Heating oil price: something is happening



[ad_1]

International market

The upward movement in oil prices, which started earlier this week, is over. Yesterday, North Sea Brent and US WTI prices fell again sharply. The factors that continue to certify that the world market has sufficient reserves of crude oil have prevailed. US sanctions against the Iranian oil industry have once again lost some of its terror. Iran and China have found a way around the restrictions on oil exports. China has now set up a special bank to handle the purchase of Iranian oil without violating US sanctions. The exemption, according to which China is allowed to import 360,000 barrels a day (B / T), had already relaxed the sanctions. Market players now badume that much more Iranian oil will arrive in the middle kingdom.

Current oil price developments largely depend on the evolution of OPEC and Russia's decision to cut production. The meeting of OPEC next week should clarify this. Reductions ranging from 1 to 1.4 million B / T are under discussion. However, it is doubtful whether Russia adheres or not. Saudi Arabia had made this during the last negotiations a precondition for its own limitation of production. However, Russia is currently feeling no pressure to act. The country can handle lower oil prices than other producing countries because the costs of production are relatively low. For promotion alone, Russia spends less than any other producer in the world. Currently, we also benefit from the weakness of the ruble against the dollar. The wages of oil workers are paid in rubles, while oil exports are paid in dollars. This increases the profit margin. It is therefore exciting if an agreement succeeds. Price fluctuations are inevitable on ICE and NYMEX.

At the same time, changes in oil inventories in the previous reporting week led to lower prices in the United States. Crude oil inventories rose, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced yesterday late afternoon. The increase is stronger than expected and roughly corresponds to figures already reported in advance by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Distillate reserves (fuel oil and diesel) have also increased. Gasoline inventories, on the other hand, declined slightly. Demand for oil slowed during the week, while crude oil production, at 11.7 million barrels per day (B / T), remains at record levels.

The change in US oil inventories by numbers:

Crude oil: + 3.5 million barrels (API) and +3.6 million barrels (DOE)
Fuel oil and diesel: +1.2 million barrels (API) and + 2.6 million barrels (DOE)
Petrol: -2.6 million barrels (API) or -0.8 million barrels (DOE)

On the oil exchange, the day begins with a price fluctuation close to yesterday's lows. A barrel of US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil currently costs $ 50.39.