MARKET WATCH: NYMEX crude oil prices drop pending US rig count
Crude oil futures for July delivery on the New York market fell modestly on June 11, retreating from a 2015 high settlement set the previous day. Analysts attributed the price drop to a strengthening dollar and also to concerns about ample oil supplies.
Because oil trades in dollars, a stronger US dollar makes it more expensive for buyers using other currencies. In addition, traders and analysts awaited the weekly rig count statistics from Baker Hughes Inc. scheduled to be released June 12.
World oil supplies are expected to be plentiful throughout 2015, the International Energy Agency said in its latest Oil Market Report, which also noted growing oil demand (OGJ Online June 11, 2015).
Global oil demand averaged 93.3 million b/d during the first half, up 1.6 million b/d on the year and 400,000 b/d above the estimate in last month’s report, IEA said. Global demand for all of 2015 was forecast to average 94 million b/d, 1.4 million b/d up on the year.
Regarding supply, IEA raised its forecast for supply growth outside the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries by 195,000 b/d. OPEC currently is producing nearly 1 million b/d above its production quota of 30 million b/d, cartel representatives and others have said.
US natural gas levels in underground storage across the Lower 48 climbed 111 bcf as of June 5 compared with the previous week, the Energy Information Administration reported.
The Gas Storage Report estimated levels at 2.34 tcf as of June 5. Stocks were 753 bcf higher than last year at this time and 44 bcf above the 5-year average of 2.3 tcf.
Energy prices
The July crude oil contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange dropped 66¢ on June 11 to settle at $60.77/bbl. The August contract was down 60¢ to settle at $61.22/bbl.
The natural gas contract for July was down 6.6¢ to a rounded $2.83/MMbtu. The Henry Hub, La., gas price dropped 5¢ to $2.87/MMbtu.
Heating oil for July was down nearly 2.5¢ to a rounded $1.92/gal. The price for reformulated gasoline stock for oxygenates blending for July dropped less than a penny to a rounded $2.14/gal.
The July ICE contract for Brent crude was down 59¢ to $65.11/bbl while the August contract dropped 58¢ to $65.79/bbl. The ICE gas oil contract for June was unchanged at $595/tonne while the July gas oil contract was down $6 to $589.25/tonne.
The average price for OPEC’s basket of 12 benchmark crudes for June 11 was $62.14/bbl, down 27¢.
Contact Paula Dittrick at [email protected].
*Paula Dittrick is editor of OGJ’s Unconventional Oil & Gas Report.
Paula Dittrick | Senior Staff Writer
Paula Dittrick has covered oil and gas from Houston for more than 20 years. Starting in May 2007, she developed a health, safety, and environment beat for Oil & Gas Journal. Dittrick is familiar with the industry’s financial aspects. She also monitors issues associated with carbon sequestration and renewable energy.
Dittrick joined OGJ in February 2001. Previously, she worked for Dow Jones and United Press International. She began writing about oil and gas as UPI’s West Texas bureau chief during the 1980s. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska in 1974.
