Tuesday Night, July 28, 2015

Premium gasoline - regular gasoline spread to increase. Platts is reporting:

Gulf Coast alkylate barges on Tuesday matched a record differential to Colonial Pipeline gasoline in a market reacting to driver demand and refiners holding onto their blendstocks.

Alkylate is used to boost octane for premium gasoline and reduce RVP for summer fuels. High-octane gasoline has seen strength this week in the Gulf Coast and Midwest gasoline markets on a scarcity of alkylate.

Platts assessed alkylate at maximum 5.5 RVP at 65 cents over pipeline gasoline for loading August 5, tying the record set on six days in February 2013. The assessment was based on a heard Gulf Coast barge trade completed late Monday.

"... a market reacting to driver demand..." I'm looking for US gasoline demand to set a new record this August, 2015.

Past posts on alkylate:

• February 14, 2013: RBN Energy introduces me to alkylate
• July 21, 2015: unintended consequences of Bakken shale + high gasoline demand

When you read these three posts (the current one plus the two linked ones), think Keystone.

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Tweeting Now

Tweeting now: scores of felons and illegal aliens are streaming into local Los Angeles County sheriff offices and Los Angeles City police departments after LA City council bans large-capacity ammunition magazines. Or not.

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Tweeting Not

Tweeting now: they had to shut down the wind turbines because of high sustained winds. Over 50 mph, wind turbines need to be shut down. Thank goodness for coal. Or not.