Biden weighs U.S. gas export limits as Northeast diesel stockpiles dwindle (NYSEARCA:XLE)

President Biden might power U.S. gas suppliers to maintain a minimal degree of stock in storage to protect towards potential value spikes this winter, as diesel stockpiles within the Northeast have dropped to perilously low ranges, Power Secretary Jennifer Granholm informed Bloomberg Tuesday.

Whereas the U.S. stays a serious exporter of diesel to European allies going through an power crunch, “we additionally wish to be certain there’s sufficient gas in america,” Granholm informed Bloomberg in an interview on the COP27 local weather convention in Egypt.

Granholm’s remarks are probably the most specific but that Biden is contemplating obligatory stock necessities as U.S. East Coast distillates inventories, which embrace diesel and heating oil, are the bottom on document for this time of 12 months, and stockpiles in New England are lower than a 3rd of regular ranges.

However some analysts consider the transfer would backfire, as such a requirement would basically sideline gas provides out there at present and divert them into tanks for safekeeping, in a shift that might create a requirement surge within the quick time period and thus a spike in costs.

Earlier than the U.S. banned Russian oil in March, it had been importing ~700K bbl/day of oil from the nation, ~20% of which was already refined, however now it’s competing with different worldwide consumers seeking to change misplaced Russian provide.

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On a world scale, the Worldwide Power Company mentioned unprecedented diesel costs imply demand destruction for the gas is possible.

“This more and more ominous international outlook, together with very excessive costs, is ready to considerably curtail diesel demand in 2023,” the IEA mentioned in its newest month-to-month report on the state of the oil market.