Bakken Oil -- The "Gold Standard" -- IMO 2020? -- December 8, 2019

In response to my rambling note / idle chatter on GDP, a reader posited:

There might be a fairly strong - and growing - market for American light sweet crude from the shale plays.

I have been following the developments in the marine fuel situation as this market consumes ~4 to 4 1/2 millions of barrels per day (of the 100 million daily global consumption.

It seems that there has been a frantic effort amongst refiners for this market to produce a compliant (<.5% sulphur) fuel that will not 'gum up the engines' of their customers's ships.

Not the easiest of tasks.

Turns out, US shale-sourced oil is the best supply to be lightly refined and then blended with other components to create the most economical, usable fuel.

The Chinese, Korean, and Singaporean refineries are now running with this.

There has been a delay in removing the crucial tender barges from service for the 1 week period of cleaning their holds (in preparation for transporting the new fuel) but that seems to be being addressed right now as a solution for an economic, globally available supply has now been found ... US LTO blended VLSFO (very low sulphur fuel oil).

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The Art Page

Sophia, age 5.5 years of age:

We'll probably "cut out" the section with the two birds, frame it, and hang it.