Conferences

Argus Americas Crude Summit

Houston, Texas, US
2-4 February 2026
View pricing

Agenda

(ADD-ON) Seabrook Terminal Tour

08:30 - 12:00

Guided bus tour of the Seabrook Terminal, including transportation and refreshments.

(ADD ON) Interactive workshop - hosted by Argus

13:00 - 13:10

Chairperson’s opening remarks

13:10 - 13:30

Macro and geopolitical backdrop to the market in 2026/2027

  • How does the global supply demand balance look for 2026/2027?
  • The impact of rising geopolitical & geoeconomic tensions on global crude trade flows?
  • What key risks confront producers and traders for 2026/2027?
  • Target markets & key opportunities for Americas producers

Speakers Include:

David Fyfe

Chief Economist
Argus Media
13:30 - 14:00

WTI’s onshore logistics, Midland to coast to docks

  • Why does the pipeline market have so many more trade iterations compared to other markets, and how does this impact liquidity and price transparency?
  • What makes WTI at Houston (ONEOK East Houston terminal) the key price benchmark with over 1 million barrels per day of spot physical trade?
  • How does Argus develop its WTI FOB USGC price assessment, and why is it priced relative to MEH and ICE?
  • How does this pricing approach serve European and Asian buyers of WTI?

 

Speakers Include:

Gus Vasquez

Argus Americas Senior Crude Editor
Argus
14:00 - 14:30

New Argus pricing tools, features and applications

  • What are the key features of Argus pricing tools such as Balmo, ex-pipe Cushing, FOB Vancouver, and related tanker freight rates and forward curves?
  • How do traders practically use these new pricing tools in their market activities?
14:30 - 15:00

Canadian Petroleum Equalization

  • How and why “dilbit” blends such as Cold Lake and AWB are created in western Canada.
  •  How pipeline specifications for quality are established.
  • How industry shipper committees establish equalization methods to address quality differences within co-mingled pipeline systems.
  • Issues arising from co-mingling or pooling streams of crude or condensate.
15:00 - 15:30

Networking break

Take the opportunity to explore displays featuring maps and trade calendars, providing valuable insights into market logistics and trading schedules.
15:30 - 16:00

Permian market balance and pipeline infrastructure

  • What facilities exist at both ends of the TMX pipeline, and how are batches injected and segregated within the system? How can shippers request and monitor loading windows at Westridge?
  • What is the typical timeline for a barrel traded at Edmonton to reach markets in China or California?
  • How does condensate support oil sands production, and what are the key pipelines, fractionators, and storage facilities for condensate at Edmonton?
  • How do US condensate pipelines like Cochin and Southern Lights integrate into Canadian crude logistics?
  • What factors determine condensate quality, and what is the scheduling timeline for loading crude barrels onto Enbridge or Keystone pipelines to the US Gulf?
16:00 - 16:30

Argus Client Success demonstrating Workspaces: Pulling the data together without short circuiting your brain

  • Overview of Argus Workspaces: intuitive dashboards for data integration
  • How to consolidate complex crude market data into clear, actionable insights
  • Demonstration of key features: customizable views, real-time updates, and interactive charts
  • Enhancing trading decisions with centralized data tools

Speakers Include:

Sydney Suttor

VP Sales, Customer Success
Argus
16:15 - 16:30

Argus Client Success demonstrating Workspaces: Pulling the data together without short circuiting your brain

  • Overview of Argus Workspaces: intuitive dashboards for data integration
  • How to consolidate complex crude market data into clear, actionable insights
  • Demonstration of key features: customizable views, real-time updates, and interactive charts
  • Enhancing trading decisions with centralized data tools

Speakers Include:

Sydney Suttor

VP Sales, Customer Success
Argus
16:30 - 17:00

Q&A – ask your most pressing questions

Expert insights and practical advice from Argus speakers and industry professionals

  • Clarifications on crude market fundamentals and strategic outlook for 2026–2027
  • In-depth queries on pipeline logistics, pricing benchmarks, and regional market dynamics
  • Opportunity to explore application of new Argus pricing tools and data platforms
  • Addressing challenges and opportunities in North American crude flows

Speakers Include:

Jeff Kralowetz

VP Business Development
Argus Media

Gus Vasquez

Argus Americas Senior Crude Editor
Argus

Sydney Suttor

VP Sales, Customer Success
Argus

David Fyfe

Chief Economist
Argus Media
17:00 - 17:05

Chairperson’s closing remarks

17:00 - 19:00

Welcome drinks reception & registration

Open to all conference attendees

Main conference day one

08:00 - 09:00

Registration and coffee

09:00 - 09:15

Argus welcome address

Speakers Include:

Euan Craik

Special Advisor
09:15 - 09:20

Chairperson’s opening remarks

Speakers Include:

John Demopoulos

SVP Business Development
Argus
09:20 - 10:00

Special guest speaker keynote address: Global politics, United States foreign policy and Implications for energy markets

Speakers Include:

Admiral James Stavridis

16th Supreme Allied Commander, NATO; Partner and Vice Chairman, Carlyle; New York Times Bestselling Author; Senior Military Analyst, CNN
10:00 - 10:30

CEO fireside chat: View on the future of crude oil and refining

Speakers Include:

Mark Lashier

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Phillips 66
10:30 - 10:40

Short speech - Carl McCain Memorial Foundation

10:40 - 11:15

Morning coffee and networking

Positioning Americas crude supply on a global stage

11:15 - 11:55

Keynote fireside chat: Government and energy - Lessons from Texas’ Shale Surge

  • Aligning state and federal energy policies to deliver long-term regulatory certainty
  • Leveraging technology to expand public access to well and pipeline data
  • Managing the growing challenge of produced water as a constraint on shale development

 

Speakers Include:

Jim Wright

Chairman
Texas Railroad Commission
11:55 - 12:40

How is the fragile macroeconomic and geopolitical environment impacting commodity demand?

  • Economic growth in the age of trade wars – regional & sectoral differences
  • Shifting centres of oil demand growth as China matures
  • How are US-China tensions, Middle East volatility, and Russia’s repositioning reshaping oil trade flows?
  • Will OPEC+ maintain unity as non-OPEC supply rises? How is renewed Middle East instability influencing OPEC’s cohesion and supply strategy for 2026 & 2027 The quality conundrum: where next for sweet-sour crude spreads?

Speakers Include:

Pedro Antonio Merino Garcia

Chief Economist
Repsol

Amanpreet Singh

Energy Analyst
Barclays

Frederic Lasserre

Global Head of Market Research & Analysis
Gunvor Group

David Fyfe

Chief Economist
Argus Media
12:40 - 14:00

Networking lunch

Make valuable connections with industry leaders and experts in a relaxed setting designed to foster collaboration and deal-making.

Transparency around global crude markets

14:00 - 14:45

Keynote trader panel: How are crude traders interpreting the current volatility, and what signals are shaping their strategies?

  • What are the most influential macro forces shaping oil prices into 2026,and what scenarios are traders preparing for?
  • With new benchmarks emerging (for example, TMX-linked barrels, WTI MEH), how are traders adjusting their pricing models and contract structures?
  • How is liquidity evolving across physical and derivative markets, and how are trading houses adapting their portfolios in response?
  • How are traders using data analytics, AI, and market signals to enhance pricing and hedging strategies?
  • How are firms adapting their strategies to increased speculative activity, deeper options markets, and persistent volatility?

Speakers Include:

Nick Sweeney

Co-Head Global Crude Trading
Gunvor Group

Peter Keavey

Managing Director and Global Head of Energy and Environmental Products
CME Group

James Tramontana

GM
Atlantic Trading Marketing Inc (TotalEnergies)

John Demopoulos

SVP Business Development
Argus
14:45 - 15:30

Refinery perspectives: What do today’s refiners want and what does it mean for crude markets?

  • How are shifting demand patterns for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel reshaping refinery slate decisions and crude preferences?
  • Which grades (heavy, light, sweet, sour) are most favoured in today’s economic and regulatory environment?
  • As refineries close or convert, where will displaced crude volumes go, and are we entering a structural crude surplus in the Gulf?
  • How are refiners managing pricing negotiations and margin pressures amid tight supply and weak inventories?
  • What could trigger the next shift in product supply or spark a margin rally?

Speakers Include:

Jeff Warman

CEO
Monroe Energy

Joseph Israel

Chief Operating Officer
Delek US

John Demopoulos

SVP Business Development
Argus
15:30 - 16:00

Afternoon coffee and networking

Freight

16:00 - 16:45

Freight panel: adapting to changing crude export patterns

  • How are evolving crude export flows - including Canadian TMX volumes and plateauing Permian output - reshaping global shipping routes and infrastructure needs?
  • What are the ripple effects of Red Sea disruptions and chokepoints on freight costs, vessel availability, and route economics?
  • How are traders and logistics firms adjusting to delays, congestion, and rerouting risks?
  • What’s the outlook for shipbuilding capacity, fleet renewal, and vessel retirement - can supply keep pace with demand?
  • Which midstream and terminal investments are most critical to enabling the next phase of North American crude exports?

Speakers Include:

Stefanos Kazantzis

Commercial Director
Mcquilling
Placeholder

Charles Chasty

Head of Research
Affinity

Nicholas Watt

Freight Editorial Manager
Argus

Closing remarks

16:45 - 16:55

Chairperson’s closing remarks and close of conference day one

Speakers Include:

Nicholas Watt

Freight Editorial Manager
Argus
17:00 - 19:00

Networking drinks reception

Unwind and continue discussions in an informal, social atmosphere.

Main conference day two

08:15 - 09:15

Morning coffee and networking

09:15 - 09:20

Chairperson's opening remarks

09:20 - 10:00

Special guest speaker keynote address

Speakers Include:

Robert Lighthizer

18th United States Trade Representative (USTR) from 2017 to 2021
10:00 - 10:30

Venezuela's return to global markets: Opportunities and challenges

Speakers Include:

Gus Vasquez

Argus Americas Senior Crude Editor
Argus

Latin America's oil surge

10:30 - 11:15

Networking coffee break

11:15 - 12:00

Latin America’s oil surge: Can it rebalance Western Hemisphere crude flows?

  • Is surging output from Guyana, Brazil, and Argentina shifting the balance of hemispheric supply - and can Asia absorb the volumes?
  • What’s driving Latin America’s export growth - and which countries are best positioned for sustained gains?
  • How resilient is Brazil’s 2025–26 production growth to political and policy change?
  • What are the prospects for private investment in Brazil, Guyana, and Argentina amid FX, credit, and regulatory risks?
  • How will rising Latin American supply integrate with U.S. Gulf and Asian markets, and what roles will China and India play in regional offtake?
  • How are shifting trade flows and tanker dynamics - including DPP routes, Gulf Coast and Canadian crude movements, and vessel availability - reshaping Latin American crude logistics in a volatile market?

Speakers Include:

Fernando Colares

Global Head of Crude Oil
Petrobras

Alipio Ferreira

Vice President- Crude Oil Trading Brasil
Petrochina

Vanessa Viola

Executive Vice President, Latin America
Argus
12:00 - 12:30

China and India's changing crude access: Implications for Canadian, Brazilian and Venezuelan flows in 2026

Speakers Include:

Tom Reed

Vice-President, China Crude and Products
Argus

Exploring Canada's changing role on the crude stage

12:30 - 14:00

Networking lunch break

14:00 - 14:45

Canada: What’s required to make Canada a leading force in global heavy crude markets?

  • Can TMX meaningfully shift Canada’s export strategy, or will infrastructure bottlenecks continue to limit its potential?
  •  To what extent will carbon limits constrain oil sands projects in Canada?
  • How are Canadian crude producers looking at the question of boosting production? What are the signs they are showing the same kind of restraint as producers in the Permian?
  • How is the evolving energy relationship between Asia and the Middle East shifting, and could the TMX project disrupt traditional supply routes or trading dynamics?
  • What are the key de-bottlenecking and expansion projects underway or planned in Western Canada - and how soon will they ease infrastructure constraints?

 

Speakers Include:

David Braziel

President and CEO
RBN Energy LLC

Jason Balasch

Vice President, Business Development & Commercial Services
Trans Mountain

Jeff Kralowetz

VP Business Development
Argus Media

kpler workshop

14:45 - 15:30

Kpler interactive workshop

Speakers Include:

Matt Smith

Lead Oil Analyst, Americas
Kpler

Interactive working group

15:30 - 15:35

Chairperson's closing remarks

Agenda

For speaking opportunities on the 2026 agenda, please contact:


Sian Jones
VP Global Conferences Production

Email: sian.jones@argusmedia.com