Carbon
Analysis: Higher Chances of UK-EU Carbon Markets Linkage Under Labour Government
The benchmark European Union carbon emissions allowance has traded at a premium to its British counterpart for over a year,...
Carbon
High Costs, Geopolitical Risks Impede Blue Carbon Removal Projects
Demand for voluntary blue carbon credits from companies seeking to fulfill net zero pledges has surged in recent years, but...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
Why Do Gasoline Prices Climb in the Spring? A Look at RVP
As the weather warms up with summer on the horizon, US gasoline prices will likely follow the season’s temperatures and...
Carbon, Renewables
Voluntary Carbon Markets Stakeholders Play Hot Potato With Market Risk
With the integrity of carbon offsetting under fire, buyers are looking to lock down the forward delivery of high-quality credits...
Spot Market
Midwest Spot Fuels Market Has Murky E15 Outlook
US Midwest spot refined product market participants entered 2024 with major questions over how EPA will handle a 2022 request...
Renewables
Oversupply in China Weighs on Prices across the Solar Value Chain
The prices of the solar supply chain continued to hit new lows in 2023 due to overcapacity in China. The...
Carbon
In Opaque REDD+ Markets, Identical Credits Can Fetch Diverse Prices
Buyers and sellers of voluntary carbon credits have, in recent months, begun to value offsets issued from the same projects...
Petrochemicals
USGC Polyethylene Exports Set New Record as More Supply Looms
US polyethylene (PE) spot prices finished 2023 flat to 3cts/lb lower than a year earlier as producers increased exports to...
NGL & LPG
European LPG: Navigating the Energy Transition and Regulatory Market Shift
With the implementation of a European Union ban on Russian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) transitioning over the next 12 months,...
Renewables
Renewable Energy Certificates Supply Constraints Showing Some Signs of Easing
Many of the conditions that limited the supply of renewable energy certificates in 2023 could begin to ease in 2024,...
LNG
Delayed LNG Terminal Starts to Limit US Export Capacity Growth
The US LNG industry experienced an up-and-down 2023 and 2024 will likely continue with more of the same. Recently, there...
NGL & LPG
Higher US Propane Exports Key to Offsetting Growing Output in 2024
For much of 2023, the US propane industry dealt with high inventories, strong production and weak demand, and NGL market...
Crude oil, Natural Gas
True Costs of EU’s Russian Diesel Ban Emerge One Year Later
Twelve months ago, on Feb. 5, 2023, the European Union effectively relinquished its main source of diesel supply by implementing...
Carbon
Nature-based Carbon Removal Credits: Slow Growth Expected Despite Record Demand
Nature-based carbon removals projects can create valuable credits that command price premiums over avoidance and reduction credits. But they are...
Ethanol
US Ethanol Industry Explores Avenues for Expanding its Markets
While margins on fuel ethanol production through 2023 remained mostly positive and, by most accounts, were profitable for long stretches,...
Petrochemicals, Propylene
Polypropylene 2024 Demand Outlook
The US polypropylene (PP) industry was buffeted by weak demand in 2023, and that may well continue in 2024. The...
Jet fuel
Jet Fuel Demand Continues to Recover in 2024 as Sustainable Aviation Fuel Use Increases
US jet fuel demand in 2023 continued to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the commercial airline industry began to...
Bunker fuel
Another Challenging Year in Store for the Bunker Industry
The marine fuels market has been tested each year since the turn of the decade by tighter emission regulations, higher...
Carbon
North American Carbon Markets Start 2024 on Bullish Note
Many of the fundamentals that drove North American compliance carbon market prices to record highs in 2023 — including formal...
Carbon
UK May Change Law to End Free Carbon Allowances Loophole
The British government is considering introducing legislation to close a loophole in its Emissions Trading System, which has resulted in...
NGL & LPG
Shipowners Eye More LPG Trade in 2024
With export capacity from the US expected to further increase in 2024, shipowners are upbeat about the possibility of more...
NGL & LPG
Interview: Morocco Set to End Decades-Long LPG Subsidies from April 2024
Starting in April 2024, the Moroccan government will end all subsidies on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that have been in...
Carbon
Report From COP28 – How Climate Change Is Transforming Business
Hear observations from the scene at COP28 on how climate change and the energy transition are transforming companies. McCloskey analyst...
NGL & LPG
Interview: Italian LPG Association Gears Up for EU 2026 Engine Ban Review
Ahead of the European Union’s ambitious proposal to ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel internal combustion (IC) engine...
Biofuels, Jet fuel
What’s Behind the Thirst for Sustainable Jet Fuel and Diesel
Sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel don’t make as many headlines as other renewables, but they are critical to the...
Carbon
NGOs Push For Free EUAs to Cover Scrap in Steel and Clinker-less Cement Production
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are pushing for operators in the European Union who use scrap metal in steel production and clinker...
Renewables
A Hydrogen Primer: Definitions and Sustainability 101
by Alex Barnes, Independent Consultant and Director of Alex Barnes & Associates Hydrogen Definitions and Why They Matter Hydrogen produces...
Biofuels, Renewables
Interview: Repsol Gears Up to Start Producing SAF at Cartagena Refinery
Spanish energy company Repsol is preparing to start production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with a new 250,000 metric tons/year...
Mexico
Pemex in Transition: What to Expect as Lopez Obrador’s Term Ends
As Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s administration begins its final year, doubts are rising over whether the government can...
Carbon
CBAM 101: The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Explained
Starting Oct. 1, 2023, importers of downstream products including iron, steel, aluminum, electricity, fertilizers, cement and hydrogen into the European...
Carbon
CapCO2 Solutions CEO Extols Virtues of Green Methanol
Carbon capture and sequestration technology has been heralded by some as a savior for the US ethanol industry, but CapCO2...
Jet fuel
Mid-2023 Brings Boost in Air Travel on US West Coast
Passenger traffic totals at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in July 2023 reached 7.308 million, representing a 15.17% increase compared...
Crude oil
Analysis: Latest Rise to $90/bbl Crude Underscores Dramatic Downstream Changes
On September 14, 2023, front month WTI futures surpassed $90/bbl for the first time since November 2022.
Carbon
Six Idle EU Cement Plants Received $95 Million in Surplus Free EUAs
Six European Union-based plants operated by five cement industry giants — Holcim Group, CEMEX, Buzzi Unicem, Votorantim Cimentos and Cementos...
Crude oil
European Refineries Reduce Output Amid Loss of Russian Crude and Hot Weather
The loss of access to Russian crude and unusually high summer temperatures have curbed output of oil products from European...
C-stores, Gas & Diesel
Top Retail Fuel Station Brands Revealed
An updated report for 2022 on the top retail gasoline and diesel chains in the country showed surprising results. Here...
NGL & LPG
Midstream Merger Mania Sees ‘Coastal’ Majors Absorb Landlocked Gatherers
A consolidation frenzy in the midstream sector is seeing integrated majors snap up gathering and processing firms active in America’s...
Mining
Cobalt, Congo and the Mining Conundrum
Cobalt, one of the main minerals used in battery technology, is a key component of the energy transition to carbon...
Gas & Diesel
European Diesel Cracks Soar Amid Tight Supply and Refinery Outages
Prices and cracks for diesel and other oil products surged in late July and early August, reflecting tight supply and...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
7 Things You Don’t Know About Your Wholesale Fuel Rack Report
If you are reading this, chances are good that you have recently started subscribing to one of our rack services...
Carbon
CreditNature Interview: Nature Markets Require Pioneer Buyers to Grow
Nature markets are still in their infancy, but the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed by almost 200 nations at COP15...
Petrochemicals
The Changing Face of the European Toluene Contract Price Mechanism
To CP or not to CP – that’s the question. Or is it? Participants in the European toluene market seem...
Mexico
Mexico Price Analysis: Monterrey’s Proposed Lower RVP Fuel Specification
The government of the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon has proposed a change in the gasoline grade for the Monterrey...
Petrochemicals
Dow Plaquemine Blast: What We Know
The flames that lit up the night sky at Plaquemine, Louisiana, on July 14, 2023, have died, the fire associated...
Carbon
UK Carbon Market Amply Supplied Despite Reform Cutting Allowances
The British government announced amendments to its emissions trading system (UK ETS) on July 3, 2023, that would cut the...
Crude, Crude oil
Robust USGC Crude and Fuel Exports to Continue
Industry leaders expect U.S. Gulf Coast crude exports to remain high in the coming years, maintaining that global prices should...
Jet fuel
Jet Fuel Pricing 101
The U.S. produces roughly 1.5 million to 1.75 million barrels per day of jet fuel, and while that is much...
Renewables
Cepsa Aims to Lead Competitive Pricing for Green Hydrogen in Europe
Europe is striving to meet its targets in the journey to renewable energy and decarbonization as momentum in green hydrogen...
Renewables
Historic Highs for PJM REC Prices Driven by Soaring Demand and Slow Queues
A tangle of factors pushed prices for renewable energy certificates serving the PJM Interconnection to historic highs in Q2 of...
Renewables
Europe Needs Inflation Reduction Act-Like Scheme to Keep Solar Dream Alive
Europe is running out of time to implement a large-scale support scheme, comparable with the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),...
Carbon
Three Idle UK, French Plants Allocated $127 Million in Free Carbon Permits
Three European facilities operated by Saudi Arabian chemical giant SABIC, U.K. conglomerate INEOS and French oil major TotalEnergies received a...
Carbon, Rack Market
Cap and Trade Costs at the Rack: The Basics for Fuel Buyers
“Cap and trade” is a regulation designed to reduce greenhouse gases by setting a firm limit – or cap – on...
Gas & Diesel, Renewables
What Is California’s Crude CI Deficit & How Does It Affect Fuel Prices?
California this year added a new layer of compliance costs under its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program, forcing so-called...
Petrochemicals
Asia Remains Key to U.S. Polyethylene Industry’s Export Strategy
US polyethylene producers have a domestic demand problem, with year-to-date sales to North American customers off nearly 9%, according to...
Carbon
REDD+ Project Hedges Against Drought and Weakening Carbon Markets
Despite criticisms of REDD+ projects and a decline in related carbon credit prices this year, offsets issued by the Kasigau...
Futures Market, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Year-on-Year Fuel Disinflation Likely to Reach Epic Proportions
Thanks to irrational exuberance on the part of oil speculators in the spring of 2022, comparisons for key fuels in...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
My OPIS Is Wrong: The Case of the Missing Rack Price Hours
OPIS customer service super sleuth Regina Flake barely had time to put down her coffee when the call came in...
Renewables
Prospective Atlantic Offshore Wind Could Flood REC Markets and Drive Down Prices
The offshore wind power that has been solicited by U.S. East Coast states, if and when it is constructed, has...
Carbon
Washington Cap-and-Invest: After Splashy Debut, What’s Next?
Washington’s highly anticipated Cap-and-Invest Program is well underway and building momentum as the state’s carbon emitters gain clarity on market...
Oil Market Basics, Retail Market
Pricing 101: Demystifying Retail Fuel Prices and Players
The retail portion of the fuel chain is the most visible to the general public and likely the most complex...
Carbon, Renewables
Unprecedented Focus on Biodiversity Spurring Nature Credit Markets
Celebrations, tens of thousands of church bells ringing across the land and a riot of color will mark King Charles...
Carbon, Spot Market
Charting Growth in Carbon Markets Across the Asia Pacific
Carbon markets are increasingly being seen by countries in the Asia Pacific as a tool to reach decarbonization goals, and...
Renewables
Growing the Global Hydrogen Market: Interview with Shearman & Sterling
Global law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP believes that more incentives are needed to develop a strong business case for...
Carbon
With Proceeds from Carbon Offset Credit Sales, Marungu Votes for Shade
Residents of Marungu voted on April 20 that the money allotted to them from the sale of carbon offset credits...
Gas & Diesel
Is Europe Beyond Peak Diesel Demand?
Diesel and gasoil consumption in the European Union and the U.K. stayed flat in 2022 despite the end of most...
Petrochemicals, Plastics
Earth Month Special Report: Turning Plastic Trash Into a Commodity
Despite efforts to reduce plastic waste, the world’s rubbish pile continues to build.
Gas & Diesel, Mexico
Mexico 101: Illegal Fuel Imports and Blends
Mexico in recent years has been battling illegal fuel imports and illicit blending of refined products, practices that pose a...
Biofuels, Renewables
Interview: Third Generation Biofuels to Take Off After 2030
The energy transition is forcing companies to come up with new products and systems to reduce carbon emissions. Within the...
Renewables
Effects of Inflation Reduction Act on Renewable Fuels Industry
There has been no shortage of praise from the renewable fuels industry to President Joe Biden signing into law last...
NGL & LPG, Spot Market
The Only Chart You Will Ever Need to Convert Global NGLs
Anyone working in the gas liquids market knows the need (and hassle) to convert global NGLs. NGLs — a.k.a. ethane, propane,...
Renewables
Interview: Challenges and Opportunities in the Emerging Hydrogen Market
At the Americas Hydrogen Summit, OPIS spoke with Jon André Løkke, president of industry group Hydrogen Europe, about the future...
Rack Market
Pricing 101: Wholesale Rack Fuel Pricing Essentials
Once fuel leaves the refinery gate, the next step in the price chain is the wholesale rack.
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market
Refinery Mixology: What’s in Your Gasoline?
Fun fact of the day: refiners, generally speaking, don’t make gasoline.
Spot Market
Pricing 101: Spot Fuel Markets Made Simple
Spot fuel markets are where gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other commodities get a physical price tag.
Futures, Oil Market Basics, Rack Market, Spot Market
Fuel Buying 101: Futures and Spot Markets
Buying fuel is confusing even for seasoned pros. We’re here to help. The petroleum market features a slew of specialized...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
8 Essential Tips for Writing Better Fuel Bids
Fuel is a must-have for end users like municipalities and school districts. However, procurement is not straightforward.
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
One Year Later: Ukraine War Spurs Europe Oil Price Volatility, New Trade Routes
One year after Russia invaded Ukraine, energy commodity flows across the globe have shifted and prices have experienced extreme bouts...
LNG
Europe Continues to be the Main Destination for U.S. LNG Supply Exports
Europe likely averted a severe energy crisis this winter with relatively warm weather and filling its storage facilities to more...
Petrochemicals, PVC
US PVC Producers Seek to Hold onto Gains Amid Construction Slowdown
The US PVC market saw an unusually volatile year in 2021, to say the least, and saw another one in...
Propane
FOB U.S. Gulf Coast Propane Resale Market Could be Curbed if Freight Rates Stay High
The FOB U.S. Gulf Coast propane resale market, which is essentially the spot market for U.S. Gulf Coast propane exports,...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Renewables
Get the Cold, Hard Facts on Fuel Temperature Correction
It’s that time again! The mercury in the thermometer dropping… And fuel suppliers can get hot under the collar when...
Renewables
What Effect Will 24/7 CFE Have on Renewable Energy Markets?
The renewable energy procurement strategy, known by some as 24/7 carbon-free energy (24/7 CFE), remains out of reach of most...
Biofuels, Gas & Diesel
Changing Regulations Could Spur Pricier Midwest Gasoline This Summer
Refiners, marketers, retailers, pipeline operators and others across the gasoline supply chain may be impacted in the spring and summer...
Gas & Diesel, Jet fuel, Retail Market
10 Predictions for 2023: A Look at an Oil-Soaked 2023 Crystal Ball
The following is an excerpt from Americas: Oil Market Outlook 2023. 1 U.S. gasoline prices will again command the consumer...
NGL & LPG
Most NGLs Exit 2022 at Lower Levels, to Face Bearish Headwinds in 2023
NGLs, like other hydrocarbons, have undergone a metamorphosis in recent years, given wild fluctuations in crude and natural gas prices...
Renewables
Why and How Are Companies Pursuing 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy?
Google, in 2017, realized that although it had met its corporate goal of matching 100% of the electricity it used...
Petrochemicals, Plastics
Chemical Recycling of Plastic Emerges as Dominant Theme
Chemical recycling, particularly in the U.S., was a dominant theme of the recycled plastics industry in 2022, and it’s creating...
Renewables
RECs Bottlenecks Expected to Keep Markets Tight
U.S., state and local lawmakers, along with project developers, have set the table for widespread deployment of renewable energy. But...
Distillates, Spot Market
Refined Markets East of Rockies May See Volatility Extend
Volatility was the name of the game for east of the Rockies gasoline and distillate spot markets in 2022, with...
Crude, Crude oil, Gas & Diesel
Refinery Additions and Subtractions Complicate Outlook for 2023
Much of the oil industry’s attention in 2022 was appropriately focused on a shortfall in global refining capacity that was...
Shipping
Container Cargo Volumes Reach 20-Month Low
Container cargo volumes nationwide reached a yearly low in November and are expected to fall further as retailers rebalance warehouses...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Analysis: Gasoline Deflation at Hand as Volatile 2023 Looms
The US national average for gasoline as measured by OPIS on Dec. 12, 2022, represented deflation of 2.02% versus the...
Jet fuel
Cost Won’t Be a Long-Term Issue for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
As oil companies start to transition away from their fossil fuel businesses towards greener forms of energy, question marks surround...
Renewables
Modern Slavery: The Dark Side of Australia’s Wind, Solar and Battery Supply Chains
Australia, once a climate change laggard, is on a trajectory to produce most of its electricity from solar, wind, hydro...
Petrochemicals, Plastics
European Chemicals’ Complicated Relationship with its Benzene CP Window
For the European benzene market, perhaps only the football World Cup (which most of us have been watching on our...
Coal, Mining
Threat of rail strike looms over U.S. coal industry
Well, that was close — again. The train zooming out of the tunnel doesn’t look like a nationwide strike hitting...
California, Carbon
California’s LCFS: Just How Much Stronger Will the New Targets Be?
Prices for credits under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) have been a sad story in 2022.
Petrochemicals, Plastics
PVC Pipe Plants Shut by Storm; Low-Demand Market Mitigates Impact
Hurricane Nicole’s landfall on the US East Coast caused a sigh of relief among the refining community as the Texas/Louisiana...
Bunker fuel, Shipping
U.S. Gulf Coast Offshore Bunker Operations See Healthy Revenue Stream
Despite a pullback in recent years in the number of players working the U.S. Gulf Coast offshore bunker business, the...
NGL & LPG
NGL or LPG or LNG – Definitions and Common Uses
With all due respect to the Jackson Five, sometimes A-B-C is not easy as 1-2-3. We’re talking NGL or LPG...
Petrochemicals, Plastics
The Circuitous Route of the Global Styrene Chain
The world party of the styrenics chain of late has seen benzene traveling from Europe to the US and polystyrene...
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
Europe Diesel Differentials Soar as Strikes Shut Refineries, Stocks Collapse
Refinery outages and falling inventory levels in Europe have significantly tightened diesel supplies across the continent, causing spot price differentials...
Coal, Mining
5 Questions You Should Be Asking About the US Coal Market Right Now
With geopolitics, supply chain tensions, and economic red flags affecting the outlook for coal in North America this winter, here...
California, Gas & Diesel
US West Coast/Gulf Coast Renewable Diesel Market Growth Accelerates
Renewable diesel (RD) shipping volume between the U.S. Gulf Coast and U.S. West Coast has quickly gained market spotlights in...
Petrochemicals, Plastics
The PVC Ride Slows Down as Pipe Inventories Build
Despite the desire to put the chaos and trauma caused by the Coronavirus pandemic of the past 3+ years behind...
California, Gas & Diesel
Analysis: US West Coast Market Fundamentals Behind Spot Gasoline Price Surge
U.S. West Coast fuel market fundamentals in September combined in a unique way to push spot market differentials for California...
Carbon
$2 Billion Global Voluntary Market Leaves Europe in its Wake
The global voluntary carbon market (VCM) is soaring after hitting a transaction value of nearly $2 billion in 2021, while...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Summer Gasoline Demand Struggled But Still Profitable
Now that the summer driving season has come to an end, the scorecard from OPIS shows what was a very...
Carbon
European Energy Crunch Support Carbon Prices Despite Economic Woes
A black sea of troubles is menacing Europe’s economies, as the continent stares down the barrel of a harsh winter...
NGL & LPG
Shaping the New Norm of Elevated U.S. LPG Exports to Europe
OPIS analysis suggests that protracted robust premiums for natural gas over liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a tightening of supply in...
Carbon
OPIS Launches Nature-Based Carbon Removals Assessments
Global climate project proponents are riding a wave of demand for nature-based solutions that remove carbon from the atmosphere as...
Carbon
‘Huge Momentum’ is Underway for Blue Carbon
Part two of a two-part series on blue carbon. Read part one: Blue Carbon Pioneer Says Mangrove Tree Is the...
Carbon
Blue Carbon Pioneer Says Mangrove Tree Is the ‘Best Climate Machine’
Part one of a two-part series on blue carbon. Read part two: ‘Huge Momentum’ is Underway for Blue Carbon Arne...
Carbon
OPIS Carbon Neutral Fuels Index Reveals Suppliers’ Cost to Offset Emissions
From extraction to distribution, the pressure is on for the oil and gas industry to cut carbon emissions, and corporate...
NGL & LPG, Spot Market
Ukraine’s Fuel Crisis Deepens Amid Logistic Obstacles, Regional Shortages
Ukraine is in the grip of widespread fuel shortages as the country tears itself away from Russian exports, and imports...
Carbon
Price Transparency and Growth in the Voluntary Carbon Market
Carbon offsets are quickly becoming a key strategy for companies and nations to meet their climate change initiatives. The voluntary...
Carbon, Spot Market
ANALYSIS: U.K.’s Much-Awaited Hydrogen Strategy May Unlock GBP4 Billion Investment
The U.K. government aims to attract private investment of 4 billion British pounds sterling ($5.51 billion) in blue and green...
Bunker fuel, Carbon, IMO 2020, Shipping, Spot Market
Shippers Eye Methanol Fuel as Means to Decarbonize Global Fleet
In 2013, the Vancouver, Canada-based Waterfront Shipping Company introduced seven of the world’s first ocean-going vessels built with Germany’s MAN...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
Ida’s Impact Likely to Be Measured in Weeks
Hurricane Ida, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on August 29th packing strong winds and heavy rain along...
Carbon
REDD+, CORSIA and California Carbon Offsets — Understanding the Differences
The commitment to carbon neutrality continues to grow as corporations and jurisdictions chart a course for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions....
Biofuels, Renewables, RINs
Biofuels industry hopes its efforts to cut GHG emissions will keep it relevant as White House pushes EVs
After four years of the Trump administration’s often-chaotic approach to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), many in the biofuels industry...
Biofuels, Renewables, RINs
RFS, RINs and Biofuels Forum Preview
Each year, attendees of OPIS’s RFS, RINs & Biofuels Forum come to the event looking for answers about biofuel markets...
Carbon
All Eyes on Article 6 and CDM Ahead of UN Climate Summit
As the United Nations prepares to host the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, in November, one question...
Distillates, Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
How OPIS Covers Chicago Spot Fuel Prices
The Chicago spot fuel market is complex, with gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and kerosene sourced via several pipelines.
Carbon
OPIS Provides Carbon Offsets Price Transparency During VCM Evolution
In a world demanding climate action, the voluntary carbon market (VCM) has become an oasis for an ever-growing roster of...
NGL & LPG, Spot Market
European Styrene and Benzene’s Six-Month Record Rollercoaster Ride
In January, after a socially-distant holiday season, with many countries announcing further lockdowns amid rising infection rates, the COVID-19 pandemic...
Carbon, Spot Market
INSIGHT: German Refineries Kick Off Complex Green Hydrogen Switch
In July, Royal Dutch Shell’s Rhineland complex will become the first refinery to operate an electrolyzer plant in Germany, ushering...
Bunker fuel, Carbon, IMO 2020, Shipping, Spot Market
Zero-Carbon Fuels Set to Transform the Future of Shipping
In 2018, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations that internationally regulates shipping, adopted an...
Ethylene, Petrochemicals
Enterprise Ethylene Futures Contract Opens on CME; Hub Links to Global Market
We can’t see into exactly what the future holds for US ethylene, but ethylene futures are now tradable at two...
Gas & Diesel, Mexico
As Gasoline Demand Wanes in the U.S., Mexico Provides a Long-Term Opportunity for U.S. Refiners
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market, Spot Market
Beyond Mid-May Motor Fuel Madness: Will Gasoline Supply Scrambles Persist?
The First Driver of the 2021 Motor Fuel Panic In mid-April, a special report by Oil Price Information Service (OPIS)...
Bunker fuel, IMO 2020, Shipping, Spot Market
Panama Canal Bunkers Sales Slid Amid COVID-19, but Transitway Remains Key
Since the beginning of 2020, the world has been dramatically altered in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carbon
How the Voluntary Carbon Market is Expected to Help Save the Earth
In a quest to reach the goals of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, world leaders are making...
Carbon
EU Gears Up for Carbon Border Adjustment Fight
The European Union is squaring up for a major battle in 2021, proposing a carbon border adjustment mechanism that risks...
Biofuels, Renewables, RINs, Spot Market
A Wrinkle in Time? How Record RVO Numbers May Drastically Alter 1Q Refinery Bottom Lines
Be on the lookout for some befuddled refining analysts and disappointed investors as public refiners disclose their first quarter earnings...
Biofuels, Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
U.S. Regulatory Changes Alter Landscape for Summer Gasolines
On Jan. 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuels Regulatory Streamlining Rule went into effect, and while some impacts...
Crude oil, Spot Market
Beyond the pandemic: an Aramco perspective
Recapping his remarks at the Aramco Virtual Energy Forum in conjunction with IP Week 2021
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
OPIS Chicago Location-Specific Spot Pricing Options: More Ways to Improve Your Bottom Line
In 2020, OPIS launched Chicago location-specific refined spot pricing assessments for Buckeye Complex, Wolverine Pipeline and West Shore/Badger Pipeline, providing...
Biofuels, Ethanol, Renewables, RINs, Spot Market
2020 Energy Prices Complicated by Ag Products, Renewable Credits and Other Relationships
You need more than just a NYMEX or ICE futures’ screen to keep pace with petroleum prices, based on the...
Bunker fuel, IMO 2020, Shipping, Spot Market
COVID-19 Rebound Key to Bunker and Shipping Markets
Mid-December seemed to be giving a peek into the 2021 bunker market, as fuel prices have been rising and Brent...
Ethylene, Petrochemicals
Discussion with Enterprise Products co-CEO Jim Teague about Historic Moment for US Gulf Coast Ethylene and Exports
The year 2020 was significant in the evolution of the US Gulf Coast ethylene market due to the opening of...
NGL & LPG, Spot Market
Tradition and Rural Belief Systems May Hinder India’s Transition to Clean Cooking Fuels
A key message to emerge from the recent India Energy Forum by CERAWeek was the strong commitment by the Indian...
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
ANALYSIS: U.K., European Refinery Turnaround Activity Parting Ways in 2021
Continental Europe’s largest oil refineries do not plan to undertake full-scale maintenance in 2021, while by contrast, the U.K. will...
Biofuels, NGL & LPG, Spot Market
The Multiple Pathways to Fossil-Free BioLPG
The LPG sector is exploring almost a dozen different pathways to usher in a decarbonized “bioLPG” future, however, commercial and...
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
Hard Brexit Would Shrivel Gasoline Flows Between UK and Europe
Time is ticking away to sign a Brexit deal, and the European gasoline market is bracing itself in case it...
Ethylene, Petrochemicals, Propylene
US Ethylene & Propylene Supply Chain Rebounds After a Shaky Few Months
Our last blogpost in early April ended on a deeply uncertain note. Lockdowns in the US had just begun a...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market, Spot Market
Hurricane Laura Aftermath; Pandemic-inspired Demand Reductions
*Editor’s Note: Hurricane Sally is expected to make landfall late tonight or Wednesday along the Mississippi-Alabama coast. As of 2...
Gas & Diesel
Connected Cars: The Future is Now for Gasoline Retailers
Connected car technology increasingly helps consumers choose where and when to buy fuel. This may be key for fuel retailers...
C-stores, Retail Market
COVID-19 Drives C-Store Industry Changes: 7 Trends for 2020
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) drove major changes for the convenience store industry.
IMO 2020, Shipping
Expert Sees Winding Path to Standard VLSFO Spec
After years of debate and a period when “IMO 2020” fuel-spec mandates dominated headlines, very low sulfur fuel oil has...
Gas & Diesel, Mexico
Coronavirus Clouds Mexico’s Energy Reform
COVID-19 spread during a critical year for the liberalization of Mexico’s downstream gasoline and diesel markets.
C-stores, Gas & Diesel
Memorial Day Gasoline Review: America Didn’t Crank Up Its Engines
Correct or not, Memorial Day is often the time we take the temperature of gasoline demand. How did 2020 stack...
IMO 2020, Shipping
Market Interrupted: Price War & COVID-19 Nudge IMO 2020 to the Back Burner
Years of preparation for new IMO 2020 regulations by shipowners, refiners, traders – and anyone else involved in marine fuels...
Gas & Diesel
Fuel Prices and COVID-19: OPIS Blog Toolkit
Fuel prices in 2020 have been rocked by COVID-19 and an oil price war.
Ethanol, Renewables
Ethanol’s Unique COVID-19 Price Story
Drastically fewer miles are being driven due to stay-at-home measures to combat COVID-19, resulting in a decline in gasoline prices...
Carbon, Renewables
Carbon Credit Costs for California Gasoline & Diesel: A Heads Up for U.S. Suppliers
It’s no secret that California is routinely the most expensive place to buy gasoline in the continental U.S.
Jet fuel
Airline Industry Faces Long Recovery; Cheaper Jet Fuel Costs Offer Some Relief
Airlines are staring down a long road back in the wake of a veritable cliff dive in travel demand, which...
Crude, Gas & Diesel
Oil Spill Liability Tax Basics 2020 Update
The federal oil spill liability tax came back after a one-year hiatus. Here’s everything you need to know about what...
C-stores, Gas & Diesel
Q1 2020 Review: An Unprecedented Quarter for Gasoline Retailers
The first quarter of 2020 brought unprecedented challenges to the downstream petroleum industry, as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began to...
Petrochemicals
Ethylene and Propylene Prices in 2020: Two Market Stories
Ethylene and propylene prices have had an interesting start to the year – both markets have seen prices drop, but...
Gas & Diesel
Gasoline Price Volatility and the 2020 RVP Season
Despite major fuel market disruptions caused by the coronavirus, summer gasoline season still approaches.
NGL & LPG
How Will NGL Markets Adapt to the Oil Price War & COVID-19?
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly impacted the mainland Chinese energy markets, and the spread of the virus to...
Gas & Diesel
COVID-19 Coronavirus: Bleak Math for Refiners
The outlook for U.S. refining operations is grim amid the downturn for futures and wholesale gasoline and diesel prices. Demand...
Ethanol, Renewables
Can Ethanol Prices Rebound in 2020?
U.S. ethanol prices, after nearly a year-long funk, are indicating strength for 2020.
Gas & Diesel, Renewables
The Biodiesel Tax Credit: What Does the New Extension Mean?
The $1/gal federal biomass-based diesel blender’s tax credit (BTC) has been extended through 2022.
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Renewables
20 Oil Price Forecasts for 2020
Oil, gasoline, diesel and renewable fuels markets have started 2020 off with a bang. Here are 20 price-influencing factors identified...
Gas & Diesel
U.S. Gasoline Price Trends for Gulf Coast, Northeast and Midwest in 2020
U.S. gasoline prices in 2020 are expected to follow seasonal trends, but OPIS will keep an eye on supply and...
Gas & Diesel
U.S. Diesel Price Trends for Gulf Coast, Northeast and Midwest in 2020
Factors that will determine U.S. diesel price averages this year include the fallout from IMO 2020 regulations, the PES Refinery...
Renewables
What Will Carbon Credit Trading Look Like in 2020?
North American carbon credit market participants will navigate increasingly stringent cap-and-trade and carbon emissions tax regulations, as key jurisdictions extend...
Gas & Diesel, Mexico
Mexico Energy Reform Could Be Put to the Test in 2020
Mexico is poised to test the foundations of energy reform in 2020.
NGL & LPG
U.S. NGL Prices Forecast to Remain Weak in 2020
The price of propane and other U.S. natural gas liquids (NGL) is expected to remain under pressure in 2020.
Jet fuel
Jet Fuel Cost Analysis for 2020
Strong demand and production remained trends for U.S. jet fuel prices in 2019, but as the calendar rolls to 2020,...
California, Gas & Diesel
California Gasoline Prices Set for a Volatile Decade
Unpredictability and dramatic price movements characterized California gasoline prices in 2019. What is the state of Los Angeles and San...
IMO 2020, Shipping
IMO 2020 Fuel Regulations: The Impact on Refiners
A lot of energy industry press coverage in 2019 was devoted to something called “IMO 2020.”
Gas & Diesel, Mexico, Retail Market
A Decade of Change for Mexico’s Gasoline and Diesel Markets
Mexico has been the setting for one of the biggest energy stories of the past decade.
C-stores, Retail Market
10 Convenience Store Industry Trends to Watch in 2020
What trends could take your convenience store and gas station profitability to the next level in 2020?
NGL & LPG, Spot Market
What Is EP Mix? NGL Uses & Pricing
EP Mix is part of the natural gas liquid (NGL) family, with varied uses and a unique trading structure. Get...
NGL & LPG, Spot Market
NGL Price Analysis & Export Outlook
Natural Gas Liquids prices dropped significantly in 2019, opening up opportunities – and challenges – for exports of products such...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market
How to Buy Wholesale Gasoline and Diesel Using Spot Market Prices
If you buy gasoline and diesel from a wholesale rack, keeping an eye on spot market prices may be your...
IMO 2020, Shipping
IMO 2020 Resources Kit
A potential oil price game-changer will arrive as a belated holiday “gift” to the market this year — IMO 2020.
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market
How to Find (and Use!) Your Ideal Gasoline and Diesel Price Report
In the fuel business, price transparency is everything. But how do you know what level of price discovery is right...
Petrochemicals, Spot Market
Polyethylene Exports & the U.S. & China Trade War
The U.S. polyethylene (PE) industry has spent massive resources during the past decade to capitalize on abundant, low-cost raw materials...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Mexico
Update: Mexico Oil and Gas Market Analysis
A sense of hope emerged for many Mexicans when Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) won the presidential election in July...
Crude oil, Ethanol, Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
Beyond Saudi Attacks: 4 Other Oil, Gasoline & Diesel Price Factors to Fear in 2020
Much of the oil, gasoline and diesel price direction in 2020 markets may be determined by whether the Middle East...
Futures Market, Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
How Hurricanes Cause Oil, Gasoline and Diesel Price Changes
Oil price volatility is just a sliver of the massive repercussions that can stem from hurricanes.
Mexico, Rack Market, Retail Market
Understanding Retail Gasoline Markets in Mexico
The retail gasoline market in Mexico has been undergoing a transformation since the passage of energy reforms in 2013 that...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel
Oil Prices in H2 2019: 6 Market Wild Cards to Watch
Oil prices love to improvise.
C-stores, Retail Market
7 Irresistible Pitches to Build Loyalty at Your Gas Station & C-Store
If you’ve set up a loyalty club program at your gas station or c-store and email your customers promotions, you...
Ethane, Ethylene, NGL & LPG
U.S.-China Ethane Exports & Their Impact on Mt. Belvieu NGL Prices
A new petrochemical facility may become a magnet for the first-ever ethane supplies from the U.S. to China.
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Summer Driving Season: Is Gasoline Demand Rising or Falling?
Now that summer 2019 driving season is in full swing, gasoline demand moves into focus.
IMO 2020, Shipping, Spot Market
IMO 2020: Practical Analysis from a Global Shipping Hub
2020 brings radical changes for the global shipping world. We’re talking about IMO 2020.
Petrochemicals, Spot Market
U.S. Ethylene Prices in Q2 2019: Where Have All the Traders Gone?
Ethylene prices are having a tough year. Trading liquidity has dried up in a market that has shed 30% of...
Gas & Diesel, Jet fuel, Spot Market
Gasoline, Diesel & Jet Fuel 2019 Midyear Price Update
Gasoline, diesel and jet fuel prices have been volatile in 2019. From political rhetoric to fundamentals, this year is shaping...
Carbon, Renewables, RINs
Could the RFS Move Toward a Low Carbon Program Like LCFS?
The idea of revising the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to operate more like the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) appears to...
Futures Market, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
3 Steps to Buying Gasoline & Diesel Smarter: The Efficient Fuel Buyer’s Guide
If you are new to buying wholesale gas and diesel, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Volatile gasoline and diesel...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
Wholesale Gas & Diesel Terminal Owner Changes
The end of 2018 and the start of 2019 saw new owners for U.S. wholesale gasoline and diesel fuel terminals, with...
Carbon, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
The California Gasoline Price Rally: What Happened, What’s Next
March and April 2019 were challenging months for California gasoline prices, with retail prices cresting $4/gal. OPIS’ Lisa Street and...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Spring 2019 Oil, Gasoline & Diesel Price Trends: Video
May began with a bit of a thud in oil prices. What’s coming next?
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
3 Reasons U.S. West Coast Gas & Diesel Prices Are Prone to Volatility
The U.S. West Coast spot gasoline and diesel market is no stranger to dramatic price increases. But, what uniquely makes this...
LNG
LNG 101: Market Basics and 2019 Analysis
What is LNG, and why does it matter so much to the U.S. and global energy industry?
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
Behind the California Retail Gas Price Spike: The Price Influence Chain in Action
Average retail gas prices in California have skyrocketed this spring, underscoring how the spot fuel market closely impacts prices at...
Rack Market
Wholesale Gas & Diesel Rack Price Transparency Explained
Gasoline and diesel prices go up and down. That’s just the way the fuel market works! But what never goes...
Biofuels, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
Behind the Scenes: Anatomy of an OPIS Gas and Diesel Rack Price
Today we’re taking you behind the scenes at OPIS to show you how our team of analysts collect the wholesale...
Gas & Diesel, Mexico
Mexico Oil and Gas Market Analysis for Q1 2019
The first few months of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s (AMLO) six-year term have brought some extreme changes in the Mexican...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market
Gasoline Price Volatility and the 2019 RVP Season
It’s almost spring (never mind that snow!), but the gasoline market is already thinking summer.
Natural Gas, Spot Market
Natural Gas Markets 101: How History Shaped Today’s Infrastructure
Did you know that at one time, the natural gas industry was under monopolistic control? Let’s take a look back...
C-stores, Retail Market
7 Trends Shaping Gas Station Profitability in 2019
Gas station owners operate in a highly competitive environment, where profits fluctuate wildly. It’s important to stay on top of...
Petrochemicals, Spot Market
U.S. Ethylene Prices in Q1 2019: Less-Than-Happy New Year
As yet, the year 2019 has not provided much in the way of a Happy New Year for ethylene sellers....
Carbon, Ethanol, Renewables
2019 Ethanol Price and Carbon Credit Market Preview
It was a tumultuous year in the renewable fuel and carbon credit markets.
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Retail Gasoline Profits Set Records in January 2019
January can be a cruel month for gasoline retailers. It inevitably brings the lowest demand of the year but often higher...
Natural Gas, Spot Market
Natural Gas Prices in 2019: A Regional Outlook
U.S. natural gas prices could very well be looking at a volatile year in 2019. While U.S. dry gas production...
Petrochemicals, Spot Market
Petrochemicals 101: The In’s & Out’s of the ‘Enes
The building blocks of the petrochemical world often take a back seat to the stars of the energy and manufacturing world. Let’s give...
NGL & LPG
2019 LPG Price Preview for U.S., Europe and Asia
Liquified Petroleum Gases, or LPGs, are byproducts of oil and gas. That means any disruption in the supply equation of...
Crude oil, Futures Market, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Oil Prices in 2019: A Quick Video Preview
The year 2019 is already in progress, with headlines dropping daily that rattle the geopolitical chain and stand to keep...
IMO 2020, Shipping, Spot Market
IMO Compliance Scramble: IHS Markit Study Findings
The oil market is facing a fuel specification change for which neither the refining nor shipping industry appears to be...
Gas & Diesel, Jet fuel, Spot Market
Jet Fuel Prices in 2019 to React to Crude, IMO, Strong Demand
For the past two years, consumption of jet fuel by U.S. airlines has been strong, meaning that the annual pace...
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
2019 Gasoline and Diesel Prices by Market
Oil price futures are poised for a volatile 2019, if the end of 2018 is any indication. What will that...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel
2018 Oil Price Recap: Looking Back at an Oddball Year
2018 was one of the odder years in recent oil price memory for several key reasons.
Gas & Diesel, Mexico
What’s Next for Mexico Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Storage
Mexico is poised to make a dent in a major challenge facing the transportation fuels market – terminal storage capacity.
Carbon, Spot Market
Carbon Credits: Paying the Pollution Price
Did you know there was a carbon market, setting the price for a chunk of polluted air?
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel
Video: Black Friday Sets Lows for Crude, Gas & Diesel Prices
Popular electronics weren’t the only things sporting discounts on Black Friday. Crude oil, gasoline and diesel prices also hit lows.
C-stores, Retail Market
Retail Fuel Industry Gift Guide: Top Products from 2018 Trade Shows
What do diesel conditioning systems, cold brew coffee and EV chargers have in common? They were all among the hottest...
Natural Gas
3 Things Storage Contracts Say About Nat Gas Inventories
Natural gas storage inventories in the U.S. Lower 48 have been 20%-25% below normal for almost all of 2018, despite...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Video: Why Are Retail Gas Prices Lower and How Long Will It Last?
OPIS noted prices at retail gas stations this autumn below $2/gal. It wasn’t a common price tag, but overall there...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Retail Market
Gasoline Retailers Find the Big Inning with Price Margins
Baseball teams like the New York Yankees are often criticized because they depend on the “Big Inning” to juice up...
IMO 2020, Shipping, Spot Market
IMO 2020 Regulations and Fuel Price Impact Explained
The global shipping world in 2020 will see a challenge no other petroleum-dependent industry has witnessed to date. The repercussions...
NGL & LPG, Propane
Propane Prices and the Mont Belvieu Market
While you’re flipping burgers in your backyard on the grill, take a few minutes to think about your propane tank...
Gas & Diesel, Jet fuel
Gasoline, Diesel & Jet Refining: Geography Creates Winners & Losers
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times . . . “
Futures Market, Gas & Diesel
Video: Gasoline Futures Prices Drop, But Spot Market Resilient
Oil and gasoline futures prices tumbled last week, largely linked to a drop in the equities market. But, the NYMEX...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Retail Gasoline Market Snapshot Q3 2018
The third quarter of 2018 showed improvement in retail gasoline price margin performance compared to a year ago. Here are...
Crude oil, Futures Market
Oil Price Factors Explained
Oil prices are a critical component of the world’s economies, with influences that span from employment trends to investment flows...
Crude oil, Futures Market, Gas & Diesel
Video: Early Fall Fuel Price Analysis
OPIS’ Chief Oil Analyst Denton Cinquegrana updates you on the trends he’s watching at the start of fall 2018.
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
Crude Oil Price Trend Analysis for 2019
The year 2019 may set the stage for a transformative decade, with crude oil prices looking capricious and unstable. Here...
Uncategorized
Natural Gas Storage Levels Below-Average, But Prices Stay Low
The US natural gas storage inventory deficit that developed last winter has not abated: strong demand from the electric power...
Futures Market, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
How Diesel Price Hedging Can Guard Against Rising Values
Diesel is the fuel of economic growth both domestically and abroad. The diesel prices you pay are influenced by many factors...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Video: Wrapping Up Summer Oil and Gasoline Prices
Summer 2018 started out with the promise of oil volatility and a rocky ride at retail gas pumps. But, did it...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market
What Makes Gasoline Prices Go Up & Down?
Congratulations! You’ve planned an impromptu weekend getaway! The car is packed. Kids’ iPads are charged. Last thing you need to...
Coal, Natural Gas, Spot Market
Natural Gas & Coal Export Markets the Focus of Unique North American Energy Conference
My colleagues and I are excited to organize and attend the North American Export Coal & Gas Summit on October...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market
Improve Gasoline and Diesel Buying with This Surprise Strategy
If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of buyers that pull gasoline and diesel from one of the...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
Wholesale Fuel Terminal Owners: Who’s In, Who’s Out?
The first half of 2018 saw many new owners for U.S. wholesale fuel terminals, with oil companies coming in and moving...
C-stores, Fraud
What Petroleum Marketers Need to Know About Mobile Device Fraud
Petroleum marketers already have been victims of ransomware – malicious software that holds your data captive until you pay fraudsters...
Natural Gas
The US Shale Revolution: A Look Back at a Decade
A decade ago, something dramatic — and largely unanticipated — began to emerge in the US natural gas industry. At...
Futures Market
Video: Oil Prices Head Higher
Though oil prices were knocked lower in the middle of July, this past week saw them climb up again.
Biofuels, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
Wholesale Fuel Pricing: An Inside Look
Your wholesale rack report is filled with critical fuel prices. But where do they come from?
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
Video: Analysis of July’s Oil Price Drop
July 2018 has so far witnessed a steep drop in oil prices.
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
Oil Price Rally Hits a Snag: Two Factors to Watch
The two-week-long run up in bulk U.S. gasoline prices in summer 2018 hit a mid-July roadblock when oil prices...
Mexico, Natural Gas
Mexican Natural Gas Growth Hinges on Infrastructure
U.S. natural gas exports to Mexico are growing. Exports were a record 4.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in...
Jet fuel, Spot Market
Jet Fuel Prices Set to Fall this Summer, Say Some Analysts
Jet fuel prices in the U.S., Europe and Asia have become a victim of their own success as 2018 reaches...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Retail Gasoline & Diesel Prices See Difficult Spring Profit Margins
Gas station operators, distributors and retailers were likely glad to see spring 2018 fade into the past.
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
Intro to Fuel Pricing: OPIS Crash Course Podcast
The world runs on fuel. From upstream resources, like crude oil and natural gas, to refined products, like gasoline or...
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
Oil Price Analysis: Mid-Year 2018 Update
A steady diet of curveballs may be the best way to describe the first half of 2018 for oil and...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Retail Fuel Station Acquisitions Still Red-Hot: Thorntons for Sale?
Mergers & acquisitions have changed the face of the modern retail fuel marketplace. It’s a trend that appears here to...
Gas & Diesel, Jet fuel, Spot Market
How OPIS Assesses New York Harbor Spot Fuel Prices
Gasoline, diesel and jet fuel trade in the New York Harbor spot market on a full-day basis, with price swings...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Gasoline Price Forecast Summer 2018
Baby, you can drive my car – if you’ve got $2.75-$3 per gallon this summer.
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
Diesel Fuel Prices Set to Soar This Summer: Three Forecasts
Summer 2018 could get to be a hot one for diesel fuel. High diesel prices are in the forecast, given...
Natural Gas
How U.S. Natural Gas Production Is Changing the Global Gas Market
Thanks to record natural gas production and growing production capacity for liquefied natural gas (LNG), the United States is becoming...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
Fuel Specifications Explained
You may think that all fuel is alike – but it’s not. So, what exactly is fuel specification?
Crude oil, Futures, Gas & Diesel
What the Seven and Seven Oil Cocktail Means For Price Forecasting
The Seven-and-Seven Oil Cocktail Oil pundits predicting a return of $75/bbl or higher benchmark crude prices are delusional. They are...
Mexico, Rack Market, Retail Market
Mexican Fuel Market Liberalization Timeline 2018
In the space of just four years, Mexico’ energy markets – from wellhead to service station – have opened to...
Gas & Diesel, Jet fuel
ExxonMobil Trading Strategy Shift Focuses on Refined Products
Seismic strategic changes are in progress for the world’s largest oil major, ExxonMobil.
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market
Gasoline Price Volatility and the Spring RVP Transition
Spring has sprung – Nor’easters blanketing a huge swath of the United States in snow notwithstanding – but the gasoline...
Renewables
Biofuels Industry and Regulatory Policies in 2018
The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) since its start has been marked by conflict between biofuels industry advocates intent on pushing more...
Rack Market
Oil Spill Liability Tax Basics
The 9 cents per barrel federal oil spill liability tax, which expired Dec. 31, 2017, went back into effect March...
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
Significant Gasoline Price Inflation Likely In March Madness
We’ve used the “March Madness” sobriquet before, but not necessarily in recent cheap fuel years. Get ready for gasoline prices...
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
Summer Gasoline Prices Potentially Bullish
It may be the middle of the winter season, but some U.S. gasoline traders are already looking ahead to summer. And...
Carbon, Spot Market
Cap and Trade History For Fuel Markets
Leaders across the globe are racing to enact a greenhouse-gas reduction scheme that dates back to when the price of...
Spot Market
Ten 2018 Oil Market Trends You Can’t Ignore
2018 is on track to assist U.S. motorists in some overall cost savings, though the numbers remain staggering by anyone’s...
NGL & LPG, Spot Market
Inside the 2017 Rally: Mont Belvieu Propane & Its Global LPG Reach
It would be a gross understatement to say that shale has changed everything.
C-stores, Retail Market
5 Essential Tips for Petroleum Marketers in 2018
The year 2018 is shaping up to be one of dynamic growth for U.S. petroleum marketers and also holds some...
Gas & Diesel, Spot Market
2018 Gasoline and Diesel Prices by Market
The year 2017 saw gasoline and diesel prices shaped by ever-volatile underlying oil prices, supply-and-demand-crippling meteorological events and the push...
Jet fuel, Spot Market
No Holiday Gift to Airlines: Stronger 2018 Jet Fuel Prices Expected
Jet fuel around the world is wrapping up 2017 at the highest values all year and the stage is set...
C-stores, Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
Top 10 Downstream Oil Industry Stories of 2017
The past year brimmed with breaking news and analysis in the downstream oil industry.
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market
5 Hits & A Miss from the OPIS 2017 Oil Market Outlook
The end of the year is drawing near. We thought we’d take a break from last-minute online holiday shopping for...
Mexico, Rack Market, Retail Market
Tips on Branded and Unbranded Fuel in Mexico
Epic changes since the passage of energy reforms in 2013 have opened up opportunities for U.S. branded and unbranded fuel...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market, Spot Market
A Tale of 2 Seasons: Factors That Shape Fuel Prices During Hurricanes
No two storms are created equal. The unique landfall of every storm is one of the most important factors and critical...
Renewables, Retail Market
RFA: 2018 RFS Rule Can’t Head Back to the Future
Do you remember the scene towards the end of “Back to the Future,” where Doc Brown is refueling the time-traveling...
Gas & Diesel, Mexico, Rack Market, Spot Market
Mexico Fuel Price Liberalization Map
Following passage of energy reforms in late 2013, Mexico’s upstream and downstream gasoline and diesel markets are opening to private investment...
Electric Vehicles, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Post-Petroleum World Hinges on China Electric Car Market
The Netherlands is the latest country to set a date for the demise of the internal combustion engine, joining France,...
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
2017 Year-End Oil Market Trends to Watch
Don’t expect the last 70 days in the 2017 petroleum markets to match the drama witnessed summer into fall. Storm...
Electric Vehicles, Gas & Diesel, Renewables, Spot Market
Strange Bedfellows? Biofuel Producers and Refiners Find Common Foe
Could the ancient proverb “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” point the way toward a rapprochement between U.S....
Crude oil, Gas & Diesel, Jet fuel, NGL & LPG, Spot Market
Popping the Bubble of Fuel Freight Rates
Crude oil and refined product futures prices have been sliced in half since the oil price renaissance of 2011-14, but...
Renewables, Spot Market
What’s Helping (and Hurting) Cellulosic Ethanol Production Growth
Cellulosic ethanol production is experiencing a small-scale but meaningful growth spurt due to high-tech advances. However, companies embracing these new techniques...
Gas & Diesel, Retail Market
Why Top Tier Gasoline is More Than Just Hype
Top Tier gasoline, containing detergent additives aimed at reducing gunk in your engine, has often been dismissed as hype on...
Natural Gas, Spot Market
17 Game Changing Northeast Natural Gas Pipeline Projects
As summer 2017 wound down, the U.S. Northeast experienced record natural gas production output and depressed consumption. This set the stage...
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
The Lowdown on Typical Payment Terms in Your Fuel Report
OPIS wholesale rack reports were created to provide a font of information about the markets from which you purchase fuel....
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market
How To Read Your Wholesale Rack Report
Your wholesale rack report is an invaluable tool to help you make sure you are not being overcharged by your...