Energy Prices Are Down So Far To Start The Week’s Final Trading Session

Energy prices are down so far to start the week’s final trading session with prompt month ULSD leading the way lower, showing a loss of nearly 2% in early morning trading. Gasoline and crude oil futures are following suit, but only just, trading on the red side of flat, as the market tackles the opposing fundamentals of the potential return of Chinese demand and sustained inflation concerns.

While the bulk of the sanctions levied against Russian oil sales have yet to take effect, the US Treasury Department has said that Moscow’s ability to avoid 80-90% of the restrictions placed on its oil exports is “not unreasonable”. While Russia maintains enough vessels in what some are calling its “Shadow Fleet” to skirt the impending sanctions, issues surrounding the age of its ships and the cost of self-insuring the boats and their cargo has G7 optimistic that Russian oil exports will be sold at a de facto price cap over time.

The prompt month HO calendar spread is continuing to drop as October progresses, with the difference between November and December contracts falling to “only” 22 ½ cents. The steep backwardation, which reached as high as 40 cents this month, continues to wreak havoc in the basis markets, with some trading at steep discounts (San Francisco CARB ULSD trading 52 cents below the screen) while others remain at astronomical premiums (New York Harbor valued at 75 cents over the NYMEX).

Premiums for shipping space on the United States’ largest pipeline spiked yesterday with shippers clamoring to capitalize on the difference in price between refined products in Houston and those in New York. Colonial’s Line 1, which transports gasoline, traded hands 7.5 cents above the pipeline tariff while Line 2, used for shipping distillates, went for 3.5 cents over costs. While the premiums pale in comparison to how much shippers paid for gasoline linespace back in August, the pop in value for both types of product accentuates the tight supply environment the Atlantic seaboard is experiencing.

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