Category: Commercialization

November 21, 2018

Oil bounced above $63 a barrel on Wednesday to claw back some of the previous day’s 6 percent plunge, lifted by a report of an unexpected decline in U.S. crude inventories. The American Petroleum Institute (API) said on Tuesday that […]

November 19, 2018

For those who think – or hope — we’re nearing the end of the age of oil, look no further than today’s media preoccupation with whether or not Saudi Arabia might cut production to manipulate price upwards. The enduring issue, […]

November 16, 2018

How quickly things can change in oil markets. A month ago the industry was fixated on Iran sanctions, possible supply shortages and a lack of global spare production capacity — issues that drove benchmark Brent oil prices over $86 a […]

November 14, 2018

Wow! Natural gas prices have hit $4/Mcf for the first time since, well, a few days in January, but they have been at or near $3/Mcf for most of the past five years, so the possibility of a “recovery” in […]

November 9, 2018

So, U.S. sanctions on Iran were fully implemented on Monday, fully but not completely, rather as Miracle Max in “The Princess Bride” says “mostly dead is a little alive.” Waivers were granted to eight major customers of Iran that will […]

November 6, 2018

A U.S. economic sledgehammer is falling on the Islamic Republic of Iran and global energy markets couldn’t care less – at least for now. Brent crude oil futures are up a meager $0.62 from their $72.61 open – bringing the […]

November 2, 2018

Chevron reported quarterly earnings that beat analysts’ expectations on Friday, as record-setting oil and gas production boosted the company’s bottom line. Shares of the oil major were more than 2 percent in premarket trading. Chevron posted a profit of $4.05 […]

November 2, 2018

The oil market faces a precarious few months. The imposition of U.S. secondary sanctions on Iranian exports on November 5 is the critical factor behind Brent’s rally to more than U.S.$80 a barrel in October. There’s enough supply to meet […]

October 31, 2018

Energy expert John Kilduff sees an unusual phenomenon affecting crude oil and beaten-down stocks. According to the Again Capital founding partner, oil and stocks have embarked on the closest trading relationship since early 2016 and during the financial crisis sell-off. […]

October 30, 2018

Natural gas importers across the globe are looking at the next few months with similar anticipation as fans of the next season of Game of Thrones. In both cases, winter is coming. The prospects of a natural gas glut, which […]

October 30, 2018

Who most benefits from US sanctions on Iran? Is it Saudi Arabia? Israel? Perhaps the United Arab Emirates? Try Russia. By weakening Iran, the sanctions cede Russia the power to balance crude oil markets. That’s because OPEC needs big producers […]

October 29, 2018

“Rising oil prices are prompting forecasts of a return to $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014, creating both winners and losers in the world economy.” The media is full of stories predicting that the oil price will […]

October 29, 2018

Stories about the demise of North Sea oil and gas exploration are aplenty. The mature prospect peaked in 1999 and admittedly its heyday has come and gone. However, every single prediction about its end of life date has been wrong. […]

October 4, 2018

Oil prices on Thursday fell from four-year highs reached the previous session, pressured by rising U.S. inventories and after sources said Russia and Saudi Arabia struck a private deal in September to raise crude output. Brent crude oil futures were […]

October 4, 2018

Despite the Autumn shoulder season being in full force, natural gas prices have been continuing their rise, with prompt month prices up 34 cents, or 12%, to today’s close at $3.24 per MMBtu since September 19. We’ve blown past important […]