As global benchmark oil prices on Wednesday reached lows not seen since the wake of the economic crisis in 2009, Saudi Arabian oil minister Ali al-Naimi responded to reporters’ questions with some of his own. The world’s most important oil minister held his ground reiterating that the oil market will correct itself without Opec interference.… Keep reading →
Russian national oil company Rosneft is expanding development at its Vankor field in Eastern Siberia and recently announced its beginning construction of a pipeline that will link a satellite field – Suzun – to the Vankor complex. “According to geologic data form January 2014, reserves of oil and condensate of the Suzun field total over… Keep reading →
Oil prices have plummeted over 30% since June, but the sky is not falling on US producers just yet. There has been a lot of conjecture about how lower oil prices are making unconventional wells uneconomic to drill and complete. What does this mean for US oil production volumes going forward? While companies will adjust… Keep reading →
The oil market is filled with winners and losers. When oil prices decline, refiners generally win as their feedstock is less expensive, but producers lose as they get less money for their product. This highlights the attraction of vertical integration – operating both upstream production and downstream refining – which can insulate companies from oil… Keep reading →
Russian officials already in the unenviable position of dealing with the impact of Western sanctions on their national economy as reflected in a tumbling ruble – in spite of continuous Central Bank interventions – and capital outflows, now face the possibility of a recession looming in 2015, according to recent World Bank projections. Russia: Policy Uncertainty… Keep reading →
Long viewed as a more expensive short-term solution to pipelines, it appears transporting crude oil via rail is likely to continue in conjunction with pipeline infrastructure. As North American oil production crept steadily higher over the past several years, the output surge overwhelmed existing pipelines and producers turned to railroads to move their product.… Keep reading →
A judge found Continental Resources CEO Harold Hamm owes nearly $1 billion to his wife as a result of their lengthy divorce settlement, one of the largest in US history. Hamm, former Mitt Romney energy adviser, gets to keep his 253 million shares of Continental stock valued at $13.7 billion. He must pay his now… Keep reading →
In one of the more honest assessments of current Saudi Arabian oil policy, Rice University’s Jim Krane said there are several plausible reasons behind the Saudis’ apparently sanguine approach to falling global oil prices, but only a few within the Kingdom really know. “If you’re somebody who looks at geopolitics and energy, you could come… Keep reading →
The downward trend in global oil prices that garnered so much attention – and hyperbole – over the past couple of weeks also revived interest in the US crude oil export conversation. The million dollar question with regard to US oil exports is how additional volumes of US crude on the global market would impact… Keep reading →
Depending upon which side of the fence one sits, major oil supply disruptions are typically considered bad luck, but in Opec’s case, recent supply disruptions have helped balance the market and support prices. “OPEC has been lucky – 3.5 million bpd of shale production has been absorbed through disruptions. They’re running out of luck,” –… Keep reading →
