Thread on the impact of the #SPR releases/end on oil prices #Oil#OOTT#COM 1-9 At first, they prevented prices from increasing. Since the demand was not rising proportionally to the increase in supplies, prices started declining, especially since the releases replaced imports
2-9 As a result, the "demand" for the SPR started declining & will continue to decline gradually until it stops, probably before the whole amount is sold!
In other words, it remains to be seen if the whole amount is sold. If it does, it is mostly because #Crude_Quality_Matters
3-9 Therefore, the idea of an abrupt stop and loss of about 800 kbd may not happen, and therefore, the idea that oil prices will rise sharply as a result of ending withdrawals may not happen. Being bullish based on the idea of an abrupt loss of 800 kbd is a dangerous strategy.
4-9 The substitution between the SPR and commercial inventories is happening before our eyes as commercial inventories are rising at a time when they usually decline. Also, watch Chinese SPR withdrwals.
5-9 I believe the government will not start refilling the SPR until WTI prices decline below $53/b. Even then, it will be a partial refill and most likely it will be medium sour crude. This does not help shale producers nor Canadian producers. Why $53? 😉
6-9 Since the refill is going to be partial (My guess: 60-90 mb) and in a period of declining oil prices, the impact on oil prices is minuscule.
Absent a severe recession, there is no reason for oil prices to decline below $60. Refill, if ever happens, might be years from now.
7-9 Linking the SPR refill to financial markets is a joke. Will discuss the details in a Space soon to show how it doesn't work in economics, finance, and politics. The idea that guaranteeing a minimum price to refill will support domestic production is another joke.
8-9 The question is: what will happen during severe hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico?
a- Release additional amounts as loans?
b- Since sales are declining, sell more? (do nothing in a sense)
c- Make additional sales above 180 mb? (less likley) #SPR#Oil
9-9 In short, the withdrawal from the SPR was an additional supply that prevented oil prices from rising and later lowered prices. There was nothing bullish about it. The impact was large because the amount was huge. In case of hurricanes, let us wait and see.
Here is the evidence on the above tweet. Demand is declining
The cumulative withdrawal so far since the start of the year is 132.226 mb. Once everything is said & done, the US will have about 400 mb in the SPR, enough for multiple back-to-back emergencies. #Oil#OOTT#COM#SPR
Thread 1-9 EIA investigation of the adjustment & the results are all about “data quality.” @EIA_One tweeted a chart showing that the adjustment factor grew with exports since 2016.
I have been talking about data quality since 2017 & I created the hashtag: #Data_Quality_Matters
2-9 Mr. @EIA_One stated that the investigation led to two causes of the rise in adjustment: exports & production. Here is a tweet from June 6, 2019:
“The growing adjustment factor (something exaggerated: production or exports)”
Also, notice the hashtag
3-9 I am going down memory lane of this “data quality” to show you that some of the results of the investigation are really old news! EIA gets crude export data from the Census bureau!
This form October 2019:
Short Thread
Let us go along with what some pundits are saying:
Global oil demand will peak soon & then decline:
1-4 That doesn't mean lower oil prices. It might mean, among various scenarios, ever-increasing prices. Remember, prices are about demand & S U P P L Y! #Oil
2-4 Oil investment is needed no matter what because of the declining rates in the fields. Even at 75 mb/d in 2050, all of it has to be new oil. We literally need trillions of dollars in upstream investment if oil demand declines. Imagine if NO decline!
3-4 The idea that oil companies will go bankrupt & the economies of the oil-producing countries will collapse if oil demand peaks are nonsense. Oil under the declining scenario might end up more precious than ever: the supply reaction to the idea of declining demand is large.
Thread on Turkey’s Energy Ambitions & Regional Dominance
1-18 President Erdoğan gave an energy-focused speech last Friday in a ceremony for the capacity expansion of the Silivri Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility, which reached 4.6 billion cubic meters (162.45 bcf).
2-18 The speech highlights several energy policy issues, provides some interesting data, and most importantly, highlights the two issues that we focused on in this week's and last week’s newsletters: Relations with Russia and the desire to be a gas hub. anasalhajjieoa.substack.com
3-18 Below are translated excerpts from the speech (from medyanotu.com ):
- “Silivri has become the largest underground gas storage facility in Europe.” #Turkey#Natgas#Russia#Europe
1- The Biden Administration has the right to refill the SPR as it sees fit… but to flip the story and say we sold the oil at $96 and now we are buying it in the low $70s, therefore we are making money for the taxpayer is the worst story they can tell about the SPR.
2- from an accounting point of view, adjusted for inflation, the SPR oil that was sold at $96 in today’s dollars was sold at a very large loss. Some of the oil was sold at 40 cents on the dollar.
3- The most important stories of the SPR are:
A. it prevented oil prices from going above $140/b
B. then it lowered prices significantly worldwide, not only in the US.
Now count the economic growth benefits from that
Thread on OPEC
For those who are attacking OPEC. Hear me out: 1-9 I am a strong believer in free markets. Yet, natural resource economics dictate that natural resources need market management
2-9 Where did the idea of #OPEC come from?
Yep.. Texas Railroad Commission! #Oil#OOTT
3-9 Just so you know in case you have no idea, Oklahoma and Texas used the armed national guards to occupy privately owned oil fields so both states can manage the oil market! This happened in the United States of America!
4-9 Has the US federal government managed the oil market? Yes, and for a long time via different means. For example, the US federal government adopted a communist-style price control that controlled all energy prices throughout the 1970s. cato.org/commentary/rem…
1- To think #Russia & #oil traders have not prepared for the Dec 5 deadline is naive.. however, everyone wants to take advantage of the weeks and days before the deadline.. activities increase, then decline, making the deadline looks more effective than reality #Russia
2- Remember:
A- the December 5 deadline is for crude only … not petroleum products
B- Five European countries are exempt in one way or the other
Question: do sanctions apply to oil via rails and trucks? 😳👿
3- Russia has already built the infrastructure to do what Iran has done for years, but on a larger scale… the ban and the price cap applies only to “official” imports…