Permian crude driving storage expansion
North American crude output is exceeding storage capacity and driving a storage construction boom
The major trend in North American storage markets this year has been the focus on handling the continent's burgeoning crude oil production. It is in a unique position among the world's centres, with storage hubs in Asia-Pacific and Europe largely driven by market backwardation—when spot prices are above futures prices—and concerns over the implementation of the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) stringent new sulphur regulations for maritime fuels. By August, crude oil storage volumes at the key price-setting hub of Cushing, Oklahoma, were up an extraordinary 83pc from August 2018 at 48.1mn bl, according to oil storage specialists at Genscape. It found that crude volumes stored alon
Also in this section
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
1 December 2025
The North African producer’s first bidding round in almost two decades is an important milestone but the recent extension suggests a degree of trepidation
