Mon 6 Nov 2017, 09:28 GMT

Oil and fuel oil hedging market update


By the Oil Desk at Freight Investor Services.



Brent closed up $1.45 on Friday to $62.07 and WTI closed at $55.64, up $1.10. Wow, I can't keep up. Bulls everywhere, it's like being in Pamplona. But how much longer will it last? Well, judging by the ferocity of this climb over the last month it really is anyone's guess. The last month we have seen a 11% rise on Brent. From the same time a year ago, the price of WTI crude has climbed 25%, while Brent has jumped by 34%. Nice. What is actually causing this rally though? A drop in US oil rigs? Well yes, they dropped last week but they are up 329 from a year prior. US oil production is now 9.5mn bpd, 1mnbpd higher than last year. Demand? Well, yes, China's oil demand has increased owing to a rise in SPR buying, but overall product demand is pretty negligible year on year. Stocks being drawn? Well fuel oil stocks in ARA are up 137% since last year. 137%!! I really don't know actually why we are rallying. And I'm not sure Goldman's do either. Goldman's attribute the current rally to something rather mundane. Cycles. And not one of those new fancy carbon fibre road-going cycles. A "maturing business cycle". I can see us very quickly turning in to a technical market, one which is devoid of any emotion or fundamental driven headlines. Watch the critical support and resistance points with caution.

Fuel Oil Market (November 3)

The front crack opened at -7.55, weakening to -7.60, before strengthening to -7.50. The Cal 18 was valued at -7.55.

Cash premiums for Asia's 380-cst high-sulphur fuel oil cargoes rose to a near one-month high on Friday amid higher deal values when compared to the previous session. Bids for 380-cst fuel oil cargoes were higher relative to Thursday in the Platts windowbut still failed to attract many suppliers, keeping traded volumes of physical fuel oil low on Friday

Meanwhile, the front-month 180-cst fuel oil crack to Dubai crude widened its discount further from a near sixweek high seen on Wednesday as rising inventories in key storage hubs weighed. Fuel oil stocks in ARA oil hub rose for a second straight week, up 2%, or 22,000 tonnes, to 1.356 million tonnes in the week to Nov. 2. Compared to last year, ARA inventories are up 137% and are well above the five-year average of 851,000 tonnes for this time of year.

Economic Data/Events: (UK times)

* New York Fed Executive Vice President Simon Potter speaks at a closed-press ECB workshop on Implementing Monetary Policy with the Balance Sheet, Frankfurt

* Bloomberg forecast of U.S. waterborne LPG exports

* Bloomberg proprietary forecast of Cushing crude inventory change plus weekly analyst survey of crude, gasoline, distillates inventories before Wednesday EIA report

* Platts gasoline, naphtha and LPG conference, Rotterdam, 1st day of 2

Singapore 380 cSt

Dec17 - 365.75 / 367.75

Jan18 - 363.50 / 365.50

Feb18 - 361.50 / 363.50

Mar18 - 359.75 / 361.75

Apr18 - 358.00 / 360.00

May18 - 356.50 / 358.50

Q1-18 - 361.50 / 363.50

Q2-18 - 356.25 / 358.25

Q3-18 - 350.25 / 352.75

Q4-18 - 344.25 / 346.75

CAL18 - 352.00 / 355.00

CAL19 - 316.75 / 321.75

Singapore 180 cSt

Dec17 - 370.50 / 372.50

Jan18 - 369.00 / 371.00

Feb18 - 367.00 / 369.00

Mar18 - 365.75 / 367.75

Apr18 - 364.50 / 366.50

May18 - 363.25 / 365.25

Q1-18 - 367.25 / 369.25

Q2-18 - 362.75 / 364.75

Q3-18 - 356.75 / 359.25

Q4-18 - 351.75 / 354.25

CAL18 - 358.75 / 361.75

CAL19 - 325.75 / 330.75

Rotterdam 380 cSt

Dec17 345.25 / 347.25

Jan18 343.25 / 345.25

Feb18 342.25 / 344.25

Mar18 341.25 / 343.25

Apr18 340.25 / 342.25

May18 339.00 / 341.00

Q1-18 342.25 / 344.25

Q2-18 339.00 / 341.00

Q3-18 333.50 / 336.00

Q4-18 324.75 / 327.25

CAL18 334.00 / 337.00

CAL19 295.00 / 300.00


Graphic promoting Auramarine webinar titled 'Sustainable Fueling Part 3: Ammonia - next alternative fuel in marine'. Auramarine to host webinar on ammonia as marine fuel in April  

Finnish firm will explore ammonia’s role in maritime decarbonisation at its third spring webinar.

Front cover of study by WinGD and Envision Energy titled 'Renewable Fuel Economics: An OPEX illustration based on current costs'. Green ammonia could reach cost parity with VLSFO and LNG by 2050, study finds  

WinGD and Envision Energy study projects green ammonia operational costs competitive with conventional marine fuels.

Elenger Marine's LNG bunkering vessel Optimus alongside Brittany Ferries’ Saint-Malo. Bureau Veritas verifies methane emissions on Brittany Ferries’ LNG vessels  

Verification enables ferry operator to report measured methane slip instead of regulatory default values.

Map showing existing and planned Emission Control Areas (ECAs). Alliance calls for urgent black carbon action as new Arctic emission control areas take effect  

Canadian Arctic and Norwegian Sea ECAs now in force, with compliance deadline set for March 2027.

Artistic impression of battery-electric ferry for operation on Perth’s Swan River. Lloyd’s Register to class Western Australia’s first electric ferry fleet  

Echo Marine Group partners with Lloyd’s Register on five battery-electric ferries for Perth’s Swan River.

Thomas Kazakos, secretary general of The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). ICS condemns Middle East shipping attacks as 20,000 seafarers remain trapped  

Industry body calls for urgent state action to resupply vessels and enable crew changes.

Molslinjen ferry illustration. Molslinjen order propels Australia to top of battery vessel production rankings  

Danish ferry operator’s three-catamaran order at Incat Tasmania shifts global manufacturing landscape, analysis shows.

Petrobras logo. Petrobras doubles invoiced price of MGO and LSMGO  

Export tax by Brazil's federal government forces Petrobras to double distillate invoice values.

Bunkering of Viking Line's Viking Glory by a Gasum vessel in Turku, Finland. Gasum renews FuelEU Maritime pooling partnerships with Viking Line and Wallenius SOL  

Nordic energy company extends compliance pooling arrangements with two shipping companies operating bio-LNG vessels.

Naming ceremony for CMA CGM Carmen on 18 March 2026. CMA CGM names methanol-powered container ship CMA CGM Carmen  

French shipping line christens 15,000-teu vessel as part of its alternative fuel fleet expansion.





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