Economics takes precedence in Japan’s crude buying strategy: Fuel for Thought
Skimming along the surface of Japan’s crude import numbers gives an impression that the pendulum has swung back in favor of Middle Eastern crudes. But a deeper dive into the data tells a more subtle...
View ArticleAmerican steel cameos in US presidential candidate debate
After Sunday night’s sad and nasty US presidential debate it’s hard to focus on the relatively small exchange the candidates had about American steel. It came towards the end of a brawl that one...
View ArticleGas helps to warm Russia, Turkey relations after tumultuous 12 months
Moving toward the brink of war is about as serious as a geopolitical relationship can get — and that is where Moscow and Ankara found themselves after NATO member Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet...
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SENER publishes upstream pipeline rules
Late 2016 and 2017 will be a crucial time for Mexico’s energy reform to turn from a mere agenda to actions including completion of the liberalization of the upstream pipeline system. CENAGAS just held...
View ArticleUS gasoline flows may shift as new environmental rules take effect
It’s essential for a daily fixture of life in the United States — a morning commute for many working Americans — and for transportation of basic goods in the US. The US is dependent on gasoline for...
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GOP tax reform and what’s at stake for the oil industry
This blog post was written in collaboration with John Kingston, the Director of Global Market Insights for S&P Global. The U.S. still imports a lot of crude oil. It also now exports crude oil. It’s...
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The Middle East and LNG: An import boom set to keep growing
The Middle East has undergone a dramatic transformation in regards to its relationship with LNG. Once known for its largescale exports from Qatar, the region has grown into a recognized demand center....
View ArticleUS import tariff could create nightmare for Argentinian biodiesel
You’ll have to forgive Argentinian biodiesel producers if they’re feeling a bit down. After seeing a market resurgence in early 2016, one of the world’s top biodiesel-exporting countries seems to be...
View ArticleSteel 232 investigation and the Russian investigation: On a collision course?
It’s likely that the US Commerce Department will soon issue its findings from the Section 232 steel import investigation. Whenever the report is shared with President Donald Trump, it will be...
View ArticleUS importers challenge the call for more steel trade restrictions
The American Institute for International Steel recently hosted a forum in Washington DC for those likely to be negatively impacted by steel import restrictions that could follow the government’s...
View ArticleThe waiting is the hardest part for US steel markets
The American steel industry is desperately in need of relief, but it’s not what you think. We have heard a lot about the possibility of import restrictions stemming from the government’s ongoing...
View ArticleAre Commerce actions showing Trump’s hand on trade deals?
Recent trade case announcements by the US Department of Commerce may offer clues as to how the Trump administration will handle the Section 232 investigation, which is looking into steel imports’...
View ArticleLatest US trade restriction beef pits farmers against steelworkers
The National Sunflower Association has spoken. It was one of 18 American agricultural associations that came out against President Donald Trump’s initiative to protect the domestic steel and aluminum...
View ArticleRecent LOOP Sour rally evidence of persistent, global sour shortage: In the LOOP
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port received no imports of Saudi Arabian or Iraqi crudes by the halfway point of July, evidence of the global sour crude shortage and competition for those barrels that has...
View ArticleNarrow sweet-sour spread prompts Saharan Blend import into LOOP: In the LOOP
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port last week saw a rare tanker of light sweet crude, evidence of US Gulf Coast refiners looking to run more sweet crudes as a result of the narrower sweet-sour crude...
View ArticleOil terminal launches weekly quality report for LOOP Sour blended crude: In...
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port launched Monday the first of what will be weekly quality reports on its medium sour blended crude LOOP Sour, a move to bring more up-to-date information to market...
View ArticleCheaper or greener: Colombia eyes US ethanol with trepidation
The availability of cheap ethanol has become a contentious issue in the United States. While American drivers may see the benefits of supplies from the most efficient ethanol producer on earth, meaning...
View ArticleGas geopolitics: Is US LNG really a game-changer in eastern Europe?
Lithuania imported its first ever cargo of US LNG on August 21, the event celebrated by way of a special welcoming ceremony attended by key Lithuanian government figures. The US State Department was...
View ArticleSeptember Basrah Light imports at LOOP rebound from August hiatus: In the LOOP
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port has received a flurry of Iraqi crude imports in the past few weeks, with more expected, which could be behind a recent 30% jump in open interest on the CME’s LOOP Sour...
View ArticleSeptember Lat Am crude imports fall on lower Venezuelan shipments: In the LOOP
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port has seen a month-on-month drop in heavy Latin American crude imports, impacted by high regional prices and falling Venezuelan crude production. Month on month, LOOP has...
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