January 13th 2020

• Prompt-month heating oil futures decreased 6.45% for the week ending Friday, 1/10, as prices fell $0.1330 per gallon.
• On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude futures for delivery in February closed at $59.04 per barrel on Friday, 1/10, down 0.96% for the day, and down 6.36% for the week.

Why So Crude? Crude oil prices fell last week and continued to decrease through Monday, trading around $58 a barrel. Prices saw their largest weekly loss in more than six months as tensions between the United States and Iran eased and the potential for an armed conflict in the Middle East subsided. Though the situation in Iran remains volatile following their accidental downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet, investors seemed to focus more on the stability of the crude oil supply coming out of the region. The market was supported in part by the anticipated signing of phase one of a trade deal between the U.S. and China, which could be crucial in determining how much American crude oil China purchases. The Baker Hughes oil rig count fell last week, going from 670 to 659 and indicating decreased domestic production.

• Prompt-month natural gas futures increased $0.072 for the week ending Friday, 1/10, to settle at $2.202/Dth.
• Overall supply increased by 0.6 Bcf from the previous week. Total demand increased by 9.8 Bcf.
• Natural gas exports in October 2019 were 424,866 million cubic feet, compared with 306,646 million cubic feet in October 2018. This is a 38.55% increase.
• Net withdrawals from storage totaled 44 Bcf, compared with the 5 year average net withdrawal of 156 Bcf and last year’s net withdrawal of 81 Bcf during the same week.
• Working gas stocks total 3,148 Bcf, coming in 74 Bcf more than the five-year average and 521 Bcf more than last year at this time.

Dry It Out! Natural gas is being seen as a solution for wet grain for farmers in North Dakota. Read how one farming family is using natural gas to dry their crops. – Grand Forks Herald

• Average peak prices in NYC increased last week, rising $5.21 to $27.38 per MWh.
• Average peak prices in Central NY’s Zone C increased, rising $1.78 to $17.95 per MWh.
• Average peak prices in New Jersey’s PSE&G increased, rising $4.03 to $24.31 per MWh.
• Average peak prices in New Jersey’s ACE increased, rising $3.85 to $23.81 per MWh.
• Average peak prices in Pennsylvania’s PPL increased, rising $1.90 to $21.15 per MWh.
• Average peak prices in Maryland’s BGE increased, rising $4.43 to $27.43 per MWh.
• Calendar 2020 prices in NYC increased $0.33 per MWh, and Zone C prices decreased $0.05 per MWh.
• Calendar 2020 prices in PSE&G increased $0.23 per MWh, and ACE prices increased $0.22 per MWh.
• Calendar 2020 prices in PPL increased $0.21 per MWh.

Where’s That Coming From? According to EIA’s latest inventory of electric generators, 23.7 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity additions and 8.3 GW of capacity retirements are expected for the U.S. electric power sector in 2019. – EIA

Top 5 From CES 2020! The 5 biggest tech trends from CES 2020 from high-tech food to folding computers to upgrading your health to a prototype city of the future, these trends mattered. – cnet

Taking A Plunge! Energo’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, Victoria Marchese, participated in the Polar Bear Plunge in Wildwood NJ for Special Olympics this past Saturday with the Monroe Township Police Department Group. To learn more about the event and what the money raised from the event goes towards, click here.

And remember, if you or your company are involved in helping your community, please let us know by emailing us here. After all, Marathon Cares.