Oil Markets S&P Global Commodity Insights

Mexico's presidential election on 2 June comes at a time of declining crude and natural gas production and uncertainty over the country's transition to cleaner fuels and more reliable power generation. If Claudia Sheinbaum wins, as is widely expected, will she continue Lopez Obrador's policy of restricting private sector involvement in Mexico's energy industry? Why has Mexico's crude oil production fallen to its lowest level in 40 years? Will Mexico continue to push to reduce its dependence on refined product imports?
In this Oil Markets podcast episode, Jeff Mower, director of Americas oil news, is joined by energy reporter Sheky Espejo for a wide-ranging discussion on these topics and more.
 

Nigeria's Dangote refinery, built at a cost of $20 billion and is Africa's largest, has started exporting naphtha to North Asian markets at a time when the clean tanker market is witnessing prolonged firmness. The naphtha flow from Dangote is adding to the ton-mile demand in the clean tanker sector and this could be boosting the clean tanker market in the short- to medium term.
 
Associate editorial director for Asia Freight, Pradeep Rajan, discusses about West African naphtha flow and its impact on the clean tanker market with Sameer Mohindru, senior editor, Asia clean tanker market, and associate editor Zoey Ng, who covers Asia naphtha market.

As European refineries return from seasonal maintenance, ample prompt supply in the North Sea, Mediterranean and West African crude markets suggests that the demand side of the equation remains firmly in the red.
Joel Hanley is joined by crude editors Sam Angell, George Delaney and Joey Daly to discuss the implications of a crude-saturated Atlantic basin for prices in the major oil markets west of Suez.
Links:
Dated Brent PCAAS00
WTI Midland CIF Rotterdam vs Fwd Dated Brent $/bbl WMCRB00
Bonny Light FOB Nigeria London vs WAF Dtd Strip AAGXL00
Azeri Light CIF Augusta vs BTC Dtd Strip AAHPM00
WTI Midland CIF Rotterdam crude differentials plunge to weakest value since October 2021
Nigeria Bonny Light crude value falls to 5-month low: Platts assessment

Diesel imports into Brazil have risen in recent months, but remains below a recent peak seen in January as the South American country deals with new payment terms for Russian barrels. Not only that, but Russian diesel supplies have tightened following drone attacks on Russian refineries by Ukraine. Will USGC refiners return to the #1 spot in supplying Brazilian diesel imports? What impact has this shift had on US diesel exports? 
Jeff Mower, director of Americas oil news, discusses these topics and more with senior refinery editor Janet McGurty, Latin American refined products editor Maria Jimenez Moya, and US refined products editor Ben Peyton.
Episode links: NEW Port Everglades CBOB differential to NYMEX RBOB APPNB00
NEW Port Everglades premium CBOB differential to NYMEX RBOB APPNJ00
NEW Tampa ULSD differential to NYMEX ULSD APPOI00
NEW Tampa Jet Fuel differential to NYMEX ULSD APPNU00

In May 2023, the world's most important oil price benchmark, Platts Dated Brent, which is used to underpin the price of significant volumes of traded crude oil, saw the addition of the first non-North Sea crude stream into its deliverable basket of grades: WTI Midland.
Since then, the benchmark has seen liquidity skyrocket, the addition of new faces into the Brent complex’s long list of established market participants and, most importantly, the further strengthening of Dated Brent as a price indicator for commodity markets globally.
In this episode of the Oil Markets Podcast, Joel Hanley is joined by Emma Kettley, Managing Crude Editor, and Sam Angell, Senior Crude Editor to discuss the one-year anniversary of Midland’s successful inclusion into the Dated Brent benchmark.
Related content:
Infographic: Dated Brent April update
Related story: April 2024 breaks trade liquidity records in Platts North Sea physical, Cash BFOE partials MOC


Mentioned price assessments:
PCAAS00 - Dated Brent 
WMCRB00 - WTI Midland CIF Rotterdam vs Fwd Dated Brent $/bbl 

The spotlight on India's oil sector has never been stronger. India's role in global oil markets is set to expand at a fast pace until the end of the decade, making it the biggest center for demand growth, according to the IEA. Refining expansion remains a key priority, but with a tilt towards petrochemicals, and the country’s upstream strategy aims to realize the hydrocarbon potential of offshore regions. 
While rising Russian oil flows and its impact on purchases from the Middle East is dominating the discussion on trade flows, rising oil prices is throwing up new challenges for the economy. In a wide-ranging discussion with Sambit Mohanty, Asia Energy Editor, Atul Arya, Chief Energy Strategist at S&P Global Commodity Insights, and Dharmakirti Joshi, Chief India Economist at CRISIL -- a unit of S&P Global -- share their views on the roadmap ahead for India's oil sector as the country is set to elect a new federal government.