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Exuberant Crude Bounce Reverses, WTI Tests $47 Handle As 'Rig Count-Production Link' Meme Breaks

Tyler Durden's picture




 

It appears the new narrative for why oil prices surged Friday and this morning is that a record-breaking drop in the US Rig Count means production levels will drop (and thus Saudi Arabia wins). This was enough to spark a melt-up squeeze on Friday which extended this morning running stops above $50.50. However, since that stop-run was exhausted, prices have tumbled back lower - testing a $47 handle - as investors realize the link between production and rig count is spurious at best and anti-correlated at worst.

 

Thge last time rig count tumbled... production rose!?

 

and markets are starting to realize that...

 

 

Charts: Bloomberg

 

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Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:04 | 5734437 ZippyBananaPants
ZippyBananaPants's picture

For over 4 years, ZH is where i get my news.

 

Thanks ZH!

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:08 | 5734444 Keyser
Keyser's picture

I sometimes question the meme... Especially with 12 moving averages and 7 indicators saying WTI is a strong buy at this level and it just crossed back over $49... 

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:11 | 5734461 SWRichmond
SWRichmond's picture

Cue Admiral Ackbar...

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:41 | 5734564 chistletoe
chistletoe's picture

buying because everybody else is buying works ... uintil the top is reached .... and then it fails rather spectacularly, doesn't it .....

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:03 | 5734440 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

if i didn't know any better i'd think somebody struck oil

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:07 | 5734447 Bernoulli
Bernoulli's picture

High crude price levels: Economy is strong; good for equities

Low crude price levels: Good for the consumer; good for equities

Rising crude price levels: Bottom is in; good for equities

XYZ: Bla bla bla; good for equities

 

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:07 | 5734448 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

Ten year at 1.67%, 30 year at 2.22% Rate increase imminent..... Lol

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:09 | 5734463 Bernoulli
Bernoulli's picture

They keep accelerating this "bond monster machine". And after it will crash at full speed it into a concrete wall, then they will go:

"Nobody could have seen this one coming..."

"Total surprise"

"Black swan"

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:07 | 5734450 wonderatitall
wonderatitall's picture

i blame bush  for obamas sooper recovery

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:27 | 5734513 Payne
Payne's picture

Blame Reagan too !

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:09 | 5734452 ZH Snob
ZH Snob's picture

the decline in the price of oil is directly correlated with the decline of the petro dollar.  and the price will remain depressed until it shakes off the dollar as its means of payment.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:11 | 5734462 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Exactly.

The reset is already in progress.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:19 | 5734487 ZH Snob
ZH Snob's picture

oil deals will be the first, then later all trade will be done in gold (and other stores of tangible value).  the BRICS will initiate it, and the rest of the world will have no choice but to follow real value or else be left in the dustbin with all the green paper.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 11:22 | 5734708 Salah
Salah's picture

The Fed needs oil @ $75 or better, purely to "soak up" dollars....that said, acc'd to AEP over at the Telegraph, so much globally has been borrowed in dollars the last 15+ yrs, the repayment cycle is kicking in, and this is why it's a scramble to get the greenback.

see:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/113004...

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 12:08 | 5734924 Buckaroo Banzai
Buckaroo Banzai's picture

Bingo. That is the magic of modern central banking-- when the currency created is lent into existence at interest, it creates a huge future demand for that currency. The more you create, the more that is demanded in the future-- it is a positive feedback loop.

Everyone assumes that the more dollars that are created, the less they must be worth. It is difficult to wrap ones head around the fact that it is actually entirely the opposite.

The only natural braking mechanism is the interest rate at which the money is lent-- that interest rate MUST be driven to zero, and then driven to negative rates. That is the only way the system can slow itself down, until the internal contradictions and stresses cause it to inevitably fly apart.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:22 | 5734468 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

the usd is strong because of the demise of the dollar? that is some funny shit right there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwdba9C2G14

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:23 | 5734507 azusgm
azusgm's picture

Don't worry. Some dollar-denominated derivatives will blow up and soak up excess liquidity.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:09 | 5734459 azusgm
azusgm's picture

Perhaps somebody realized that production commences after the drilling rig is pulled. The small operators can't choke back the wells until they don't need the liquidity to pay off the junk bonds that funded this year's drilling program.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:11 | 5734464 monopoly
monopoly's picture

These markets are an accident waiting to happen. Amazing how few know what is really happening around our planet. We have become a nation of citizens that just does not seem to care. After 6 long years and patiently waiting the Pied Piper will soon be repaid!

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:10 | 5734465 blown income
blown income's picture

I love my daughter....if it were not for her i would vanish..at 45 i am tired of this bullshit world we live in.... really am..

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:20 | 5734492 nightshiftsucks
nightshiftsucks's picture

I'm with you man,I never wanted kids but before I was married I committed to having 2 kids and they're both good.I don't know why but I was always worried about the future and that was over 20 years ago.I remember as a kid my grandparents always talked about the great depression and I remember thinking at the time it could never happen now because we were smarter than those old people.So here I am trying to do what I can to help protect them and my wife thinks I'm halfed wacked,you can only try your best.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:19 | 5734494 azusgm
azusgm's picture

Organic gardening offers a good return to reality. Use this year to build up the soil then put some seeds into the ground next year. Until then, use pots.

Very therapeutic.

In the meantime --

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTtjxWR7tM

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:28 | 5734519 Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights's picture

One day at a time friend, one day at a time. If you let them get inside your head then they've already won.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:55 | 5734612 clawsthatscratch
clawsthatscratch's picture

I completely agree, kids and grandkids the only thing worth a shit in this world.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 11:18 | 5734691 Salah
Salah's picture

Dude, you need to cultivate nature; and curiosity itself....simply to have a sense of wonderment, lack of critical judgement, as well as a desire "to find out how it all turns out".  Barring this, I'd recommend a low dose (10mg) of Citalopram daily...and GO ON A "NEWS-FAST".  The ladder does wonders for your state of mind, esp out in the wild.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:13 | 5734472 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Oil companies do not stop pumping their existing wells.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:14 | 5734479 mightybillfuji
mightybillfuji's picture

really poor headline tyler.

 

The connection between rig count and production is simply lagged due to the fact that its not the internet. Well drilled still need to be fracked, wells fracked in November might only now be being connected to delivery systems, etc.

 

Its certainly not a MEME. The connection between rigs and production is absolute. The only question is what is the delay from previously drilled wells and other already "in the pipe" activities.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:16 | 5734480 mightybillfuji
mightybillfuji's picture

really poor headline tyler.

 

The connection between rig count and production is simply lagged due to the fact that its not the internet. Well drilled still need to be fracked, wells fracked in November might only now be being connected to delivery systems, etc.

 

Its certainly not a MEME. The connection between rigs and production is absolute. The only question is what is the delay from previously drilled wells and other already "in the pipe" activities.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:18 | 5734491 techstrategy
techstrategy's picture

I expect better off ZH.  The last time, Shale and its 40% well depletion rates were a small fraction of production.  Of course the near term effect is to fully utilize existing wells.  In 12 months it will plateau and then the decline will be profound and accelerating.  

 

You are doing the banksters bidding as they try to secure real assets and real options with their phantom and senior fractional reserve banking ponzi claims.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:18 | 5734493 astoriajoe
astoriajoe's picture

Is that the graph for total rigs or oil-focused rigs?

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:19 | 5734496 quaBeing
quaBeing's picture

sarcssm off.

time has run out.,

 

practice mercy,

and mercy will be shown to you.

 

 

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:25 | 5734508 drivenZ
drivenZ's picture

current production is a lagging indicator - unlike rig counts which are a leading indicator.  It takes time for the rig count to filter in.  So yes, they are not correlated right at this moment....but they will be. 

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:34 | 5734542 John Law Lives
John Law Lives's picture

Is this another perfectly-timed ZH article to catch the bottom in a window of time?  I am now seeing WTI (March Futures) pushing upward to just under $50 on CME (as of this post - quotes are delayed by approximately 10 minutes):

https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=wti+crude+futures&sourceid=...

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:41 | 5734571 chistletoe
chistletoe's picture

US Steelworkers union just called a strike at 9 refinery sites in the USA .... this will be bullish for gas prices, bearish for crude ....

 

http://rt.com/usa/228427-oil-refineries-strike-usw/

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:41 | 5734573 zeronero
zeronero's picture

For over 4 years, ZH is where I get 100% incorrect market calls and racist/anti Semitic rants by juvenile peasants.

Burn in your miserable life ZH!

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:46 | 5734588 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Somebody didn't BTFD.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:46 | 5734586 lbrecken
lbrecken's picture

Again the idiocy via zerohedge continues on the oil articles as Tyler continues to be focused on WRONG things.....firstly even if production holds flat declien rates of 6-8% will kick in....take 7% of 90mm/d and what do u get?  HEY DOPE do the math its greater than the 1.5M BB/D you have on the supposed glut..in fact much more.....further those average decline rates are not near the shale decline rates with approach 50% with 6 mths of initial production.  Whats worse CHV CEO stated that virtually no new production WW is viable on $50 oil.  So again with demand increasing 1M BB/D where is the oil going to come from...Are you a dense idiot u cant do math as u continue to post dummy articles that do no research then critiicize everyone else for not doing real work?  Typical hypocracy.....

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:49 | 5734598 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

"firstly even if production holds flat declien rates of 6-8% will kick in"

 

Grade A contradiction there, champ.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 11:08 | 5734664 Yao
Yao's picture

Perhaps he meant that if the production of new holes in the ground is such that the total over time remains flat we'll still experience normal decline rates.  

Or, if you prefer, or even if you don't because it's a fact either way: 6-7% of global supply comes from wells with annual decline rates of ~60% in an environment where it is not economically feasible to complete new wells of that type despite a global "oversupply" of ~1%.  Net result: "pop" goes the crude market, probably about Q3 - Q4 2015.  

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 11:35 | 5734756 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Sure, he  may have had a good point, but it's tough to tell based off that post.  I'm not one to nitpick about typos, grammar, etc... because this is not some place where I expect people to judiciously edit their posts, but at some point, the meaning becomes muddled. 

 

And yes, if fewer wells get drilled due to sub $50/bbl oil, tight oil will go into decline rather rapidly. 

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:48 | 5734587 lbrecken
lbrecken's picture

Again the idiocy via zerohedge continues on the oil articles as Tyler continues to be focused on WRONG things.....firstly even if production holds flat declien rates of 6-8% will kick in....take 7% of 90mm/d and what do u get?  HEY DOPE do the math its greater than the 1.5M BB/D you have on the supposed glut..in fact much more.....further those average decline rates are not near the shale decline rates with approach 50% with 6 mths of initial production.  Whats worse CHV CEO stated that virtually no new production WW is viable on $50 oil.  So again with demand increasing 1M BB/D where is the oil going to come from...Are you a dense idiot u cant do math as u continue to post dummy articles that do no research then critiicize everyone else for not doing real work?  Typical hypocracy.....

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 13:48 | 5735359 Jano
Jano's picture

if you call this blog idiocy, then why don't you get lost from here?

watch reuters & bloomberg for nonidiocy.

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:59 | 5734627 ZZR600
ZZR600's picture

Simple maths demonstrates why the drop is oil price is so problematic.

Assuming $120/barrel oil and 90M barrels per day consumption, this equates to $3.942 trillion dollars p.a. pumped into the world economy. Reduce consumption by say, 2M barrels/day to 88M barrels per day, priced at $45/barrel reduces this amount to $1.409 trillion dollars. That's $2.532 trillion dollars no longer circulating in the world economy, the equivalent of a bit less than the GDP of the UK ($2.8T), or a bit more than the GDP of Brazil ($2.24T).

How can you take out such a large component of world GDP in such a short space of time and not expect major repercussions?

 

 

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 12:27 | 5735020 SweetDoug
SweetDoug's picture

'

'

'

Can somebuddy please explain how a decrease in oil rigs translates to an increase in production?

 

 

•?•
V-V

Mon, 02/02/2015 - 12:56 | 5735146 azusgm
azusgm's picture

The wells that have been drilled can go into production after the rigs are gone.

The rig count tells you about future production. Expect a falling rig count to translate into a fall in production sometime in the future. In the case of shale plays, make that sometime in the not too distant future.

What may be instructive is to find out how many fresh holes have not been fracked but abandoned.

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