Dublin, May 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Oil Storage: Global Markets Through 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global demand for oil storage has now become a key component in both the economic and political environments due to the volatility in crude oil prices. Oil storage stocks are usually distinguished by three different types: primary, secondary and tertiary stocks. In all research carried out on oil storage, the last two types of stocks (i.e., secondary and tertiary) are usually ignored, and hence a lower volume of oil in storage is reported.

However, this report has included the secondary and tertiary stocks, and in addition, has also quantified the oil stocks that are in transit plying the seas, plus those held onboard moored very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and used as storage for floating storage of crude oil. The global oil storage market along the entire value chain is bifurcated on the basis of reserve type into strategic/emergency and commercial/private sectors.

Due to the key role played by petroleum in national energy security and the constant need for its availability in case of an emergency such as adverse weather or military operations, many countries across the world are currently developing strategic reserves. However, the United States, who was one of the first countries to establish a strategic/emergency reserve, is now selling its reserve. An indication of the dollar value of the strategic reserve can be inferred from the recent sale to China by the United States. In April 2017, for the first time in history, oil from the U.S.

It is normal practice for oil companies to build up stores of crude oil and refined products to carry out their activities, and also to meet expected changes in seasonal demand and as a buffer to any interruption of supplies. For instance, American refineries buildup stocks of winter heating oil during the summer and autumn, which are stored on barges. In 2014, barges on the Hudson River delivered 20 million barrels of oil or 70% of the home heating oil to the port areas of New York and Boston for onward distribution to retailers' storage tanks and subsequent delivery to customers in the region. Commercial and private operators use oil storage facilities to either supply the market or to export their production.

Oil markets entered a phase of backwardation in 2018 (whereby the future price of oil is below the spot price), which does not encourage anyone to store oil, at sea or on land, until contango (whereby the future price of oil becomes above the spot price) returns on a more permanent basis. The so-called supercontango (future oil prices are higher than spot prices) occurred in 2015, which spurred producers and speculators to fill and anchor a record 132 oil tankers, as trading firms were able to hire the very large crude carrier (VLCC) vessels for less than $40,000 a day, compared to spot rates of $60,000 to $70,000 a day.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/y6znaw

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