Tag Archives: lodi

Iran Tensions Sending Prices Higher

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Good morning,

This week crude prices have increased based on tensions with Iran in the Middle East.  Reports of attacks on crude ships, drones attacking Saudi Arabia pipelines, Iran carrying missiles at sea, UK and US evacuating embassies in Iraq, and the US sending aircraft carriers and defense systems to the region are all putting a huge risk premium on crude prices.   Crude prices would be going even higher, but the tensions with China and the trade war are keeping a lid on a full breakout to the upside.  President Trump is sending messages that he wants to talk with Iran.  If diplomatic talks can be scheduled and firepower starts to recede, I expect to see prices fall right back down.  Next week will be a big week for crude.  In addition to the geopolitical issues, the US is about to enter its peak demand season.  World demand is staying neutral at the moment and on pins and needles with the trade war.  Supplies are ample, but if Venezuela and Iran truly can’t get crude to market, then we could experience some supply tightness in Q3 and Q4.  Next week will be very interesting to watch.

In local news, just as retail prices were starting to recede a little, prices have jumped right back up.  I expect to see retail prices hold or climb on both gasoline and diesel going into Memorial Day weekend.

Propane prices are at the lowest level of the past three years.  I recommend everyone filling their tanks right now.  There is much more risk of upside price movement in propane.  Contracts will be coming out in a month or so.  Stay tuned for more info.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

Crude Pulls Back / Propane at New Price Lows

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Good afternoon,

Crude prices pulled back from recent highs due to massive builds in inventories here in the US this week.  In addition, there are a lot of global concerns on demand and how Russia will react to the next OPEC meeting.  The markets are very ripe for crude supplies to turn to surplus, so the fear has put a quick profit taking reaction in play.  The recent pullback is kind of the calm before the storm.  I think we are experiencing a breather in the moment.  If Russia pulls out of the deal, we could easily see crude prices fall $5-7/barrel.  If OPEC steadies with cuts, I think the markets will try a new high.  For now, it’s the yo-yo effect between $62-65/barrel WTI.  More will develop in the coming weeks.

Retail prices on gasoline and diesel have balanced out.  I expect to see current pricing at the pump hold over the coming week.  Refinery maintenance in Chicago has experienced some relief and supplies are flowing again.

Propane prices have continued their detachment from crude.  Right now, our retail price is the lowest it has been in over a year!  If you are in need of propane, now would be a great time to buy!  Contract prices for next heating season are looking to be at or lower than this current year’s contracts.  More info will continue to be released in the coming weeks.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

Problems in Chicago

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Good afternoon,

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy some beautiful weather the past week.  In crude oil news, WTI crude oil has officially closed above $66/barrel and now surpassed a technical resistance price point.  The push over the edge came on the heels of Trump’s announcement that oil waivers would no longer be issued to countries purchasing crude oil from Iran.  Traders viewed the announcement as bullish support for supply tightness coupled with the instability in Libya.  However, Saudi Arabia and UAE said that would be able to easily put another 1M barrels/day into the market.  That announcement capped any significant gains in crude prices.  Since the announcements on Iran, economic data from South Korea was terrible; the worst posting since the great recession.  US Jobless claims rose, and the Fed is starting to think about staying firm on rate increases.  Oil is struggling to hold these current price levels, but the bulls have a pretty strong platform built around $60/barrel WTI.  As I have been saying, I expect prices to stay high for a while longer.  But I think June is going to be very interesting.  Russia is not happy with the deal that the US cut with Saudi Arabia and UAE.  I think Russia might pull out of the OPEC deal in June and start pumping more crude.  In addition, the US continues to keep crude production levels high.  And the last piece of caution news to look at is a rumor floating that Trump is considering giving China a waiver for Iranian crude as part of a trade deal.  He really wants to ink a trade deal quickly to cool the heat that has been burning in DC.  I guess we’ll see if anything comes out in the next few days.

In local retail news, gasoline prices East of Rockies started to sell off except for Chicago.  Chicago is having continued supply problems at refineries and is about 10 cents/gallon inflated compared to neighboring markets.  So unfortunately our current retail price will hold for some time yet.  Diesel retail prices are holding steady and I expect the current prices to remain, especially going into the start of planting season for the farmers.

Propane prices are continuing their trend of detaching from crude prices.  Retail prices are slowly dropping into summer.  I expect to see next season’s heating retail prices be at about the same price as last year, even though crude prices are 20% higher!  That’s some good value!  For now, make sure you consider getting a summer fill and watch out for contract info that should be mailed out around the 4th of July.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

Happy Easter Weekend!!!

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Good morning,

I wanted to wish everyone safe travels this Easter weekend.  We hope everyone enjoys time with family and friends.  The weather is looking excellent which will be a nice reprieve from the past week!

Not much has changed in the market place.  There is a short week of trading this week since the market is closed on Friday.  I am waiting for next week to see how news is truly digested.  Right now Venezuela is avoiding sanctions by selling crude through Russia.  Russia is really getting anxious and wanting to pull out of the OPEC deal.  The US continues to produce at record levels above 12M barrels/day.  The jobs report was good and earnings have been strong.  In regards to technical trading, WTI crude oil has been unable to break through the resistance level of $65/barrel.  So for now, we are taking a breather.

Retail prices on gasoline and diesel are holding steady with the market.  As I have been saying, I’m not seeing much price relief at the pump in the coming weeks.

Propane prices continue to detach from crude oil and are far showing the most bearish fundamentals we have seen in a long time.  I expect prices to stay low throughout the summer.  Keep a lookout for next season heating contracts around July.  I am thinking that prices will be very similar to last year, even though crude prices are 25% higher.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

Mission Impossible

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Good afternoon,

As one oil analyst said this week, “It is impossible to predict the price direction of oil.”  WTI crude prices went to $70/barrel in October 2018, down to $46/barrel in January 2019, and back up to $64/barrel in April of 2019.  The massive amount of volatility really puts a lot of pressure on anyone who claims they know the direction of crude prices.  As many oil analysts say, “we are experiencing boom/bust movements in crude prices and we should get used to it.”  I could not agree more.  Almost five years ago, I sat in a seminar from a famous oil analyst in Canada.  When the US shale revolution started to get legs, he warned of these times.  Man, he was spot on.  The lifestyle of these prices swings could last as long as five to ten years depending on who you talk to.  For right now, not much has changed.  It’s all about the economic headlines for the day.  But the fact remains, the US is still strong in crude supplies and production.  The “swing” in production will be watched in Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iran, and Venezuela.

In local retail news, refinery maintenance season is underway in Chicago and prices for gasoline have continued to break out.  Gasoline prices continue to inch ever so closer to the dreaded $3/gallon price.  I’m not so sure that we get there, but I don’t see prices retreating any time soon.  Diesel prices have slowly crept up as well.  I expect us to see closer to $3/gallon diesel in the next month.

Propane prices are starting to reattach with crude price movements.  But propane is very bearish: record production, supported by high crude prices, lower petrochem demand, full strength exports while experiencing inventory gains, over 30% higher inventory of US propane after a higher than normal demand winter.  I’m sitting on the sidelines for a while with propane.  For now, retail prices are getting close to $1/gallon.  I expect to see excellent summer fill prices and contract prices very close to this season.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

Bulls On Parade

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Good afternoon!

Nothing seems to stop the bulls from taking crude prices higher.  The US Jobs report was better than expected so the fears around recession melted away.  The FED continues to talk of lower rates and the US oil rig count continues to drop.  In World News, Libya is experiencing turmoil which can affect oil exports, and Saudi Arabia announced that its largest oil field is producing much less than expected.  And the US/China trade deal looks like “all systems go”.  All-in-all, the data is showing high demand with robust economic indicators.  However…. The US continues to produce record levels of crude with less rigs, showing that we are becoming more nimble and efficient.  Russia is wanting out of the OPEC cuts and does not want to see the price of oil get much higher.  And world demand continues to hang on every announcement.  Basically, we are starting to enter price territory where price will affect world demand.  In conclusion, as I have been saying, the ride up is not over yet, but I’m not so sure it will hold on for the rest of the year.

In local retail news, gasoline retail prices continue to hold around $2.69/gallon and diesel under $3.00/gallon.  With the continued rise in crude prices, I don’t expect to see any downward movement in prices at the pump in the foreseeable future.

Propane prices are starting to drop and I expect to see prices continue the downward movement.  We have only seen propane prices detach from crude price movement a few times in the the past, and it is happening now.  Propane supplies are at record levels for this time of year and are only continuing to increase.  In addition, exports are remaining robust and we expect inventory levels to continue to increase.  Therefore, it’s not a question of “if” propane prices will go lower, it’s a question of “how low” propane prices will go.  For now, we sit back and wait for summer fill prices to come out along with next season’s heating contracts.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

Crude Prices Continue To Hold

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Good morning,

The market looks like WTI will hold price above $60/barrel this week.  There are so many variables flying around right now.  The bulls are being pushed by FED keeping rates low, Saudi Arabia hammering cuts through 2019, Iran and Venezuela sanctions, positive progress on the US and China trade talks, and feelings of healthy demand appetite for crude oil.  The bears on the sidelines are staying active following weak economic data out of China, a not-so-thrilling housing market in the US, record US production, Russia discussing leaving the OPEC cuts, Trump hammering on OPEC to stop cutting, investors such as Warren Buffet saying our economy is out of steam, and potential extension of supply waivers for countries buying from Iran.  So basically you have a full hand of cards showing bull market strength, and a full hand of cards showing bear market strength.  I don’t like to keep sounding like a skipping record, but crude is probably going to trade back and forth in a $5/barrel range for the next quarter until data starts to truly back one of the hands in play.

In local retail news, I believe gasoline is a bit overbought going into refinery maintenance season.  We could see gasoline prices fall off a little bit in the next couple of months.  But for now, I would get used to paying around $2.69/gallon on gasoline.  Surprisingly, diesel prices are staying fairly consistent around $2.95/gallon. I still think there is a lot of upside risk in diesel prices going into Q3 and Q4 of this year.  More to come on this in the following months.

Propane prices continue to drop as we unwind the winter delivery season.  Propane production is continuing at record levels and inventories remain over 30% higher this year compared to last year, and demand was stronger!  Propane prices have a chance of breaking away from crude and falling.  I am very confident we will see excellent summer fill rates and contract prices for next season at or below this season’s prices.  More to come in the following months.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

WTI Crude Over $60/Barrel

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Good afternoon,

WTI Crude price closed this week over $60/barrel for the first time since last fall.  The rise in pricing has been attributed to tightening sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, OPEC and Russia continuing to deliver on production cuts, and strong world demand.  In addition, the EIA’s inventory report showed a massive drop in crude, gasoline, and distillate inventories.  So the bulls have been running with this info.  However, there is caution in air.  This week the FED released their report that they will not increase rates this year.  The news at first caused crude prices to soar.  But then as the information was digested, the price backed off.  The FED also sees the economy slowing down by year end.  Therefore, the combo of healthy demand coupled with a weaker dollar is in jeopardy.  The US continues to produce oil at record numbers.  So the potential for a supply glut to reappear could occur at anytime, especially if the world economy slows.  The economic data from China has not been so hot either.  As I always say, the devil is in the details.  But for now, the bulls maybe have taken a breather, but I don’t think the rally is done just yet.  And just like last fall, this year is looking ripe for another bust on crude prices.  I firmly believe that “boom and bust” economics will be in play for crude prices for at least the next two to three years.

In local news, gasoline retail prices continue to rise as I have been saying.  Most stations are nearing or over the $2.50/gallon retail price on regular gasoline.  The big issue is that consumer behavior changes when gasoline prices go over $2.50.  So we are hoping that the “bust” in price happens before driving season.  Diesel prices have fallen below $3.00/gallon and will probably stay under $3.00/gallon now that winter blending for the year is completed.

Propane prices are ripe for a nice drop this summer.  Our national inventory is 30% higher than last year, and we experienced a colder winter!  Propane production continues to move at record levels.  In comparison to crude prices, propane prices are shaping up for a disconnect from crude and drop this summer.  More to come on this when winter ends.  But don’t relax too much, we still have about three weeks of heating season remaining. 🙂

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

The Bulls Lead the Way

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Good morning,

The net long positions in crude continue to build for both WTI and Brent.  Many traders are really holding on to OPEC’s compliance to cuts and the sanctions placed on Iran and Venezuela.  In addition, there continues to be reports of progress on the China/US trade deal.  Although the US rig count declined, production is staying strong.  Refinery utilization is down due to the start of refinery maintenance season.  Therefore we expect all four production quadrants East of the Rockies to experience supply/price issues over the coming months.  As of right now, Chicago appears to be short on gasoline going into spring, so Chicago pricing is starting to disconnect from our neighbors in the Group.  So for now, it’s still the bulls in charge.  I expect to see current retail prices to only increase over the coming month or so.

In local retail news, gasoline retail prices continue to lag in comparison to cost.  Some cities in the surround areas are advertising retail prices below cost of product.  Retail prices on gasoline are ripe for an increase.  Diesel retail prices will remain stable for some time as the #1 oil blending components start to fade out from winter treatment.

Propane prices are remaining stable as we finish up this winter.  Propane production continues to be at record levels and shows no signs of slowing down.  So far we are already seeing prices for next season to be very close to this season.  Stability in price forwards is always nice for consumers.  And there is also a good chance of lower prices for summer fills this summer.  As a reminder, for all will-call customers, please keep an eye on your tank.  This time of year, many people can forget about their tank as temperatures rise during the day but stay cool at night.  🙂

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.

On the Up and Up

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Good morning,

WTI Crude prices continue to climb towards $60/barrel.  As I have been writing, hedge funds took long positions on crude so bullish sentiment seems to be running the market.  I believe that we will see prices peak somewhere in Q2 of this year.  I think there will be an opportunity for hedge funds to ring the register around that time.  Earlier in the week though, we experienced a one day collapse in the rally due to President Trump tweeting at OPEC that prices are too high.  The market experienced a knee-jerk reaction to the downside.  However, the following day, the EIA reported a massive drop in crude oil inventories giving further support to the strength of US crude oil exports to China.  In addition, OPEC came out with strong messages following Trump’s tweet saying they will not be bossed around and the plan to cut production is well supported and underway.  This week again gives support to my idea that the market is on the bull train and will be for quite sometime until the hedge funds can ring the register.  In Q2, we will start to see how the economy will look going into summer and high demand season.  In addition, the FED will have some more input, and we will see where OPEC ends up.  For now, get your wallet out and expect to keep paying these prices for a few more months.

In local retail news, gasoline retail prices continue to climb towards $2.49/gallon.  I expect that we will experience at least $2.49/gallon at gasoline retail in most of the state sometime in March.  If winter continues to hang around, diesel retail prices will easily continue to hover around $3.00/gallon.

Propane prices are steady and actually dropped a little last week.  Production continues to be very robust and is beating demand at this point, even though winter is colder than last year.  Inventory levels in the country are strong and will end the winter season at high levels.  So depending on the price of crude, we could experience some very low summer fill prices this year.  For now, please make sure that your icy driveways are taken care of and that there is a clear path to your propane tank to ensure a safe and efficient delivery.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.