Novedades de Petroleo y Algo mas

Italy: Petrol station on strike again from 27 March
In Italy, the industrial action of petrol stations against the liberalisation of the sector is continuing, and sector unions have announced a further four days of strike which will take place between 27th February and 2 March 2007. The new four-day strike was decided after labour unions, on 9 February, assessed the success of the strike carried out on 7 and 8 February, and after they were summoned by the government to a meeting.

This was because in the summon, notified in the afternoon of the same day, there were mentions that the government’s position was unchanged and that the text of the announced law decree was not going to be modified.

Ireland: Minister reveals biofuel plan
Ireland’s natural resources minister has revealed that all diesel and petrol will be obliged by 2009 to constitute 5.75% of biofuel made from waste or crops, a move geared to saving carbon emissions totalling 700,000 tonnes.

Noel Dempsey said the move represented a reachable goal to developing Ireland’s biofuel arena. Farmers will also be encouraged with a new bio-energy project worth EUR 6mn (US$ 7.78mn), whereby they would receive an additional EUR 80 (US$ 103.72) per hectare in addition to the current premium of EUR 45. The minister said the plans, which also feature market penetration for biofuels of 10% by 2020, would establish a market framework allowing farmers major opportunities to become involved.

Spain: Impact will be felt from EU diesel tax proposal
The European Commission is set to propose on 15 February 2007 a new rise in the special tax applied on diesel in EU member states in order to stop the practice of ‘tourist refueling’ where transport workers drive longer distances which are not strictly necessary in order to fill up their fuel tanks in countries which charge lower fuel taxes. Spain will be one of the countries affected by the proposal to apply a minimum tax of EUR 359 (US$ 465.45) per 1,000 litres in 2012. Currently, Spain charges tax of EUR 302 per 1,000 litres. A further increase to EUR 380 could also be on the cards for 2014.

Finland: Neste Oil plans to increase refinery capacity
Finnish Neste Oil will invest heavily in both traditional oil refinery and biodiesel operations. The company is also investigating continued investment in its currently operating refineries after completing the diesel project at the Porvoo refinery, in Finland. The company assumes the Porvoo production line to go on stream at the end of March 2007 though it may not run at full capacity until autumn 2007.

CEO Risto Rinne estimates biodiesel production to reach 500,000 tonnes in Finland and Austria in 2009. This figure is modest compared with the total refining volume of 14mn tonnes in 2006.

Neste Oil is on the lookout for new raw material sources for biodiesel, as plant and animal fats alone will not satisfy demand. Expectations are high for forest residue and peat.

UK: North Sea production drop predicted
Oil and gas production companies working in the North Sea have estimated that output up to the end of 2010 will be 250,000 barrels a day less than has previously been expected, due to poor reservoir performance, more maintenance, and project delays.

The industry body the UK Offshore Operators Association (OOA), which surveyed the companies, says that operating and development costs have risen significantly. It has called for the Government to lower taxes and change regulations to help stop the downturn. The OOA says that the North Sea is increasingly less competitive, more vulnerable to oil price changes, and less able to attract investment. It predicts that capital investment in 2007 will fall by GB£ 1.5bn (US$ 2.95bn EUR 2.27bn) to GB£ 4-4.5bn, after rising for the last three years.

UK: Sainsbury back in control of stake in company
The former chairman of the UK supermarket group J Sainsbury, Lord Sainsbury, has transferred his 7.75% stake in the company out of a blind trust into his own name and under his own control. It is expected that Lord Sainsbury would take advice from the company’s management on whether to sell his shares to private equity buyers. He is due to meet Sainsbury’s chairman Philip Hampton soon. The private equity companies Blackstone, CVC and KKR say they are contemplating bidding for J Sainsbury. There has also been speculation that Apax may also bid.

UK: Market leaders grow, Kwik Save’s share down to 0.2%
In the 12 weeks to 28 January 2007, market leader Tesco increased its market share to 31.5% compared with 30.6% in the same period one year earlier. Asda has reported an increase from 16.6% to 16.2% with Sainsbury closing the gap rising from 16.2% to 16.5%.

Morrisons retained its 11% market share with Waitrose reporting an increase from 3.7% to 3.98%. Discounters Aldi and Lidl saw their shares increase from 2.3% and 2% to 2.5% and 2.2% as Kwik Save falls from 1.5% to 0.2%. The Co-op’s total share reached 4.65, down by 0.1% while independent stores recorded a 0.2% decrease to 2.6%, according to TNS Worldpanel.

Market Assessment – What’s moving the Oil Markets?
Global crude futures continued to look weaker on Tuesday, following the strong drop in ICE Brent futures of $2/barrel in late Monday trading due to bearish comments from the Saudi oil minister Ali Naimi and weak technicals, sources said.

• After a strong sell off last night in ICE Brent futures, the market is consolidating today, with technical trade still looking rather bearish, according to sources. The front-month ICE Brent contract lost more than $2.40/bbl in intra-day trading yesterday, reacting to Naimi’s comment that the oil market is in "much, much better health and balance" now, and that OPEC might not need to take further action on supply at a meeting in Vienna on March 15 if the current trend continues.
• Some bullish fundamental news emerged on Tuesday, with the International Energy Agency raising its forecasts for world oil demand and the ‘call’ on OPEC crude this year, and said it saw signs of the oil market tightening after recent OPEC moves to curb supply.