Oil prices plummet as OPEC bickers and the dollar rallies but today the story that will grab attention is an explosion in the Colonial pipeline that will lead to higher gas prices and possible spot shortages along the East Coast. The explosion is on the same pipeline that was shut down a couple of months ago due to a pipeline leak. Apparently, while work continued to work on the pipeline it exploded in Alabama killing one worker and injuring many others. The pipeline, the major line that runs from Houston to New York and according to Triple-A provides gas for at least 50,000 people. The plagued piling may be down for days and already we are seeing price spikes in futures and cash markets as wholesalers will be scrambling for product and Colonial pipeline will be making steps to try to ship in gasoline supply from other places.
Of course, that is not helping oil as the market is pricing in no deal regardless of the fact that OPEC says that a deal is still going to happen. Bloomberg news reported that General Mohammed Barkindo said that despite the bickering other major oil producers are “on course” to deliver a deal this month that will temper the global oversupply. Iraq also says that they will adhere to the Algiers deal despite being a major reason that the deal is not done.
Weakness in oil and warm temperatures killed natural gas. With cooling degree days, almost 48% below normal and weak oil gas got crushed. But does that mean gas is doomed to live in a bear market. Not if the weather changes. Reuters John Kemp said it best by saying that “natural gas prices are caught in the crossfire between warmer-than-normal weather and a structurally tightening supply-and-demand balance.” And with reports that it may get cold in a few weeks we should use the weakness to put on bullish options strategies.
Egypt is now buying oil from Iraq instead of Saudi Ariba. Thesauri’s cut off Egypt after that backed Russia over the Saudis in Syria. A lot of background tension building in the cartel. Still, we believe a deal to cut output will still get done
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