This Week In Petroleum – EIA.gov – Feb. 10, 2016

U.S. regular retail gasoline to average below $2 per gallon in 2016; lowest since 2004

The Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) released on February 9 forecasts that the U.S. retail regular gasoline price will average $1.98/gallon (gal) in 2016, which would be the lowest annual average since 2004, and $2.21/gal in 2017 (Figure 1). Lower crude oil prices contributed to U.S. regular gasoline retail prices declining to an average of $1.95/gal in January, down from an average of $2.04/gal in December. EIA projects regular gasoline retail prices to fall to $1.82/gal in February 2016 and average $1.88/gal in the first quarter of 2016, before rising during the spring. The diesel fuel retail price, which averaged $2.71/gal in 2015, is projected to average $2.22/gal in 2016, 7 cents/gal lower than projected in last month’s STEO, and $2.58/gal in 2017.

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The lower outlook for petroleum product prices is based on lower expectations for crude oil prices. North Sea Brent crude oil prices are expected to average $38 per barrel (b) in 2016 and $50/b in 2017. Forecast West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are expected to average the same as Brent in both years. However, the current values of futures and options contracts continue to suggest high uncertainty in the price outlook (Figure 2). For example, EIA’s forecast for the average WTI price in May 2016 of $36/b should be considered in the context of recent Nymex contract values for May 2016 delivery (Market Prices and Uncertainty Report) suggesting that the market expects WTI prices to range from $21/b to $58/b (at the 95% confidence interval).

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The confidence range for crude oil prices as shown in Figure 2 is derived using a variation of the Black-Scholes model that is often used by financial analysts to estimate the price of options. EIA starts with options prices for WTI crude oil, and uses the Black-Scholes model to calculate the implied volatility. WTI futures contracts and options are the among the more actively traded commodity derivative products, with many producers, consumers (including refiners, airlines, trucking companies, and fuel distributors), and other investors and risk-takers involved. The confidence interval is therefore a market-derived range that is not directly dependent on EIA’s supply and demand estimates.

Continuing increases in global liquids inventories have put significant downward pressure on oil prices since mid-2014. After growing by an estimated 1.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2015, global oil inventories are forecast to grow by 1.4 million b/d in the first quarter of 2016. The largest inventory builds occur in the first half of 2016, helping keep Brent prices below $40/b through August.

During January 2016, daily changes in crude oil prices were highly correlated with daily changes in global equity indexes. The increased co-movement and higher volatility likely reflect increased uncertainty about future global economic growth. Changes in overall demand for risk assets, such as commodities and equities, by investors and market participants may also be playing a larger role in price discovery across global asset markets compared with previous months.

EIA estimates that petroleum and other liquid fuels production in countries outside of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) grew by 1.4 million b/d in 2015. The 2015 growth occurred mainly in North America. EIA expects non-OPEC production to decline by 0.6 million b/d in 2016, which would be the first decline since 2008. Most of the forecast decline in 2016 is expected to be in the United States. Non-OPEC production is forecast to decrease by 0.2 million b/d in 2017.

Changes in non-OPEC production are driven by changes in U.S. tight oil production, which is characterized by high decline rates and relatively short investment horizons, making it among the more price-sensitive globally. Forecast total U.S. liquid fuels production declines by 0.5 million b/d in 2016 and remains relatively flat in 2017.

Forecast OPEC crude oil production increases by 0.7 million b/d in 2016 and by 0.6 million b/d in 2017 with Iran accounting for most of the increase in 2017. EIA assumes that a collaborative production cut among OPEC members and other major producers does not occur in the forecast period, as major OPEC producers continue their stated strategy to maintain market share.

EIA expects global consumption of petroleum and other liquid fuels to grow by 1.2 million b/d in 2016 and by 1.5 million b/d in 2017. Forecast real gross domestic product (GDP) for the world weighted by oil consumption rises by 2.6% in 2016 and by 3.1% in 2017.

U.S. average regular gasoline and diesel fuel retail prices decrease

The U.S. average regular gasoline retail price decreased six cents from the previous week to $1.76 per gallon on February 8, down 43 cents from the same time last year. The Midwest price fell 10 cents to $1.52 per gallon. The West Coast price fell six cents to $2.31 per gallon. The Rocky Mountain price decreased five cents to $1.75 per gallon, followed by the East Coast price, which was down four cents to $1.79 per gallon. The Gulf Coast price decreased three cents to $1.56 per gallon.

The U.S. average diesel fuel price decreased two cents from the prior week to $2.01 per gallon, down 83 cents from the same time last year. The Rocky Mountain price decreased six cents per gallon to $1.91 per gallon. The West Coast price fell four cents to $2.24 per gallon. The East Coast and Gulf Coast prices each fell two cents to $2.09 per gallon and $1.90 per gallon, respectively. The Midwest price decreased one cent to $1.93 per gallon.

Propane inventories fall

U.S. propane stocks decreased by 3.3 million barrels last week to 74.8 million barrels as of February 5, 2016, 9.8 million barrels (15.2%) higher than a year ago. Gulf Coast, Midwest, and East Coast inventories dropped by 2.1 million barrels, 0.9 million barrels, and 0.3 million barrels, respectively. Rocky Mountain/West Coast inventories remained essentially unchanged, declining by only 0.01 million barrels. Propylene non-fuel-use inventories represented 4.2% of total propane inventories.

Residential heating fuel prices increase

As of February 8, 2016, residential heating oil prices averaged $2.09 per gallon, 1 cent per gallon higher than last week and 82 cents per gallon lower than last year’s price for the same week. The wholesale heating oil price this week averaged $1.13 per gallon, 2 cents per gallon less than last week and 85 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Residential propane prices averaged $2.03 per gallon, 1 cent per gallon higher than last week’s price and 33 cents per gallon lower than one year ago. Wholesale propane prices averaged 47 cents per gallon, 1 cent per gallon higher than last week and 20 cents per gallon lower than last year.

For questions about This Week in Petroleum, contact the Petroleum Markets Team at EIA.gov

This Week In Petroleum – EIA.gov – Feb. 3, 2016

East Coast, Gulf Coast trade transportation fuels to balance needs, supply

With just over half of total U.S. refining capacity, the Gulf Coast (Petroleum Administration for Defense District, or PADD, 3) is the largest domestic supplier of transportation fuels. Regional consumption is less than one-third of in-region production. The East Coast (PADD 1) is the largest transportation fuels consuming region in the country. However, that region’s limited refinery capacity produces transportation fuels to meet just one-fifth of regional consumption. Pipeline infrastructure linking the two PADDs and international trade play key roles in balancing the mismatch between the supply and use of transportation fuels within each region (Figure 1).

On February 3, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released aPADD 1 and 3 Transportation Fuels Markets study, which examines transportation fuels (motor gasoline, distillate fuel, and jet fuel) supply, consumption, and distribution at both the PADD level and for specific areas within the PADDs.

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The East Coast region includes states from Maine to Florida along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. The Gulf Coast region comprises states between New Mexico in the west to Alabama in the east, primarily along the Gulf of Mexico. For this study, transportation fuels include gasoline, distillate fuel (including diesel), and jet fuel. Residual fuel oil supply is also analyzed where applicable.

The study considers the East Coast as four distinct regions: New England (PADD 1A), Central Atlantic (PADD 1B), the Southeast, and Florida. The Gulf Coast is divided into five regions: New Mexico, Texas Inland, Texas Gulf Coast, Louisiana Gulf Coast, and North Louisiana-Arkansas (Figure 2).

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The study examines transportation fuels supply, consumption, and distribution patterns within the specific sub-PADD regions. The study evaluates the supply, storage, and distribution of transportation fuels from in-region refineries and other domestic sources of supply as well as imports. The study characterizes the infrastructure associated with the distribution of transportation fuels including infrastructure associated with refineries, bulk terminals, pipelines, marine movements, as well as transportation fuel distribution patterns. The study also considers regional supply/demand balances and includes a discussion of the wholesale and retail market structure for each region.

This study is the second in a series by EIA to inform its analyses of petroleum product markets, especially during periods of supply disruptions and market change. A previously published study analyzed PADD 5 (West Coast) transportation fuels markets. Planned studies will analyze PADD 5 crude supply and the transportation fuels markets in the Midwest (PADD 2) and Rocky Mountains (PADD 4).

U.S. average retail regular gasoline and diesel fuel prices decrease

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline decreased three cents from the previous week to $1.82 per gallon on February 1, 2016, down 25 cents from the same time last year. The West Coast price decreased eight cents to $2.38 per gallon, followed by the Rocky Mountain price, which decreased six cents to $1.80 per gallon. The Gulf Coast price was down four cents to $1.59 per gallon. The East Coast price decreased three cents to $1.84 per gallon, and the Midwest price was down one cent to $1.62 per gallon.

The U.S. average diesel fuel price decreased four cents from last week to $2.03 per gallon, down 80 cents per gallon from the same time last year. The West Coast, Rocky Mountain, and Midwest prices each fell five cents to $2.27 per gallon, $1.97 per gallon, and $1.94 per gallon, respectively. The Gulf Coast price was down four cents to $1.92 per gallon. The East Coast price decreased three cents to $2.11 per gallon.

Propane inventories fall

U.S. propane stocks decreased by 5.6 million barrels last week to 78.1 million barrels as of January 29, 2016, 10.8 million barrels (16.1%) higher than a year ago. Gulf Coast inventories decreased by 3.1 million barrels, Midwest inventories fell by 1.3 million barrels, and East Coast and Rocky Mountain/West Coast inventories each declined by 0.6 million barrels. Propylene non-fuel-use inventories represented 4.1% of total propane inventories.

Residential heating fuel prices increase

As of February 1, 2016, residential heating oil prices averaged $2.08 per gallon, nearly 2 cents per gallon higher than last week and almost 72 cents lower than last year’s price for the same week. The wholesale heating oil price this week averaged $1.14 per gallon, almost 8 cents higher than last week and nearly 69 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Residential propane prices averaged $2.02 per gallon, less than a penny per gallon higher than last week’s price and almost 35 cents lower than one year ago. Wholesale propane prices averaged 46 cents per gallon, just over 2 cents per gallon higher than last week and almost 15 cents per gallon lower than last year.

For questions about This Week in Petroleum, contact the Petroleum Markets Team at EIA.gov

This Week In Petroleum – EIA.gov – Jan. 27, 2016

Warm temperatures and low oil prices are reducing home heating expenditures

A combination of warmer-than-expected temperatures and lower-than-expected oil prices have contributed to a reduction in forecast average heating expenditures this winter (October-March) compared with EIA’s forecast in the October 2015 Winter Fuels Outlook. Each October, EIA produces a Winter Fuels Outlook that projects heating fuel expenditures for the coming winter (October through March) based on EIA’s forecast of fuel prices and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) forecast for temperatures (as measured by heating degree days). As discussed in the October 2015 Winter Fuels Outlook, the winter of 2015–16 was expected to have lower expenditures than the winter of 2014–15. In the time since that outlook was released, the weather has been much warmer than expected and prices have fallen faster than anticipated, resulting in even lower heating expenditures as forecast in the January Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO).

Petroleum-based heating fuels, such as heating oil and propane, are used mainly in the eastern part of the United States. Heating oil use is concentrated in the Northeast, and significant amounts of propane are used in both the Northeast and Midwest. According to the January STEO, these areas of the country are expected to be roughly 20% warmer than last winter (Figure 1). At the beginning of the winter, the Northeast and Midwest were expected to be 13% and 11% warmer than last winter, respectively. However, January is typically the coldest month of the winter, and if January turns out to be significantly colder than forecast, averages for the whole winter will move closer to normal.

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At the national level, as of NOAA’s December forecast, the 2015–16 winter is expected to be 15% warmer than last winter, as the warm temperatures east of the Rocky Mountains are partially offset by temperatures in the West that are both slightly colder than previously forecasted and colder than last year’s relatively warm winter.

In addition to the warm weather, falling crude oil prices and ample supplies of distillate fuel have contributed to lower retail fuel prices than forecast in October. Heating oil prices in particular have been weak, with the average winter 2015–16 retail price now expected to be $2.17/gallon (gal), down from a forecast of $2.57/gal in October. Last winter, retail heating oil prices averaged $3.04/gal. As a result, the average household that heats primarily with heating oil is forecast to spend $760 (41%) less on fuel this winter than last winter (Figure 2).

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Brent crude oil prices are the main driver of retail heating oil prices, and Brent prices fell from a monthly average of $48 per barrel (b) in October to an average of $31/b through the first 20 days of January. That $17/b price decline is equivalent to about 40 cents/gal. EIA did not foresee this drop in price in the October outlook. Crude oil prices fell sharply in recent months, as OPEC producers (at their December 4 meeting) indicated plans to continue the policy of defending market share in a low oil price environment and as global oil inventories continued to build, with the monthly average Brent spot price in December reaching its lowest level since mid-2004.

Strong supply and weak demand globally for distillate fuel (a fuel category that includes products such as diesel and heating oil) have reduced refining margins for distillate, further contributing to low heating oil prices. EIA estimates that the refining margin for heating oil in January is about 28 cents/gal, the lowest margin in January since 2011. Slowing economic growth in emerging economies and a relatively warm winter have reduced growth in global demand for distillate fuel. Additionally, strong gasoline refining margins for this time of year have encouraged high global refinery runs. This combination of high refinery runs and slowing demand growth has resulted in high inventory levels in major distillate markets including Asia, northwest Europe, and the northeast United States. For the week ending January 15, distillate fuel inventories in the northeast United States were 51.8 million barrels, 55% higher than the five-year (2011-15) average.

Retail propane prices have also been lower than was forecast in the October STEO. In the January STEO, EIA forecast winter 2015-16 propane prices to average $2.73/gal in the Northeast and $1.56/gal in the Midwest, down 12 cents/gal and 10 cents/gal, respectively, from the projections at the beginning of winter. These prices are also lower than last winter. Propane prices did not fall as rapidly as heating oil prices this winter because propane prices are partially tied to natural gas prices, which have declined but by less than oil prices. The link to natural gas prices occurs because a significant amount of propane is produced at natural gas processing plants and because propane competes in the petrochemical feedstock market with other hydrocarbon gas liquids produced at natural gas processing plants, such as ethane. In the January STEO, EIA forecasts that households that heat primarily with propane will, on average, see heating expenditures fall by $540 (24%) in the Northeast and by $480 (31%) in the Midwest compared with last winter.

U.S. average regular gasoline and diesel fuel retail prices decrease

The U.S. average regular gasoline retail price fell six cents from the previous week to $1.86 per gallon on January 25, 2016, 19 cents lower than the same time last year. The Midwest price was down eight cents to $1.63 per gallon. The West Coast price decreased six cents to $2.46 per gallon. The Rocky Mountain price decreased five cents to $1.86 per gallon. The Gulf Coast and East Coast prices each decreased four cents to $1.63 per gallon and $1.87 per gallon, respectively.

The U.S. average diesel fuel price decreased four cents to $2.07 per gallon, down 80 cents from the same time last year. The Rocky Mountain and Gulf Coast prices each fell six cents per gallon to $2.02 per gallon and $1.96 per gallon, respectively. The Midwest price was down four cents to $1.99 per gallon. The West Coast and East Coast prices decreased three cents to $2.33 per gallon and $2.14 per gallon, respectively.

Propane inventories fall

U.S. propane stocks decreased by 6.2 million barrels last week to 83.7 million barrels as of January 22, 2016, 14.4 million barrels (20.8%) higher than a year ago. Gulf Coast and Midwest inventories dropped by 4.0 million barrels and 1.7 million barrels, respectively, while East Coast inventories fell by 0.4 million barrels and Rocky Mountain/West Coast inventories declined by 0.1 million barrels. Propylene non-fuel-use inventories represented 3.9% of total propane inventories.

Residential heating oil price decreases; propane price increases

As of January 25, 2016, residential heating oil prices averaged $2.06 per gallon, 5 cents per gallon lower than last week and 75 cents lower than one year ago. The wholesale heating oil price this week averaged $1.07 per gallon, 7 cents higher than last week and 69 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Residential propane prices averaged $2.02 per gallon, less than 1 cent per gallon higher than last week’s price and 35 cents lower than one year ago. Wholesale propane prices averaged 44 cents per gallon, 3 cents per gallon higher than last week and 19 cents lower than last year’s price for the same week.

For questions about This Week in Petroleum, contact the Petroleum Markets Team at EIA.gov