargoes for delivery over September, October and November in a separate tender that closes on Aug. 4, they added.Last week…
Oil Drillers, Bitcoin Miners Bond over Natural Gas
On U.S. oil patches stretching along the Rockies and Great Plains, trailers hitched to trucks back up toward well pads to capture natural gas and convert it on the spot into electricity.The trailers - carrying pipes, generators and computers - are called “mining rigs.” But their owners aren’t there to drill for oil. They are using stray natural gas unwanted by oil companies to power their search for another treasure: cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.Cryptocurrencies are virtual coins exchanged without middlemen, such as central banks, to purchase goods and services.
Surge of Coronavirus in India Dents Bullish Crude Case
The problem for crude oil market bulls is that every time they think they have built up steam, something comes along to knock the momentum off track.The coronavirus surge in India and the imposition of states of emergency in populated parts of Japan, including Tokyo and Osaka, to deal with rising infections from the pandemic are the latest cases in point.Given that India and Japan are the world's third- and fourth-largest crude importers, it's likely that fuel demand will take a substantial hit in coming weeks.The situation appears particularly concerning in India…
