This is a legacy page. Please click here to view the latest version.
Thu 17 May 2018, 07:23 GMT

Oil at three-and-a-half-year high on inventory deviations, geopolitical uncertainty


By A/S Global Risk Management.


Michael Poulson, Global Risk Management.
Image credit: Global Risk Management
The weekly oil inventory report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) yesterday showed a larger-than-expected draw in crude and gasoline inventories and completely in the opposite direction of the weekly oil stocks data from the American Petroleum Institute (API), and this supported oil prices. Brent increased by $1 following the EIA release. Markets are increasingly focusing on potential shortage of supplies as global inventories are shrinking.

EIA crude oil inventories: -1.1404M barrels (-0.763M expected) API crude oil inventories: 4.854M barrels (-1.850M previous)

In its monthly oil market report, published yesterday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) lowered its global oil demand growth forecast for this year by 0.1 mio. barrels per day (bpd) to 99.2 mio. bpd. Supplies are currently 98 mio. bpd, but according to the IEA: "non-OPEC growth... will grow by 1.87 mio. bpd in 2018". The reason for the revision of demand growth could be the increasing oil prices, which could dampen consumption. According to the agency, global inventories have dropped below the 5-year average - which was a goal for the current oil production cut agreement - for the first time since 2014.

Turning to economic data, today's main potential market mover is the U.S. Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index along with a couple of Fed member speeches. Other than that, no major releases.


Chart showing Singapore TTM bunker sales, November 2025. Singapore bunker sales break new ground as TTM volumes surpass 56m tonnes  

Trailing 12-month bunker sales rise to new all-time record at Asian port.

Bow Leopard vessel. Odfjell launches operational green corridor between Brazil and Europe using biofuel  

Chemical tanker operator establishes route using B24 sustainable biofuel without subsidies or government support.

United LNG I vessel. Somtrans christens 8,000-cbm LNG bunker barge for Belgian and Dutch ports  

United LNG I designed for inland waterways and coastal operations up to Zeebrugge.

Photograph of a red container vessel. BIMCO adopts FuelEU Maritime and ETS clauses for ship sales, advances biofuel charter work  

Documentary Committee approves regulatory clauses for vessel transactions, progresses work on decarbonisation and emerging cargo contracts.

ABS, Eneos, NYK Line and Seacor Holdings logos side by side. Four companies launch study for US methanol bunkering network  

ABS, Eneos, NYK Line, and Seacor to develop ship-to-ship methanol supply operations on Gulf Coast.

CMA CGM Antigone naming ceremony. CMA CGM names dual-fuel methanol vessel for Phoenician Express service  

CMA CGM Antigone to operate on BEX2 route connecting Asia, the Middle East and Mediterranean.

Capt. Kevin Wong, Golden Island. Golden Island appoints Capt Kevin Wong as chief operating officer  

Wong to oversee ship management and low-carbon fuel development at Singapore-based marine fuels company.

LPC and Gram Marine launch operations in Argentina graphic. LPC launches Argentine marine lubricants hub with Gram Marine  

Motor Oil Hellas subsidiary partners with maritime services provider to supply products to regional ports.

Chicago Express vessel. Hapag-Lloyd orders eight methanol-powered container ships worth over $500m  

German carrier signs deal with CIMC Raffles for 4,500-teu vessels for 2028-29 delivery.

Global Ethanol Association (GEA) and Vale logo side by side. Vale joins Global Ethanol Association as founding member  

Brazilian mining company becomes founding member of association focused on ethanol use in maritime sector.


↑  Back to Top