Featured Articles
Basket Case – With U.S. Refiners Already Running Hard, Relief on Diesel Remains Elusive
Today, we look at why high crack spreads don’t necessarily increase a refinery’s output, how market disruptions elsewhere can drain U.S. inventories, and the indicators that will help tell us whether the diesel squeeze is easing (or worsening).
Take Me Money and Run Venezuela – Venezuela’s Oil Industry Could Be Poised for a Rebound, But It Will Take Time
Venezuela took center stage last weekend when President Trump removed and arrested President Nicolás Maduro, putting a spotlight on the country’s oil resources and production. Today we take a deep dive into how we think the upheaval could reshape crude oil flows, price differentials, refining slates and export economics.
Double-Edged Sword – Refinery ‘Capacity Creep,’ Falling Inventories May Limit U.S. Crude Export Surge
U.S. crude oil production averaged a record 13.6 MMb/d in 2025, up nearly 1.6 MMb/d from 2023, but crude export volumes remained remarkably stable — at or very near 4.1 MMb/d — until a recent Iran-related surge. A key reason: “capacity creep” expansion projects at several Gulf Coast refineries.