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Oil Features

European Jet Fuel: Changing Trade Tariffs

Changing EU trade tariffs raise questions for jet fuel supply

May 10, 2013 - Preferential EU trade tariffs that will take into account changes in economic growth in some trading partner countries could bring a sea change in supply dynamics for Europe's jet fuel market.

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US Shale Boom: Global Impact

The shale boom and international energy security

April 26, 2013 - The shale boom has major implications for US and other countries' energy security, not least possible US disengagement from the Middle East.

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US Gulf activity soars three years post-Macondo

Macondo oil spill aftermath

April 19, 2013 - Activity is soaring above pre-event levels -- with dayrates for drilling rigs matching or exceeding peak levels five years ago, improved permitting times and operators spending more on deepwater acreage.

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OPEC basket falls below $100/b for first time since July 2012

OPEC Guide

April 16, 2013 - OPEC's crude basket has fallen below $100/barrel for the first time in nine months, dropping to $98.56/barrel on April 15 from $100.63/b on April 12.

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Asia Refined Products Data Highlight

Asia Refined Products Data Highlight

March 22, 2013 - Platts Market Data is the most efficient and reliable way to receive our benchmark price assessments. Download 1 day's sample of Platts Asia Refined Products Data Highlight.

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Statoil appoints heavyweight group to probe In Amenas attack

Spoltight on Algeria

February 26, 2013 - Statoil has formed a heavyweight team to probe the January attack on its In Amenas gas plant in Algeria which led to widespread casualties and a production shutdown.

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African oil exports under pressure as US output grows

African Energy Outlook

February 22, 2013 - Nigeria's oil minister laments that her country's crude exports have been coming under increasing pressure from rising US domestic production, reducing the need for imports.

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Iran braces for further sanctions pressure on oil exports

Iranian Oil Sanctions

February 11, 2013 - Western oil sanctions directly targeting Iran's oil revenues have already slashed the country's crude exports to its main customers in Asia by close to 400,000 b/d between 2011 and 2012.

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US Gulf Crude: New Crudes

US Gulf Crude

January 31, 2013 - Oil producers focus on Bakken and Eagle Ford as they hunt for crude potential and keep an eye on emerging shales.

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Supply issues underscore strong year for Europe's diesel market

European Oil: 2012

January 14, 2013 - The year began with independent refiner Petroplus announcing its insolvency on January 24, leaving a question mark over production of some 580,000 b/d of European refining capacity at the company's five refineries.

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NaturalGas Features

Tubular goods to go along for the ride in oil, gas pipeline pickup

US natural gas: pipeline technology

April 11, 2013 - As the spread of new natural gas and oil pipelines across the US is expected to regain some speed in 2013, it should carry along with it the tubular steel products industry that makes their main component, an analysis of data and some industry observers suggest.

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Numerous risks could propel gas prices to new seasonal highs this summer

US natural gas: summer outlook

April 3, 2013 - With both cash and summer forward natural gas prices averaging well above year-ago levels so far this year, some markets could surpass last year's seasonal highs when the mercury rises this summer as pipeline maintenance, low hydro supplies, strong demand and a host of other issues underpin markets, a Platts analysis shows.

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Coal's dominance likely to decrease in Rockies, Southwest US: analysts

Western US fuel mix changes

February 28, 2013 - Coal is likely to remain the dominant fuel in the power generation mix in the US Rockies and Southwest going forward as the home of the cheapest coal in the country -- Powder River Basin -- continues to hold an immense price advantage over other fuels, even as aggressive regulations and state mandates ensure that natural gas and renewables will make considerable inroads.

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Statoil ditches the theory, beating Gazprom in practice

European Gas Prices: Theory & Practice

February 18, 2013 - Norway's gas exports to the EU have been displacing Russia's in a weak market. Perhaps not coincidentally, Statoil has shown greater flexibility in its approach than Gazprom in amending its long-term supply contract terms.

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Western power grid to rely heavily on gas despite increasing renewables

Western US Power Generation

February 5, 2013 - With much of the US relying more on natural gas for power generation and large-scale switching from coal to gas becoming a reality last year, California and the Pacific Northwest are looking to a different future.

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ElectricPower Features

US Electric Power Overview

Southwestern CEO talks PJM gas future

May 16, 2013 - End-users, such as electric utilities, will need to help share the risk associated with expanding the natural gas pipeline system in the coming years, Southwestern Energy president and CEO Steven Mueller told members of the PJM Interconnection on May 15.

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Trends in West Asian power projects in 2012

Trends in West Asian power projects in 2012

April 3, 2013 - While the amount of power generation capacity under development in Asia fell markedly in 2012 compared with 2011, West Asia saw a marked uptick in activity.

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Summer 2013 power price preview

Summer 2013 power price preview

March 8, 2013 - As natural gas futures for summer 2013 show year-over-year increases and electric generation reserves tighten, the outlook for power prices across the continental US have risen, experts say.

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EU Third Energy Package Update

EU's energy market reforms making a difference

January 23, 2013 - It's nearly two years since the EU's third package of energy market reforms took effect, so what difference have they made?

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European Power: 2012 in Review

Coal-fired power dominates UK generation mix

January 10, 2013 - UK electricity generation shifted further from gas-fired power towards coal-fired generation in 2012, a trend that looks set to continue in 2013 as rising gas prices erode the profits of combined cycle gas turbine use.

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Petrochemicals Features

Asian paraxylene: Golden years at an end?

End of PX's golden years as surplus exceed 7 million mt in 2017

May 16, 2013 - Paraxylene, one of the most lucrative petrochemical commodities for the past five years, is expected to lose its shine in the next few years as it becomes victimized by overcapacity in Asia and the Middle East.

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Global Petrochemical Trends

Falling naphtha prices return profitability to heavy-feed crackers globally

May 3, 2013 - A 25% drop in global naphtha prices during the past two months has returned healthy margins to naphtha-fed crackers globally, and could signal a structural downward shift in economics for ethane-based crackers.

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Spot benzene defying expectations from start of year

Spot benzene defying expectations from start of year

April 9, 2013 - The benzene market has done the opposite of market expectations.

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Butadiene arbitrage flip pushes Asian C4 to US

Global Butadiene Overview

April 5, 2013 - Butadiene again illustrated its ability to 'turn on a dime' as forecasts of bullishness in Asia very quickly turned bearish in March, causing a sell-off in the region that dragged down US spot prices along with it.

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Asia isomer-MX prices hit 7-month low after starting 2013 on high note

Asian Butadiene: Price Analysis

March 22, 2013 - Asian isomer-grade mixed xylenes spot prices, which started the year on a strong note, have been falling steadily since the last week of February to hit seven-month lows March 19.

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Asian butadiene prices hit 6-month high on tight supply

Asian Butadiene: Price Analysis

March 1, 2013 - Asian butadiene prices hit a more than six month high February 18 on tight availability amid the startup of new synthetic rubber plants in China and higher naphtha feedstock costs.

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Asian polymer market shrugs off China's new preferential PE import duties

Asian Polymers Overview

February 20, 2013 - Following its stellar performance last year and strong showing so far in 2012, the question is whether butadiene can continue swimming against the tide, despite recessionary trends biting across the globe.

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Metals Features

Tubular goods to go along for the ride in oil, gas pipeline pickup

US natural gas: pipeline technology

April 11, 2013 - As the spread of new natural gas and oil pipelines across the US is expected to regain some speed in 2013, it should carry along with it the tubular steel products industry that makes their main component, an analysis of data and some industry observers suggest.

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European aluminum duty-unpaid premiums under pressure

Global Metals Outlook

March 4, 2013 - European physical aluminum has seen little business concluded over the past week despite prices falling on the LME and duty-unpaid premiums coming under pressure.

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