Oil tried to go parabolic but retreated on demand concerns as gasoline demand is still stuttering. Yet in a move that could be just the coming attractions of a bull oil market run, there are more concerns about the stability of oil supply in the future. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) warned that If low oil prices continue for the rest of the year, their proven reserves could fall by 20%. Exxon Mobil said, “certain quantities of crude oil, bitumen and natural gas will not qualify as proved reserves at year-end 2020.” A 20% oil reserve reduction would reduce supply by a shocking 4.5 billion barrels of crude and we have seen the same type of announcement by other companies.
Bloomberg News reported, “Chevron Corp. said in a filing Wednesday that it expects to revise its reserves downward by about 10%, mainly in the Permian Basin and Australia. Royal Dutch Shell (LON:RDSa) Plc, BP (NYSE:BP) Plc and Total SE have written off billions of dollars in reserves in recent weeks as the pandemic destroyed oil demand and prices, making some fields unprofitable to drill. Exxon had been the sole holdout during the current crisis, having not revised anything lower until now.”
The oil market traded mixed emotions surrounding the increasing likelihood of a COVID 19 vaccine by the end of the year. Short-term fears of a second wave is keeping oil subdued despite its significant supply draw down and concerns that future supply might not be economically feasible to extract. This will cause a lack of investment and will ultimately leave the world under-supplied in the future. Yet with a weak dollar and the possibility of a coronavirus relief package deal between the White House and Democrats or if the President acts on his own, it could have oil retrace its breakout run.
“The White House moved to increase the pressure on Democratic leaders to give ground in the coronavirus-aid negotiations, saying Republicans might walk away from talks and rely on executive actions by President Trump if an agreement isn’t within reach by the end of the week, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. A coronavirus stimulus bill is one of the missing links in the global economy and with the labor market stalling along with gasoline demand, this should give us a boost that we need until researchers come up with a vaccine that now is hopefully going to be available in December.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) did report that oil supplies are staring to tighten in a significant way. The EIA reported U.S. commercial crude oil inventories decreased by 7.4 million barrels from the previous week. At 518.6 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 16% above the five-year average for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 419,000 barrels last week and are about 8% above the five-year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline inventories decreased while blending components inventories increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 1.6 million barrels last week and are about 27% above the five-year average for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories increased by 2.3 million barrels last week and are about 13% above the five-year average for this time of year. Total commercial petroleum inventories decreased last week by 2.1 million barrels last week. Total products supplied over the last four-week period averaged 18.3 million barrels a day, down by 13.5% from the same period last year. Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 8.7 million barrels a day, down by 9.1% from the same period last year. Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 3.6 million barrels a day more than the past four weeks, down by 8.7% from the same period last year. Jet fuel product supplied was down 40.9% compared with the same four-week period last year.
While long-term oil production expectations have fallen, in Canada, they may be rising a bit. Rigzone reported that IHS Market recently projected that Canada’s oil sands production should hit nearly 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2030, representing an almost 1.1 million-bpd increase from current levels. Although this year’s decline in oil sands output tied to the “COVID-19 Shock” will be unprecedented and approach 175,000 bpd, IHS Market contends the trajectory of oil sands production over the next decade should change little compared to pre-pandemic expectations. The firm pointed out in a written statement emailed to Rigzone that the 3.8 million-bpd projection for 2030 is just 2.6 percent lower than its pre-pandemic forecast of 3.9 million bpd.
Look for another crude oil retest of the high this week. We filled the OPEC price war gap and are in a breakout mode that should at least retest.
Natural gas is still on a run as will as an August heatwave is on its way!