Current Issues & Trends


Quarterly upstream earnings positive for the first time since 2014

oil/petroleumpricesproduction/supplyfutures

12/14/2016

Stable oil prices, improving credit conditions contributing to rise in merger and acquisition activity

oil/petroleumpricesproduction/supplycrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)Texasrig count

11/2/2016

Short positions in U.S. crude oil futures held by producers, merchants at nine-year high

production/supplycrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)

10/24/2016

Low oil prices have affected Russian petroleum companies and government revenues

oil/petroleumnatural gasliquid fuelsinternationalRussia

10/20/2016

Narrowing crude oil price differences contribute to global convergence of refining profits

oil/petroleumliquid fuelsinternationalrefiningcrack spread

9/8/2016

OPEC members' net oil export revenue in 2015 drops to lowest level since 2004

exports/importsoil/petroleumliquid fuelsOPEC

8/26/2016

Changing crude oil price differentials contribute to global convergence of refining profits

oil/petroleuminternationalrefiningcrack spread

8/24/2016

Declining economic activity and oil revenues in Russia are adversely affecting its regional neighbors

crude oilEuropeRussia

8/3/2016

New EIA website spotlights key drivers of petroleum product prices

liquid fuelsproduction/supplycrude oilgasolineSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)refiningfuturescrack spread

8/1/2016

U.S. oil companies closer to balancing capital investment with operating cash flow

liquid fuelsproduction/supplycrude oildrilling

7/18/2016

Oil companies focus on production over exploration as low oil prices reduce value of new reserves

oil/petroleumpricesproduction/supplycrude oilinternationalreservesresources

5/25/2016

China’s diesel exports put downward pressure on Asia-Pacific crack spreads

exports/importsoil/petroleumpricesinternationalrefiningdieselChina

5/18/2016

Declining energy prices lower the cost of living

natural gasliquid fuelspricescrude oilresidential

5/3/2016

Crude oil prices rise and contango narrows, but high inventories should constrain further price increases

pricescrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)inventories/stocksWTI (West Texas Intermediate)futures

4/27/2016

2015 financials reveal significant differences across U.S. onshore-only producers

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricesproduction/supplyreserves

4/20/2016

State taxes on gasoline and diesel average 27 cents per gallon

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricesstatesgasolinetransportationdieseltaxes

4/19/2016

EIA lowers its crude oil price forecast

oil/petroleumpricescrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

3/9/2016

Canada, Mexico, United States launch North American Cooperation on Energy Information site

internationalUnited StatesCanadaMexico

2/16/2016

U.S. mining and exploration investment declined 35% in 2015

pricescrude oilmining

2/10/2016

Changing contract expiration dates will affect crude oil futures comparisons

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricesBrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)futures

1/26/2016

Crude oil prices will remain relatively low through 2016 and 2017

oil/petroleumpricesSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

1/13/2016

State severance tax revenues decline as fossil fuel prices drop

oil/petroleumnatural gasstatescoalTexasWyomingOklahomaWest VirginiaAlaska

1/12/2016

Prices for oil and natural gas commodities fell during 2015

oil/petroleumnatural gasliquid fuelspricesgasolinediesel

1/4/2016

Before recent transfer, Highway Trust Fund had reached its lowest level in years

generationtransportationtaxes

11/10/2015

Debt service uses a rising share of U.S. onshore oil producers’ operating cash flow

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricesproduction/supply

9/18/2015

U.S. onshore producers face challenging times

oil/petroleumpricesproduction/supplycrude oilUnited States

9/10/2015

Beyond Shell-BG, oil company merger activity is down

oil/petroleumliquid fuels

7/22/2015

Refiner margins unable to fully offset low upstream earnings for integrated oil companies

liquid fuelscrude oilgasolinerefiningdistillate fuelcrack spread

6/17/2015

Energy resource permanent funds vary by purpose and state

natural gascrude oilstatescoalNorth DakotaWyomingAlaskaLouisianataxes

4/30/2015

Assessing 2014 oil and gas company financials

oil/petroleumprices

4/29/2015

Year in Review: Crude Oil Prices 2014

oil/petroleumpricescrude oil

4/28/2015

Price declines can affect companies’ proved reserves

oil/petroleumpricesreserves

4/15/2015

Past Issues & Trends

December Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts non-OPEC production decline in 2016 December 9, 2015

exports/importsoil/petroleumpricescrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

Oil companies announce significant write-downs in third-quarter 2015 November 18, 2015

oil/petroleumliquid fuelsreserves

October Short-Term Energy Outlook lowers crude price forecast for 2016 November 12, 2015

oil/petroleumpricescrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

Sustained low oil prices could reduce exploration and production investment September 23, 2015

pricesproduction/supplycrude oilUnited States

EIA projects lower gasoline prices despite recent demand growth September 16, 2015

exports/importspricescrude oilgasolineSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)wholesale prices

August Short-Term Energy Outlook lowers crude price forecast for 2015 and 2016 August 12, 2015

oil/petroleumpricesproduction/supplycrude oilBrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)OPEC

June Short-Term Energy Outlook reduces crude oil price forecast based on supply June 10, 2015

oil/petroleumpricescrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

EIA updates crude oil price forecast for 2015 and 2016 May 13, 2015

exports/importsproduction/supplySTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)drilling

EIA's Annual Energy Outlook will be released later today April 14, 2015

forecasts/projections

Retail gasoline prices for summer 2015 are projected to be more than $1/gallon lower than last summer April 8, 2015

oil/petroleumpricesgasolineSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)

Financial hedging helps some producers mitigate effect of falling oil prices April 2, 2015

oil/petroleumliquid fuelsprices

Upstream capital expenditure declined 12% year-over-year in fourth-quarter 2014 March 25, 2015

natural gasproduction/supplycrude oilinternationalBrent

Direct Federal Financial Interventions and Subsidies in Energy in Fiscal Year 2013 March 13, 2015

oil/petroleumliquid fuelselectricitycoalCongressional & other requestswindsolarbiofuels

U.S. crude oil inventories increase as WTI contango deepens March 11, 2015

exports/importsoil/petroleumpricescrude oilconsumption/demandSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

Potential market implications of outage at ExxonMobil's Torrance, California refinery February 25, 2015

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricesgasolineinventories/stocksrefiningCaliforniadieseloutagesmaintenance

Appreciation of the U.S. dollar moderates recent decline in crude oil prices for some oil-producing nations February 19, 2015

pricesBrentSaudi Arabia

EIA expects gasoline demand to increase by nearly 1% in 2015 February 11, 2015

pricesconsumption/demandgasolineSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)

Market balances are reflected in changing futures price spreads January 28, 2015

oil/petroleumpricesSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)inventories/stocksBrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)futures

Falling gasoline prices: the influence of crude oil prices and other factors January 22, 2015

liquid fuelscrude oilgasolineinventories/stocksBrentspot prices

Market expectations of oil price uncertainty have increased in recent months January 14, 2015

liquid fuelspricescrude oilSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)BrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

Energy had larger price declines than most nonenergy commodities in 2014 January 5, 2015

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricescrude oilBrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

OPEC net oil export revenues expected to fall in 2014 and 2015 December 17, 2014

oil/petroleumliquid fuelsinternationalOPEC

Third-quarter results for North America-focused crude oil producers November 26, 2014

oil/petroleumpricesshaleWTI (West Texas Intermediate)

Role of benchmarks in the global crude oil market October 16, 2014

oil/petroleumpricescrude oilBrentWTI (West Texas Intermediate)futures

Market Prices and Uncertainty Report July 8, 2014

pricesforecasts/projectionsSTEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook)most popularrecurringmonthly

Lower crude feedstock costs contribute to North American refinery profitability June 5, 2014

crude oilrefiningreservesGulf CoastEurope

Texas and Rockies natural gas mitigates disruption from Wyoming processing plant explosion May 1, 2014

natural gaspricesstatespipelinesCaliforniaspot pricesWyoming

Global upstream oil and gas spending continues to favor exploration and development April 25, 2014

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricesproduction/supplyinternational

Brent crude oil trading range in 2013 was narrowest since 2006 March 4, 2014

oil/petroleumliquid fuelspricescrude oilBrent