K Fair: A time to meet and greet for plastics and rubber
Billed as the world’s largest plastics and rubber show, K Fair is more than a trade show. It is a behemoth to rival any other.
India continues to baffle with rising steel output and lagging consumption
While Indian steelmakers are ramping up newly installed capacities and increasing output, Indian consumers remain stubbornly unmoved about consuming all that local steelmakers are making.
Wind generation share exceeded 10% in 11 states in 2015
(Wed, 26 Oct 2016) In 2015, 11 states generated at least 10% of their total electricity from wind. As recently as 2010, only three states had at least a 10% wind share. Iowa had the largest wind generation share, at 31.3%, and South Dakota (25.5%) and Kansas (23.9%) had wind generation shares higher than 20%. Two additional states, Texas and New Mexico, are on track to surpass a 10% wind generation share in 2016, based on data through July.
Gas helps to warm Russia, Turkey relations after tumultuous 12 months
Moving toward the brink of war is about as serious as a geopolitical relationship can get — and that is where Moscow and Ankara found themselves after NATO member Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet on the border with Syria on November 24 last year.
Russia Country Analysis Brief
(Tue, 25 Oct 2016) Russia is the worldâs largest producer of crude oil (including lease condensate) and the second-largest producer of dry natural gas. Russia also produces significant amounts of coal. Russiaâs economy is highly dependent on its hydrocarbons, and oil and natural gas revenues account for more than 40% of the federal budget revenues.
Offshore production nearly 30% of global crude oil output in 2015
(Tue, 25 Oct 2016) Global offshore oil production in 2015 was at the highest level since 2010, and accounted for nearly 30% of total global crude oil production. Offshore oil production increased in both 2014 and 2015, reversing consecutive annual declines from 2010 to 2013. Production from onshore tight oil plays has increased faster over the past several years and accounts for an increasing amount of total oil production.
Would the US ever attend an OPEC meeting? – Fuel for Thought
The recent invitation by OPEC for US officials to join in production freeze talks is clearly a nod to the production powerhouse Americas has become as a result of the shale revolution.
Short positions in U.S. crude oil futures held by producers, merchants at nine-year high
(Mon, 24 Oct 2016) Short positions in West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures contracts held by producers or merchants totaled more than 540,000 contracts as of October 11, 2016, the most since 2007, according to data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
U.S. crude oil imports increase during first half of 2016, the first increase since 2010
(Fri, 21 Oct 2016) U.S. gross crude oil imports increased by 528,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 7%, during the first half of 2016 compared to the first half of 2015. This increase reverses a multiyear trend of decreasing U.S. crude oil imports as a result of increasing U.S. production.
Zero wedge: Shrinking margins and increased regulation leaves ‘restrained optimism’ for gold
Another year, another London Bullion Market Association conference, and this year was full of what HSBC senior analyst James Steel described as “restrained optimism.”