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Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 1 NewBase 23 February 2015 - Issue No. 546 Khaled Al Awadi NewBase For discussion or further details on the news below you may contact us on +971504822502 , Dubai , UAE ENEC wins major honour for ‘Building Risk Management Capability’ At Global Risk Awards The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, ENEC, the organisation responsible for the development and operation of the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy programme, has won a major award in the ‘Building Risk Management Capability’ category at the Institute of Risk Management’s (IRM) 2015 Global Risk Awards. Over 30 well-known organisations from all over the globe submitted entries to the category, and ENEC was chosen as winner by the judging panel of more than 30 leading risk management practitioners and academics. ENEC’s entry, ‘Building Risk Management Capability,’ showcased how the corporation built a rigorous risk management process that is a critical element in the culture of safety that ENEC promotes. This world-class process included identifying and assessing potential strategic risks that could affect the business’ organisational mission. Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, said, "This award is an international recognition of the systematic approach that ENEC has to its risk management processes and procedures. As a nuclear organisation, we use the industry’s principle of continuous improvement to implement a proactive approach to risk management. We are proud of this achievement and this win shows our commitment to the highest international standards for safety, quality and risk management. It is a proud moment for the organisation and the team." IRM is the world’s leading professional body for risk management and the Global Risk Awards provide unique international recognition of excellence. With a cross-continent judging panel, the Global Risk Awards represent the pinnacle of achievement for risk professionals, teams and organisations from around the world. The 2014 awards saw over 200 nominations across all categories from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Americas, Europe and the Middle East, from a huge variety of sectors and types of organisations.
Transcript
Page 1: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 1

NewBase 23 February 2015 - Issue No. 546 Khaled Al Awadi

NewBase For discussion or further details on the news below you may contact us on +971504822502 , Dubai , UAE

ENEC wins major honour for ‘Building Risk Management

Capability’ At Global Risk Awards

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, ENEC, the organisation responsible for the development and operation of the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy programme, has won a major award in the ‘Building Risk Management Capability’ category at the Institute of Risk Management’s (IRM) 2015 Global Risk Awards.

Over 30 well-known organisations from all over the globe submitted entries to the category, and ENEC was chosen as winner by the judging panel of more than 30 leading risk management practitioners and academics.

ENEC’s entry, ‘Building Risk Management Capability,’ showcased how the corporation built a rigorous risk management process that is a critical element in the culture of safety that ENEC promotes. This world-class process included identifying and assessing potential strategic risks that could affect the business’ organisational mission.

Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, said, "This award is an international recognition of the systematic approach that ENEC has to its risk management processes and procedures. As a nuclear organisation, we use the industry’s principle of continuous improvement to implement a proactive approach to risk management. We are proud of this achievement and this win shows our commitment to the highest international standards for safety, quality and risk management. It is a proud moment for the organisation and the team." IRM is the world’s leading professional body for risk management and the Global Risk Awards provide unique international recognition of excellence.

With a cross-continent judging panel, the Global Risk Awards represent the pinnacle of achievement for risk professionals, teams and organisations from around the world. The 2014 awards saw over 200 nominations across all categories from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Americas, Europe and the Middle East, from a huge variety of sectors and types of organisations.

Page 2: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 2

Saudi: Largest soda ash, calcium chloride factory in MENA region to be built in Yanbu

Saudi Gazette + NewBase

IDEA Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride Company (ISACC) has received approval from the Royal Commission in Yanbu to allocate one million square meters of land for the project the company is developing to build an industrial complex at Yanbu Industrial City.

The industrial complex will include a factory for the production of 300,000 tons of soda ash, considered the first of its kind in the Gulf region and the largest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The complex also includes a calcium chloride plant that is considered the largest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons. The project will be owned and managed by InoChem (Khair Inorganic Chemical Industries Co.) – a Saudi closed joint stock company under establishment. “This is one of the Kingdom’s strategic projects to maximize investment in non-oil national resources and to diversify income sources and reduce dependence on oil exports,” said Abdul Aziz Yahya Al-Muaiyyad, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ISACC. He praised the continuous and effective support provided by the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu for all the projects in Yanbu Industrial City, which is not only limited to the provision of land,

but is also extended to the provision of all other industrial infrastructure and utilities, in cooperation with Marafiq.

Page 3: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 3

Al-Muaiyyad further said the allocated land is sufficient not only to meet current needs for the production of soda ash and calcium chloride, but also takes in consideration the company’s strategic growth master plan to meet the future growth of the regional demand. Conservative market studies indicate that the demand for soda ash in the Middle East and North Africa will reach 2.15 million tons annually by 2023, while demand for calcium chloride in the Middle East and North Africa will reach some 722,000 tons annually by 2023. He added “the project is also expected to contribute to the industry developments through supplying its products to a number of downstream manufacturing projects, while committing to strategic plans aimed at Saudization of workforce to up to 75 percent of total employees.” Al-Muaiyyad highlighted that the project is currently on schedule, with all necessary infrastructure and utilities allocated. These utilities include power, seawater for cooling, potable water, and industrial wastewater systems. ISACC announced previously that it had received approval from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources to renew the allocation of feedstock (industrial gas and heavy fuel) for the project, marking an important step toward executing the project contracts. InoChem is a Saudi investment being founded by IDEA International for Investment and Development Company, MEDA Chemical Group, and a group of businessmen and major investment companies.

Page 4: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 4

With Solar Costs Falling, GCC Govts Should Speed Up Projects GulfBusiness + NewBase

The GCC’s regional governments should speed up planned solar power projects since costs have reduced, an energy expert has said. Cameron Kelly, legal counsel for the New Port Project, pointed out the recent bid for Dubai’s solar power plant, which saw the world’s lowest tariff of under 6 cents/kWh from a consortium led by Saudi’s ACWA, as an example.

“To get an idea about how aggressive this is, consider that the average of the 10 finalists’ bids was 9.35 cents/kWh, with the highest bidder being the Chinese Huaneng Power International at 14.71 cents/kWh,” she said.

“In light of these results of the DEWA auction, existing, outdated roadmaps and assumptions for the cost and complexity of procuring and installing solar that many of the GCC’s regional governments have so far based their plans on will need to be revised; there is little excuse now to further delay solar procurement programmes,” he added.

As part of its energy diversification goals for 2030, Dubai launched the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in 2012. The park began with a 13MW solar PV plant in 2013 and aims to generate 1,000 MW by mid-2017. Meanwhile the Qatar Solar Energy company launched a solar-panel factory last year, which has the ability to generate 300mw of energy annually. It plans to eventually produce 2.5GW of solar energy annually.

Other Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are also eyeing major solar power projects to diversify their energy mix and capitalise on the sunny weather conditions in the region. Speaking ahead of the Solar Middle East Conference, Kelly urged governments to consider reverse auction mechanisms.

Under a reverse auction, the government invites competitive bids from (solar and other) project developers to supply a specified amount of electricity from a certain renewable energy technology over a predetermined period of time. The successful bidder offering the lowest price per kilowatt or megawatt per hour is awarded a long-term power purchase agreement at its winning bid.

“The key advantage involves achieving cost effectiveness. A well-designed reverse auction can effectively bridge the gap between the current state of the market and the market for low – emission technologies urgently required by the global community,” he explained.

“Reverse auctions drive product volume and installation, assist in delivering competitively priced electricity and can provide a credible and secure financial return over the long term to both developers and financiers. “Economies of scale will apply and the speed and flexibility of renewable-energy deployment will be further increased through added competition,” he added.

Page 5: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 5

Egypt to Invite Bids for 8 Oil, Gas Blocks in Mediterranean Sea NGA + NewBase

Egypt will soon auction eight oil and natural gas exploration blocks in the Mediterranean Sea, country’s petroleum ministry announced Sunday.

The eight blocks up for auction are West Arish Marine, East Port Said Marine, North Rumana Marine, North Ras al-Ash Marine, West al-Timsah Marine, South Taneen Marine, North Hammad Marine, and East Alexandria Marine, the ministry said adding that they cover an area of 11,849 SKm

Egypt is looking to boost production of natural gas by attracting investment in the sector, mainly by foreign firms. Country’s natural gas output has seen a declining trend in recent years primarily because foreign firms have been reluctant to increase investment in exploration and production, particularly in costly offshore areas, until the government repays their previous outstanding debt.

Since late last year, Cairo has also been clearing outstanding debt to energy firms. In last few months the government has made payments to companies such as BG Group, Dana Gas andCircle Oil Plc. To cater to the short term demand, Cairo has signed numerous gas supply deals in recent months.

Page 6: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 6

Is Silicon Valley the future of the US car? AFP + NewBase

Is the future of the US car industry in Silicon Valley? After Tesla and Google, Apple appears to be readying for a plunge into the industry long rooted far away in the steel belt of the US upper Midwest.

According to various media reports, the maker of iPhones and iPads has created a special unit named “Titan” with hundreds of staff to begin developing an electric car, with 2020 the target date.

Apple remains silent on the project, but the reports were partially backed up by a lawsuit filed against the tech giant. Battery maker 123 Systems has accused Apple of aggressively poaching its staff.

But it puts Apple in line with Tesla, the current champion of the electric car, and Google, the online giant which is focused on the self-driving, also-electric Google Car. The Big Three US automakers — General Motors, Ford and Chrysler (now a part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, FCA) — are taking the threat from the Detroit outsiders seriously. “Given the company’s (Apple’s) tremendous capabilities, that is no surprise to anyone,” GM spokesman Dan Flores said.

At Chrysler, spokesman Eric Maynes said: “We can’t comment on something we haven’t seen.” Ford too had no comment on Apple’s plans, but the number two automaker recently opened a research centre in Palo Alto, the heart of Silicon Valley, as it looks to the future of self-driving automobiles.

Bill Visnic, an analyst at industry specialist Edmunds.com, said that given the seven-year average time frame to develop and bring a car to the mass market, the Detroit giants are not under serious pressure yet.

Even with the unexpected success of Tesla, for instance, the company still sold less than 35,000 cars last year in an national market of more than 16 million units. And Tesla’s cars are confined to a very high-end niche market.

“Apple is not an immediate threat to the US auto industry. I don’t think you’ll see the volume there, the number of cars won’t really begin to approach anything like Detroit is making right now at any time soon,” said Visnic.

Alec Gutierrez, a market analyst at Kelley Blue Book, said Apple’s strength is its role as a “disruptor” in industries, and that the “comprehensive ecosystem” of its popular consumer electronics could be extended to an “Apple car”.

Apple has the money to put into a new car — some $180 billion in capital built up to invest in new projects.Even so, said Gutierrez, given the costs and competition in the auto industry, “it’s fraught with risk.”

“The automotive space is so highly competitive today, and margins in new car sales are extraordinarily thin, which is something Apple is not used to. “How many companies have totally

Page 7: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 7

failed into trying to enter the automotive industry? It’s a tough thing and it’s very expensive,” added Brett Smith, Programme Director at the Centre for Automotive Research.

He pointed to Tesla continuing to lose money despite its success in marketing its luxury cars with battery systems superior to any offered by Detroit. And the major automakers are all working hard on making more and better hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

That sets a high bar for any new entrant, notes Smith. “Does Apple have better technologies than Mercedes or Ford or GM or Toyota to build a car? I really doubt it.”

What Apple could bring to the industry is what Google brings: ways to process and use data. Google is focused not on the physical car itself but on the technology that will allow cars to run themselves. Its self-driving vehicles, in the guise of various car models, have already driven hundreds of thousands of miles on California roads in test runs.

Apple already has something to offer the industry, notes Visnic. It could become a key supplier of connectivity technology for cars, putting its operating systems up against Google’s Android, already being installed in many car models.

“For Apple, they have proven to be phenomenally good at user experience,” Smith said. “The car for them will become another user experience device, and that will differentiate them.”

Page 8: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 8

Romania:Chevron says plans to give up Romania shale gas Source: Reuters via Yahoo! Finance

Chevron said it will give up shale gas exploration plans in Romania, after an assessment showed

the Black Sea state does not compete favourably with other investment opportunities. Energy

firms have been attracted by estimates of massive shale gas reserves in Poland and Romania.

Last month, the U.S. energy major took a similar decision to discontinue its operations in Poland.

'Chevron intends to pursue relinquishment of its interest in these (Romanian) concessions in 2015,' Kent Robertson of Chevron said in an email to Reuters. 'This is a business decision which is a result of Chevron's overall assessment that this project in Romania does not currently compete favourably with other investment opportunities in our global portfolio.'

Page 9: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 9

US:Wind generates more than 10% of Texas electricity in 2014 Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, based on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)

In 2014, more than 10% of the electricity used in the grid covering most of Texas came from wind

generation, according to the grid's operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).

Wind's share of the ERCOT generation mix grew from 6.2% in 2009 to 10.6% in 2014 as total

electricity generation increased over the same period by 11.3%. The growth in wind generation is

a result of new wind plants coming online and grid expansions that have allowed more wind power

to flow through the system to consumers.

Wind generation in ERCOT nearly doubled from 18.8 million megawatthours (MWh) in 2009 to

36.1 million MWh in 2014. Wind capacity has also grown substantially over the past six years

(and much more so in the years before that), but wind generation grew at a faster pace, partly

because transmission constraints that previously prevented wind generators from operating at

their maximum capability were gradually removed through a state-directed transmission

expansion program. As these transmission constraints were removed, more generation from wind

plants (largely concentrated in the northwestern part of the state) could reach the state's

population centers. The result has been a faster increase in wind generation than in wind capacity

from 2009 to 2014.

Page 10: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 10

Wind's contribution to ERCOT generation is not evenly distributed throughout the year. In Texas,

peak wind season occurs during the spring—March to June—before significantly dropping off

during the summer—July to September.

Based on data for the past six years, the four months from March through June account for on

average about 40% of annual wind generation in ERCOT. The graph on the right below shows a

fairly consistent seasonal pattern from year to year, despite the difference in actual volumes of

generation.

Page 11: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 11

Oil Price Drop Special Coverage

OPEC should partner with other producers to support oil prices (expert) APS

ALGIERS-OPEC should consider new "alliances" with other producing countries to support crude oil prices, oil expert Pierre Terzian said Sunday in Algiers, citing the Algerian initiative based on consultation and dialogue to restore balance of the market.

To raise prices, "OPEC should consider expanding alliances (with other producers). This is what is being done now. Some members of the organization, including Algeria, are working for expanding the circle of alliances," said Terzian at a conference on the ins and outs of the current oil crisis.

He said OPEC, which has lost its balance of power, is no longer able to stabilize the world oil market without the contribution of other producing countries.

Therefore, Terzian added that OPEC, given the abundant supply of crude oil, is not completely able to weigh on markets as it did in the past when there was a scarcity of oil.

"We are no longer in a situation of post-oil but rather in that of the post-oil OPEC", considered the expert who is also CEO of Pétrostratégie, a consulting energy firm, at the conference organized by Sonatrach.

The same expert, who gave his opinion on the causes of the current oil crisis, considered that Saudi Arabia caused this collapse in prices by reducing the prices of its crude intended for Asian markets under the pretext of protecting the profit margin of refiners.

As for the opportunity for Algeria to use shale gas, CEO of Pétrostratégie argued that the debate on this subject should be "rational" and conducted by scientists.

Page 12: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 12

LNG shipping rates fall to lowest since 2010 Bloomberg + NewBase

The cost to ship super-chilled natural gas has tumbled to the lowest level in more than four years and is forecast to fall further. That’s good news for buyers and sellers of the fuel. Rates to transport liquefied natural gas have declined to about $50,000 per day and will probably go lower before recovering, according to Andrew Buckland, a London-based analyst at Wood Mackenzie Ltd. That compares with more than $140,000 a day in 2012, the energy consulting firm found in a report last month. Lower rates can benefit traders that sign short-term contracts and give LNG players flexibility in where they deliver the gas, said Hal Miller, president of consulting company Galway Group in Houston. At the same time, ship owners will be hurt by falling rates. “I’d expect prices to stay in this ballpark for a couple of years before they start turning around” as new LNG projects begin shipments, Miller said by phone. Trafigura Beheer late last year expected to more than double its LNG trading for 2014, helped by lower freight rates and increased volatility. Vitol said in November that it remains the “main player” of the fuel as companies including Glencore, Gunvor Group and Noble Group entered the market or expanded. Prices have dropped amid rising numbers of LNG vessels, which transport gas that has been cooled and condensed to liquid form at about minus 160 degrees Celsius (minus 260 Fahrenheit). The prospect of significant US LNG exports drove ship orders to a record high of 67 last year, while rapidly rising rates in 2011 after the nuclear crisis in Japan spurred speculative orders, according to Wood Mackenzie. LNG ships ordered three or four years ago have struggled to find work and compete with newer, larger and more fuel-efficient vessels, Buckland said. That has pushed rates to the lowest since late 2010, he said. The market could stay depressed until the middle of next year with rates potentially sinking to $40,000 a day with too many vessels, said Tatsuo Osakabe, the Tokyo-based managing director of Fearnleys Japan, a shipping broker. Owners who ordered ships speculatively “based on spot market price and sentiment” will lose from the lower rates, he said. “Once the US projects start up and their cargoes move into Asia, it could help the market pick up,” Osakabe said, adding that rates could return to $100,000 a day if demand surges. Prices of the fuel in Asia have dropped along with shipping rates as supply grows and oil tumbles, and are poised to average below $10 per million British thermal units in 2015 for the first time in four years. Transporting the gas in liquid form to Asia could represent about 20% of the total costs of a US export development, Galway’s Miller said. “Shipping is a big component of the cost structure, so to the extent that you can drive that down really makes a difference,” Miller said. If “shipping costs can be reduced it just makes US LNG much more competitive,” he said.

Page 13: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 13

Hedge Funds Raise Bullish Oil Bets as Drillers Idle Rigs (Bloomberg Speculators raised bullish oil bets for the first time in five weeks as producers curbed new drilling.

Hedge funds and other money managers increased net-long positions in West Texas Intermediate crude by 2.7 percent in the week ended Feb. 17, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show.

Futures rose 7 percent in the report week as companies including Total SA and Apache Corp. said they would cut spending and drill less. The number of oil rigs in the U.S. tumbled 35 percent since Dec. 5 to the fewest since 2011, according to Baker Hughes Inc. Outlays for exploration and production will drop by more than $116 billion in 2015, Cowen & Co. estimates.

“People are starting to realize that all the slashing of budgets, the layoffs and the declining rig counts are going to have an impact,” said Phil Flynn, a senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group in Chicago. “The debate is whether the bottom is in or not, and a lot more hedge funds are betting that it probably is.”

WTI futures rose $3.51 to $53.53 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in the week covered by the report. The contract for April delivery added 13 cents to $50.94 a barrel in

Page 14: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 14

electronic trading at 12:33 p.m. Singapore time. Prices have slipped by more than half from last year’s high in June.

Drilling Cutbacks

More than 30,000 worker dismissals have been announced across the industry as companies trim budgets, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News. Oil explorers idled rigs for the 11th straight week, reducing them by 37 to 1,019, Baker Hughes said Feb. 20.

“We have had some cuts in capital spending and a fairly dramatic drop in the drilling rig count, which does point in the direction of rebalancing over the intermediate or longer term,” Tim Evans, an energy analyst at Citi Futures Perspective in New York, said by phone Feb. 20.

U.S. crude output rose to 9.28 million barrels a day the week of Feb. 13, the highest weekly level on record in Energy Information Administration data going back to 1983. U.S. output will increase 7.8 percent to 9.3 million barrels a day this year, the most since 1972, the EIA estimates.

Net-long speculative positions in WTI rose by 5,462 to 209,158 futures and options in the week ended Feb. 17, according to the CFTC. Long positions increased by 2.6 percent to 309,624, while short bets gained 2.5 percent to 100,466.

‘Tortured’ Diesel

In other markets, net bearish wagers on U.S. ultra low sulfur diesel plunged 38 percent to 20,278 contracts as the fuel gained 7.9 percent to $1.9774 a gallon in the report week.

There were still 56,407 speculative short bets on diesel on Feb. 17. Since then prices jumped 6.8 percent to settle at $2.1118 on Feb. 20 as cold weather in the eastern U.S. drove up demand just as refinery outages in Pennsylvania and New Jersey curtailed supplies.

“Heating-oil money managers did not want to be as short ahead of the cold snap as they had been,” Evans said. “Others are still being tortured by the swing in prices.” Net-bullish bets on gasoline fell 18 percent to 44,383 as futures rose 2.4 percent to $1.5901 a gallon on Nymex.

Regular gasoline at U.S. pumps climbed 0.4 cent to average $2.28 a gallon Feb. 20, the highest since Dec. 28, according to Heathrow, Florida-based AAA, the country’s largest motoring group.

Natural Gas

Net short wagers on U.S. natural gas fell 5.2 percent to 43,947. The measure includes an index of four contracts adjusted to futures equivalents: Nymex natural gas futures, Nymex Henry Hub Swap Futures, Nymex ClearPort Henry Hub Penultimate Swaps and the ICE Futures U.S. Henry Hub contract. Nymex natural gas rose 3.1 percent to $2.759 per million British thermal units in the week covered by the report.

EOG Resources Inc., the largest shale oil producer in the U.S., said it plans to reduce spending 40 percent this year and trim the number of completed wells by almost half compared with 2014. EOG increased its oil output by about 50 percent annually since 2009.

“There seems to be this entrenched long position,” Andrew Lebow, senior vice president at Jefferies Bache LLC in New York, said by phone Feb. 20. “It’s not getting shook out because of the optimism going forward that the U.S. market will improve if production starts to decline.”

Page 15: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

redistributed, or otherwise copied without the written permission of the authors. This includes internal distribution. All reasonable endeavours have been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained

in this publication. However, no warranty is given to the accuracy of its content . Page 15

NewBase For discussion or further details on the news below you may contact us on +971504822502 , Dubai , UAE

Your partner in Energy Services

NewBase energy news is produced daily (Sunday to Thursday) and

sponsored by Hawk Energy Service – Dubai, UAE.

For additional free subscription emails please contact Hawk Energy

Khaled Malallah Al Awadi, Energy Consultant MS & BS Mechanical Engineering (HON), USA Emarat member since 1990 ASME member since 1995 Hawk Energy member 2010

Mobile : +97150-4822502 [email protected] [email protected]

Khaled Al Awadi is a UAE National with a total of 25 years of experience in the Oil & Gas sector. Currently working as Technical Affairs Specialist for Emirates General Petroleum Corp. “Emarat“ with external voluntary Energy consultation for the GCC area via Hawk Energy Service as a UAE operations base , Most of the experience were spent as the Gas Operations Manager in Emarat , responsible for Emarat Gas Pipeline Network Facility & gas compressor stations . Through the years , he has developed great

experiences in the designing & constructing of gas pipelines, gas metering & regulating stations and in the engineering of supply routes. Many years were spent drafting, & compiling gas transportation , operation & maintenance agreements along with many MOUs for the local authorities. He has become a reference for many of the Oil & Gas Conferences held in the UAE and Energy program broadcasted internationally , via GCC leading satellite Channels.

NewBase : For discussion or further details on the news above you may contact us on +971504822502 , Dubai , UAE

NewBase 23 February 2015 K. Al Awadi

Page 16: New base 546 special 23 February  2015

Copyright © 2014 NewBase www.hawkenergy.net Edited by Khaled Al Awadi – Energy Consultant All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

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