EIA reported this morning that crude oil inventories rose by 5.88 million barrels last week. That was compared to forecasts for a stockpile build of 3.2 million barrels after a build of 4.58 million barrels in the previous week.
The report also showed that gasoline inventories fell by 8.42 million barrels, compared to expectations for a decline of 2.05 million barrels, while distillate stockpiles dropped by 3.21 million barrels, compared to forecasts for a decrease of 1.53 million.
The report came after industry group the American Petroleum Institute said that U.S. oil inventories increased by 6.2 million barrels last week.
It was the second straight build after Hurricane Harvey shut production in some Gulf of Mexico fields and refineries in Texas.
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The refiners are ramping back up and they will be drawing more crude oil from storage in the coming weeks as they need to replenish supplies of refined products. Florida will be importing gasoline and diesel from Europe to refill drastically depleted storage in the state.
Oil Storage Report - Sept 13
Oil Storage Report - Sept 13
Dan Steffens
Energy Prospectus Group
Energy Prospectus Group
Re: Oil Storage Report - Sept 13
Phil Flynn, 9-13-2017
While Florida and the rest of the Gulf Coast deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Irma and the energy markets assess the short-term demand destruction, in the bigger picture for energy, we are getting very bullish data in supply versus demand. All major reporting agencies, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), The Energy Information Agency (EIA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) are reporting that we are seeing more demand and supply, which should set the stage for an end-of-year rally especially when we go full-scale recovery phase in the storm-impacted areas.
The IEA was the latest to give oil a boost as I predicted it would, raising its global oil demand forecast. The IEA raised its global oil demand forecast by very strong 1.6 million barrels a day while admitting that OPEC compliance to production cuts have improved. As I have written before, the IEA is notorious for underestimating demand and had to once again raise their forecast. I think that they are still underestimating global demand and will have to raise it again even though 1.6 million barrels a day increase is extremely large year-over-year growth by historical standards. The IEA said that oil demand increased by 2.3 million barrels per day, or 2.4 percent, in the second quarter of 2017 In 2018. The IEA is predicting growth of 1.4 million barrels per day or 1.4 percent, which we also think is low.
The Energy Information Administration also once again lowered the forecast for US oil production as shale oil producers have pulled back and are having a tough time overcoming the steep shale oil decline rate. The EIA lowered their 2017 production estimate to 9.25 million barrels a day from 9.35 million barrels a day in 2017. It also lowered its forecast for 2018 to 9.84 million barrels a day down from 9.91 million barrels a day and down from a previous forecasts that was over 10 million barrels a day. < MY TAKE: Finally the EIA is starting to focus on the fact that their weekly production numbers have been way too high for several months.
The EIA also raised their US oil demand forecast to 20.38 million barrels a day up from 20.3 million barrels. This comes as all reporting agencies saw an improvement in OPEC compliance, even OPEC themselves.
Not only did we see OPEC production fall for the first time in 4 months, OPEC and other reporting agencies instead saw demand exceptions for OPEC crude. OPEC production fell to 30.004 million barrels a day excluding Libya, Nigeria as Saudi Arabia oil production fell to 9.95 million barrels a day according to the Saudis. OPEC raised its oil demand growth estimate for 2017 to 1.42 million barrels a day up 50,000 barrels a day putting global demand at 96.8 million barrels a day.
In a nut shell, all agencies are seeing more supply and less production. Storm-related demand, destruction and seasonal factors are very bullish into year end.
Natural gas is up with pipeline delays and less impact on energy infrastructure than feared. Andy Weissman says that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have led to an inflection point in the natural gas storage trajectory, with a total net estimated demand loss of 70 Bcf, sharply reducing the extent of upside pressure likely later this fall. Nevertheless, the front-month contract rallied earlier this week on smaller-than-feared Irma impact, potential delays to Rover Phase 1b, and bullish weather shifts. The October natural gas contract has closed between $2.88 and $3.07/MMBtu for longer than a month. While the most-likely scenario is for continued range-bound trading, if support or resistance fails, a significant price movement becomes likely. By late fall, a potentially sharp increase in weather-driven demand for natural gas, augmented by a ramp-up in LNG exports, could propel NYMEX futures higher. Electricity futures may succumb and move lower with seasonal demand, particularly if natural gas prices break lower in the near term.
While Florida and the rest of the Gulf Coast deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Irma and the energy markets assess the short-term demand destruction, in the bigger picture for energy, we are getting very bullish data in supply versus demand. All major reporting agencies, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), The Energy Information Agency (EIA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) are reporting that we are seeing more demand and supply, which should set the stage for an end-of-year rally especially when we go full-scale recovery phase in the storm-impacted areas.
The IEA was the latest to give oil a boost as I predicted it would, raising its global oil demand forecast. The IEA raised its global oil demand forecast by very strong 1.6 million barrels a day while admitting that OPEC compliance to production cuts have improved. As I have written before, the IEA is notorious for underestimating demand and had to once again raise their forecast. I think that they are still underestimating global demand and will have to raise it again even though 1.6 million barrels a day increase is extremely large year-over-year growth by historical standards. The IEA said that oil demand increased by 2.3 million barrels per day, or 2.4 percent, in the second quarter of 2017 In 2018. The IEA is predicting growth of 1.4 million barrels per day or 1.4 percent, which we also think is low.
The Energy Information Administration also once again lowered the forecast for US oil production as shale oil producers have pulled back and are having a tough time overcoming the steep shale oil decline rate. The EIA lowered their 2017 production estimate to 9.25 million barrels a day from 9.35 million barrels a day in 2017. It also lowered its forecast for 2018 to 9.84 million barrels a day down from 9.91 million barrels a day and down from a previous forecasts that was over 10 million barrels a day. < MY TAKE: Finally the EIA is starting to focus on the fact that their weekly production numbers have been way too high for several months.
The EIA also raised their US oil demand forecast to 20.38 million barrels a day up from 20.3 million barrels. This comes as all reporting agencies saw an improvement in OPEC compliance, even OPEC themselves.
Not only did we see OPEC production fall for the first time in 4 months, OPEC and other reporting agencies instead saw demand exceptions for OPEC crude. OPEC production fell to 30.004 million barrels a day excluding Libya, Nigeria as Saudi Arabia oil production fell to 9.95 million barrels a day according to the Saudis. OPEC raised its oil demand growth estimate for 2017 to 1.42 million barrels a day up 50,000 barrels a day putting global demand at 96.8 million barrels a day.
In a nut shell, all agencies are seeing more supply and less production. Storm-related demand, destruction and seasonal factors are very bullish into year end.
Natural gas is up with pipeline delays and less impact on energy infrastructure than feared. Andy Weissman says that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have led to an inflection point in the natural gas storage trajectory, with a total net estimated demand loss of 70 Bcf, sharply reducing the extent of upside pressure likely later this fall. Nevertheless, the front-month contract rallied earlier this week on smaller-than-feared Irma impact, potential delays to Rover Phase 1b, and bullish weather shifts. The October natural gas contract has closed between $2.88 and $3.07/MMBtu for longer than a month. While the most-likely scenario is for continued range-bound trading, if support or resistance fails, a significant price movement becomes likely. By late fall, a potentially sharp increase in weather-driven demand for natural gas, augmented by a ramp-up in LNG exports, could propel NYMEX futures higher. Electricity futures may succumb and move lower with seasonal demand, particularly if natural gas prices break lower in the near term.
Dan Steffens
Energy Prospectus Group
Energy Prospectus Group