US-China $100bn trade war nears as talks end without deal
The world’s two largest economies remained on track to commence a $100bn trade war as early as this month, after a third round of China-US trade negotiations ended in Beijing Continue Reading
Why Oil Markets Should Fear Trump’s Trade War
“We’re putting the trade war on hold,” U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin said on “Fox News Sunday,” nearly two weeks ago. That didn’t go down well with President Trump Continue Reading
Trump orders Energy Department to help ailing coal, nuclear plants
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday directed Energy Secretary Rick Perry to take emergency steps to keep at-risk coal and nuclear plants running, the White House announced. Under the directive, Continue Reading
Wide open arbs help US crudes capture international market share
With spot arbitrages open for multiple US crudes like WTI and Mars in Europe and across Asia, US grades are capturing more market share overseas. * Discounted WTI backing Forties Continue Reading
Energy groups join together to condemn Trump’s plan to subsidize nuclear, coal plants
Today, President Trump asked the Department of Energy to take steps in preventing coal and nuclear plants from retiring. “Impending retirements of fuel-secure power facilities are leading to a rapid Continue Reading
Is A Natural Gas Pipeline Between Alaska And China Realistic?
When Alaska’s governor Bill Walker headed with a trade delegation to China earlier this week, he must have hoped to bring back good news about an 800-mile gas pipeline project Continue Reading
U.S. spending driven by higher gas prices
The U.S. federal government reported Thursday that spending on gasoline and other energy products contributed most to a rise in consumer spending. The U.S. Commerce Department reported personal income improved Continue Reading
HRW: Lawsuits muzzling free speech in the environmental community
Human Rights Watch said Thursday it was worried that lawsuits meant to muzzle environmental advocacy groups were inhibiting free speech. A lawsuit filed by Canadian logging company Resolute Forest Products Continue Reading
Weekly Petroleum Status Report
Summary of Weekly Petroleum Data for the Week Ending May 25, 2018 U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged about 17.2 million barrels per day during the week ending May 25, Continue Reading
Buffett’s MidAmerican Energy Boasts Major Renewable Push
MidAmerican Energy, a company of Berkshire Hathaway, is on track to become the first investor-owned utility in the United States whose electricity production from renewable source is equal to the Continue Reading
US Sanctions On Iran: The Unraveling Of Pax Americana
Amid current news headlines about North Korea and related nuclear issues, it is important not to ignore the potential schism that could occur in the G7 world as a consequence Continue Reading
U.S. Oil Companies Look To Skirt Biofuel Quotas
Continuing a national trend, the United States’ second-largest oil refining company has recently requested a biofuel hardship waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The waiver, if granted, would allow Continue Reading
Exclusive: Late to teapot party, ExxonMobil breaks with tradition in wooing China’s oil market
ExxonMobil Corp’s ( XOM.N ) global oil marketing team stormed into China this week hoping to elbow aside rivals and gain access to the nation’s “teapot” refining market, executives told Continue Reading
Exxon CEO urges New York prosecutor to rethink climate change probe
Exxon Mobil Corp’s chief executive said on Wednesday he hopes the new attorney general in New York “comes to a different conclusion” than predecessor Eric Schneiderman on a climate change Continue Reading
Carbon dioxide emissions drop from U.S. power sector
Because of the increased use of natural gas, carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. power sector were at their lowest in 30 years, a government report read. The U.S. Energy Continue Reading
The Biggest Challenge For U.S. Oil Exports
As Saudi Arabia and Russia grapple with both the geopolitics and economics of continuing or stopping their one and a half year long oil production cut reached between OPEC and Continue Reading
U.S. Oil Exports Eat Into OPEC Market Share In Asia
Increased U.S. crude oil exports to Asia, supported by a wide WTI-Brent spread, are eating into Asian market shares of OPEC and Russia, the cartel’s ally in the production cut Continue Reading
Cities Vs. Big Oil: Judge Orders Plaintiffs To Find Benefits Of Fossil Fuels
Judge William Alsup who is hearing a case brought by San Francisco and Oakland against five Big Oil companies, has given the plaintiffs and Chevron a homework assignment that suggests Continue Reading
Supermajors Evacuate Gulf Of Mexico Staff Ahead Of Storm
Chevron, Shell, and Exxon have begun evacuating staff working on offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of a subtropical storm Alberto. Production has not yet been affected, the Continue Reading
Why U.S. Oil Exports Are Only Heading Higher
The price differential between WTI and Brent continues to widen, briefly hitting $9 per barrel on Monday, the largest discount in about three years. (Click to enlarge) Discounts of this Continue Reading
U.S. record oil exports bite into Russia, OPEC market share in Asia
Record crude oil volumes exported from the United States will be heading to Asia in the next couple of months to take another piece of the market away from Russia Continue Reading
Why New Jersey is leading the resistance to Trump’s offshore drilling plan
The Trump administration’s bid to expand offshore drilling sounds like a sweet deal when the oil and gas industry sells it: more jobs, increased local revenue and possibly an energy Continue Reading
Market Movers Asia, May 28-June 1: Appetite grows for N. American crude; LNG summer trading off to strong start
Asian demand for North American crude oil looks set to increase further this week after a recent rally in physical Dubai prices, and the release of higher-than-expected Saudi Aramco official Continue Reading
U.S. energy sector braces for hurricane season
While offshore segments were spared, the U.S. energy sector could be in for a rough year with forecasters expecting an above-normal hurricane season. Climate forecasters at the National Ocean and Continue Reading
National average gasoline prices approach $3 per gallon heading into Memorial Day
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update Heading into the 2018 Memorial Day weekend, regular gasoline prices averaged $2.92 per gallon (gal) nationally on May 21, up Continue Reading
Storm Alberto triggers oil worker evacuation in U.S. Gulf
Subtropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, is forcing the evacuation of oil workers from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as it moves toward Continue Reading
After Harvey, Texas Town Looks to Fortify in State With No Mandatory Building Code
As the start of a new hurricane season looms on June 1, homeowners along this stretch of Texas coast—which Harvey pounded with 130-mile-an-hour winds before steering north to drench Houston—are Continue Reading
Puerto Rico: Deciding Its Energy Future
The immediate energy nightmare in Puerto Rico is gradually winding down, with electrical power now available to about 90 percent of households (some rural areas are still without power). But Continue Reading
No easy fix to higher gas prices in United States
Calls to tap into U.S. oil reserves to stave off spikes in retail gas prices make sense only to a point because of refinery limitations, an analyst said. GasBuddy, which Continue Reading
U.S. Atlantic states eye offshore wind leadership
Several governors in U.S. states said they’re taking the initiative in building up national recognition for leadership in renewable energy. “We’re taking another step forward in rebuilding New Jersey’s reputation Continue Reading
Most U.S. motor gasoline exports go to Mexico
More than half of all U.S. motor gasoline exports went to Mexico in 2017. Changes to Mexico’s retail gasoline and diesel fuel markets, combined with low utilization of Mexico’s petroleum Continue Reading
A meeting between Secretary Perry and OPEC? Unlikely, say analysts
It would be unprecedented, but Senate Democrats want the Trump administration to send Energy Secretary Rick Perry to Vienna next month for an OPEC meeting. Senate Democrats think meeting will Continue Reading
Chinese, others clamor for crude exports, but U.S. straining capacity
The U.S. oil export infrastructure is straining to keep up as the country’s crude oil exports hit new highs and China snaps up more of it than ever before. U.S. Continue Reading
Who’s To Blame For High Gasoline Prices?
As retail gasoline prices rise to $3 per gallon across the United States, gas prices are a hot political topic in Washington once again, with the Democrats hoping to slam Continue Reading
Senate Democrats want Trump to prod OPEC to lower oil prices
U.S. Senate Democrats on Wednesday urged President Donald Trump to try to prod OPEC to take steps to lower oil prices and suggested that millions of Americans will see tax Continue Reading
China Set To Import More LNG From U.S.
China will take in more natural gas from the United States to satisfy growing domestic demand, a Chinese consultancy has said amid trade talks between Washington and Beijing seeking to Continue Reading
U.S. energy dominance might not translate to market influence
U.S. oil and natural gas abundance has a positive impact on the global energy market, but it doesn’t move the market itself, a Brookings scholar testified. U.S. President Donald Trump Continue Reading
Weekly Petroleum Status Report
Summary of Weekly Petroleum Data for the Week Ending May 18, 2018 U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged over 16.6 million barrels per day during the week ending May 18, Continue Reading
Why Southern Company Just Sold Billions In Prime Assets
On May 21, Southern Company, the utility holding company based in Atlanta, with core electric utility franchise areas in Georgia and Alabama, announced a multi-billion dollar asset sale with proceeds Continue Reading
CalZEV Coalition supports Innovative Clean Transit measure under consideration at California ARB; 100% zero-emission buses
Californians for Zero Emission Vehicles (CalZEV), a coalition of public health, environmental and electric vehicle industry organizations, announced its strong support for the Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) measure currently before Continue Reading
U.S. sanctions could be seen as treasonous, Russia says
With its energy sector the target of U.S. sanctions pressure, a Russian legislator on Wednesday proposed making those sanctions synonymous with treason. Andrei Isayev, the head of legislation in the Continue Reading
Iran Tensions Send Oil Spiking Again
More than 23 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas pipeline capacity will come online by the end of this year, a jump of almost a third from Continue Reading
Gas prices could be impacting U.S. travel plans
Gas prices this coming Memorial Day weekend will be the highest in four years and likely start to dent the summer travel season, industry experts said. Motor club AAA reported Continue Reading
Alternative vehicle sales stall in United States
Sticker shock and limited infrastructure to support alternative vehicles has limited their sale in the domestic market, a U.S. energy report found. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported battery-powered vehicle Continue Reading
United States remains the world’s top producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons
The United States remained the world’s top producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons in 2017, reaching a record high. The United States has been the world’s top producer of Continue Reading
Energy exports to play ‘massive’ role in any breakthrough in the US-China trade talks
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said there is a “massive opportunity” for U.S. energy exports to China, after the trade partners reached a truce. China has emerged as one of the Continue Reading
Southern Slims Downs After Bets on Big Projects Fail to Pay Off
Southern Co., which has spent billions of dollars to expand its U.S. utility empire, is now retrenching. The company said Monday it was selling nearly all the assets it owns Continue Reading
Farmers Reeling From High Oil Prices
But higher oil prices affect not only the gasoline bills of retail consumers. The higher price of oil is also pushing up diesel fuel prices as the harvesting and planting Continue Reading
How An “Oil Price Shock” Will Hurt The U.S. Economy
One month ago, when looking at the sharp spike in oil and gasoline prices (which at the time averaged $2.73), we said that the surge in energy costs – largely Continue Reading
Is The U.S. Ethanol Industry Under Siege?
Following the 2016 presidential election, I explained Why The Ethanol Industry Should Fear President Trump . Since that time, the ethanol industry has indeed been on the defensive. In fact, Continue Reading