Letter from the US: Financial contagion and the oil industry – What, me worry?
Banks’ stricter lending policies will force refiners and marketers to hold fewer stocks, putting a squeeze on the oil industry
Just as in the past, the oil industry today seems blind to clear danger signs from outside sources. Oil executives and ministers are either blissfully unaware of or consciously disregarding significant problems, not the least of which is a financial system on the brink of disaster. The officials from oil firms and trading companies were in fine form in this regard at the FT Commodities Global Summit in March. For example, one trader told his audience: “The type of assets that we can bring to the banks’ balance sheets are exactly what the banks need.” As banks watch their assets melt away, the last thing they are interested in is oil trader assets. The industry has yet to acknowledge this cha

Also in this section
7 August 2025
Without US backing, the EU’s newest sanctions package against Russia—though not painless—is unlikely to have a significant impact on the country’s oil and gas revenues or its broader economy
6 August 2025
Diesel market disruptions have propelled crude prices above $100/bl twice in this century, and now oil teeters on the brink of another crude quality crisis
5 August 2025
After failed attempts to find a buyer for its stake in Russia’s largest oil producer, BP may be able to avoid the harsh treatment meted out to ExxonMobil and Shell when they exited—and could even restart operations if geopolitical conditions improve
1 August 2025
A number of companies have filed arbitration claims against Gazprom over non-deliveries of contracted gas or other matters—and won. The next step is to collect the award, but this is no easy task