Tag Archives: fuel oil

Wait and See

Posted on by

Good afternoon,

Crude prices continue climb causing gasoline and diesel prices to rise.  We are seeing WTI crude carve out a recent floor at around $55/barrel.  I’m not expecting that to change much until after the China/US summit in March.  For now, it’s a continuation of “wait and see” what the news throws out each day.  The FED is starting to look dovish again which is putting some downward pressure on crude price, coupled with continued increases in crude production in the US.  But Saudi Arabia cuts and sanctions against Venezuela and Iran are keeping the downward momentum in check.  At the moment, hedge funds have reentered the market with longer positions on crude adding to the temporary floor on WTI.  So far now, I expect WTI to continue its’ narrow trade range.

Local markets are continuing to see rising retail prices on gasoline and diesel, and I expect to see the trend continue.  Gasoline prices are well on their way to over $2.29/gallon and diesel prices at over $3.00/gallon are starting to pop up.  I don’t see these prices going away anytime soon.  For now, it’s wait and see until the end of March.

Propane prices are continuing to hold steady with increases in supplies.  Production is at record levels and currently we are 11M barrels ahead of inventory levels compared to last year.  I expect to see propane trade with crude for the next month or so, but we could start to see propane break away and fall once winter demand starts to diminish.  The only caveat is that is crude goes on a rocket higher, propane will follow.

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

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.

Prices Continuing to Climb

Posted on by

Good afternoon,

Prices of crude oil continued their path higher this week settling at the highest close in the last three months.  We expect to see crude prices continue to climb as Saudi Arabia is cutting more than expected in volume, supply disruptions continue around the world, and sanctions on oil exports from Venezuela and Iran are hitting the marketplace.  In addition, China and US are entering a trade negotiation deadline that is starting to look hopeful.  Demand around the world appears to be healthy and OPEC seems set on keeping prices higher.  The economy does not seem to be slowing as much as expected in the US and China and overall sentiment seems to be bullish on crude prices.  I am seeing healthy prices through Q2 2019, but am on the fence from there.  Supply is very delicate and could easily slip into surplus at any moment.  But for now, emotions and sentiment are going to push crude along on its current path.

Retail prices for gasoline and diesel continue to be all over the map.  Many areas in the state are selling retail gasoline below cost.  The next couple of weeks will be interesting to watch as the marketplace continues to digest higher gasoline costs and reluctance to increase retail prices on the street.  Diesel cost is continuing to rise as well and $3.00/gallon street price is not far away.

Propane prices are also starting to rise with crude.  Although propane inventories are healthy and production is at record levels, cost continues to follow the crude market.  I just don’t see propane breaking from crude at this point in the year with a couple of winter months remaining.

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

Best regards,

Jon Crawford

Crude Prices Stable – Pump Prices Climbing

Posted on by

Good afternoon,

Finally nice to have more normal winter temperatures again!  I hope everyone is staying safe with the crazy snow and ice storms.

Crude prices continue to trade in a narrow range based on the day’s news.  One day the economy looks great, the next day it looks awful.  In other words, whatever, hits the headlines in the morning drives the price for the day.  Crude production is very stable worldwide.  Even though sanctions on Venezuela are looking to hit the market soon, many countries have already vowed to continue to buy from Iran, so the potential for a drop in world production is limited.  My main concern is diesel production and prices in the US.  With sanctions against Citgo, we are putting a lot of pressure on other countries for importing heavy crude that is best refined for diesel.  The US does not produce any heavy crude.  In addition, our diesel inventory levels are below the 5 year average.  So going into high demand seasons, if we continue to limit diesel production, we are going to see our cost of diesel rise quickly.

In local retail news, the retail price of gasoline has now moved above $2/gallon and climbing.  Diesel retail prices are starting to move closer to the $3/gallon mark.  I expect to see retail prices continue to rise over the coming weeks as costs have increased dramatically over the past three weeks.

Propane prices have remained stable.  Although demand has been very strong, production numbers are robust.  There is just not a lot of fear for inventory loss in propane for the remainder of the year.  Please remember to keep your driveway clean and have a clear path to your propane tank in order to receive your delivery safely and efficiently.

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

Best regards,

Jonathan Crawford – Pres.

Arctic Blast Is Over!!!

Posted on by

Good morning,

I hope this message finds everyone safe and sound coming out of the coldest weather experienced in 30 years.  Our company worked overtime and extra hard to keep everyone safe.  If the temperature climbs to over 40 degrees this weekend, it will be an 80 degree swing in 48 hours!!!  Regardless, I appreciate everyone’s patience as we worked in extreme temps to care for our customers.  And a special hank you to the customers who worked with us to help with spreading out deliveries to make sure those in emergency situations were taken care of you.  Your honesty and willingness to help was very much appreciated!

In world news, crude oil prices climbed 18% in January to start the year as I expected.  Crude oil prices were very undervalued to start 2019.  Now we are carving out a range of $50-55/barrel WTI until a few things flush out.  OPEC+ and their crude cuts will be under scrutiny in the coming months.  Mostly we need to see Russia stepping up to their commitments.  China’s economy is continuing to contract so the news is very bearish for crude prices.  But the contraction could bring China to the negotiating table on a trade deal which would be very bullish for crude.  Here in the US we just don’t stop pumping crude.  And the FED is probably deciding to hold off on rate increases which would hope to spark more demand in crude in relation to the devaluing of crude prices.  So February is going to be an interesting month for watching data.  I think after this month we will have a better idea as to where crude prices might be heading.  More to come.

In local news, gasoline prices are starting to pop up above $2/gallon.  I expect to see the trend continue as gasoline cost basis in our area jumped higher this week.  Diesel prices continue to climb as well.  I expect to see diesel prices at the pump continue to rise as well.

Propane prices have remained stable with high production and high demand.  Propane is in a spot of homeostasis.  So if demand erodes or production quits, hold on.  Things could change quickly.  For now, please make sure your driveway is clean and clear to make sure we are able to safely and efficiency deliver propane to your house.

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

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.

Public Service Announcement: EXTREME COLD

Posted on by

Good morning,

I would like to discuss the EXTREME cold temperatures that are hitting our area for the next week.  The arctic blast from the Polar Vortex is going to hang around for some time.  In addition, we might see snow on Monday.  If you are a will-call heating oil or propane customer, please keep an eye on your tank.  Your consumption will greatly increase over the coming days.  These temperatures are very dangerous so please take caution when being outside.  Frostbite can happen in under 30 minutes with some of the temperatures predicted.  Our drivers are working extra hard to stay ahead of this cold snap.  Please make sure that your driveway is cleared and there is a safe path to your tank.  We want to complete safe and efficient deliveries over the coming week.

As far as prices are concerned, crude oil continues to be volatile.  The biggest news that we continue to monitor are the developments in Venezuela and the US government shutdown.  The potential for lost crude imports from Venezuela could impact the US.  We import about 300K barrels of heavy crude from Venezuela and the loss of that product could push up diesel prices.  The government shutdown continues to put pressure on the economy.  As long as the government opens soon and the Chinese/US trade teams continue to talk, we expect to see crude oil consumption stay healthy this year.

In local news, the crack spreads on diesel in the Chicago market dried up driving the cost of diesel in our market up by more than 20 cents/gallon.  Our cost is now on average with the rest of the East of Rockies markets.  I expect to see diesel prices at the pump rise.  Gasoline retail prices continue to resist breaking back over $2/gallon.  I would expect to see most markets back above $2/gallon in the near future.

Propane prices are starting to creep back up with winter weather causing healthy demand.  However, production is very strong and inventories are high.  So I don’t see any potential for major prices moves higher in propane this winter.

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

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.

Crude Prices Holding Steady

Posted on by

Good morning!

Crude oil prices continue to trade in a very narrow range based on the news of the day.  We seem to be bouncing along between $51-53/barrel on WTI.  I continue to believe we will stay in this range for a bit longer.  Refineries are making great money right now so supplies are ample.  But crude and refined exports to China are starting to show up again, so possible relief on trade tensions are being discussed as well.  Basically, as the US floods our local markets with additional refined products coupled with record crude harvesting, and as long as there are buyers, prices will stay steady.  If the US refineries hit a hiccup in production, crude oil inventories could build quite quickly in the US.  But OPEC, particularly Saudi Arabia, are drumming up continued support for their cuts and are offering side deals to anyone in the world that wants to work with them to help keep prices higher.  Canada is also joining in the party with cutting production.  Russia is slowly cutting back on production as long as prices don’t go up too fast.  The biggest area of concern for the year is the world economies.  If economies stay healthy in 2019, then I believe we have experienced the bottom in prices for the year.  But if we start to slow down demand for oil, I’m not so sure OPEC can cut fast enough to deal with the record production here in the US.  So as the last few weeks have been, it’s a “be patient” scenario.  I still believe that hedging diesel supply for the future months is a smart hedge.  Diesel inventory levels are lower than the five year average and if crack spreads decrease, we are going to run into some supply constraints later in the year.  In addition, the new IMO standard for marine fuel starts in 2020 and is going to push up prices due to production cost increases.

In local retail news, gasoline prices are trying to push back up above $2/gallon.  Cost has increased enough to justify pushing prices back up over $2/gallon, but retailers are hesitant to give in.  Diesel prices have increased a little, but hold on to your seats.  Diesel cost is 25 cents/gallon lower out of the Chicago Spot market due to insanely great crack spreads.  Once we have a production issue or a drop in supply, diesel prices in our local market are going to sky rocket.

Propane prices are holding steady with demand increases due to cold weather.  Our prediction services are calling for very cold temps the rest of January and possibly all of February.  So for now, we are preparing for increased demand in the coming weeks.  Please make sure an icy driveway is salted or sanded and that there is a clear pathway to your tank to make sure we can safely and efficiently deliver.

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

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.

WTI Crude Back Above $50/Barrel

Posted on by

Good morning,

Well, that didn’t take long!  WTI Crude price climbed back above $50/barrel this week and looks to close above for the week.  Signs of progress on the China/US trade war seem to be coming to fruition.  In addition, economic data in the US seems to be better than expected with retail sales strong and jobs hiring on the rise since December.  Furthermore, Saudi Arabia cut more than expected in crude production for December and announced that they are willing to shed market share to increase prices.  Saudi Arabia also floated the possibility again of an IPO for Aramco in 2020.  The announcement is meant to give support to their position of wanting higher crude prices.  Back at home, the FED is starting to take a softer position on rate increases for 2019 which caused the stock market to climb along with energy prices.  So for now, the bottom on WTI seems to have been carved out at around $45/barrel.  There are still some bearish scenarios floating around the marketplace.  China’s economy is murky at best.  True data is hard to find so time will tell if the economic giant is truly in troubled waters.  The US production of crude has soared past 12M barrels/day.  With OPEC cuts and healthy demand, the production levels in the US are not a damper on prices.  But if China truly is slowing down or something changes in the US economy, crude prices could tumble back down quickly.  In other words, volatility is going to be the name of the game for crude in 2019.  Major banks are changing their forecasts on crude prices every other week by as much as $10/barrel swings.  In other words, nobody knows.  It’s a big guessing game this year.  My advice, buy some upside price protection if possible at these current values.

In local retail news, prices of gasoline are starting to climb.  We have seen cost increases come to both gasoline and diesel.  In fact, diesel is set to rise almost 20 cents/gallon at any moment!  Our Chicago market spot prices are well below the rest of the markets East of Rockies.  It’s not a matter of “if”, but “when”.  My advice for those larger diesel customers is to fill up your tanks now and keep them full.

Propane prices are also starting to climb again with the rise of crude prices, but not as fast.  We need to see some cold weather push demand to over 2M barrels/day consumption for propane prices to really rally.  For now, prices are good and supplies are ample.  As a reminder, please make sure your driveway is plowed and sanded/salted if needed.  And also to be sure 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.

Happy New Year!

Posted on by

Thank you to everyone for a safe and wonderful 2018!  I hope everyone enjoyed their New Year celebration and is looking forward to 2019!

Fuel prices are starting to carve out a bottom.  Stocks and crude are starting to trade at normal volumes.  There is not too much to report at this time.  Oil prices are starting to cautiously rise but more predictions will come next week.  OPEC is looking like they are sticking to their proposed cuts.  The dollar is losing strength.  Global economic acceleration is in question.  Trade wars are in discussion.  And demand strength is debatable.  All great topics that will be better covered next week.  So hang tight.

For now, enjoy some cheap gasoline and diesel prices at the pump!  The Chicago SPOT market which sets cost in our area is WAY oversupplied in the moment.  I would expect to see gasoline prices jump about 5 cents in the next couple weeks, and diesel is ripe for nearly a 20 cent+ price jump in the coming weeks!  More to come!

Propane retail prices are stable and supplies are good.  The warm weather is keeping demand in check.  But the cold is coming.  It’s just a matter of time.  Please make sure that your driveways are plowed and there is a safe path to your propane tanks to ensure driver safety and efficient delivery.

Thank you again for a great year in 2018 and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.

Merry Christmas and Happy Volatility!!!

Posted on by

Good morning,

I hope everyone had a safe and Merry Christmas!  The weather was nice for travels and fuel retail prices were low for keeping some extra spending money in your pockets.  The last few days have been an absolute wild ride.  On Christmas Eve, the stock market and crude oil futures posted one of the worst sell offs in history.  The causes were fear of economic downturn in 2019, surplus crude oil supplies overtaking demand, Munchin giving a weird call to the banks to try and calm markets, OPEC not cutting enough, record US crude production, and the US Government shutting down.  Then we had Christmas and a day off.  And then we woke up yesterday to a completely different outlook.  The outlook included the following gems: crude oil supplies might be in balance soon according to OPEC;  OPEC, Russia, and Canada are all willing to cut even more supplies and sooner if needed; economic outlook is very positive for 2019 with high demand for crude oil; record spending on retail for the holidays; and overall “everything is awesome and gonna be great in 2019.”  The sentiment change caused a volatile record day gains in the stock market and crude futures…. Our troubles are over!!!…  The sell off is over, crude has bottomed, and December was a fluke…  Then we woke up this morning and the markets are selling off again.  So basically we have markets that are out of control and I say “get out of the way.”  Traders are desperately trying to call a bottom but it just doesn’t want to show its face yet.  So for now, sit back and watch probably the bumpiest ride in the market since the last correction.

In local retail news, retail gasoline has hit $1.99/gallon in the surrounding market areas.  Diesel retail prices are holding near $2.79/gallon.  I don’t think we will go much lower at the pump.  But I also don’t see it going back up anytime soon, especially since we went below $2.00/gallon on gasoline at the pump.  Once that “1” comes out in front on the price signs at the street, it’s very hard to put the “2” back up.

Propane retail prices are holding steady on good demand.  Inventories are around the five year average.  Although we had some warm weather here in December, don’t forget to keep your hat and mittens handy.  Some cold weather is on the way with some arctic blasts possible in the middle of January.  Stay tuned for more info.

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

Have a safe and Happy New Year’s celebration!

Jon Crawford – Pres.

Fundamentals Ignored

Posted on by

Good morning,

Traders continue to ignore fundamentals and have abandoned all hope on investing in crude.  WTI crude dropped below $50/barrel and is fast approaching $45/barrel.  The main driver is a fear of economic meltdown in 2019 causing demand destruction coupled with over supply.  Currently the U.S. is exporting more crude than importing and our production is at record levels.  In addition, Russia is pumping strong.  However, demand is still strong in the U.S. and crude inventories have dropped a bit in the U.S.  And world demand continues to be strong.  Also, the Middle East is continuing to struggle with geopolitical issues, the largest Libya oil field is under siege and out of production, and Saudi Arabia is cutting production more than expected.  In other words, when looking at supply and demand, we are moving closer to a crude deficit than a surplus, coupled with extremely volatile geopolitical issues.  But traders are staying on the sidelines and buying the rumor of economic meltdown in 2019.  So for now, we sit back and wait.  There is a potential for the bottom to fall out, but the true fundamentals point to higher prices.  The crude market is now trading on emotion which is scary.  Therefore it’s best to stay away and wait for a bottom to be carved out.  There is a tremendous opportunity at these low prices, but I’m not 100% in until a bottom is carved out.  At the end of the day, there is still more long term risk of higher prices as compared to lower prices.  The question is, how long will these lower prices stay?  That’s the billion dollar question and only time will tell.

In local news, retail prices on gasoline are ever so close to $1.99/gallon in Central Wisconsin and will probably get there.  Diesel prices have now moved below $3.00/gallon and will probably stay there for some time.  These lower prices will help for the holiday travel season coupled with warm weather.

Propane retail prices have remained steady as we experience a lull in demand before January.  For now we are predicting a cold January.  The weather is looking to change around the end of December and move colder into January with a deep freeze possible by the middle of January.  The analog data is also starting to show that February could be very cold as well.  So enjoy the warm Christmas weather because this could be the last warmth for a couple months!

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

Best regards,

Jon Crawford – Pres.