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January 6th, 2015:

High Noon on oil prices: OPEC vs U.S. Shale

From an article by Catherine Ngai published on 6 Jan 2015 by Reuters under the headline: Screen Shot 2015-01-06 at 21.31.03

“High Noon on the Gulf Coast: Canada, Saudi oil set for showdown”

NEW YORK (Reuters) – As a test of wills between OPEC nations and U.S. shale drillers fuels a global oil market slump, a brewing battle between Canadian and Saudi Arabia heavy crudes for America’s Gulf Coast refinery market threatens to drive prices even lower.

While the stand-off between the oil cartel and U.S. producers of light, sweet shale oil has captured the limelight in recent months, the clash over heavier grades – playing out in the shadowy, opaque physical market – may put even more pressure on global prices that have halved since mid-2014. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Investors Freak: Oil on its way down to $20 A Barrel?

Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 23.58.26From an article by Christopher Helman published by Forbes.com on 6 Jan 2015 under the headline:

“Investors Freak As Saudi Inaction Could Sink Oil To $20 A Barrel. Time To Buy?

OPEC is not going to come to the rescue. It is up to American producers to cut oil supplies.

The world freaked out over oil Monday. U.S. crude fell as low as $49.77 a barrel, down about 6%. Brent crude is at $53. This is the lowest price since early 2009, when oil bottomed at $35 less than nine months after hitting a record high of $147.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 331 points Monday. Many reports have blamed oil for the stock market weakness, but that doesn’t really make much sense. All else equal, low oil prices are a boon to economic growth. And besides, considering how high the Dow has risen, 330 points just ain’t what it used to be — merely a 1.8% move. Back in 2008 the Dow suffered 11 days with losses of 4% or more. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Why A BP Shell Merger Is Not A Sensible Option

Screen Shot 2014-12-29 at 20.18.53

Screen Shot 2015-01-06 at 17.35.55

Why A BP plc (BP) Royal Dutch Shell Merger Is Not A Sensible Option

Bidness Etc discusses how lower oil prices have impacted BP’s stock price, and why the merger with Royal Dutch Shell is not on the cards

By: MICHEAL KAUFMAN
Published: Jan 6, 2015 at 9:46 am EST

Crude oil prices have declined sharply this year. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has already fallen below $50 per barrel for the first time in nearly five-and-half years, with Brent crude hovering around the same level. Several US oil companies are fighting for their survival, especially after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided to maintain its current level of production. WTI and Brent crude were trading at $49.56 and $52.57 per barrel, respectively, during pre-market trading today. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Market Collapse: 5 percent of Shell’s capital invested in money-losing projects?

Screen Shot 2015-01-06 at 11.59.38From an article by Joe Carroll and Tara Patel published 6 Jan 2015 by BloombergBusinessweek under the headline:

“Oilfield Writedowns Loom as Market Collapse Guts Drilling Values” 

Shell, Europe’s largest energy producer, may have as much as 5 percent of its capital tied up in money-losing projects.

Extracts

Tumbling crude prices will trigger a flood of oilfield writedowns starting this month after industry returns slumped to a 16-year low, calling into question half a decade of exploration.

With crude prices down more than 50 percent from their 2014 peak, fields as far-flung as Kazakhstan and Australia are no longer worth pumping, said a team of Citigroup Inc. (C:US) analysts led by Alastair Syme. Companies on the hook for risky, high-cost projects that don’t make sense in a $50-a-barrel market include international titans such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc and small wildcatters like Sanchez Energy Corp. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

BP and Shell Slump

From an article by Alan Oscroft published by The Motley Fool on 6 Jan 2015 under the headline:

“BP plc, Royal Dutch Shell Plc And Tallow Oil plc Slump Further As Oil Hits New Record Lows”

Extracts

The price of Brent Crude slumped below $55 a barrel yesterday for the first time in more than five years, and there are fears now that it could even dip below $50.

BP is hurting

BP dropped 22.3p on the day, for a 5.4% fall to 388p. And with crashing oil prices added to the company’s still-unfinished Gulf of Mexico business, the shares are now down 26% from their July 52-week high of 527p.

Dividends could be cut if oil drops much lower, but cover for 2016’s predicted payout currently stands at 1.66 times — it could be better, but that’s not too bad. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell Arctic debacle

Screen Shot 2014-09-06 at 21.06.55Article by Jeremy Cresswell published by EnergyVoice.com on 6 Jan 2015 under the headline:

“Noble Drilling has book thrown at it by Alaskan authorities”

The paper stated: “So obviously, the safeguards in place to date have about as much teeth as a guppy. How do we know the repairs done truly take care of the problems with Noble Discoverer? Because Noble Drilling and Shell say so?”

PREDICAMENT: Drilling rig Kulluk aground in Alaska

Written by Jeremy Cresswell – 06/01/2015 6:00 am

Noble Drilling has been charged with environmental and maritime crimes for operating the drill ship Noble Discoverer and the drilling unit Kulluk in violation of federal law in Alaska in 2012.

Under the terms of a plea agreement filed in the Alaskan federal court early last month, Noble Drilling (US) is pleading guilty to eight felony offences, will pay $12.2million in fines and community service payments, implement a comprehensive “environmental compliance plan”, and will be placed on probation for four years. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell still buying Iranian crude

Screen Shot 2015-01-06 at 10.42.47Reuters: Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015

TOKYO – Two of Japan’s biggest buyers of Iranian crude, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp and Showa Shell Sekiyu KK, are set to keep their purchases from Tehran largely steady in 2015, their top officials said on Tuesday.

Japanese refiners have been making decisions about how much Iranian crude to buy after consulting with the government on how much they are allowed under Western sanctions on Iran.

Iran and Western world powers failed in November to meet a self-imposed deadline to resolve the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, extending talks for seven more months and allowing the Islamic republic to keep exports at about 1 million bpd, down by more than half from 2012 levels. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil Price Crash Continues Into 2015

Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 23.58.26From an article by CLIFFORD KRAUSS and PETER EAVISJAN published in the NY print edition of The New York Times on 6 Jan 2015 under the headline:

“Oil’s Fall Continues Into 2015, and Stock Markets Shudder”

HOUSTON — Oil prices tumbled below $50 a barrel on Monday, spooking global financial markets and signaling that the remarkable 50 percent price drop since June was continuing this year and even quickening.

The new drop in American and global benchmarks of more than 5 percent was accompanied by reports of increased Middle Eastern oil exports, continuing increases in American production and renewed worries about the declining economic fortunes of Europe.

The plunge once again sent fear through global markets. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
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