Thermal coal futures so bright, you gotta wear shades
Spot market prices for Australian thermal coal delivered to power stations in southern China have shrugged off their aura of doom and gloom.
Expanded Panama Canal reduces travel time for shipments of U.S. LNG to Asian markets
(Thu, 30 Jun 2016) The newly expanded Panama Canal will be able to accommodate 90% of the world's current liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers with LNG-carrying capacity up to 3.9 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Prior to the expansion, only 30 of the smallest LNG tankers (6% of the current global fleet) with capacities up to 0.7 Bcf could transit the Canal. The expansion has significant implications for LNG trade, reducing travel time and transportation costs for LNG shipments from the U.S.
Is a new Chinese steel giant on the horizon?
Peter Brennan, Sebastian Lewis and Christopher Davis on how the wait for the first significant merging of Chinese steelmakers could be at an end.
Key themes from the Q2 Platts Global Polyolefin Outlook
Our analysts discuss the demand/supply fundamentals of polypropylene, the likelihood of a bullish supply case for PP, and what the key demand centers for the polyolefin will be.
Where will all the new US olefins go?
Will growing supplies of shale-driven olefins expansions in the North American market outstrip the ability of units downstream to take in product?
PRB 8,400 coal production down but not out
The share of lower heat 8,400 Btu/lb coal produced in the Powder River Basin continues to decline but is unlikely to go away, say market sources.
Latin America grapples with lack of petrochemical investment
Beyond Mexico, proposed petrochemical expansions have fallen by the wayside in Latin America.
Colombia Country Analysis Brief
(Wed, 29 Jun 2016) Colombia experienced a dramatic rise in energy production since the implementation of regulatory reforms in 2003; however, crude oil prices have declined since 2014, which has stymied production growth.
Stripper wells accounted for 10% of U.S. oil production in 2015
(Wed, 29 Jun 2016) Stripper wells, or wells that produce small volumes, represent an important but decreasing share of total U.S. oil and natural gas production. These wells are characterized as producing no more than 15 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) over a 12-month period. EIA estimates that there were about 380,000 stripper oil wells (so called because they are stripping the remaining oil out of the ground) in the United States operating at the end of 2015, compared to about 90,000 nonstripper oil wells.
U.S. Fuel Ethanol Plant Production Capacity
(Wed, 29 Jun 2016) This is the sixth release of the U.S. Energy Information Administration data on fuel ethanol production capacity. EIA first reported fuel ethanol production capacity for January 2011 on November 29, 2011. This new report contains production capacity data for all operating U.S. fuel ethanol production plants as of January 1, 2016.