Wed 14 Mar 2018, 09:11 GMT

Oil and fuel oil hedging market update


By the Oil Desk at Freight Investor Services.



Commentary

Brent closed down $0.31 last night to $64.64, WTI closed at $60.71, down 0.65. Yesterday's Brent market was very wibbly wobbly (fantastic English phrase) with a low of $64.05 and a high of $65.68 - with people quickly crying into their desk, or swearing to themselves. And it kind of makes sense. The market is about as interesting as listening to the shipping forecast on BBC Radio 4, while eating dry toast, and leafing through a text book on the intricacies of the UK tax system. With no real direction, and people taking more of a wait-and-see approach to yesterday's volatility will be welcomed with the same glee as Guardiola will have over Sevilla beating Man Utd last night. What will break us out of this range on Brent, though? Well, as I mentioned yesterday, I think the IEA report tomorrow will be important. There is also the US rig count increasing by 60 since the start of the year, US oil production at 10.369mn bpd as of last week, a near 1mn bpd increase from January where production stood at 9.492mn bpd. Consistent builds on US crude stockpiles, further complication of Venezuelan oil production, the sacking of Rex Tillerson and the implications for U.S. foreign policy (I'm looking at you Iran and North Korea). There are plenty of things to get this market going.

Fuel Oil Market (March 13)

The front crack opened at -9.95, strengthening to -9.90,before weakening to -10.10. The Cal 19 was valued at -14.85

Asia's prompt-month viscosity spread slipped, edging away from a 10-month high hit in the previous session. Tighter blendstock supplies and increased prompt demand from South Korean power producers have contributed to the recent gains in the viscosity spread.

Singapore sold a total of 4.136 million tonnes of marine fuels in February, the highest ever for the shortest month of the year. February sales were 7.5 percent higher than a year earlier but down 10.2 percent from a month ago

However, vessels calling at Singapore for bunkers continued to load larger quantities of fuel with each ship taking on average 1,340 tonnes of fuel in February, well above the average of 1,240 tonnes loaded by vessels in 2017 and slightly higher from the 1,330 tonne average in January.

Economic Data and Events

* 11am: MBA Mortgage Applications

* 11:30am-12pm: OPEC releases Monthly Oil Market Report

* 12:30pm: U.S. PPI Final Demand,. Feb.

* 12:30pm: U.S. Retail Sales Advance, Feb.

* 2pm: U.S. Business Inventories, Jan.

* 2:30pm: EIA weekly oil inventory report

Singapore 380 cSt

Apr18 - 358.25 / 360.25

May18 - 357.25 / 359.25

Jun18 - 356.25 / 358.25

Jul18 - 354.50 / 356.50

Aug18 - 352.75 / 354.75

Sep18 - 351.00 / 353

Q2-18 - 357.25 / 359.25

Q3-18 - 352.75 / 354.75

Q4-18 - 346.00 / 348.50

Q1-19 - 337.25 / 339.75

CAL19 - 312.25 / 316.25

CAL20 - 247.50 / 255.50

Singapore 180 cSt

Apr18 - 366.00 / 368.00

May18 - 365.00 / 367.00

Jun18 - 364.25 / 366.25

Jul18 - 362.75 / 364.75

Aug18 - 361.00 / 363.00

Sep18 - 359.25 / 361.25

Q2-18 - 365.00 / 367.00

Q3-18 - 360.75 / 362.75

Q4-18 - 354.50 / 357.00

Q1-19 - 346.25 / 348.75

CAL19 - 325.50 / 329.50

CAL20 - 271.50 / 279.50

Rotterdam Barges

Apr18 345.50 / 347.50

May18 344.75 / 346.75

Jun18 343.50 / 345.50

Jul18 341.75 / 343.75

Aug18 339.75 / 341.75

Sep18 337.00 / 339.00

Q2-18 344.50 / 346.50

Q3-18 339.50 / 341.50

Q4-18 330.00 / 332.50

Q1-19 322.50 / 325.00

CAL19 291.25 / 295.25

CAL20 236.25 / 244.25

BP  

Rasmus Frimann Nielsen and Lars Zimmermann, Everllence. Everllence's small-bore GenSet orders surpass 2,000 in 2026  

Engine maker reports strong order intake across its small-bore portfolio, citing demand for reliable, fuel-flexible auxiliary power.

MT Tulip bunker tanker. Bunker One renews MT Tulip charter, plans mass flow meter upgrade in Mauritius  

Bunker One is keeping its bunker tanker in Mauritius while adding flow metering technology to improve delivery transparency.

COP31 panel discussion. Fund for Energy Efficiency Technologies becomes first to adopt revised Singapore-Asia Taxonomy  

FEET's adoption coincides with Lloyd's Register's independent review of GCMD's methodology for quantifying fuel savings from wind-assisted propulsion systems.

Arsenio Dominguez, IMO Secretary-General. IMO chief urges states to enforce safety rules in Strait of Hormuz amid rising attacks  

Arsenio Dominguez says more than 130 attacks on commercial vessels have been verified since February, with at least 25 seafarers killed.

OOCL Wisdom ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation at Xiamen Port. Xiamen Port launches 'green methanol bunkering' with OOCL Wisdom  

Boxship received 1,005 tonnes of methanol, corresponding to a reduction of more than 1,600 tonnes in carbon emissions, says COSCO Shipping.

Monjasa Tracer vessel. Monjasa expands fleet with five sister tankers in largest-ever acquisition  

Marine fuel supplier acquires five product tankers from Bernhard Schulte, boosting West African operations and global flexibility.

Molgas Energy logo. Molgas completes acquisition of Prima LNG’s Irish business  

Molgas takes over Prima LNG’s Irish customer portfolio, including a Mondelez manufacturing site, as part of its expansion.

Levante LNG vessel. Peninsula marks three years of LNG bunkering with Levante LNG  

Bunker supplier reports zero claims and CO₂e cuts as LNG bunker vessel completes three years of operations.

Sea Leader FZCO logo. Sea Leader begins physical bunker supply operations in eastern India  

Company completes first bunker delivery after registering with India's shipping authority.

Wega and Deneb vessels render. Auramarine to supply methanol fuel systems for German hydrographic research vessels  

Finnish firm signs deal with Gondan Shipbuilders to equip two new vessels for Germany's maritime agency.