Re: Forget about fundamentals, this is the oil market after all

Hurricane Humberto popped up last night and hit land near Houston. As of 11 PM EDT last night, the NHC thought Humberto would hit as a tropical storm. Surprise, surprise!

Don't forget, it's already Fall and we saw record low temperatures across the northern U.S. the past few days. Time to stock up on that heating oil.

E. Swanson


Humberto-linked power outage shutters Valero refinery

Valero spokesman Bill Day said Thursday the company shut down its 325,000 barrel per day refinery in Port Arthur, Texas due to a power outage caused by Hurricane Humberto. Valero will try moving equipment into the area to re-start part of the operation, he said.

Speaking of heating oil - I got my tank topped off on Tuesday at $2.47/gallon, which was the same price I paid in April. Wednesday, the same company was charging $2.62/gallon (I'm in Mass). I'll be stacking the rest of my wood this weekend...

I was gathering wood all last weekend, and will be this one too. Found a nice big oak that's been dead a couple of years and just recently fell - jackpot!

I'm putting the finishing touches on my Geothermal Heat Pump over the next couple of weeks (after work and weekends). I retrofitted my house from Electric Baseboard to Radiant floors in my half, and hot water baseboard in my tenants half. Hopefully it saves as much as I think it will, 4-5 Kwh of heat for every 1 Kwh I pay for. I have been using a woodstove in my half for the past several years, but I'm opting for the super efficient. Also if/when I move out, I don't want to give a tenant a woodstove, I'd rather they have this.

The Hurricane centre is certainly on their toes this year...not due to numbers, but unpredictability.

NHC was pretty much predicting TD9/Humberto would fizzle as it move onshore...and it did neither (move on shore or fizzle).

Dean, Erin, and Felix were no different in their surprises...rate they intensified, tracks they took, how long they sustained insensity.

Definitely, new factors in play they need to integrate into the models.

On another note, Apparently we are "Peak Oil PRANKSTERS" now! Like crop circle pranksters...were doing just for fun!