🔹India 🇮🇳 cuts U.S. crude imports by 50% as it buys Urals crude from Russia 🇷🇺 which have been offered at record discounts.

🔹U.S. 🇺🇸crude oil inventories, excluding those in the SPR, were at only 425 million barrels, or 6% below the five year average. The SPR is expected to shrink to a 40-year low by the end of October, with inventories then at 358 million barrels, 🛢 compared to 621 million barrels a year ago.

🔹Iran 🇮🇷 Nuke Deal possibility - Iran’s state oil producer will try to win back customers in Europe, in the event sanctions against Iran is lifted. The idea of a production cut appears to be gaining momentum in Azerbaijan, Libya, Algeria, and Congo.

🔹Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 suggested that OPEC+ could look at making production adjustments due to the disconnect between the physical and paper 🛢 crude markets.

🔹India 🇮🇳has approved a policy of restricting wheat 🌾 flour exports, in a bid to bring down prices on the domestic market.

🔹Ukraine’s 🇺🇦 crucial grain has been leaving its ports again since recent Black Sea deal. Farmers 🚜 may cut plantings further if sales remain slow. Domestic prices are slowly improving. Most of Ukraine’s wheat consists of winter varieties, which are sown from now and then lie dormant during the coldest months, before resuming growth in spring.

🔹USA 🇺🇸 - Southern, eastern Idaho wheat expectations tempered by crop quality problems associated with kernels accumulating starch amid excessive heat, compounded by untimely rains and hail late in the season.

🔹Romania 🇷🇴 has reaped 9 million tonnes of wheat 🌾 this year, as weather & higher production costs caused crops to fall by roughly a fifth from last year.

🔹Importers in China 🇨🇳bought several cargoes 🚢 of French wheat last week, the 2nd time this summer that Chinese buyers have taken advantage of a price drop.

🔹USA - 🇺🇸 Shortage of transformers is jamming up home building and threatening to cause other problems. In some cases, wait times for the parts are over a year, while costs have spiraled up by over 500%. 📈

🔹American Public Power 🔋Association - says roughly 80% of its members reported earlier this year they had less equipment on hand than in 2018, before the pandemic interrupted supply chains. (Investor-owned utilities 🔌 have also reported similar shortages.)

Background:
💠 U.S.A. 🇺🇸- A surge in decommissioning fossil fuel power plants 🏭 has outpaced new clean energy generation 🔌 capacity.

💠 US- Utilities are warning of supply constraints for equipment, which could hamper efforts to restore power during outages🔋.

💠 The North American Electric Reliability Corporation 💡 (NERC) report from June warning of unreliable sections of electricity grid.

🔹 Canada's 🇨🇦 FM said Canada will ship the five gas turbines belonging to Gazprom 🇷🇺 from Montreal back to Germany 🇩🇪, despite demands from Ukrainian 🇺🇦 ambassador in Ottawa to hold onto them. Joly revealed that the decision was made after a request from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

🔹Six Siemens turbines ⚙️ were in Montreal for maintenance when Canada announced an embargo against Russia. At Germany’s request, Ottawa announced an exemption for the turbines in July, and sent one of them over, but Gazprom declined delivery, citing irregularities in documentation.

Background:

💠 German Chancellor claims one turbine is ready to be shipped to Russia from Germany.

💠 Gazprom claims declare 'force-majeure' on Nord Stream 1 now at 20% capacity. 🔥

💠 Gazprom 🇷🇺 stopped the operation of a second Siemens turbine for servicing.

💠 Gazprom 🇷🇺 is awaiting the full volumes of function testing/safety/legal documents 📂.

💠 Western sanctions 🇨🇦 have been stalling the return of the turbine.

🔹Google searches for 'Brennholz' (firewood 🔥) in Germany 🇩🇪 have exploded over the last couple of months.

🔹Some members of Poland's 🇵🇱 ruling party irritate their supporters by advising Poles to stock up on firewood in the forests for heating.

🔹A rush has resulted in Belgium 🇧🇪 for some firewood suppliers working with waiting lists, and others only serving regular customers.

🔹UK 🇬🇧 log sellers report sales jump of 60%. One company that produces 16,000 tonnes of kiln dried firewood each year said a large portion of the firewood imported is from Russia and Belarus, which has since faced UK sanctions.

🔹Hungary 🇭🇺 has imposed an export ban on fuels to ensure domestic supply needs and recently loosened logging regulations to meet increased demand for firewood.

🔹Firewood seller in Småland, Sweden 🇸🇪 says demand has increased by 20%.

🔹Estonia 🇪🇪 -The price of wood pellets used for heating has tripled on year.

🔹A 'gas levy' plan by the German 🇩🇪 government to add to consumers’ tax burden in order to shield gas importers from excessive prices prompted backlash. The levy, which is scheduled to take effect in October, was set at 0.024 euros per kilowatt-hour 💰. Since its announcement, a dozen utilities have filed applications for financial aid to the tune of 34 billion euros.

🔹Natural gas prices in the US 🇺🇸 hit the highest in 14 years this week, with the Henry Hub benchmark temporarily topping $10 per million BTU 🔥. U.S. producers’ now has new central role as biggest suppliers to Europe. This means domestic U.S. gas prices will remain under upward pressure, too, and that will last for a while as well.

🔹The UK’s 🇬🇧 North Sea produced 26% more natural gas in the first half of this year than it did this time last year. The decrease in shutdown activity was made possible in part by the flurry of maintenance it completed in the year prior.

🔹French 🇫🇷 electricity for next year soared past 1,000 euros ($1,000) today, the futures contract gained more than 10X in the past year. In France, only 24 of EDF's 56 nuclear reactors 🏭 are operating at the moment, due to a corrosion problem.

🔹The German 🇩🇪 equivalent also gained to a record, rising as high as 920 euros a megawatt-hour 💡for a gain of more than 64% this week. Nordic power for next year jumped 11% to a record 277 euros a megawatt-hour.

🔹 Energy executives in the UK 🇬🇧 have warned the gov't that the country faces the prospect of mass civil unrest due to higher heating and electricity 🔌 bills this winter. In Northern Ireland gas prices will rise by 28.3% & electricity 🔌 prices will go up by 35.4% from 1 October.

🔹 On Monday, Norway's 🇳🇴 NO2 electricity 🔋 region (covering southern Vestland, Rogaland, Agder, Telemark and old Vestfold) saw a daily record price of 5.35 kroner per kWh.

🔹China- 🇨🇳Local gov't issued an urgent joint emergency notice, warning that the autumn harvest was under “severe threat”, urging “every unit of water … be used carefully”. A record-breaking heatwave ☀️ combined with a months-long drought during the usual flood season has wreaked havoc across China’s usually water-rich south.

🔹China, consumes ten billion barrels of water per day (approximately 700x its daily oil consumption). 19% of China's surface water 💧 is not fit for human consumption according to China’s Ministry of Environment. Roughly 7% was deemed unfit for any use at all.

🔹60% of China's wheat,🌾 45% of its corn, 🌽35% of its cotton and 64% of its peanuts come from the at-risk North China Plain - where, in the example of wheat, their annual production of more than 80 million tons is on par with Russia's 🇷🇺 annual output, while their 125 million tons of corn is nearly 3x Ukraine's 🇺🇦 prewar production.

🔹A question was asked by subscriber AZPat, pertaining to whether China's 🇨🇳 usage statistic of "10 billion barrels per day" in the above post includes agriculture & industry.
That stat equates approx. to 7 barrels per day per capita.

🔹Water 💧footprint calculator- China uses approx. 25 barrels of water for industry & food per day per capita (2017).

🔹Statista - 1 barrel (drinking water) per day per capita for households in urban areas. (2019) A national consumption for 2020 equates to approx. 10 barrels per capita per day.

🔹Our world in data (photo) - China's 🇨🇳 annual freshwater withdrawals (Withdrawals for agriculture 🌱+ industry 🏭 + municipal 🏙 + water from desalination plants) equates to approx. 10 barrels per day per capita (2017) vs the US 🇺🇸 of 30 barrels per day per capita.

🔹In China, only 14% of water usage goes to the basic needs of hydration, sanitation, hygiene, and cooking. 62% of China's water is used in agriculture 🚜 and 22% in industry & power generation. 🔌 (2021).

🔹The 🇺🇸 Biden administration lacks the political will to simply mine the needed rare earth elements domestically. “In 2010, Japan and China 🇨🇳actually had a conflict over rare earths,”. “China responded by cutting off Japan’s access to the rare earths which really had an impact on Japan’s manufacturing capabilities.

🔹One of the world’s few rare earths processors (🇨🇦Toronto-based Neo Performance Materials) outside China has bought exploration rights to mine in Greenland 🇬🇱.

🔹Australia's 🇦🇺 Lynas Rare Earths posted a record more than three-fold jump in annual profit last week. Demand for neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr), widely used to make magnets 🧲 that power electric vehicle motors, remained strong.

Background:

💠 US 🇺🇸 express concerns over a potential export ban by China for rare earth elements. Recognises need for US domestic investment in rare earth elements.

💠 The U.S. military 🇺🇸 depends almost completely on China 🇨🇳 for the hard to mine 'metalloid element' antimony.

USA 🇺🇸- Update to last week's fire 🔥 at BP's Oil Refinery (6th largest in the US) in Indiana:

🔹On August 24th, BP's Whiting, Indiana Refinery was shut down after a fire. About 2% of nationwide refining 🛢 capacity and over 10% of Midwest capacity is temporarily offline. The refinery has a 435,000 bbl/day capacity and is the largest in the Midwest and BP's largest in the world.

🔹BP plans to restore power 🔋 to a repaired electrical system at the refinery within two to three days. The company "has deployed all available resources to restore production as soon as possible."

🔹The Environmental Protection Agency temporarily lifted a federal rule for fuel ⛽️ sales in four states (Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin) in response to the fire as it could affect prices and supply. The waiver lifts a Clear Air Act requirement that lower-volatility gasoline be sold in the states during summer months to limit ozone pollution. It is in effect until Sept. 15.

🔹The EU 🇪🇺 is preparing to intervene in into energy markets, to dampen soaring power costs 📈 and eventually seeking to break the link between gas and electricity prices. Markets already reacted today, with prices for German & French electricity dropping 20%. (Photo)

🔹More and more member states are calling for a price cap. The exact makeup of an EU 🇪🇺 intervention plan is still being developed. Germany's, Habeck suggested a short-term tax 💰on excessive profits by energy companies as part of the transition.

Background:
💠 French 🇫🇷 electricity futures contracts for next year soared past 1,000 euros per MW/hr up 10X in the past year.

💠 Backlash follows a 'natural gas levy' plan by the German 🇩🇪 government to add to consumers’ tax burden.

💠 Waiting lists, sky rocketing prices and export bans on firewood 🪵across European countries.

💠 No confirmation from Germany 🇩🇪 / Canada 🇨🇦 to exempt Russia's 🇷🇺Gazprom gas turbines for servicing by Germany's Siemens for Nord Stream 1.

🔹Russia's 🇷🇺 Gazprom announced that gas flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline will be stopped from August 31 until September 3 due to maintenance. Maintenance is on the only gas compressor unit remaining in operation. Upon completion, gas transportation will be restored to the level of 33 million cubic meters per day, or 20% of the pipeline’s maximum capacity.

🔹Gazprom confirmed it had cut off off gas supplies to French 🇫🇷 utilities company Engie that has failed to pay for July gas deliveries in full. Engie maintained it “had already secured the volumes necessary to meet its commitments towards its customers and its own requirements.

🔹Gazprom made a record 2.5 trillion roubles ($41.75 billion) in net profit 💰in the first half of 2022 and its board recommended paying interim dividends.

Background:
💠 Ongoing problems for servicing Gazprom's gas turbines for Nord Stream 1 by Germany's 🇩🇪 Siemens.

💠 Electricity 💡and natural gas 🔥futures contracts in Europe trade at record highs.

🔹USA 🇺🇸 - On Sunday August 28th, a commercial fire 🔥 burned a poultry processing plant in Montebello, California. The blaze at QC Poultry damaged the building and possibly several commercial vehicles.

🔹QC Poultry 🐓 is located in a heavily industrial area and did not threaten any residential properties. The fire’s cause is unknown.

Recent fires in the US at food processing facilities reported on this channel:

💠 Fire destroys eastern Oregon's Pendleton Flour Mills is owned by Grain Craft, which is the largest independent flour 🌾 milling company in the US.

💠 Grain Storage facility in Prosser, Washington, feed storage and grain 🌾 elevator burnt down.

💠 Disruptions to US 🇺🇸 food security from fires in June at multiple food processing plants and in May.

💠In May, a fire at Purdue Farms facility in Virginia had its soybean processing tank burnt 🔥 down .

🔹An interesting 20 minute documentary by the Canadian Patriot Review based upon the essay "Why Assume There Will be a 🇺🇸 2024 Election?"

🔹It dives into the orchestrated demolition 📉 of the financial system in 1929, the Wall Street/London fueled "economic miracle solution" of fascism. President Franklin D. Roosevelt launching a war against the financier oligarchy in 1932.

🔹It dives into the USA's 🇺🇸 most decorated marine, Major General Smedley Butler and his courageous defense of the republic.

De-industrialization of Europe continues as Dutch TTF natural gas prices increase:

🔹 German 🇩🇪aluminum producer Speira is considering cutting production at its smelter to 50% of total capacity in response to surging energy costs.

🔹 Several companies operating in Belgium 🇧🇪 have been forced to shut down their production facilities due to high energy prices. Stainless steel producer Aperam is shutting down its production facility in Genk. Fertiliser producer Yara and flooring group Beaulieu are also winding down operations.

Previous reports on this channel:

💠 Norwegian 🇳🇴 owned Norsk Hydro is planning to shutter a 175,000-ton annual capacity aluminum smelter in Slovakia. The Budel zinc smelter in the Netherlands 🇳🇱, to be placed on care and maintenance from Sept. 1 indefinitely.

💠Europe has lost about half of its zinc and aluminum smelting capacity 🔥within the past year.

💠Europe’s largest copper producer, Hamburg-based Aurubis AG, aims to minimize gas 📉 use.

🔹A wave of European ammonia-plant shutdowns due to soaring natural gas prices 📈 has resulted in as much as 70% of production offline.

🔹Norway's 🇳🇴 Yara International said that record gas prices are forcing it to cut ammonia capacity utilization in Europe.

🔹CF Fertilisers UK 🇬🇧 announced its intention to temporarily halt ammonia production at the Billingham Complex. Intends to import ammonia to run its ammonium nitrate (AN) and nitric acid upgrade plants.

🔹Borealis AG, an Austrian 🇦🇹 chemical company confirms stopping production of some fertilizer plants in the different EU sites for economic reasons.

Reported last month:
💠 Germany's 🇩🇪 BASF, the world's largest chemical company, is cutting ammonia production further due to soaring natural gas prices. Germany's biggest ammonia maker SKW Piesteritz and number four Ineos also said they could not rule out production cuts 📉.

🔹Concerns arise over the impacts of the lithium industry on the environment. Huge volumes of water 💧is required for production . By-products of the brine extraction process include sulfuric acid, radioactive uranium ☢️ and magnesium waste.

🔹The IEA estimates that the world will need roughly 20 times as much nickel and cobalt by 2040 as it had in 2020, and 40 times as much lithium. The US 🇺🇸 currently has one operating nickel mine, in Michigan. Its resources are expected to be exhausted by 2026.

🔹China 🇨🇳 currently assembles 76% of the world’s batteries. Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act calls for at least 50% of an electric 🔋vehicle’s battery to be made in the U.S. to qualify for a federal discount.

Previous reports:

💠 Lithium carbonate, price rise in the last few months.

💠 Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 lithium reserves & China investment.

💠 Tesla 🚗 and automakers affected by high lithium prices.

💠 EV's face increase costs due to rising commodity prices 📈 of essential materials for EV production.

🔹 French 🇫🇷 owned Air Liquide says ammonia production stoppages impacted its carbon dioxide supplies. Polish 🇵🇱 chemical firm Grupa Azoty's Pulawy said it was producing carbon dioxide at less than a third of nominal capacity.

🔹A pause in fertilizer production in the U.K. 🇬🇧 due to rising energy costs is cutting the country’s available supply of carbon dioxide (CO2) (a by-product of ammonia production), an essential ingredient to producing carbonated drinks including beer.

🔹CO2 is used to stun pigs and chickens for slaughter, as well as in packaging to extend shelf life and for dry ice that keeps items frozen 🥩 during delivery. Food-supply chain users are urged to look for new sources of supply.

Recently reported:

💠 Shortage of commercial carbon dioxide (CO2) supplies hit in New Zealand 🇳🇿 greenhouse growers and dry ice producers.

💠 In addition to the previous lithium post, here is a short clip on the EV push in the US. Near the end, Tucker Carlson talks about the vast resources needed to be mined for an EV vehicle which is clearly unsustainable.

Previous posts:

💠 Today's post on lithium mining pollution ☢️ and the growing scarcity

💠 Lithium carbonate, price rise 📈 in the last few months.

💠 Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 lithium reserves & China investment.

💠 Tesla 🚗 and automakers affected by high lithium prices.

💠 EV's face increase costs due to rising commodity prices 📈 of essential materials for EV production.

🔹Strongest tropical storm of the year forecast to hit China’s 🇨🇳 mainland this weekend after winds reach 160mph. Southern Japan and South Korea in path of super typhoon Hinnamnor.

🔹Ports, such as the ones in Shanghai, could be in the storm's path by the late weekend or early Monday. Japan 🇯🇵 and South Korea 🇰🇷 are known for some of the largest containerized shipping ports in the world.

🔹Shanghai International Port Group posted a container 🚢 throughput of 22.55m teu in the first half of 2022, declining 1.7% due to the impact of Covid lockdowns and supply chain disruption.

Previously reported on this channel:

💠 Average transit times for loading and unloading between China 🇨🇳 and both coasts of the US 🇺🇸 is deteriorating.

💠 China's disruptive lockdowns in Shanghai affects supply chains 🚢 around the world.