Kyle Cooper Quotations

There is a little talk that OPEC may announce a cut. I don't know how likely that is, but the fall in prices might prompt some action.

Mother Nature is going to be huge in the next several weeks. Long term I think we're headed to $30 to $35, but I don't think we're doing that yet. We have a lot of winter left.

Mother Nature has been an incredible bull. It's hard to imagine a scenario more bullish than we've had.

Natural gas is taking its cue from crude and is being dragged along for the ride.

I believe that the speculators' role has been the introduction of more buyers ... it has actually added a degree to the overall price. I personally think it's in the order of $5 to $10 a barrel. Is there any way to prove it? Absolutely not.

There are obviously still some problems out in the Gulf. We will have to wait and see how fast repairs can be made.

I think it could be at $100 before you blinked. Eighty dollars or $90 is just a headline away.

Rising inventories are keeping a lid on prices. Inventories are back at levels we last saw in 1999, but the price is still a couple times higher. The market has been remarkably resilient because there are fears of supply disruptions.

Pipeline pressure swings and other timing issues can easily result in deviations from what is expected.

Refiners don't buy crude oil to look at it. Once units are back on line we are going to see them produce a huge amount of petroleum products.

People have been more concerned about products than crude.

Supplies are ample across the board. We were able to increase product supplies even with refineries running at around 86 percent, which isn't a good sign for the bulls.

My times have improved by about a minute and a half (since last season), ... I trained pretty hard over the summer. Coach (Adam Kedge) gave us a training plan. I tried to run every day. I guess it paid off.

Wilma weakened a little bit and the path has it heading in a direction that won't impact oil production.

We've lost 450,000 barrels a day of production, which is significant. Shell hasn't given us much of an idea of when they will be able to restore output. This is a pretty reasonable reaction given that we don't know how long it will be before the production is back to normal.

U.S. weather remains bearish for the next two weeks. It would certainly seem that at some point, cold weather would enter the major population centers of the lower 48 states, for Mother Nature remains neither bullish nor bearish forever.

U.S. weather is turning less bearish. Bullish sentiment is still firmly in place and further price advances are possible, despite bearish current fundamentals.

Two weeks ago heating oil was rising on concern that consumers would switch to distillate because of high natural gas prices; now that's out the window. It's incredible to see natural-gas supplies rise in December.

We are rebounding a bit but this is still a bearish market. There is a little talk that OPEC may announce a cut. I don't know how likely that is, but the fall in prices might prompt some action.

The overall supply of crude is very adequate and there is no risk of a shortage out there. This is a big change from 2004 and the early part of 2005.

We are just waiting on the inventory report now. Yesterday's big move wasn't justified. The Iranians are always talking about cutting output and supporting prices.

We came in higher but couldn't hold it, which underscores the weakness of the market. The overall supply of crude is very adequate and there is no risk of a shortage out there.

(This report is a) little bit bearish in terms of expectations.

Weather forecasts are now more in agreement for a moderation in temperatures after Christmas.

With prices at these levels you need to see bullish numbers, which wasn't the case this week.

The recovery continues to be slow. Government reserves will more than make up for reduced production but they will eventually have to be replaced. This will probably end up being the most damaging storm to the industry by far.

Uncertainty and fear abound in this market, and thus outright short positions remain highly at risk.

Distillate inventories were up slightly but are not rising at a normal pace, so that is a little bit concerning,

Crude hasn't been responding to fundamentals all year. I think crude has been $8 to $10 overvalued for some time and has been responding to the fear of what could happen rather than the reality of what is happening.

There's plenty of supply. Crude oil supplies are above 320 million barrels, which is ample to meet demand from refiners.

The track has been moving to the east, away from the really big refineries in the Houston area. The storm is still serious.

Temperatures need to fall to alleviate what will be very large inventories by the end of January based on current forecasts.

Quite simply, the strong Pacific flow is continuing to inhibit any major intrusions of Arctic air into the lower 48. The winter is rapidly coming to an end for all practical purposes.

Prices are much higher on fear of possible further supply disruptions. Continued concern about the Iranian situation and new threats in Nigeria and primary drivers. There were no new reported attacks in Nigeria, just more threats.

Offshore production is coming back very slowly. Problems with power have left a number of refineries shut since Rita. This reinforces the very bullish mentality of the market.

A larger-than-expected decline in crude oil may spook the market. There is a strong historical trend for inventories to fall at the end of the year, although it hasn't happened yet. Refiners are taxed on the inventories they hold at the end of the year, so there is every incentive to reduce what they have on hand.

The weather remains the primary driver. Until the weather moderates, prices will likely remain robust.

This certainly highlights what the bulls have been trumpeting. It is not known whether any actual production will be affected. Uncertainty and fear abound in this market.

This is a financial, fear-driven market. It is not fundamental, nor has it been since early 2003, when prices and inventories began rising in tandem. It takes very little for prices to rise.

Although the U.S. weather remains relatively bearish, the market is moving higher. There seems to be little fundamental reason for the move as Russian gas supplies to Europe are resuming. However, fear of a possible future disruption is probably a driver.

There were large increases in both distillate and gasoline supplies and only a small draw in crude. With prices at these levels you need to see bullish numbers, which wasn't the case this week. Supplies look adequate.

This market has moved higher on fear and sentiment and Bush may have succeeded in reducing some of the concern. Gasoline is getting whacked right now, which is pulling crude lower. His statements will have a psychological impact on the market but the physical impact is limited.

The inventory reports should again be viewed with a cautious eye, as obviously the 'normal' transfer of products around the Gulf Coast is anything but 'normal,'

Inventories are actually still 7 million barrels above the three-year average. Once these refineries start cranking back up, I think you'll see supplies rise pretty quickly.

The market continues to move higher with concern now mainly focused on Nigeria.

The Iranians are going ahead with their nuclear program and saying the heck with what the rest of the world thinks. They didn't say anything about cutting supplies but the market is still nervous.

The heating oil fundamentals are the worst since the winter of 1998-1999 when the price was 30 cents. There is plenty of supply and prices should be lower. It's too early in the winter but in a few weeks prices should be much lower.

The market (has) a slightly lower bias. Production curtailments in the Gulf remain supportive, while demand factors must now be considered.

The market is lower as weather forecasts are considered rather bearish through the middle of the month,

The last time inventories were this high was in early 1999 when prices were below $20 a barrel. OPEC wants prices to fall. Saudi Arabia and other members remember that when prices spiked in the 70s there was a rash of investment and they lost a lot of market share for a long time.

The last time inventories were this high was in early 1999, when prices were below $20 a barrel. OPEC wants prices to fall. Saudi Arabia and other members remember that when prices spiked in the 70s there was a rash of investment and they lost a lot of market share for a long time.

Sometimes making people laugh or even making them scared can be accomplished by a good opening sequence.

Gasoline inventories are tighter than they were a few weeks ago. It's all about perception, because inventories are well above where they have been in previous years.

Crude hasn't been responding to fundamentals all year. I think crude has been 8 to 10 overvalued for some time and has been responding to the fear of what could happen rather than the reality of what is happening.

I remember a time at Yale when my work was being critiqued by Paul Rand. Mr. Rand told me only to use Helvetica as a display face never in text, then he squinted, leaned in, and whispered in my ear, "because Helvetica looks like dogshit in text".