The Global Crude Oil Storage Capacity is Expected to Grow Steadily Over the Period 2011 to 2015

Wednesday 7 March 2012, Amsterdam

The study, which is an offering from the company’s Energy Research Group, provides an in-depth analysis of the global oil and gas storage market and highlights various concerns, key trends and challenges, along with major companies in the industry. The report provides forecasts for the oil and gas storage industry to 2015. It also provides storage forecasts worldwide by individual commodity type, and provides comprehensive storage statistics and key data such as planned storage terminals. The report also provides in-depth regional information based on major countries for every region, and provides details on storage capacity growth scenario for every region. The report also provides market share analysis of the top oil and gas storage companies in a particular region and mentions the major countries operational in each segment.

The current important trend in the oil and gas storage market is that as a result of increased logistics activity in the oil and gas sector due to increasing international and domestic trades, the demand for oil and gas storage capacity is witnessing a rise at the major global supply hubs. The trend is expected to continue, with the major terminal operators worldwide as the key beneficiaries. However, the supply chain operators which are relatively having less proximity from the main storage hubs are not expected to benefit substantially from the current scenario.

The global oil and natural gas industry has witnessed robust growth in the last decade due to the increase in industrial activity and economic growth. This has led to, and would also in future, lead to investments in oil and gas storage industry.

Requirements for Oil Storage Capacities at Global Supply Hubs are Expected to Grow as New Refining Companies and National Oil Companies(NOCs) are Significant Players Boosting the Market

The current trend in the oil and gas storage market is that as a result of increased logistics activity in the oil and gas sector due to increasing international and domestic trades, the demand for oil and gas storage capacity is witnessing a rise at the major global supply hubs. The trend is expected to continue, with the major terminal operators worldwide as the key beneficiaries. However, the supply chain operators which are relatively having less proximity from the main storage hubs are not expected to benefit substantially from the current scenario.

The considerable rise in storage activity is being largely contributed by the increase in downstream activity, with hydrocarbon fractions (refined products) contributing to a significant share. Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions are expected to continue to witness rise in new refining capacities.

The situation is such that new refining companies, national oil companies (NOCs), and local companies need increasing storage capacities to support their supply offers.

The Global Crude Oil Storage Capacity is Expected to Grow Steadily Over the Period 2011 to 2015

The application of enhanced production techniques such as artificial lift in Japan has the largest oil storage capacity followed by the US. However, due to the recession, Japan is anticipated to experience limited growth in the oil storage industry until 2015. LNG is expected cater for the increase in energy needs of Japan till 2015. In addition, the huge established LNG infrastructure offers a competitive advantage over oil storage.The US had better growth in the oil storage industry, when compared to Japan in terms of storage capacity expansions or new storage terminals. The Republic of Korea had the largest growth rate in the oil storage industry from 2003-2008. The country has a relatively lower risk management ability to deal with peak oil prices, hence Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC), and the Korean Oil and Gas Company have started investing in petroleum reserve-creation programs. Korea has been active after oil shocks post 1970 and has invested in petroleum stockpiling activities. KNOC has aimed at becoming an oil hub in Asia Pacific and has therefore invested in oil reserve creation.

Saudi Arabia and Japan, two of the top five countries in terms of crude oil storage is expected to witness a steady capacity for the period 2000 to 2015, with a storage capacity of 14.7 million cubic meters.

China is expected to witness a substantial increase in crude oil storage capacity for the period 2010 to 2015, from 30.7 million cubic meters in 2010, to around 64.3 million cubic meters in 2015 – an increase of around 109.45%.

New entrants to the oil and gas storage users’ market are boosting the long-term contracts trade

Previously, new entrants and established trading companies in the oil and gas storage users’ market preferred to opt for short-term rentals for storage. However, the recent trend is that new market entrants are preferring long-term contracts as a precautionary step to protect themselves from volatility of the market and thereby price fluctuations. The trend hence, is creating a scenario of high utilization of storage capacities.