Crude oil and petroleum product exports reach record levels in the first half of 2017 (9/27/2017)

Crude oil exports in the first half of 2017 increased by more than 300,000 barrels per day (b/d) from the first half of 2016, a 57% increase. Petroleum product exports grew over the same period as well. Crude oil and propane exports each reached record highs of 0.9 million b/d, and distillate exports reached a record of 1.3 million b/d. ... More »

U.S. oil companies increased liquids production and cash flow in the second quarter of 2017 (9/20/2017)

Second-quarter 2017 financial statements for 55 U.S. oil companies indicate that aggregate liquids production grew year over year for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2015. Cash flow from operating activities also increased year over year, the third consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth, reaching the highest level in nearly two years. These companies’ ability to sufficiently meet financial obligations and their increased hedging activity, which locks in prices for their future production, suggest that production could continue growing in the coming quarters. ... More »

Hurricane Irma prompts high gasoline demand as it disrupts Florida's supply chain (9/13/2017)

Hurricane Irma has created several issues with gasoline markets in Florida, both by prompting increased demand and disrupting the supply chain needed to deliver gasoline. Hurricane Irma made landfall in South Florida on September 10 and proceeded on a northwesterly path up the length of the state. Because of the evacuation of people in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, demand for transportation fuels and the logistical challenges in supplying Florida began before it made landfall. As Hurricane Irma approached, shipping traffic was diverted and ports closed, stopping the flow of petroleum products into Florida. People filling their gasoline tanks in anticipation of the storm resulted in a rapid increase in demand. In Hurricane Irma’s aftermath, demand is slowly returning to normal levels, allowing time for resupply to arrive and supply chains to adjust. ... More »

Hurricane Harvey disrupts U.S. Gulf Coast refineries, infrastructure, and supply chains (9/8/2017)

With its landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas as a Category 4 storm two weeks ago on August 25, 2017 and subsequent path along the Gulf Coast, Hurricane Harvey caused substantial disruptions to crude oil and petroleum product supply chains and prices because of the high concentration of petroleum infrastructure in the Gulf Coast, Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD) 3. Just over half of all U.S. refinery capacity is located in PADD 3; Texas alone represented 31% of all U.S. refinery capacity as of January 2017. These refineries supply petroleum products to local markets, domestic markets on the East Coast (PADD 1) and in the Midwest (PADD 2), and international markets. As of March 2017, PADD 3 accounted for 49% of total U.S. working crude oil storage capacity and over 40% of working storage capacity for both motor gasoline and diesel fuel. Furthermore, PADD 3 represented 62% of total U.S. crude oil production in 2016, with an additional 18% coming from the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico. ... More »

Today’s This Week in Petroleum will be delayed until Friday, September 8 (9/7/2017)

The September 7 feature article for This Week in Petroleum will be delayed until Friday, September 8 to incorporate information from the latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report (WPSR) that was published this morning at 11:00 a.m. The feature article will discuss the affects of Hurricane Harvey on petroleum markets. The WPSR data and charts on these pages have been updated to reflect this morning’s release. ... More »