The state of the oil industry in Venezuela and its ailing PetroCaribe program are having effects on the market in other parts of the 'neighborhood' -- like the US, Caribbean and Central America. The Obama administration last week hosted the US-Caribbean-Central America Energy Summit in Washington,...
Oil prices have been on the rebound in recent weeks, with many market watchers saying that fundamentals appear improved. Some are predicting that the market will see supply and demand rebalance by the end of the year. Senior oil editors Brian Scheid and Herman Wang look closer at the market's green...
Iran's planned post-sanctions oil production path is colliding with crude market realities, keeping the country's production and exports from ramping up to meet initial expectations. Platts senior oil editors Herman Wang and Brian Scheid discuss the obstacles Iran is encountering,including factors...
Alaska has long been a bastion of the US' oil production, even giving dividend checks to residents from oil revenues. But oil price woes are having a major effect on a state that has no state income tax or state sales tax, and crude production on Alaska's North Slope in 2015 fell to its lowest...
On this week's Capitol Crude, Platts senior editors Brian Scheid and Herman Wanglook at the growing opposition to oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Abigail Ross Hopper, director of the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, says in an interview that the Obama administration is...
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's proposal to ban US imports of Saudi Arabian crude appears unfeasible, but is the plan already damaging fragile ties with the Saudis and other overseas allies? Platts senior oil editor Brian Scheid looks at the market impacts of Trump's views of...
While much of the US has its eyes glued to March Madness, the oil industry is wondering if there could be a big upset in store from a summit of OPEC and major non-OPEC producers in Doha, Qatar, on April 17. The oil producers will be meeting to finalize a plan to freeze output at January levels, and...
As President Barack Obama leaves for his historic trip to Cuba, Platts senior oil editors Herman Wang and Brian Scheid look at what the potential end to the long-standing trade embargo means for US crude oil and petroleum products exports. Obama will be the first president to visit Cuba in nearly...
Since 2014, the US and its coalition allies have engaged in an intensive air strike campaign against Islamic State oil facilities, aiming to stamp out one of the terrorist group's vital sources of funding. The US has also announced sanctions on IS officials and warned of punitive actions against...
There's been a lot made of prices and economics when it comes to the US exporting crude oil, but what about the actual logistics and capabilities to export? Platts senior oil editors Herman Wang and Brian Scheid talk with Luciano Battistini, Platts managing editor of Americas crude, about the fine...
Rusty Braziel, CEO of RBN Energy and author of "The Domino Effect," stops by to talk with Platts senior oil editor Brian Scheid about some of the biggest influences on US shale producers at the moment, as well as questions about the future of crude oil.Would OPEC members or other big producers give...
The US is likely to raise its gasoline octane standard over the next decade or so, which has the ethanol industry shifting into high gear its fight to become a preferred blendstock. Platts senior editor Herman Wang talks with Jeff Bair, Platts' managing editor for light ends, at the National...
What does it mean for American oil supply and the policies around the oil industry when US crude producers are losing billions of dollars? Platts senior editors Herman Wang and Brian Scheid talk with Starr Spencer, senior editor for oil news, to learn about how earnings are going down for upstream...
More than a month after longstanding limits on US crude exports were lifted, some unintended consequences of the policy shift are emerging. While American crude has started to trickle out on to the world market, cargoes of crude grades the US hasn't seen in years are beginning to appear in domestic...
Europeans have embraced many American exports, like McDonald's Big Macs and Jazzercise. Will US crude oil be the next big hit across the pond? The first cargo of freely traded US crude oil has reached European shores, with the tanker Theo T arriving in Europe last week. Is it the first of an...
This week, Capitol Crude looks at tyranny, autocrats, violent coups, and a big question: Who really owns oil? Senior editors Brian Scheid and Herman Wang talk to Leif Wenar about his new book, "Blood Oil: Tyrants, Violence, and the Rules that Run the World."Wenar, the chair of philosophy and law at...
Implementation Day of the Iran nuclear deal is potentially just around the corner, when the US and EU will lift sanctions on Tehran's oil sector. But don't be fooled by the name. With that opportunity comes risk, as many other sanctions -- notably a US trade embargo -- will remain in place.With...
During the final Capitol Crude episode of 2015, Platts senior oil editors Brian Scheid and Herman Wang take a look at the effect of US crude oil production, consumption, and exports on climate goals.Michelle Patron, the former White House special assistant to the president and senior director for...
Congress has agreed to a potentially landmark deal which includes an end to limits on US crude exports, and for the first time in 40 years, US oil producers could soon have access to the global market.In a special breaking news episode of Capitol Crude, senior oil editors Brian Scheid and Herman...
When the world is awash with crude oil and prices have cratered over the past 18 months, can any federal policy make a difference to US producers? Platts senior editor Brian Scheid talks to Christopher Guith, a senior vice president for policy at the US Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st...
Following last week’s controversial and drama-filled OPEC meeting, Platts senior editors Herman Wang in Vienna and Brian Scheid in Washington detail the twists and turns that led to an announcement Friday that there wouldn’t be a cut to the oil production ceiling nor a rollover.What led...
On this week's Capitol Crude, George David Banks drops in to talk about the impact US oil production and export policy is having on diplomatic relations with China and the South China Sea territorial dispute.How can US shale production alter global trade relations? Could a shift in export policy...
It's the Marcia, Marcia, Marcia moment: Everyone's talking about the Paris climate talks and their impact on power markets, but what about oil markets? Platts senior editors Herman Wang and Brian Scheid look at how the upcoming talks could be seen as "extremely, extremely disruptive to future oil...
This week, Capitol Crude becomes Capitol Crude Conundrum, America's favorite US oil policy game show. Platts senior editors Brian Scheid and Herman Wang welcome special guests, like Brent from West Texas, and take on some of the latest issues in the American oil industry.From the Keystone XL...
From deep in the heart of Texas, Platts' Brian Scheid talks with Matt Cook, head of Platts' Americas crude and fuel oil markets team, about US crude oil and condensate exports and Houston sprawl.The US Gulf Coast is a hotspot for exports, and Cook shares what market participants are saying about...
Just like the world's petrostates, Platts senior editors Brian Scheid and Herman Wang are feeling the pinch from lower oil prices brought on by the US shale boom. While Brian and Herman bemoan the cutbacks they've been forced to make and fret about their loss of clout, they examine how the surge in...
There are no Ewoks in this third installment, but Platts senior editors Brian Scheid and Herman Wang complete their trilogy on US offshore oil and gas policy by examining the cancellation of future US Arctic lease sales.Randall Luthi, president of the National Ocean Industries Association, talks...
The US' Jones Act and its impact on offshore oil production in the Gulf of Mexico is causing federal agencies to go public with their concerns. Platts senior editors Herman Wang and Brian Scheid take a deep dive into how the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Coast Guard are...
Capitol Crude takes a look at the US EPA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, issued October 1, which sees the air pollution limit lowered from 75 ppb to 70 ppb, drawing protests from the oil and gas industry and environmental groups alike.The administration said...
Another potential relationship fizzling with the end of the summer: After seven years and $7 billion, Shell has decided to abandon pursuing oil and gas drilling in the Arctic, despite its offshore Alaska activity just this summer. In an exclusive interview with Platts senior editors Herman Wang and...
