What a donkey market.
18:06 01Sep08 RTRS-FACTBOX-Gustav cuts US oil, gas, threatens commods
Sept 1 (Reuters) - Hurricane Gustav, the first big threat
to U.S. Gulf of Mexico energy and port infrastructure since
Katrina and Rita in 2005, made landfall west of New Orleans
Monday morning. [nN01292385]
The following outlines the impact on the energy sector:
*****HIGHLIGHTS*****
*96.3 percent of Gulf of Mexico oil output shut
*82.3 percent of Gulf of Mexico natgas output shut
*11 percent of U.S. refining capacity shut, another 14.6
percent of refining capacity at reduced rates
*No damage assessments yet
*US waives Louisiana gasoline standards, ready to release
emergency crude
*****CRUDE OIL, NATURAL GAS*****
*96.3 percent of U.S. Gulf of Mexico's 1.3 million barrels
per day crude output shut by Sunday morning, according to
U.S. government.
*82.3 percent of the Gulf's 7.4 billion cubic feet per day
natural gas output shut by Sunday morning.
*****REFINING*****
*Ten refineries with capacity of 1.9 million bpd shut
*Six refineries with capacity of 2.55 million bpd at
reduced rates
No wonder crude is OFF 4.5$!! Amazing, somebody wants it down badly. In the crude markets I have covered for many years this would not be happening, it is thin trading today and a short has clearly taken full advantage. Intervention? who knows.