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A comment on Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract ending. Parent comment

Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by 0x8BADF00D on Monday April 20, 2020 @04:44PM (#22928311)
A really risky (but I think worth the risk) bet is to buy the front and sell the back. You will receive a huge credit, and as long as you close out the back leg below what you sold for, you’re in the clear.
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Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by lordnacho on Monday April 20, 2020 @04:51PM (#22928396)
This isn't possible, except for people who can deal with the physical logistics. If you buy the front, you need to put the stuff somewhere for a month.

Chances are the people who got stuck selling at negative prices were actually doing just what you describe, they just weren't planning on the spread blowing out from physical issues.

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Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by 0x8BADF00D on Monday April 20, 2020 @04:53PM (#22928410)
I don’t see supercontango lasting forever. At some point oil demand will rise. Even if it’s a small rise.

And you typically should close out combination orders well before expiration.

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Re:Oil plunges below zero for first time with May contract e... by cascom on Monday April 20, 2020 @05:27PM (#22928768)
How do you not get eaten alive by the negative roll yield (super contango) if you don’t have access to storage?
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