Controversial Negotiations Over Gas Regulations
Energy and equity prices are both moving higher for a second day, as apparent optimism over COVID counts, potential stimulus, tax breaks and other rumored economic policies seem to be outweighing negative sentiment over the latest escalation in U.S./China tensions.
While so far petroleum prices seem to be following macro factors, we’ll get a deluge of inventory data in short order to influence prices. In addition to the weekly inventory data, later today we’ll see the EIA’s Short Term Energy outlook, then we’ll get the IEA and OPEC monthly reports later in the week.
Even though WTI is close to reaching a five-month-high, refined product prices are still stuck in their neutral pattern for now. In order to break out of the sideways trend we’ll need to see ULSD and RBOB both break and hold above the $1.30 mark. RBOB will face an even earlier test with the 200-day moving average currently at $1.2730 – a level of resistance that repelled the upward momentum in gasoline prices half a dozen times in July.
It is an election year: After negotiations at the White House, the EPA is reportedly planning to rescind some rules on methane gas regulations that would have widespread impact on testing for oil & gas drilling and shipping operations. The move is sure to be highly controversial, as environmental concerns continue to become mainstream and it appears that some major oil companies will oppose the easing of restriction. This comes a week after the agency was also reportedly planning on recommending numerous small-refinery waivers to the RFS. That report helped send RINs sharply lower, but has not yet actually happened, the latest in a long line of White House/EPA negotiation rumors that hasn’t come to fruition.
The EIA this morning published a note highlighting the drop in LNG exports from the U.S. this year. The EPA’s rumored change to methane rules could further complicate this issue as foreign buyers may require certain clean-energy protocols in order to purchase U.S. exports.
Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.
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The Energy Bulls Are On The Run This Morning, Lead By Heating And Crude Oil Futures
The energy bulls are on the run this morning, lead by heating and crude oil futures. The November HO contract is trading ~7.5 cents per gallon (2.3%) higher while WTI is bumped $1.24 per barrel (1.3%) so far in pre-market trading. Their gasoline counterpart is rallying in sympathy with .3% gains to start the day.
The October contracts for both RBOB and HO expire today, and while trading action looks to be pretty tame so far, it isn’t a rare occurrence to see some big price swings on expiring contracts as traders look to close their positions. It should be noted that the only physical market pricing still pricing their product off of October futures, while the rest of the nation already switched to the November contract over the last week or so.
We’ve now got two named storms in the Atlantic, Philippe and Rina, but both aren’t expected to develop into major storms. While most models show both storms staying out to sea, the European model for weather forecasting shows there is a possibility that Philippe gets close enough to the Northeast to bring rain to the area, but not much else.
The term “$100 oil” is starting to pop up in headlines more and more mostly because WTI settled above the $90 level back on Tuesday, but partially because it’s a nice round number that’s easy to yell in debates or hear about from your father-in-law on the golf course. While the prospect of sustained high energy prices could be harmful to the economy, its important to note that the current short supply environment is voluntary. The spigot could be turned back on at any point, which could topple oil prices in short order.
Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.
Gasoline And Crude Oil Futures Are All Trading Between .5% And .8% Lower To Start The Day
The energy complex is sagging this morning with the exception of the distillate benchmark as the prompt month trading higher by about a penny. Gasoline and crude oil futures are all trading between .5% and .8% lower to start the day, pulling back after WTI traded above $95 briefly in the overnight session.
There isn’t much in the way of news this morning with most still citing the expectation for tight global supply, inflation and interest rates, and production cuts by OPEC+.
As reported by the Department of Energy yesterday, refinery runs dropped in all PADDs, except for PADD 3, as we plug along into the fall turnaround season. Crude oil inventories drew down last week, despite lower runs and exports, and increased imports, likely due to the crude oil “adjustment” the EIA uses to reconcile any missing barrels from their calculated estimates.
Diesel remains tight in the US, particularly in PADD 5 (West Coast + Nevada, Arizona) but stockpiles are climbing back towards their 5-year seasonal range. It unsurprising to see a spike in ULSD imports to the region since both Los Angeles and San Francisco spot markets are trading at 50+ cent premiums to the NYMEX. We’ve yet to see such relief on the gasoline side of the barrel, and we likely won’t until the market switches to a higher RVP.