Energy Bulls Pass Big Test With Flying Colors

The energy bulls passed their first big test in 3 months with flying colors this week, bouncing off of trend support early Thursday morning, then extending those gains later in the day following a bullish report from the DOE, and keeping that momentum going this morning. Big draws in oil and gasoline inventories, and an all-time record for gasoline demand estimates, highlighted the DOE’s weekly report, and sent prices on an immediate rally that was able to sustain through the afternoon and the overnight session.
The EIA’s total petroleum “demand” estimate surpassed 21 million barrels/day last week, a new high since the start of the pandemic, and higher than we were at this point in 2019. That surge was led by a 10% spike in gasoline demand, which reached its highest weekly level in 30 years of data provided from the DOE. While the 4-week average (which is deemed much more reliable than the weekly number) is still trailing pre-pandemic levels, that spike north of 10 million barrels/day (the first time that’s ever happened) is a signal that US consumers are ready to move. We are likely to see a dose of reality next week as the post-holiday hangover has hit demand across the country, and the rain Elsa is dumping along the east coast likely is keeping cars off the road this week. Diesel demand estimates slipped on the week, but remain above both their 5 year average and 2019 levels for this time of year.
Refiners look to be up to the challenge of surging demand, raising gasoline output north of 10.5 million barrels/day for just a 3rd time ever, even though total run rates remain well below where we’d expect them this time of year, and 5% of capacity going away permanently over the past year. That said, as the wide spread in rack prices across the country shows, just because refiners can produce enough fuel in total to continue outpacing US consumption, that doesn’t mean the pipeline network is equipped to get that fuel where it needs to be, particularly in the Western half of the country.
US Oil production did rise to 11.3 million barrels/day, another post-pandemic high. A WSJ article today suggests that American frackers are showing restraint with prices near 6 year highs, choosing to pay off debts rather than plow money into more drilling. While that sounds interesting, for an industry that does not do moderation, it seems like the supply-chain shortages being dealt with in so many industries may be a bigger factor. It will be interesting to see if we get a few more months of prices in the $70s, if the group long known as wildcatters will still be restrained.
If you need some weekend reading material (or are having trouble sleeping) check out BP’s annual world energy statistical review. The report highlights the record setting extremes we witnessed in 2020, details the progress the world is making on renewable energy sources, and notes why those efforts still fall far short of what would be needed to become carbon neutral.
Latest Posts
Week 48 - US DOE Inventory Recap
The API Reported Gasoline Inventories Dropped By 898,000 Barrels Last Week
Values For Space On Colonial’s Main Gasoline Line Continue To Drop This Week
After Another Black Friday Selloff Pushed Energy Futures Sharply Lower In Last Week’s Holiday-Shortened Trading
Social Media
News & Views
View All
Week 48 - US DOE Inventory Recap

The API Reported Gasoline Inventories Dropped By 898,000 Barrels Last Week
Gasoline and oil prices are attempting to rally for a 2nd straight day, a day ahead of the delayed OPEC meeting, while diesel prices are slipping back into the red following Tuesday’s strong showing.
The API reported gasoline inventories dropped by 898,000 barrels last week, crude inventories declined by 817,000 barrels while distillates saw an increase of 2.8 million barrels. Those inventory stats help explain the early increases for RBOB and WTI while ULSD is trading lower. The DOE’s weekly report is due out at its normal time this morning.
A severe storm on the Black Sea is disrupting roughly 2% of the world’s daily oil output and is getting some credit for the bounce in futures, although early reports suggest that this will be a short-lived event.
Chevron reported that its Richmond CA refinery was back online after a power outage Monday night. San Francisco spot diesel basis values rallied more than a dime Tuesday after a big drop on Monday following the news of that refinery being knocked offline.
Just a few days after Scotland’s only refinery announced it would close in 2025, Exxon touted its newest refinery expansion project in the UK Tuesday, with a video detailing how it was ramping up diesel production to reduce imports and possibly allow for SAF production down the road at its Fawley facility.
Ethanol prices continue to slump this week, reaching a 2-year low despite the bounce in gasoline prices as corn values dropped to a 3-year low, and the White House appears to be delaying efforts to shift to E15 in an election year.
Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.

Values For Space On Colonial’s Main Gasoline Line Continue To Drop This Week
The petroleum complex continues to search for a price floor with relatively quiet price action this week suggesting some traders are going to wait and see what OPEC and Friends can decide on at their meeting Thursday.
Values for space on Colonial’s main gasoline line continue to drop this week, with trades below 10 cents/gallon after reaching a high north of 18-cents earlier in the month. Softer gasoline prices in New York seems to be driving the slide as the 2 regional refiners who had been down for extended maintenance both return to service. Diesel linespace values continue to hold north of 17-cents/gallon as East Coast stocks are holding at the low end of their seasonal range while Gulf Coast inventories are holding at average levels.
Reversal coming? Yesterday we saw basis values for San Francisco spot diesel plummet to the lowest levels of the year, but then overnight the Chevron refinery in Richmond was forced to shut several units due to a power outage which could cause those differentials to quickly find a bid if the supplier is forced to become a buyer to replace that output.
Money managers continued to reduce the net length held in crude oil contracts, with both Brent and WTI seeing long liquidation and new short positions added last week. Perhaps most notable from the weekly COT report data is that funds are continuing their counter-seasonal bets on higher gasoline prices. The net length held by large speculators for RBOB is now at its highest level since Labor Day, at a time of year when prices tend to drop due to seasonal demand weakness.
Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.