Tuesdays earnings.... Valero Energy [VLO] and Exco Resources [XCO]

EXCO Resources (NYSE:XCO) today announced first quarter results for 2013. Adjusted net income, a non GAAP measure adjusting for gains from asset sales, non cash gains or losses from derivative financial instruments (derivatives), non cash ceiling test write downs and other items typically not included by securities analysts in published estimates, was $0.13 per diluted share for the first quarter 2013 compared to $0.03 per diluted share for the first quarter2012.

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization, gains on asset sales, ceiling test write downs and other non cash income and expense items (adjusted EBITDA, a non GAAP measure) for the first quarter 2013 were $96 million compared with $111 million in the first quarter 2012.

GAAP results were net income of $158 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, for the first quarter 2013 compared with a net loss of $282 million, or $1.32 per diluted share, for the first quarter 2012. The first quarter 2013 includes a $187 million gain from the contribution of 74.5% of our interests in certain conventional properties to our partnership with Harbinger Group Inc. (HGI). The first quarter 2012 net loss was primarily due to a $276 million non-cash ceiling test writedown of oil and natural gas properties......Read the entire Exco Resources earnings report.

Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE:VLO) today reported net income attributable to Valero stockholders of $654 million, or $1.18 per share, for the first quarter of 2013 compared to a net loss attributable to Valero stockholders of $432 million, or $0.78 per share, for the first quarter of 2012. Included in the first quarter 2012 results was a noncash asset impairment loss of $605 million after taxes, or $1.09 per share, predominately related to the Aruba refinery.

First quarter 2013 operating income was $1.1 billion versus an operating loss of $244 million in the first quarter of 2012. Excluding the noncash asset impairment loss noted above, first quarter 2012 operating income was $367 million. The resulting increase in operating income of approximately $700 million in 2013 was primarily due to higher refining throughput margins in each of Valero's operating regions, except the U.S. West Coast. The increase in refining throughput margins was mainly due to an increase in margins for diesel and jet fuel and wider discounts on crude oil and feedstocks......Read the entire Valero Energy earnings report.


No reason to get left behind....The OptionsMD Mentoring Program is now available

Murphy Oil Announces Preliminary Second Quarter 2012 Earnings

Test drive our video analysis and trade idea service for only $1.00

Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE: MUR) announced today that income from continuing operations was $295.4 million ($1.52 per diluted share) in the 2012 second quarter, up from $280.0 million ($1.44 per diluted share) in the second quarter 2011.

The increase in 2012 earnings from continuing operations was mostly attributable to improved downstream results compared to the prior year’s quarter. Net income in the second quarter of 2012 was also $295.4 million ($1.52 per diluted share) compared to net income of $311.6 million ($1.60 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2011. Net income in the 2011 second quarter included income from discontinued operations of $31.6 million ($0.16 per diluted share), which related to operating results of two U.S. refineries that were sold in the second half of 2011.

For the first six months of 2012, income from continuing operations was $585.5 million ($3.01 per diluted share), an improvement from $518.5 million ($2.66 per diluted share) in 2011. For the six month period of 2012, net income totaled the same $585.5 million ($3.01 per diluted share), but net income of $580.5 million ($2.98 per diluted share) for the first six months in 2011 included income from discontinued operations of $62.0 million ($0.32 per diluted share).


Read the entire Murphy Oil Corp. earnings report

Get our Free Trading Videos, Lessons and eBook today!

Where are U.S Refineries Concentrated?

Of the more than 17.3 million barrels per day (bbl/d) of refinery capacity located in the United States as of January 1, 2012, about 44% (or nearly 7.7 million bbl/d) is located along the Gulf Coast. As the map below indicates, there are a number of refineries, some of them very large, situated along the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration's annual Refinery Capacity Report provides capacity information about individual refineries as of January 1 each year. The report identifies refineries that are operable at the beginning of each year. Operable refineries are further classified as either operating or idle. A refinery could be idle for a number of reasons including routine maintenance, unplanned maintenance, or market conditions.

The Refinery Capacity Report also identifies refineries that were new, reactivated, or shut down in the previous calendar year, as well as refineries that were sold in the previous calendar year. The report includes detailed information about the atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity at each refinery and the capacities for several important downstream refinery units that are used to process the products coming from the atmospheric crude oil distillation unit for further processing.

Many refineries are located close to crude oil production centers such as the Gulf Coast (which has significant volumes of crude oil produced both onshore and offshore); near destinations for importing crude oil; or near major population centers where much of the refineries' output will be needed (e.g., California and the areas near Philadelphia, New York City, and Chicago).

Get our Free Trading Videos, Lessons and eBook today!

Obama Delays Decision on Keystone XL

The U.S. Department of State announced Thursday afternoon that it will postpone making a decision on whether TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL Pipeline project is in the national interest until at least early 2013.

Under Executive Order 13337, the State Department can issue Presidential Permits for transborder pipelines projects that it deems are in the national interest. The department has led what it calls a "transparent, thorough and rigorous" review of TransCanda's permit application for the Keystone XL project, and the executive order directs the secretary of state or a designee to consult with at least eight other federal agencies. The pipeline would carry crude oil approximately 1,661 miles from Alberta's Oil Sands to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

This past summer, the State Department issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project under the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA). The agency found that the 36-inch-diameter pipeline would pose "no significant impacts" to most resources along the proposed route. Prior to Thursday's decision to delay making the national interest determination, the State Department accepted public comments during a 90-day review period. Click here for a timeline showing the agency's role in the permit review process......Read the entire article.


Get your favorite symbols' Trend Analysis TODAY!

Crude Oil Snaps Three Day Gain on Strengthening Dollar, Rising Crude Stockpiles

Crude oil declined for the first time in four days as a strengthening dollar curbed investor demand for raw materials and traders bet stockpiles in the U.S. are rising. Futures dropped as much as 0.6 percent as the dollar climbed against all but one of its 16 most traded peers. An Energy Department report today may show crude inventories increased by 1 million barrels last week, according to a Bloomberg News survey of analysts. The American Petroleum Institute said yesterday stockpiles surged 6.43 million barrels.

“Oil continues to react to dollar movements,” said Ben Westmore, a minerals and energy economist at National Australia Bank Ltd. in Melbourne. “With seasonal maintenance and outages at refineries, I’d expect to see some build in crude stockpiles.” The December contract fell as much as 47 cents to $82.08 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, and was at $82.10 at 11:18 a.m. Singapore time. Yesterday it added 3 cents to $82.55. Futures are up 3.6 percent this year.

The dollar advanced after the U.S. Conference Board said yesterday consumer confidence climbed in October from a seven month low. The greenback rose 0.3 percent versus the euro and the yen. The Energy Department report at 10:30 a.m. in Washington today may show gasoline stockpiles rose by 625,000 barrels last week, according to the Bloomberg News survey. The industry funded API reported yesterday that supplies of the motor fuel slipped 1.81 million barrels......Read the entire article.



Share

Dan Dicker: A Refinery Buy - Frontier Oil

Dan Dicker has managed to find one refinery worthy of a trade.



Can you learn to trade crude oil in just 90 seconds?

Share

Phil Flynn: French Fried

Alright, I admit it was kind of fun snickering about the French Strikes. You know like joking about the French work ethic (assuming they had one). You know the routine. The French have been striking and staging mass protests that have turned violent as the government moves to take away French entitlements they cannot pay for. The French are to vote on raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 (Sidérer!!!). With an aging French population and years of the government giving the country free goodies, the government is going to have to make much needed reforms or face an inevitable economic collapse.

The strikes have shut down 12 oil refineries in France leading to shortages of diesel and gasoline. The International Oil Daily Reported that, “lost French production is driving dramatic price gains in diesel and jet fuel in Europe, France’s 12 oil refineries, all but one of which has been shut down by national strikes, produce around 60,000 tons of diesel and 30,000 tons of jet a day. But even with refineries at full production, the country is a net importer of both products. Minimal domestic production means France is sucking in products from neighboring Germany, Italy and even Spain, as well as drawing from strategic......Read the entire article.


Can you learn to trade crude oil in just 90 seconds?

Share

Crude Oil Is Set for a Second Weekly Gain on Economic Recovery Optimism

Crude oil is poised for a second weekly gain as concern over a Greek default subsided and stronger than estimated retail sales in the U.S., the world’s biggest energy user, bolstered optimism of an economic recovery. Oil rose for the first time in three days as March sales at 31 chain stores gained 9 percent, the largest one month increase since March 1999, the New York based International Council of Shopping Centers said yesterday. U.S. oil refineries raised operating rates to 84.5 percent of capacity last week, a six month high, the Energy Department reported on April 7.

“We saw some fairly encouraging retail sales data in the U.S. and that seemed to buoy market sentiment,” said Toby Hassall, a research analyst at CWA Global Markets Pty in Sydney. “It’s the latest in a string of encouraging macro data.” Crude oil for May delivery rose as much as 44 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $85.83 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $85.74 at 1:15 p.m. Singapore time. The contract is poised for a 1 percent gain this week, after climbing 6.1 percent last week. Futures have increased 8 percent this year.

Prices declined yesterday amid speculation Greece may default. The euro came within a cent of its weakest against the dollar in 11 months before erasing losses after Greece’s finance ministry said the country’s first-quarter budget deficit narrowed. European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said a default is “not an issue.”
Oil surged for six days to April 6, the longest rally in three months, following reports that showed growth in U.S. jobs and service industries.....Read the entire article.

Get Your FREE Preview of INO TV

Share

Phil Flynn: You Have Got to Love that Groundhog

The Energy Report Wednesday February 3 2010

Maybe that ground hog is something special after all. Oil futures fly after the ground hog say his shadow and predicted 6 more weeks of winter. And by the way no I did not see my shadow and yes I heard that one before. Still oil joined the stock market in the biggest two day rebound in over three months. Oils sudden resurgence comes on the backs of some renewed economic optimism especially in the manufacturing sector but also because of some concerns about the disruption of supply.

RBOB Gasoline lead the rally gaining even more support from refineries that are closing on purpose and some that are not. Oh sure most of the move in oil seemed to be macro economically motivated but word that Valero Energy Corp. shut a fluid catalytic cracker at its Quebec City refinery after a fire sure helped gasoline lead the way. Bloomberg news said that the fire was reported at about 2 a.m. local time at pumps on the gasoline making cat cracker, Bill Day, a company spokesman, said in an e-mail. No injuries were reported. The blaze was extinguished at 4:40 a.m.

The 66,000 barrel a day cat cracker has been shut down and an estimate for the restart of the unit is pending a damage assessment, according to Day. The refinery has a capacity of 265,000 barrels a day, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.....Read the entire article.


Get Started Trading Now....With 10 FREE Trading Lessons


Share

Could There Be....More Upside in Chevron?

Stephanie Link, director of research for Action Alerts Plus Portfolio, reveals why they still love Chevron and are buying the stock despite its recent 40% move.



Just click here for your FREE trend analysis of Chevron

Share

Oil Extends Drop After Report Shows Increase in U.S. Gasoline Inventories

Crude oil fell to a four week low after a U.S. Energy Department report showed that refineries slashed operating rates as fuel demand declined. Plants ran at 78.4 percent of capacity last week, the lowest rate since September 2008 when hurricanes struck the Gulf of Mexico. Gasoline supplies surged to the highest level since March 2008. Fuel use in the past four weeks fell 1.8 percent from a year earlier. Oil also dropped as the dollar strengthened and stocks declined. “Refineries aren’t running and we still got a big build in gasoline inventories,” said Phil Flynn, vice president of research at PFGBest in Chicago. “This is a signal that demand is very weak in the U.S., and there is no sign that it will increase anytime soon.”

Crude oil for March delivery fell $1.22, or 1.6 percent, to $76.52 a barrel at 11:57 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures touched $76.02, the lowest level since Dec. 23. Oil traded at $77.41 before the release of the report at 11 a.m. in Washington. The greenback strengthened after a report said the European Union was preparing a loan for Greece, which Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou denied.
The U.S. currency traded at $1.4095 per euro, from $1.4106 yesterday. The greenback touched $1.4029, the highest level since July 30. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slipped 1.5 percent to 1,121.37 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.8 percent to 10,416.79.....Read the entire article.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/crudeoiltrader
Crude Oil Trader News Reader Subscription Link

Share

EIA Weekly Petroleum Status Report

U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 14.0 million barrels per day during the week ending October 30, 233 thousand barrels per day below the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 80.6 percent of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.0 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production increased last week, averaging 4.0 million barrels per day. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 8.1 million barrels per day last week, down 764 thousand barrels per day from the previous week. Over the last four weeks, crude oil imports have averaged 8.6 million barrels per day, 1.5 million barrels per day below the same
four-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 1.1 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel imports averaged 197 thousand barrels per day last week.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) decreased by 4.0 million barrels from the previous week. At 335.9 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are near the upper limit of the average range for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 0.3 million barrels last week, and are above the upper limit of the average range. Finished gasoline inventories increased while blending components decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories decreased by 0.4 million barrels, and are above the
upper boundary of the average range for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories decreased by 1.4 million barrels last week and are in the upper half of the average range.....Read the entire report.

Crude Oil Rises for First Time in Three Days as Dollar Weakens

Crude oil rose for the first time in three days as the dollar traded near its lowest level against the euro in a year, spurring demand for crude as an inflation hedge. The U.S. Energy Department will probably say tomorrow that supplies of distillate fuel, which includes diesel and heating oil, rose for a fourth week from their highest level since 1983, according to a Bloomberg News survey. U.S. crude oil inventories are likely to have fallen last week as refineries bought fewer cargoes before idling plants for upgrades and repairs. “The U.S. currency continues to set the trend for oil in the absence of any major fundamental developments,” said Andrey Kryuchenkov, a VTB Capital analyst in London. “We’ll probably see more sideways trading ahead of the inventory numbers”.....Read the entire article

Crude Oil Stockpiles Drop

Crude inventories dropped again last week, though gasoline stockpiles continued to rise as refineries increased output, the government said Wednesday. Crude inventories fell by 3.7 million barrels, or 1 percent, to 350.2 million barrels, which is 18.3 percent above year ago levels, the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report. Analysts had expected a drop of 2.2 million barrels for the week ended.....Complete Story

Can You Learn to Trade Crude in 90 Seconds? Just Try....Click Here

Kurds Blame Baghdad For Oil Delays

The construction of four oil refineries in the Kurdish region of Iraq was delayed because of the failures of the Iraqi oil minister, Kurdish lawmakers say. Refineries in the cities of Kirkuk and Erbil, the Kurdish capital, would have produced nearly 200,000 barrels per day while another plant should have been slated at the Taq Taq field, the Kurdish Globe reports. Those projects were delayed due to the negligence of Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani.....Complete Story

Natural Gas Consolidates Monday's Rally

Natural gas closed lower on Tuesday as it consolidated some of Monday's rally. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Wednesday.

Stochastics and the RSI remain bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term.

If July extends Monday's rally, May's high crossing at 4.690 is the next upside target. Closes below the 10 day moving average crossing at 3.869 would confirm that a short term top has been posted.

First resistance is today's high crossing at 4.387
Second resistance is May's high crossing at 4.690

First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 3.869
Second support is last Thursday's low crossing at 3.550