Added Value for Energy Projects

Our Crude Oil Market Access

In an industry where some represent size, and others provide depth of expertise, our GLOBAL ENERGY DIVISION offers in addition independent access to all suppliers worldwide. In recent years, our crude oil trading and refining partners have lifted around 60 million tonnes of crude annually, including non-equity crude from the Middle and Far East, Russia and the Caspian. These operations enable us to organize highly profitable spot charter of oil vessels. Volume alone, however, is not always the mark of a successful business. What distinguishes our GLOBAL ENERGY DIVISION is our role as an independent coordinator for oil companies and ministries to maximize the value of crude with long-term or spot agreements. Our proven ability to turn market information and trading relations into a considerable advantage, we work with old and new crude streams in any part of the world.

Our expertise also supports small and medium-sized production companies whose marketing focus lies in distributing oil in new markets. Private equity groups are also interested in our joint venture activities in order to improve their investments in the oil and gas industry. Similarly, independent producers and refiners are increasingly seeing real value in new production and marketing strategies of working with us. Our detailed knowledge of suppliers, shipping, storage, finance and markets allows us to respond quickly and precisely to opportunities, wherever they arise. In addition to its petroleum trading core, our energy alliance partners have access to upstream and downstream assets ranging from oil in the ground to oil and products terminals in several countries.

In an efficient crude market, our GLOBAL ENERGY DIVISION not only offers producers good prices but focuses on adding value. We also offer an outstanding capability in risk managing our clients' assets, and are able to secure funding projects through collateral countertrades with exported oil. Such countertrades are capable to finance infrastructure projects in oil exporting countries and allow flexibility regarding an adequate pricing formula for the compensation.

Once a crude deal has been struck by one of our traders, it sets in train a host of management and operations activities including administering contracts and letters of credit, assessing the quality of cargoes, invoicing, nominating vessels and appointing inspectors. Everything that affects a cargo arriving on time and on-specification affects oil trading. Our ability, resources and hedging capabilities also mean our experts can handle issues that others very often won't: for example, buying cargoes with lower quality and improve the product through our strategic expert blending. We take an off-spec cargo with discount, identify its value, store it, blend it and sell it with maximum profit in the context of our total quality management.