U.S. Venezuela Sanctions Not A Market Supply Shock
Monday, February 25, 2019
IHS Markit observes that Venezuela was once a major global oil power, producing more than 3 MMbbld in the mid- to late-1990s. The nation is a founding member of OPEC. But oil industry decay— it never fully recovered from the 2002-2003 Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) strike and brain drain— means the U.S. ban on Venezuelan oil imports is not a major oil supply shock. North Dakota produces more crude oil than Venezuela.
Calls Mount to Prohibit Fossil Fuels In California Buildings
Monday, February 25, 2019
About half of all building emissions result from electricity use, and the other half from natural gas or propane appliances. As California’s electricity becomes cleaner, owing to the California Energy Commission’s most recent building code requiring all new homes to be built with on-site renewable energy, electricity emissions will decline. However, to cut the remaining emissions, fossil fuel-burning appliances must be replaced with all-electric units.
Vote for Energy a Vote For Prosperous Alberta
Friday, February 22, 2019
Alberta, Canada has an opportunity to become one of the most attractive places in the world for oil and natural gas investment, but only if Albertans vote for energy in the next provincial election, and insist political parties adopt policies aimed at enhancing industry competitiveness. That is according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), which has authored an Alberta energy platform titled Oil and Natural Gas Priorities for a Prosperous Alberta.
Path to Balanced Oil Market A Marathon, Not a Sprint
Thursday, February 21, 2019
The journey to a balanced oil market will take time, and is more likely to be a marathon than a sprint, the International Energy Agency (IEA) writes in its January 2018 oil market report. The agency notes that while Saudi Arabia is determined to protect its price aspirations by delivering substantial production cuts, there is less clarity with regard to its Russian partner. Data show that Russia increased crude oil output in December to a new record near 11.5 MMbbld and it is unclear when it will cut and by how much.
West Virginia Sees Gas Output Growth Slowing
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Citing West Virginia officials, S&P Global Platts writes that with the current round of pipeline buildouts nearly complete, the rapid increase in natural gas production and boost in prices realized by the state’s producers over the last several years are expected to slow. In a mid-January interview, deputy revenue secretary Mark Muchow said gas production in the Mountain State would continue rising through 2024, but at a slower pace than seen over the past several years.
EIA 2019 Outlook Projects Continued Robust Growth
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Energy Outlook 2019 (AEO2019) forecasts continued robust growth in U.S. energy production and the emergence of the U.S. as an energy exporter. The report also expects the nation’s electric power generation mix to be cleaner, and includes a reference case and six side cases designed to examine the robustness of key assumptions.
Commissioner Rebuts Climate Catastrophists’ Call for Regulation
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
A coalition described as climate catastrophists, led by Environment Texas, has sent a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott demanding immediate action to reduce emissions and combat what they claim is man-made climate change. In response, Railroad Commission of Texas commissioner Wayne Christian penned his own letter to the governor applauding him for his work on energy and environmental issues and the key role it has played in ensuring American energy dominance.
DCP Selling Wholesale Propane Business to NGL Energy Partners
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
NGL Energy Partners LP (Tulsa) and DCP Midstream LP (DCP; Denver) have executed a purchase and sale agreement under which DCP will convey its wholesale propane business to NGL Energy Partners. The wholesale business generally consists of seven natural gas liquids terminals in the eastern U.S.
Mercury Marine Introduces 5-HP Four-Stroke Fueled by Propane
Friday, February 15, 2019
Mercury Marine (Fond du Lac, Wis.) has just introduced a 5-hp propane four-stroke outboard motor to its lineup that “delivers no-hassle portability, reliability, and convenience running on alternative, clean-burning fuel, whether it’s powering aluminum boats, inflatables, or sailboats.”
Global Gas Supply Achieves Highest Growth in Decade
Monday, February 11, 2019
Global natural gas production grew at a record clip in 2018, driven by North America, according to research by Rystad Energy. The industry achieved a net output increase of 164 billion cu meters (Bcm; nearly 5.8 Bcf), which represents the highest production growth since 2010.
Implied Oil Volatility Soars, But Path Ahead Is Unclear
Friday, February 8, 2019
The 44% decline in crude oil prices in the fourth quarter of 2018 was dramatic, but pales in comparison to the 79% plunge between July and December 2008, or the 76% tumble from late 2014 to early 2016, writes the financial market company CME Group. “Remarkably, implied volatility on 30-day West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil options spiked to levels in line with those seen during the 2014-2016 bear market, although they fell short
of the record highs in 2008,” the company comments.
Asia, Middle East, Africa Lead Energy Consumption Growth
Friday, February 8, 2019
Energy consumption in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa continues to grow rapidly, with about 20% growth in each region between 2010 and 2016, according to new data in the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) International Energy Statistics database. In particular, energy consumption has been increasing in the Middle East and Africa, driven by economic growth, increased access to energy markets, and quickly rising populations. Energy consumption in Asia grew even as energy consumption in China declined between 2015 and 2016.
EIA Tool Tracks New England Energy Capacity Constraints
Friday, February 8, 2019
To increase customer understanding of weather-related energy issues in New England, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has launched an interactive dashboard showing energy market conditions in that region. The dashboard can help analysts and others examine many key aspects of the New England energy market such as fuel diversification, wholesale price volatility, energy delivery dynamics, weather’s impact on operations, fuel prices’ effect on electricity rates, and regional and onsite fuel stocks.
China Gas Takes Delivery Of Canadian LPG from U.S. To Avoid Tariffs
Monday, February 4, 2019
(February 4, 2019) — China Gas, a Hong Kong-listed gas operator and service provider, is taking delivery of a small lot of Canadian-origin LPG from Petrogas (Calgary) via a third party at the U.S. West Coast export terminal in Ferndale, Wash. as Chinese buyers seek alternative, cheaper supply in the face of the U.S.-China trade dispute, S&P Global Platts reports.
Indian LPG Demand Bounces Back in December After Falling
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Indian LPG demand bounced back to a new high in December after falling to an 18-month low just a month earlier, reports ESAI Energy. While the December recovery signals that Indian demand will not collapse, the broader trend confirms a deceleration of the country’s demand growth, the consultancy
maintains.
New Michigan Governor Requests Legal Review of Line 5 Legislation
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Michigan’s new Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has requested a legal opinion from the state’s attorney general on the constitutional- ity of Enbridge Line 5 legislation passed during the 2018 lame duck session. That legislation, PA 359, promoted by outgoing Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, created the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority and sealed an agreement with Enbridge Inc. (Calgary) to decommission the existing Line 5 pipeline and replace it with a line encased in a bedrock-reinforced utility tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac.
Energy Commodity Prices Tumble in 2018 4th Quarter
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
After increasing 25% from January through the beginning of October 2018, the spot energy sub-index in the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (GSCI) ended the year 21% lower than at the beginning of the year, reports the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The S&P GSCI is a weighted average of commodity prices intended to reflect global commodity production quantities and futures contract trading volumes. Although all components of the S&P GSCI declined in 2018, the energy sub-index fell more than any other.
Energy Transfer Starts Service on Mariner East 2
Friday, January 18, 2019
Energy Transfer LP (Dallas) announced Dec. 29 that its Mariner East 2 natural gas liquids pipeline was online and available for both interstate and intrastate service. The 350-mile pipeline transports U.S.-produced ethane, propane, and butane east from processing plants in Ohio, across West Virginia, and Pennsylvania to Energy Transfer’s Marcus Hook Industrial Complex in Delaware County, Pa., where the NGLs are stored for distribution to local, domestic, and waterborne markets.
Small Businesses Score Small Wins, Big Leaps in 2018
Thursday, January 17, 2019
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reviews that its members celebrated a variety of important triumphs in 2018, including a delay of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Waters of the U.S. rule, a dismissed court challenge to President Donald Trump’s two-for-one executive order on regulatory relief, and a rescission of the union persuader rule by the Department of Labor. The federation notes these successes helped fuel 45-year highs in small business optimism and plans for job creation.
Grants Available Up To $2.5 Million To Reduce Diesel Engine Emissions Using Clean, Propane Autogas
Friday, January 11, 2019
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding grants for the implementation of projects aimed at reducing emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of older diesel engines. EPA anticipates awarding about $40 million in Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA) grant funding to eligible applicants, subject to the availability of funds. Applicants in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas can apply for up to $2.5 million in funding.
Capability to Switch Fuels In Manufacturing Declines
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
The capability of the U.S. manufacturing sector to switch the fuels it uses declined continuously between 1994 and 2014, according to data from the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2014 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey published in September. Among the most commonly substitutable fuels used in manufacturing, the amount that could readily be switched in less than 30 days dropped from 24% in 1994 to 10% in 2014.