Oil
BAML: Iraq poses risk to oil outlook
Iraq poses a risk to oil market outlook as the country may not fulfil output expectations in the shorter term, says Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML). However, the prospect of a huge increase in oil production may still maybe able to keep prices under…
Energy Risk: What's coming next?
Energy Risk brings you a snapshot of what's moving and shaking the markets.
Global supply squeeze to ease with China/Saudi ties
The global oil supply tightness forecast for the next five years due to increasing Asian demand might be eased by China’s latest move to promote closer ties and secure more imports from Saudi Arabia, say analysts.
US shale extraction technique under investigation
US oil and gas shale production - seen as a vital contributor to US energy needs - is under investigation due to environmental fears over extraction techniques.
Oil price of $70-80/bbl expected in 2010
Oil prices are expected to remain between $70 and $80 per barrel (bbl) this year, according to a consensus of industry experts speaking at the IP Week conference in London.
Iraq's capacity puts pressure on oil prices
The recovery of Iraq’s oil industry is putting downward pressure on global oil prices as the ability of the world market to absorb the extra capacity might be limited, say oil experts.
JP Morgan and RBS Sempra Commodities agree $1.7bn deal
RBS Sempra Commodities has sold its global oil, global metals, and European power and gas assets to JP Morgan for $1.7 billion.
China forces IEA to boost oil demand forecast
Higher-than-expected demand from China and other Asian countries has forced the International Energy Agency (IEA) to revise up its global oil demand forecast for 2010 by 120,000 barrels a day (b/d) to 86.5 million b/d.
Iraq adopts new pricing for US crude
Somo, the Iraqi state-owned oil marketing firm, has followed in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait by adopting the Argus Sour Crude Index (ASCI) to benchmark price sales of US-bound crude from April onwards.
FirstEnergy and Allegheny announce $8.5bn merger
FirstEnergy and Allegheny Energy have announced an $8.5 billion stock-for-stock merger transaction that would create a diversified generation portfolio including 2,200 megawatts (MW) of renewables.
Citi names new global commodities head
Stuart Staley has taken over as Citigroup’s global head of commodities, as the bank aims to boost the business by 30-40% over the next three years.
Interview: Mexico's hedging plans: in crude health
Pauline McCallion speaks to Gerardo Rodriguez, deputy undersecretary for public debt at Mexico’s Ministry of Finance & Public Credit, about the government’s highly successful oil price hedging strategy
Commodity Rankings: Reclaiming the top spot
The 2010 Risk/Energy Risk Commodity Rankings reveal which companies have been able to prosper despite the difficult conditions of 2009. Lianna Brinded analyses the results and talks to key market participants about their views
Goldman Sachs tops Energy Risk/Risk commodity rankings 2010
Goldman Sachs has reclaimed the top spot as best overall energy dealer, in the Energy Risk/Risk commodity rankings 2010, relieving Morgan Stanley of its two-year reign at number one.
Oil price volatility still concerns the market
After oil prices started to stabilise in the last quarter of 2009, all eyes turned to the market outlook for the year ahead. But as we enter a new decade, oil still remains at the top of the risk agenda and price forecasts differ vastly. Lianna Brinded…
Singapore Exchange to trade fuel oil futures in February
SGX has announced details of a new fuel oil contract scheduled for launch on Monday, February 22.
Lukoil-led consortium seals Iraq deal
A consortium led by Russian private oil company Lukoil is the latest in a line of energy giants sealing deals in Iraq, in a move set to develop one of the country’s largest oil fields.
BP CEO: Oil industry faces supply challenge
The oil industry will continue to face supply challenges in the long term, following China’s burgeoning demand for imports, said BP’s chief executive at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Russia and Belarus sign deal and end dispute
Russia and Belarus have ended a dispute over oil supply by signing a deal on Russian oil deliveries for one-third of Belarus’s import needs, confirms Russian deputy prime minister Igor Sechin on the country’s government website.
Mexico sees return to normality for oil hedging
Banks’ ability to act as a counterparty is “back to a very normal situation” after the credit crunch, according to one of the designers of Mexico’s oil price hedging programme.
Venezuelan sands could dwarf Canadian reserves
Venezuela’s Orinoco Oil Belt could contain 513 billion barrels of technically recoverable heavy oil, double original estimates, according to a report released last week.