Hable con nuestros expertos hoy mismo

Regístrese a continuación y personalizaremos una solución que satisfaga sus necesidades específicas. Cuando hable con uno de nuestros expertos, es posible que esté calificado para probar nuestros productos líderes en la industria de forma gratuita.

Puede cancelar su suscripción a estas actualizaciones en cualquier momento. Argus gestiona la información personal de acuerdo con nuestra Política de privacidad.
Generic Hero BannerGeneric Hero Banner
Latest Market News

US oil exports: WTI fob up amid Asian demand

  • Spanish Market: Crude oil, Freight
  • 28/07/23

Adds table

WTI fob prices rose against Ice Brent prices this week amid ample Asia Pacific demand and lower freight costs to Europe.

The discount of WTI loading 15-45 days forward at the US Gulf Coast decreased by 78¢/bl against November Ice Brent this week to a $1.40/bl discount on 27 July. Waterborne WTI rose against WTI Houston at around a 39¢/bl premium compared to 30¢/bl the week before.

The dirty Aframax rate from the US to Europe reached a three-month low, falling by $1.26/bl to $3.65/bl, its lowest since 27 April.

The US to China dirty tanker rate rose by 19¢/bl to $4.01/bl from a week earlier as China's demand for US oil increases.

Two August-loading VLCCs of WTI were purchased late last week, with one destined for South Korea and the other for India. A buyer in Thailand purchased WTI and WTL to round a VLCC, marking the second August-loading cargo headed for Thailand.

Similarly, at least two more VLCCs were heard sold to buyers in Singapore and South Korea, with another two possibly headed for Thailand and India.

Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific demand for September-loading WTI started earlier than usual, with 2mn bl cargoes of WTL already heard trading to buyers in South Korea and China.

China's crude production has reached highs not seen since 2015, with production up 120,000 b/d from January-June to 4.2mn b/d. The country's crude stocks are at a near-30-month high, according to data from oil analytics firm Kpler.

China plans more stimulus measures for its construction sector by issuing special bonds and conducting wider reconstruction in rural areas, which could boost diesel demand.

Separately, Nigeria's export terminal for its medium-sweet Forcados crude remains shut due to a suspected leak that was reported earlier this month. Shell's local subsidiary SPDC has given no guidance on a possible timeline for restart. The outage could help incentivize further US crude exports to both European and Asia-Pacific destinations.

By Nathan Steffen

Planned US crude export cargoes
Tanker nameSizeChartererDestinationLaycan
Asia-Pacific
PantanassaVLCCAtlantic TradingVisakhapatnam, India22-29 July 2023
HabariVLCCST ShippingAsia-Pacific26-29 July 2023
Phoenix JamnagarVLCCAramco TradingAsia-Pacific30 July 2023
Landbridge FortuneVLCCOccidentalAsia-Pacific1-11 August 2023
Eco SeasVLCCSK EnergySouth Korea5 August 2023
DHT PumaVLCCEquinorIndia5 August 2023
AslafVLCCUnipecChina5 August 2023
DHT LionVLCCPhillips 66Asia-Pacific10 August 2023
HalcyonVLCCUnipecNingbo, China16 August 2023
Yasa ScorpionVLCC(charterer not reported)Asia-Pacific22 August 2023
VL BrightVLCCAramco TradingAsia-Pacific25 August 2023
KassabVLCCPTTChina/Thailand25 August 2023
Front SigneVLCCAramco TradingWestern India25 August 2023
ShadenVLCCSinochemChina27 August 2023
Europe
Nordic AquariusSuezmaxRepsolEurope24-29 July 2023
Front JaguarAframaxTrafiguraEurope25-29 July 2023
Sea RubyVLCCVitolEurope26-29 July 2023
Maran HermioneSuezmaxBPEurope26-29 July 2023
Maran DanaeVLCCExxonMobilEurope26-29 July 2023
Nippon PrincessAframaxChevronEurope27-29 July 2023
Catalan SeaAframaxATMIEurope27-29 July 2023
Yasa Golden MarmaraAframaxBPEurope27-29 July 2023
Minverva OlympiaAframaxBPEurope28-29 July 2023
LesvosSuezmaxBPEurope28-29 July 2023
Nissos KythnosVLCCBPEurope29 July 2023
Hellas PalirosVLCCBPEurope1 August 2023
Kmarin RigourAframaxMercuriaEurope1-3 August 2023
Ionic AriadneAframaxTrafiguraEurope1-3 august 2023
AtlantasVLCCChevronEurope3-8 August 2023
IzkiVLCCOccidentalEurope4 August 2023
Landbridge WisdomVLCCBPEurope4-6 August 2023
NoblewaySuezmaxChevronEurope5 August 2023
Tom HermiaAframaxAramco TradingEurope6 August 2023
OlympusVLCCShellRotterdam, The Netherlands6 August 2023
Torm HermiaAframaxAramco TradingEurope6 August 2023
Tyrrenhian SeaAframaxPhillips 66Europe6-8 August 2023
YpapantiAframaxBPEurope6-8 August 2023
Aegean VisionSuezmaxResource MarineEurope7 August 2023
Aura MSuezmaxResource MarineEurope7-9 August 2023
Front SamaraSuezmaxClearlakeEurope7-8 August 2023
Nordic TellusSuezmaxTrafiguraEurope9-11 August 2023
Maran PlatoSuezmaxBPEurope10 August 2023
Montreal SpiritSuezmaxEniEurope11-12 August 2023
AphroditeVLCCBPEurope10-15 August 2023
Aegean NobilitySuezmaxEniEurope14 August 2023
Advantage VitalVLCCBPEurope20 August 2023
Maran AriesVLCCATMIEurope23 August 2023
Celeste NovaVLCCExxonMobilEurope25-30 August 2023
Xin Wei YangVLCCEquinorEurope20-25 August 2023
London VoyagerVLCCChevronEruope27 August 2023
Maran ApolloVLCCPhillips 66Europe28 August 2023
Americas and misc.
Sonangol KalandulaSuezmaxShellEastern Canada29 July 2023
Shipping fixture reports

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

28/04/26

UAE to exit Opec, pursue independent output policy

UAE to exit Opec, pursue independent output policy

Dubai, 28 April (Argus) — The UAE will withdraw from Opec and the wider Opec+ alliance from 1 May, marking a major shift in its oil policy, the state news agency WAM said today. The decision follows a review of the country's production strategy and capacity outlook, with the UAE citing national interest and a need to respond more effectively to global oil demand. The move comes at a time of heightened volatility in energy markets, driven by disruptions to shipping in the strait of Hormuz that have constrained oil and gas exports and reshaped supply flows. The UAE said the policy shift would allow it to better align its output with market conditions while maintaining its position as a "responsible and reliable" supplier. The UAE has been a member of Opec since 1967, through Abu Dhabi, and remained part of the organisation following the UAE's establishment in 1971. Its exit represents one of the most consequential changes to the producer group in decades. Abu Dhabi has expanded crude production capacity in recent years and has sought higher baselines under Opec+ quota frameworks, reflecting its ambition to monetise reserves and capture market share. Leaving the alliance will remove formal output constraints, allowing the UAE to raise production more freely, albeit gradually and in line with demand. The UAE said it will continue to prioritise supply stability, cost competitiveness and sustainability, while investing across the energy value chain, including oil, gas, renewables and lower-carbon technologies. By Bachar Halabi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Australia’s Beach trims FY2026 oil, gas output guidance

28/04/26
28/04/26

Australia’s Beach trims FY2026 oil, gas output guidance

Sydney, 28 April (Argus) — Australian independent Beach Energy's output dipped on the year in January-March due to bad weather, unplanned outages and lower demand for its gas, leading the firm to cut its guidance for the fiscal year to 30 June 2026. Beach produced 4.8mn bl of oil equivalent (boe) in January-March, down from 4.9mn boe in the same period a year earlier due to severe rain in the onshore Cooper basin, lower demand for gas from Victoria state's Otway basin and unplanned Bass and Taranaki basin downtime, it said on 28 April. The firm's 2025-26 guidance has been cut to 19.4mn-20.3mn boe from a previous 19.7mn-22mn boe due to cyclone-related shut-ins at the North West Shelf LNG terminal which processes Waitsia gas, and the Waitsia plant itself. The Waitsia joint venture project , 50pc owned by Japan's Mitsui, continued to build towards its 250 TJ/d (6.7mn m³/d) nameplate capacity through the quarter but was impacted by compressor performance and the arrival of cyclone Narelle in late March. Rates have now returned to more than 200 TJ/d, Beach said. The Waitsia project has executed gas swaps and purchase returns with domestic counterparties of about 30PJ (800mn m³) net to Beach for early LNG liftings, which will be returned in the coming years to 2030-31 ( see table ). By Tom Major Waitsia Gas swap return schedule Financial Year Swap Return (%) Purchase Return (%) Total Return (PJ) FY24 100 0 0.8 FY25 100 0 0.9 FY26 100 0 1.4 FY27 69 31 4.6 FY28 43 57 6.1 FY29 34 66 7.6 FY30 37 63 7.2 FY31 36 64 2.4 Source: Beach Energy Beach Energy's quarterly results mn bl Jan-Mar '26 Oct-Dec '25 Jan-Mar '25 y-o-y % ± q-o-q % ± Production 4.8 4.5 4.9 -2 7 Sales 5.3 5.9 6.4 -17 -10 Sales revenue (A$ million) 419 445 552 32 -6 Realised gas price (A$/GJ) 11.2 11.9 11 2 -6 Source: Beach Energy Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Mideast war lends momentum to global shale push

27/04/26
27/04/26

Mideast war lends momentum to global shale push

New York, 27 April (Argus) — Shale exploration outside the US looks set to get a further boost from renewed concerns over energy security sparked by the war in the Middle East. While efforts to tap international shale plays largely faltered in the past decade, mostly because of the vast trove of untapped shale riches available in the Permian and other US basins, companies have started to look further afield. The industry has been emboldened by recent successes such as Argentina's Vaca Muerta basin, which has already attracted US independent Continental Resources , founded by shale billionaire Harold Hamm. "We finally have a good example of making a shale play work outside North America, so that gives hope to investors that would like to scale outside," energy consultancy Enverus head of global research Andy McConn says. The industry is also taking advantage of improved technology and better access to data, and is being more selective about where to go, given bans on hydraulic fracturing and regulatory hurdles in parts of Europe that held up exploration in the past. "Explorers know the countries to avoid," consultancy Wood Mackenzie vice-president of upstream research Robert Clarke says. "Companies also have a better understanding of supply chain risks, such as red tape that restricts the import of critical drilling and completion equipment." In addition to Argentina, Continental is looking to develop oil and gas resources in southeast and northwest Turkey in a partnership with Turkish state-owned upstream firm TPAO. The Vaca Muerta's potential is "great", Hamm told an investment conference in New York last month, adding that it is now a question of building up confidence one well at a time. "Right now, we've kind of lit the fuse," he said. US independent EOG was last year awarded an onshore concession in the UAE for unconventional oil, and it has partnered with state-owned Babco Energies in an onshore unconventional gas play in Bahrain. No place like away from home As US shale growth moderates and the latest phase of industry consolidation having largely run its course, operators may face pressure to venture abroad. But the international push will likely be gradual and spending limited until prospects are "de-risked" geologically and politically, Enverus' McConn says. The Middle East conflict has boosted commodity prices, which may support the development of other shale regions that are more costly to develop than US shale, which is in its mature phase and offers economies of scale. "In order to incentivise shale-specific equipment and personnel to move from North America to these other countries, or to be built up organically in these other countries, they're going to command a higher price," McConn says. Oil field services firms have also been eager to tap new opportunities offered by international shale exploration. Oil services giant Halliburton announced this month it had won a multi-billion dollar contract from Argentina's state-owned YPF to provide well completions services in Vaca Muerta. Not all shale firms are keen to try their luck overseas, including some of the larger operators that have their hands full after recent acquisitions. US independent Diamondback Energy talked up its "very good long-duration" inventory in the Permian earlier this year. "There may be good rock around the world, but there's a lot of other issues that come with that rock," chief executive Kaes Van't Hof said. But some US firms may be interested in applying technology honed in domestic plays to other markets, University of Houston economics professor Ed Hirs says. "I don't know that it's a foothold... It's very similar to how offshore development propagated from the companies that learned how to do it in the Gulf of Mexico." By Stephen Cunningham Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Iran foreign minister visits Russia as US talks stall

27/04/26
27/04/26

Iran foreign minister visits Russia as US talks stall

Dubai, 27 April (Argus) — Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Russia on Monday for consultations on the war with the US and Israel, saying "excessive" US demands had stalled Pakistani-mediated peace talks. Speaking on arrival in St Petersburg, Araghchi said he would meet Russian officials to discuss the latest developments in the war and the ceasefire brokered earlier this month. Iran and the US held a first round of talks in Islamabad on 17 April. A second round was expected to take place there over the weekend but did not proceed after Iran said it had never agreed to the meeting. "There have been developments in the negotiations, but the US' wrong approach and excessive demands prevented the previous round of negotiations from achieving their goals, despite the progress that was made," Araghchi said. "It was therefore necessary to consult and review the situation with our friends." Araghchi arrived in Russia following visits to Islamabad and Muscat in Oman over the weekend. He said his trip to Pakistan focused on reviewing progress so far and "the path and conditions under which the talks can continue", describing the discussions as successful. His visit to Oman focused on maritime security and navigation through the strait of Hormuz , which has been severely disrupted since the war began in late February. Shipping in and out of the Mideast Gulf has also been hit by a US-imposed blockade on Iranian ports earlier this month. "As the only Hormuz littoral states, our focus included ways to ensure safe transit that will benefit all [our] dear neighbors and the world," Araghchi said on Sunday. Oman's foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi said "much diplomacy" and "practical solutions" were needed to ensure lasting freedom of navigation. Araghchi's shuttle diplomacy comes amid little sign of progress towards a wider settlement to end the almost two-month conflict. Russian state news agency Tass said he is also due to meet President Vladimir Putin during his visit. By Nader Itayim Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Trump unharmed after gunman charges checkpoint

26/04/26
26/04/26

Trump unharmed after gunman charges checkpoint

Washington, 25 April (Argus) — A gunman charged a security checkpoint where President Donald Trump was attending a dinner in Washington on Saturday night but was apprehended after shots were fired. Trump was not injured in the incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, but a Secret Service agent was shot and injured, law enforcement officials said. The suspect never got near Trump. Vice president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, defense secretary Pete Hegseth and numerous other administration officials, lawmakers and members of the press were attending the annual event at the Washington Hilton Hotel. "It's always shocking when something like this happens," Trump told reporters at the White House after the incident. But he added: "We're not going to let anybody take over our society." With Trump already seated at the dinner, the suspect charged a Secret Service checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. One agent was shot, but the agent was wearing a bullet-proof vest, Trump said. The suspect was not shot during the incident. Trump said he had spoken with the injured agent, who had been transported to a nearby hospital. "He's in great shape," Trump said. The suspect, who is from California, was a guest at the hotel, according to law enforcement officials. He is believed to have acted alone. It was not immediately clear whether Trump was the target of the attack. Trump said when he heard a gunshot, he thought perhaps a tray had fallen. The incident comes less than two years after Trump survived an assassination attempt while campaigning in Butler County, Pennsylvania, in July 2024 when a bullet pierced his right ear. Two months later, Secret Service agents thwarted a second assassination attempt outside a Trump golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Asked why he thinks he has been a target of repeated assassination attempts, Trump said: "The ones who do the most, the people who make the biggest impact, they're the ones they go after." Noting that being at risk "comes with the territory" of being president, Trump said: "It's not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran." Ronald Reagan was shot outside the same hotel in March 1981 but survived that assassination attempt. By David Ivanovich Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Argus Crude Outlook

Argus Crude Outlook

Monthly price forecasts for key crude grades and regional benchmarks up to 36 months out

Argus Refinery Gate Values

Argus Refinery Gate Values

RGVs help you to unlock the true value of crude across the crude supply chain

Argus Refinery Gate Values: A crucial piece of the crude supply chain puzzle

Unlock the true value of your crude or choose the best crude for your refinery

Argus Specialised Freight

Datos, perspectivas y herramientas únicas para ayudar a gestionar los riesgos de flete en los mercados de biocombustibles, materias primas renovables y productos químicos

Argus Asia Crack Spread Forward Curves

Herramienta de valoración de mercado independiente para respaldar las decisiones de inversión y negociación en los mercados asiáticos del petróleo.
Generic Hero Banner

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more