MassiveIndustry

(Wed, 02 Jan 2019) After increasing 25% from January through the beginning of October in 2018, the spot energy index in the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (GSCI) ended the year 21% lower than at the beginning of the year. The S&P GSCI is a weighted average of commodity prices intended to reflect global commodity production quantities and futures contracts’ trading volumes. Although all components of the S&P GSCI fell in 2018, the S&P GSCI energy index fell more than any other sub-index.

(Wed, 26 Dec 2018) U.S. energy expenditures declined for the fifth consecutive year, reaching $1.0 trillion in 2016, a 9% decrease in real terms from 2015. Adjusted for inflation, total energy expenditures in 2016 were the lowest since 2003. Expressed as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP), total energy expenditures were 5.6% in 2016, the lowest since at least 1970.

(Thu, 20 Dec 2018) In 2016, hydraulically fractured horizontal wells accounted for 69% of all oil and natural gas wells drilled in the United States and 83% of the total linear footage drilled. The combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has increased the rate of recent U.S. crude oil, lease condensate, and natural gas production.

(Thu, 13 Dec 2018) South Korea, the world’s leading importer of condensates, has sought alternatives to partially offset declines in imports of Iranian condensates during the past few months, particularly in light of U.S. sanctions on Iranian exports of crude oil and condensate. South Korea purchased close to half a million barrels per day (b/d) of condensates in 2017, accounting for more than 25% of global condensate trade. In the first seven months of 2018, 38% of South Korea’s condensate imports came from Iran. South Korea ceased importing Iranian condensates in August.