U.S. crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq combined recently approached five-year high, but are expected to decline (2/23/2017)

In November 2016, high production and seasonally low internal demand contributed to record crude oil exports from Iraq and near-record exports from Saudi Arabia (according to the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI), with published data dating to January 2002). In that same month price spreads in the market supported high levels of U.S. crude imports from those countries. However, market developments, including the November 2016 agreement among certain members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce production and the recent widening of the spread between Dubai/Oman crude and U.S.-produced Mars crude, suggest U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq are now becoming less attractive to U.S. refiners. ... More »

U.S. crude oil production increases following higher drilling activity (2/15/2017)

U.S. crude oil production increased for the second consecutive month in November 2016, the first consecutive monthly increase since April 2015. Increased drilling activity in the Permian in Texas and New Mexico as well as the start of a number of new projects in the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico (GOM) more than offset declining production from other regions in the fourth quarter of 2016 (Figure 1). In the Permian, increases in the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price, up from averaging near $30 per barrel (b) in the first quarter of 2016 to $45/b or higher beginning in the second quarter of 2016, contributed to new drilling. In the GOM, the projects that came online were sanctioned during the 2012-14 period. Current crude oil prices above $50/b, combined with increasing rig counts in other onshore basins, suggest U.S. crude oil production will likely continue to increase. ... More »

Hydrocarbon gas liquids by rail data adds transparency to rapidly changing markets (2/8/2017)

EIA recently added information on rail movements of propane, propylene, normal butane, and isobutane to its monthly petroleum data. These four products make up the majority of hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL) moved by rail. This data adds transparency to market supply and demand dynamics for regions that are a source or destination for these products. Meanwhile, the growth in HGL-by-rail highlights market changes resulting from increased U.S. HGL production. ... More »

U.S. heating oil and propane prices higher than same time last year (2/2/2017)

Despite most of the country experiencing, on average, a relatively warm winter so far, higher crude oil prices have contributed to higher heating oil prices and strong export demand for propane has resulted in higher prices for that fuel as well. Last winter, unseasonably warm temperatures and falling crude oil prices combined to keep expenditures for winter heating fuels lower than historical averages. The latest EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) projects U.S. average heating oil and propane expenditures to increase 36% and 23%, respectively, compared with last winter, but both are still projected to be lower than average expenditures over the past 10 winters. Heating oil expenditures are expected to be $475 (26%) lower than the average expenditures of the previous 10 winters, and propane $14 (0.7%) lower. ... More »