Editor OilPrice.com
Tue, December 19, 2023 at 7:30 PM GMT·2 min read
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The benchmark U.S. natural gas prices fell by 3% early on Tuesday after the latest models overnight showed that most of the U.S. will see warmer than normal temperatures over the next week.
The U.S. is heading into the New Year as the world’s largest oil producer, according to the latest industry research.
U.S. oil production reached a record 13.2 million barrels per day, significantly increasing exports, especially to Europe and Asia.
End-of-year tax considerations are prompting traders to export more oil to reduce taxable inventory, with exports expected to average 5 million barrels per day.
The integration of WTI Midland in the Brent basket and the European embargo on Russian oil have contributed to the growing popularity of U.S. crude in global markets.
Increased distillate production and slowing economic activities have led to rising diesel stocks and falling prices.
Weak manufacturing activity in the U.S. and Europe contributes to reduced diesel demand, easing the market.
Geopolitical tensions near the Red Sea present potential disruptions, threatening to impact diesel supply chains and market stability.
Record temperatures in Europe and North America extended the gas storage refill season, leading to high inventories.
Natural gas demand decreased due to warmer weather, an industrial slowdown in Europe, and record U.S. production and LNG exports.
Futures and options market winter premiums have diminished, contributing to a drop in Europe’s natural gas prices and bearish trends in the U.S. and Asian markets.
China’s stellar economic growth for many years pushed the prices of the major commodities it needed ever higher, almost single-handedly creating and sustaining the commodities supercycle over those years.
China’s economic growth target for 2023 was officially “around 5%”, which meant that it was almost certainly going to be attained on paper, regardless of the reality behind the figures.
One obvious sector of concern – among many others that are less so – is the property sector, which accounts for around a third of China’s entire GDP and about 65 percent of total household assets.
The total number of active drilling rigs in the United States fell by 2 this week after climbing by 10 over the course of the last four weeks, according to new data that Baker Hughes published Friday.
Acquisitions have essentially become the only option for producers that want to grow in the hydrocarbon-rich Permian basin.
Oxy’s acquisition of CrownRock cements an absolute banner year in Permian acquisitions and divestments spending.
Many analysts seem to expect that the consolidation drive will continue next year as well, suggesting that even the end of 2024 could see a lot fewer operators in the star play of the U.S. shale patch.
Saudi Arabia reduced the official selling price of its flagship crude by $0.50 per barrel for Asian buyers in January.
This is the first price reduction in seven months, although it is a smaller reduction than analysts had expected.
The move was in response to intensified international competition after OPEC production cuts pushed Middle Eastern oil prices higher.
The EIA reported last week that average daily production in September had remained unchanged from August when it hit the record-high rate of 13.24 million barrels.