Many oil companies had trimmed their budgets heading into 2015 to deal with lower oil prices. But the rebound in April and May to $60 per barrel from the mid-$40s suggested that the severe drop was merely temporary.
The markets are getting prepared for a turning point in the ongoing government shutdown as well as the impending debt ceiling. The VIX has spiked, the bonds are looking tired and the stock market seems to be facing up to reality.
In the past when OPEC’s back has been against the wall, like the late-1990s, energy prices and demand rebounded to save them from the ash heap of history. Yet this time may be different. Why? Because OPEC is not the only game in town!
Colombia, the fastest-growing major oil producer in Latin America in the past five years, is looking to join the global shale boom as it expands exploration in areas once dominated by guerrilla groups.