Oil Markets

Following a fourth-quarter earnings season in which oil companies took another severe hit from low oil and gas prices, Platts senior writer for EMEA oil news Robert Perkins and senior editor for EMEA oil news Nick Coleman discuss how the industry is adapting, some of the more surprising outcomes of...

The recent change in gasoil flows from Russia is the main driver of the shortage which has pushed Northwest European gasoil physical premiums to their highest in over three years. Platts oil products editors Olivier Lejeune, Elza Turner and George Shaw discuss recent market dynamics.We welcome any...

With a tumultuous year for oil prices now in the rear-view mirror, Platts middle distillates team leader Olivier Lejeune sits down with Phil Casey to discuss the structural shift observed on the European jet market in 2015 and the outlook for 2016. Despite robust demand, the region struggled to...

Memorial Day weekend in the US is expected to have the highest travel volume for the holiday in 10 years, according to AAA Travel, right at a time when refiners are cranking up capacity to churn out more gasoline. Jeff Bair, light ends team leader in the Americas, talks with Amanda Rayborn, who...

Is it the end of an era in Saudi Arabia? Platts associate editorial director for oil news Mriganka Jaipuriyar and senior editor Tamsin Carlisle look at how recent political developments in Saudi and the separation of Saudi Aramco from the Ministry of Petroleum could affect international oil...

Platts Robert Beaman, managing editor for EMEA crude oil, analyzes recent trends in Brent crude oil prices with North Sea crude editor Ned Molloy and futures specialist George Shaw. The team discusses a perceived disconnect between the rally in futures and the weak physical crude market, as...

Platts Olivier Lejeune, managing editor for European and African middle distillates, and Philippe Casey, European jet fuel editor, discuss the recent change in the European jet fuel specification and the serious implications for oil traders and pipeline operators across the continent. We welcome...

Platts Olivier Lejeune, managing editor, Europe and Africa middle distillates and Eline Potie, Europe and Africa gasoil editor, discuss the changing face of the European gasoil market after Russian refinery upgrade projects led to lower sulfur gasoil exports. We welcome any feedback or suggestions...

In this podcast, Vandana Hari, Platts editorial director in Asia, and Pradeep Rajan, Platts senior managing editor for freight markets, assess the oil volumes stockpiled by Iran and how much of it could flood the global market, as well as how the insurance landscape could evolve once oil sanctions...

Platts Benno Spencer, senior managing editor, Europe and Africa Oil and Erduan Reid, Europe and Africa fuel oil editor, discuss the surprising resurgence in Northwest European low sulfur fuel oil barge demand seen in the first half of April. The discussion focuses on Vitol's recent buying spree in...

China recently released criteria for refiners that do not have crude import quotas or licenses to start applying for new import quotas. Platts senior oil news writer Song Yen Ling explains this policy change, the current status of application for rights to import crude, and how it may affect the...

On March 28-29, Nigeria elected Muhammadu Buhari as the country's new president, defeating incumbent Goodluck Jonathan. Robert Beaman, Managing Editor for European and African crude oil, discusses the impact of the election on the oil industry and on the physical oil markets with editors Eklavya...

Gasoline accounts for roughly 30% of Japan's domestic oil demand. Platts Asian oil news associate director Mriganka Jaipuriyar and senior editor Takeo Kumagai analyze Japan's improved refining margins, the changes that helped refiners in the fiscal year 2014-2015, and the industry's outlook for...

Sophie Byron, managing editor of Europe and Africa light ends, and Iain Stevenson, associate editor for LPG, analyze what is causing the tightness in propane supply in Europe, its impact on prices, and the steps being taken by the region's producers to meet their propane requirements. We welcome...

Sophie Byron, managing editor for European and African light ends, discusses with editor Virginie Malicier, the gasoline seasonality switch from winter to summer specification and blending demand; and analyze Where US gasoline strength after strike action, refinery issues and maintenance has...

Robert Beaman, managing editor for European and African crude oil, discusses the impact on the WAF crude market of the recent changes in Suezmax and VLCC freight rates, with freight editor John Morley and price assessments specialist Dimitrios Moraitelis. With Brent crude contango having narrowed...

Platts Christopher Vowden, managing editor of fuel oil and feedstocks, and Marko Trtica, fuel oil editor, discuss the recent change in shipping emission regulations that has led to increased demand for European marine gasoil and the growing interest in other alternative fuels and technologies. We...

Several Asian governments have taken advantage of low oil prices to carry out retail pricing reforms in their respective countries. In this podcast, Platts senior editor Mriganka Jaipuriyar, editorial director in China Sebastian Lewis, and senior analyst Oceana Zhou discuss the potentially big...

Brian Pearce, IATA's chief economist, talks to Ilana Djelal, associate editorial director for European clean products and Philippe Casey, European jet fuel editor on the impact of lower energy complex on downstream airline markets. We welcome any feedback or suggestions for topics. Contact...

In this podcast, Platts senior oil news writer Yen Ling Song looks at the pattern of China's crude imports over the past years and discusses the factors that may affect the country's buying decision in 2015, as well as its current and upcoming capacity for commercial storage and strategic petroleum...

Sophie Byron, managing editor of Europe and Africa light ends, and and Iain Stevenson, associate editor for LPG discuss structural changes in the LPG market, focusing on increased propane exports from the US and the impact on the European market. Also examined is the lack of seasonal strength in...

Malaysia has scrapped fuel subsidies and Indonesia has reduced them. Platts editors James Bourne, Mriganka Jaipuriyar, and Jonathan Nonis discuss the subsidy policy shifts, the impact on oil imports, and the domestic appetite for fuel in both countries. This is the latest in a series of weekly...

Benno Spencer, senior managing editor, Europe and Africa oil, Elza Turner, senior editor for Russian crude and products, and Paula VanLaningham, editor for Mediterranean and Urals crude, discuss the upcoming changes to the Russian oil export tax scheme and their impact on both crude and product...

Sophie Byron, managing editor of EMEA light ends and Virginie Malicier, editor for EMEA naphtha discuss the recent weakness in the European naphtha market with oversupply in Europe and low demand in Asia. Also examined is the ongoing competition from LPG for petrochemical cracking in Europe as...

Benno Spencer, senior managing editor, Europe and Africa oil, and Marko Trtica, fuel oil editor, discuss the recent OW Bunker bankruptcy and the consequences for the global bunker fuel market; focusing on price, competition, finance, losses and other ramifications.This is the latest in a series of...

Aleksandrs Juhnevics, managing editor, global shipping and freight, and Eklavya Gupte and John Morley, associate editors for West African crude and shipping, discuss the impact on the oil and shipping markets of the recent Ebola outbreak in WAF; and examine the steps taken by the shipping industry...

Cheong Su Yeen, Platts senior editor for jet fuel in Asia, and Song Yen Ling, Platts senior writer for oil, discuss the growth prospect of jet fuel demand in China amid the rapid development of high-speed railway network; the product balance for jet fuel in China; and the factors that will likely...

Elza Turner, senior editor for the Russian domestic oil market and Alex Pearce, editor for Northwest Europe distillates, discuss the temporary drop of Russian October diesel exports against the overall picture of steady flows to Europe and expected increase of volumes next year.This is the latest...

Sophie Byron, managing editor for EMEA light ends and Virginie Malicier, editor for EMEA naphtha, discuss the recent weakness in the European naphtha market, where cheaper propane remains in the petrochemical cracking pool and good availability of naphtha creates an overhang in the market. In...

A glut in ultra low sulfur diesel and gasoline looms in Asia. Jonathan Nonis, Platts senior managing editor for the Asian oil markets, discusses the factors behind the impending oversupply, Australia's potential demand growth, and the possibility of other markets as destinations of the surplus...

Sophie Byron, managing editor for EMEA light ends and Francesco Di Salvo, editor for EMEA gasoline, discuss the recent strength in the Northwest European gasoline market, where refinery maintenance has exerted upwards pressure on prices. This is despite the transition to cheaper winter-grade...

Andrew Bonnington, editorial director for European and African oil and Eklavya Gupte, associate editor covering the West African crude oil markets, discuss the unique challenges and opportunities facing the African continent. Booming US crude oil production has meant that Nigeria in particular has...

Benno Spencer, senior managing editor for EMEA oil and Paula VanLaningham, editor for Mediterranean and Urals crude, discuss the recent weakness in the Mediterranean Urals market, where differentials have dropped relative to the Northwest European market as incoming arbitrage barrels from the...

Mexico's energy reforms present potentially huge oil and gas exploration and investment opportunities to foreigners. James Bourne, Platts associate director of oil news in Asia, and Takeo Kumagai, Platts senior editor for Asia oil news, discuss the sets of investment opportunities for foreign...

Platts Stuart Elliott, associate editorial director, Europe and Africa oil news and Rosemary Griffin, associate editor, discuss the likely impact of new EU sanctions against Russian oil companies, and how the likes of Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft might combat the measures. This is the latest...

Platts Stuart Elliott, associate editorial director, Europe and Africa oil news and Nick Coleman, senior editor, discuss the run-up to the vote on Scottish independence, how the future of North Sea oil and gas is at the center of the debate and what an independent Scotland would look to do with its...

Platts Peter Norfolk, editorial director, global shipping and freight, and John Morley and Nigel Davies, West of Suez freight editors, discuss the impact on tanker markets of the restart of crude oil loading from the Libyan ports of Ras Lanuf and Es Sider, as well as the latest developments...

Platts Stuart Elliott, associate editorial director, Europe and Africa oil news and Dina Khrennikova, associate editor, discuss the problems that hit the launch of the giant Kashagan oil field offshore Kazakhstan and the likely timeline for the field's restart. This is the latest in a series of...

Platts Stuart Elliott, associate editorial director, Europe and Africa oil news and Rosemary Griffin, associate editor, discuss the impact on the Russian oil and gas sector of ongoing Western sanctions against Russia and two court rulings in favor of Yukos former shareholders announced recently....

Platts' Andrew Bonnington, editorial director for European and African oil discusses the recent fall in the value of low sulfur fuel oil relative to high sulfur fuel oil with editors, Ned Molloy and Maude Desmarescaux. The recent glut of light, sweet crudes and subsequent fall in the value of the...

Platts' Song Yen Ling, senior writer for China, analyzes China's apparent oil demand during the first six months of 2014, which edged up 0.6% on year to 9.91 million b/d, according to Platts calculations based on recent government data. She also assesses gasoil demand, which recovered to its...

Platts' Eklavya Gupte, West Africa crude editor, and Ned Molloy, North Sea crude editor, discuss the biggest slide in Brent crude prices this year, including the impact of Chinese de-stocking on West African exports, the fragile recovery in European refining margins, and headlines on Iraq and...

Shippers traveling within 200 miles of US shores are just six months away from new emissions regulations, which will lower the amount of sulfur in fuel allowed within Emission Control Areas. John-Laurent Tronche, team leader, Americas bunker fuel and residuel fuel oil, explains the options...

Andrew Bonnington, Platts editorial director for European and African oil, and Eklavya Gupte, West Africa editor, discuss the recent low values seen in the Angolan crude market amid weak Chinese demand and tumbling refining margins. This is the latest in a series of weekly podcasts aimed at...

Benno Spencer,Ned Molloy and Paula Vanlaningham, members of the Platts European crude oil price reporting team, discuss the recent reversal of fortunes for North Sea crude values, the bearish Mediterranean and Urals crude markets, stymied West African crude arbitrage to China and an environment of...

Ilana Djelal, Platts associate editorial director clean products EMEA and Eline Potie, Platts European gasoil market editor, discuss persistent weakness in the underlying gasoil demand and how this weakness is being mitigated by Baltic gasoil volume bypassing European markets in May. This is the...

Ellie Weir, Platts tankers team leader talks to John Morley, dirty tankers editor and Eklavya Gupte, West African crude editor, about the reasons behind WAF VLCC freight rates languishing at their lowest levels for eight months. Focusing on both the freight and crude oil markets to understand why...

Sophie Byron, Platts light ends team leader, and Francesco Di Salvo, Platts EMEA gasoline editor, discuss recent weakening in the European physical and paper gasoline markets, as weaker arbitrage opportunities to the US Atlantic Coast failed to absorb length, as well as the impact of West African...

Takeo Kumagai, senior editor for Platts oil news, talks with James Bourne, associate editorial director for oil news in Asia, about how operable capacity for oil refining in Japan has dropped roughly 20% on government regulations and waning domestic demand. Imports of certain products may increase...

The Great Australian Bight, off the southern coast of Australia, is causing excitement among major oil companies hoping to tap into the large offshore reserves there. James Bourne, Platts associate editorial director for Asian oil news, and Christine Forster, Platts senior writer for Asia oil news,...