OPEC+ open the taps again, but prompt crude contango might have to wait a little

5 May 2025 Time to read:  minutes

Commentary summary:

• Medium-term implications of oil demand and supply are numerous, regardless of intentions.

• Crude is increasingly asking to be refined into products with margins very healthy.

• Prompt crude spreads are backward and it may take more time for prompt structure to flip, if the refining response coming out of TARs is strong and with OPEC impacts in terms of real volumes needing assessed first. Pricing impacts on spot MEG will be immediate though.

• Small pricing hub nuances also matter; combined North Sea loadings for BFOET are due to drop to a 20-year low in June partly owing to Eko maintenance.

Whatever the real motivations behind this weekend’s decision to advance another hike, the impacts will be numerous.

Copy of Product Positioning blog CTA

 

Sparta Market Outlook - Free Trial

Sparta’s Market Commentary is exclusively available within the Sparta Market Outlook app. To access a 21 day free trial of Sparta Market Outlook, please click the link below.

Market commentaries will be moving permanently into the Sparta Platform, alongside several new and exciting knowledge and insight features.

Book a demo to see how Sparta enables you to trade with conviction

general-cta-graphic
general-cta-graphic