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Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by ethbro on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:30AM (#22924072)
Physics would argue otherwise.
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by discordance on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:35AM (#22924115)
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by dredmorbius on Monday April 20, 2020 @11:08AM (#22924462)
And the existing fleet is rapidly being saturated. Building new tankers to serve as floating storage is economically unfeasable (negative ROI), though repurposing idle fleet capacity is rational as a means to recover some variable costs. The activity doesn't make profit, rather, it slows losses.
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by exothermic on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:38AM (#22924152)
Floating storage levels for crude are already double what they were a week ago [0]

[0] https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-tankers-storage...

Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by ccozan on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:57AM (#22924354)
and the prices of storage as well.[1] ( Article quite old, but argument stays )

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-shipping/oil-t...

Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by tartoran on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:39AM (#22924168)
Sure but those are limited as well, and their capacity would probably run out. Those tankers would have to basically be docked and not be able to transport anymore. And then?
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by dredmorbius on Monday April 20, 2020 @11:10AM (#22924488)
The point is that so long as there's weak demand, the oil's going nowhere, and the ships would be sitting regardless.

Though otherwise agreed: capacity is rapidly being saturated, and this isn't much of a win for shipping companies either.

Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by recursive on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:31AM (#22924082)
And what would that argument be?
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by turbinerneiter on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:33AM (#22924099)
I think gas goes bad after some months, not sure if crude degrades as well.
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by tantalor on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:39AM (#22924167)
It's been buried for 100 million years, I don't think a few months is going to do anything.
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by bb611 on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:48AM (#22924251)
Gasoline and other petroleum derivatives are not a stable as their underlying source. However consumer gas will last a few years with proper care and storage, the real issue will be when appropriate storage runs out.
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by NikolaeVarius on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:56AM (#22924338)
Parent specifically noted crude
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by onlyrealcuzzo on Monday April 20, 2020 @11:10AM (#22924485)
So what happens if you have gas in your car and don't drive it for 4 months???
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by bradstewart on Monday April 20, 2020 @11:40AM (#22924858)
There's a decent chance your car won't start. The gasoline in the tank is probably fine, but the gasoline in the fuel lines and so forth has likely turned in useless gunk.
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by FartyMcFarter on Monday April 20, 2020 @11:32AM (#22924772)
Probably buried in a very different environment?
Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by nogabebop23 on Monday April 20, 2020 @10:51AM (#22924280)
The knock-on price is to refined gas, but when we talk price/storage of oil that's not ready to put in your car gasoline.