Britt Russell-Webster, Tom Washington and Paul Hickin
Editors, oil and bunkers 
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October 23, 2020 09:58 UTC 
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The glut in low sulfur fuels has been a double-edged sword for the shipping industry. It muted the impact of availability and compatibility concerns at the cost of lower prices, which have mirrored the wider crude market since May. Demand for very low sulfur fuel oil is set to recover slowly in line with increasing confidence in the industry’s new fuel of choice, according to some experts. |
Meghan Gordon
Senior writer, oil
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October 20, 2020 11:42 UTC
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In California, greenhouse gas emissions produced by this year’s record-breaking wildfire season have climbed past the industrial, power and residential emissions categories and could even overtake transportation as the top polluter, according to estimates by S&P Global Platts Analytics. The scale and devastation of the California wildfires have also added urgency to the state government’s climate priorities, with the latest measure targeting that top emitter, cars. |
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S&P Global Platts
News editors
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October 19, 2020 10:21 UTC
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Libyan oil flows have resumed but their stability remains uncertain, while India’s coal powered generation has dipped, granting gains to renewables. S&P Global Platts editors and analysts also discuss the latest Chinese actions on coal imports, Norwegian gas flows to Europe, and separate challenges faced by power markets in the UK and California. |
Paul Bartholomew
Senior managing editor 
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October 15, 2020 12:09 UTC
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Sentiment in China’s metals markets was buoyant in July and August on easy credit conditions and expectations of further stimulus flowing to infrastructure. But September saw a distinct change of tone as cash flows tightened, demand waned and metals prices came under pressure, leaving the market hoping for better after China’s Golden Week holiday. Paul Bartholomew discusses what could happen in coming months. |
Harry Weber
Senior natural gas writer 
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October 14, 2020 06:49 UTC
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An unusually active Atlantic hurricane season has tested the resilience of US liquefaction infrastructure that is still in its infancy relative to terminals in more mature exporting nations. Utilization is starting to rise toward pre-pandemic levels, as demand and price recovery in buyer markets in Asia and Europe are incentivizing exports. |
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Paul Hickin and Charlotte Bucchioni
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October 13, 2020 12:33 UTC
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The global tanker market is set for some critical capacity management in 2021-22. Weaker freight rates have sapped enthusiasm for new orders, and creaking oversupply of older ships could accelerate scrapping. With uncertainty over pandemic-related oil demand and over fueling ships ahead of key climate goals, a step backward may be the way forward for tankers. The boom in tanker deliveries in 2019 is set to be followed by a lull. New orders have fallen to decade lows, with the third quarter of 2020 seeing a substantial decline. A total of 84 vessel orders have been placed so far this year compared with 163 orders last year, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics data. |
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S&P Global Platts
News editors
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October 12, 2020 10:33 UTC
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The global oil supply path into 2021 is in focus this week, along with the impact of storms on US oil output. Away from oil, we also survey they outlook for LNG demand in Asia and the European power mix, and look at the key factors driving the copper market. |
Charlotte Bucchioni
Senior commodity associate, Shipping
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October 8, 2020 12:40 UTC
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The fourth quarter has traditionally been referred to as the strongest quarter for freight markets, with factors such as winter heating needs in the northern hemisphere and agricultural exports following harvests in key regions, coupled with bad weather and ice tying tonnage up. However, Q4 2020 is looking less positive for shipowners, as discussed in S&P Global Platts’ shipping special report, Changing Tack. In this extract from the report, Charlotte Bucchioni looks at what’s in store for tanker markets in the coming months. |
Neil Hunter
Reporter, EMEA natural gas 
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October 7, 2020 07:52 UTC
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As part of its transformation into a liberalized natural gas market, forged in the image of its liquid European neighbors, Ukraine’s natural gas transmission network GTSOU was made legally, financially and operationally independent from state-owned company Naftogaz at the beginning of this year, as a requirement of European benefactors who have helped fund the development of the country’s natural gas industry. |
Tim Bradner
Contributor
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October 6, 2020 07:38 UTC
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Alaskans will vote in November on a ballot proposition that would hike taxes on large oil producing fields, more than doubling the state production tax and threatening future crude output in the state. The initiative would extract more than $1 billion a year from North Slope producers, state officials estimate, and includes a provision that make companies’ confidential financial information filed with tax returns public. |
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