Energy Intelligence Briefing articles from April 2008

Energy Intelligence Briefing archives from April 2008

US revises demand down in January, 2008 to be weak.
April 2, 2008... WASHINGTON -- World oil demand is still growing despite oil prices averaging near $100 per barrel, but there is little doubt that the record price level and the economic slowdown in the US are stunting growth. Growth is occurring in non-OECD...

US buys record from Opec: that's where the oil is.
April 3, 2008... NEW YORK -- In 2007, the US not only did not make much progress in kicking its addiction to oil, but also bought more oil from Opec than at any time in history. US crude imports remained basically unchanged, at just over 10 million barrels per...

Saudis lower crude prices as refinery yields improve.
April 7, 2008... NEW YORK -- Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, on Monday effectively lowered its crude prices for May loading for most of its grades, with the exception of lighter crudes going to Asia. Refiners globally were welcoming the relative...

Overall OECD stocks grow but Asia is getting thinner.
April 15, 2008... WASHINGTON -- OECD commercial inventories appear to have ended the first quarter of 2008 right where they ended the fourth quarter of 2007, but forward cover at the end of March was higher than in December. At first glance, the aggregate...

$115: Opec blames speculators, OECD fundamentals.
April 18, 2008... NEW YORK -- Oil producers and consumers are clearly not speaking the same language ahead of a meeting of key global energy ministers from both sides of the market to be held in Rome Apr. 20-22 under the sponsorship of the International Energy...

North Sea buyers disappear as crude continues to soar.
April 21, 2008... LONDON -- Only four weeks ago, both ICE Brent and Nymex light, sweet crude oil (WTI) front-month futures contracts traded around $98; after blazing a northern trail through a series of new highs, both contracts today rocketed to further new...

US goes after organized crime in energy markets.
April 24, 2008... The US Department of Justice and other federal agencies are launching a combined effort to go after international organized crime, and a primary target of this effort is the involvement of these criminals in energy markets. In an announcement...

Russian crude exports surge ahead of June tax hike.
April 28, 2008... MOSCOW -- With the domestic Russian market already well supplied and a new record-high crude export duty set to take hold in June, the country's oil firms are clamoring for exports, and Moscow is responding with a sharp increase in seaborne...

Market compass.
April 28, 2008... Russian crude oil sellers may be clamoring for export outlets, but European refiners for now are not that keen on imports. The extra 93,000 b/d of Urals barrels will be rolling towards refineries currently eyeing better returns from other...