The recent industry downturn was painful for the oil patch, and especially subdued global offshore exploration. But the sector is emerging more efficient and with sophisticated technologies that will prepare it for the next few decades where more automation, more predictive analysis and more...
May 03, 2018•8 min
Getting new oil pipelines built in Canada has become a problem. Producers are keen on expanding their customer base outside the US, eyeing refiners in Asia and Europe. To reach those markets,producers need pipeline access from Alberta to coastal terminals, but they have faced a lot of pushback. Now...
May 01, 2018•10 min
S&P Global Platts editors Seth Clare and Jeff Bair discuss summer gasoline trends: what's going on with Mexico-bound exports, what you might pay at the pump and the competition to get fuel up the pipeline to New York. The US government has revised its forecast for pump prices upward.We welcome...
Apr 27, 2018•6 min
China's proposed 25% tariff on various US goods, including products such as soybeans and corn, and an additional 15% tariff on US ethanol, have left the agriculture and biofuels markets in a state of uncertainty. News of the tariffs has already begun to pressure prices and change trade flows...
Apr 25, 2018•11 min
Spot aluminum premiums have slipped from last week's near three-year high of $180/mt-$195/mt CIF Japan, after the US eased sanctions against leading Russian producer Rusal.In this podcast, S&P Global Platts editors Mayumi Watanabe and YuenCheng Mok examine the market's reaction to the US...
Apr 25, 2018•5 min
S&P Global Platts alumina price assessment jumped $160/mt overnight to $710/mt FOB Australia on April 18. It also increased $235 in the last week, on supply worries.In this podcast, metals editors Joanna Lim and YuenCheng Mok examine what's driving alumina prices, and talk about market outlook...
Apr 19, 2018•7 min
Coal is on its way out of the UK power generation mix, yet has remained as a fall-back option on days of peak demand such as when the National Grid warned of a natural gas deficit on March 1. Capacity market auctions are at a record low, which could speed up the closure of exiting UK coal plants...
Apr 13, 2018•6 min
US President Donald Trump spoke in favor Thursday of an RVP waiver for E15, or gasoline blended with 15% ethanol. The implications and motivations for such a waiver are a hot topic right now as refiners fight mounting biofuels compliance costs.S&P Global Platts editors Josh Pedrick and Wes...
Apr 12, 2018•9 min
The Permian Basin has attracted more than its fair share of attention due to its high pace of growth even in a low oil price environment.But since late March differentials have widened between the two grades: WTI Midland and MEH. This is a clear sign that the 300,000 b/d cushionin takeaway capacity...
Apr 10, 2018•5 min
European biodiesel trade flows have been rocked significantly by the latest policy changes, with uncertainty rife in the marketplace surrounding the future of antidumping duties. S&P Global Platts' George Griffiths, EMEA senior biofuels specialist, and Samar Niazi, APAC biodiesel editor take a...
Mar 16, 2018•5 min
S&P Global Platts editors Sophie Byron and Wes Swift and Director of Global Biofuels Analysis Corey Lavinsky discuss the impact from the proposed settlement agreement between the US Environmental Protection Agency and Philadelphia Energy Solutions on the biofuels market.The trio review what...
Mar 14, 2018•7 min
After strong trading in the lead up to Chinese New Year in mid-February, market participants were expecting China to return to the seaborne spot market with gusto. But sellers have been left feeling disappointed as rising domestic coal production, falling Qinhuangdao prices and warmer weather in...
Mar 07, 2018•7 min
Details of US President Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25% tariff on steel imports and 10% on aluminum imports are expected to emerge this week.In this podcast, S&P Global Platts Regional Content Director for Metals Julien Hall and Senior Managing Editor for Steel and Steel Raw Materials Keith...
Mar 05, 2018•5 min
As London's annual International Petroleum week draws to a close, Jason Silber, Global head of Ocean Intelligence -- part of S&P Global Platts -– chatted with Peter Norfolk, S&P Global Platts editorial director, shipping and freight, for a quick yet incisive survey of the shipping...
Feb 23, 2018•10 min
Borouge chief executive Wim Roels joins S&P Global Platts Senior Editor Heng Hui in this podcast to discuss the competitiveness of Middle East producers, the company's outlook for 2018, as well as megatrends that could disrupt the polymer sector in the long run.We welcome any feedback or...
Feb 15, 2018•6 min
Ukrainian corn prices have risen to a 6-month high, rising sharply since the turn of the year, making it the most expensive origination globally. Driving the surge is demand from China, which has bolstered fundamentals. In contrast, traditional homes for Ukrainian corn are opting for US corn, the...
Feb 13, 2018•5 min
Aluminum premium swaps on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange have been in contango. Spot market premiums have been surging this year.In this podcast, S&P Global Platts Regional Manager for Metals Derivatives Petter Kolderup and Senior Editor for Physical Metals Market Mayumi Watanabe discuss the...
Feb 09, 2018•6 min
With 23 months to go, it is still uncertain whether refineries will be able to meet demand for low sulfur bunker fuel. Jason Silber, global head of Ocean Intelligence -- part of S&P Global Platts -- sought out Janet McGurty, S&P Global Platts senior oil writer and resident refinery guru,...
Feb 08, 2018•11 min
With a lack of clarity over when biodiesel antidumping duties against Indonesia and Argentina will be removed, and the EU Commission launching an Argentinian biodiesel anti-subsidy investigation, George Griffiths, S&P Global Platts senior biofuels specialist, and Emma Kettley, S&P Global...
Feb 01, 2018•5 min
The surging prices of polyethylene in Asia are keeping Europe's prices flat despite abundant supplies being available in the market. With US exports widely expected to further increase supply availability in Europe in the coming months, the continents polyethylene prices look set to come under...
Jan 26, 2018•6 min
The start of 2018 has seen multiple bullish factors hit. In this podcast, S&P Global Platts metals editors Sarah Baltic Hilliard and Tina Allagh discuss causes behind the rise in US aluminum premium levels and outlook for the coming months.We welcome any feedback or suggestions for topics....
Jan 26, 2018•7 min
With biodiesel antidumping duties against Indonesia and Argentina to be removed, and palm oil banned as a biodiesel feedstock in Europe post-2020 following the RED II vote, Stephanie Wilson, S&P Global Platts agriculture managing editor, and George Griffiths, senior biofuels specialist look at...
Jan 23, 2018•4 min
Indonesian thermal coal prices have been on an uptrend since the latter half of 2016 and production may likely see a boost in 2018. What are the demand-supply factors to look out for this year?Platts Asia thermal coal managing editor Deepak Kannan and associate editor Arusha Das examine the key...
Jan 16, 2018•6 min
An Iranian tanker carrying condensate bound for South Korea was involved in a fiery accident in the East China Sea. In this podcast, Shipping associate editor Wanda Wang and Oil analyst Alexander Yap examine the incident's impact on tanker, condensate and naphtha markets.Related content:Iran NITC...
Jan 10, 2018•7 min
London Metal Exchange aluminum stocks have plunged steeply this year. In this podcast, S&P Global Platts editors Vicky Bakourou and Mayumi Watanabe discuss causes behind the fall, analysis of the market fundamentals and outlook for 2018.We welcome any feedback or suggestions for topics. Contact...
Dec 15, 2017•11 min
Prices of Australian alumina have ebbed after recently climbing to multi-year highs. In this podcast, S&P Global Platts editors Yuen Cheng Mok and Joanna Lim examine the factors driving alumina prices and the impact of the anticipated smelter output cuts in China. They also talk about the...
Nov 27, 2017•6 min
S&P Global Platts senior sugar analyst, Erin Burns, and biofuels editor, George Griffiths, take a look at the delicate political issues in Zimbabwe following Robert Mugabe's resignation, and investigate the potential impacts on sugar and ethanol production within the breadbasket of Africa.How...
Nov 24, 2017•4 min
A working group of the IMO met at the organisation's headquarters in London recently to discuss cutting greenhouse gas emissions, setting off a public dispute about whether the shipping industry has too much influence over the UN body. S&P Global Platts fuel oil managing editor Ned Molloy and...
Nov 01, 2017•7 min
Mexico's Energy Regulatory Commission has been working for the past couple of years on NOM-016 to update the country's gasoline regulations, including standards around blending ethanol to the fuel supply. But an injunction stopped an increased blend of 10% and moved it back to 5.8%. Editors...
Oct 24, 2017•4 min
Ahead of Platts first ever Digital Commodities Summit in London on November 14, 2017, James Rilett, Global Director of Innovation at S&P Global Platts spoke to our premier event sponsor, James Robert ("Bo") Collins, Founder of Matrix Global, on the key conference theme of how blockchain...
Oct 18, 2017•9 min