据美国彭博社新闻社5月27日报道，美国石油市场在强劲需求的支持下显示出明显的紧缩迹象，这引发了一个问题，即美国蓬勃发展的原油出口是否会放缓。
衡量美国市场强弱的两个关键指标本周升至数月来最高水平，暗示现货供应变得更加紧张，交易商愿意支付溢价以获得更直接的原油供应。
这进而导致西德克萨斯中质原油(WTI)相对于全球基准布伦特原油价格上涨。几位美国石油交易商表示，WTI对所有目的地的出口都可能下滑，尤其是对欧洲，因为如果利差持续收窄，这将意味着WTI失去竞争力。
渣打银行大宗商品研究主管Paul Horsnell表示：“套利窗口似乎确实关闭了一点。所以如果持续下去，应该会减少原油出口量。”
本周，西得克萨斯中质原油期货的月间价差以及实物市场上的类似价差反弹至数月来的最高水平。此外，美国原油对布伦特原油的贴现率已从一个多月前的每桶逾4美元降至约2.20美元。
不断缩小的不仅仅是WTI和布伦特原油之间的差距。休斯敦的原油交易价格也低于布伦特原油价格，为数月来最低水平。这是一个受到密切关注的指标，因为它反映的是出口点的石油，而不是俄克拉荷马州库的内陆储油中心的石油。
尽管美国市场显示出走强迹象，但布伦特原油可能面临更多阻力。某波斯湾国家很可能会有大量原油重返全球市场，更多地触及全球基准。
布伦特原油价格此前也曾受到6月份北海几个关键油田进入检修期的利好支撑。随着7月份布伦特原油期货价格的上涨，这已经不是什么大问题了。
据彭博社汇编的油轮跟踪数据显示，美国出口商5月份向欧洲发运的原油货物达到9个月以来的最高点，4月底时的原油装载量增加。
李峻 编译自 彭博社
原文如下；
Growing U.S. oil demand could crimp booming crude exports
The U.S. oil market is showing clear signs of tightening on the back of strengthening demand, raising a question about whether the nation’s booming crude exports could slow.
Two key measures of U.S. market strength rallied to the highest levels in months this week, suggesting physical supply is becoming more constrained with traders willing to pay premiums to secure more-immediate barrels.
That in turn is helping to make West Texas Intermediate more expensive relative to the global oil price benchmark Brent. Several U.S. oil traders said exports could dip to all destinations -- and in particular to Europe -- because a narrowing spread -- if it persists -- would mean WTI loses competitiveness.
“It does seem the arb window has closed a bit,” said Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Standard Chartered. “So that should reduce the flow if sustained.”
The nearest WTI futures inter-month spread, and its equivalent in the physical market, rallied to the highest levels in months this week. In addition, the U.S. grade’s discount to Brent has shrunk to about $2.20 a barrel, from over $4 in a little more than a month.
It’s not just the difference between WTI and Brent that’s been narrowing. Crude at Houston is also trading at its smallest discount to Brent for several months. That’s a closely-watched measure because it reflects oil at the point of export, rather than the inland storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma.
While the U.S. market shows signs of strengthening, Brent may face more headwinds. may well free large volumes of a certain Persian Gulf country’s crude return to the global market, hitting the global benchmark more.
Brent crude prices had previously also been supported by heavy maintenance at several key North Sea oil fields in June. That’s becoming less of an issue, with the most immediate Brent futures contract now July.
U.S. exporters boosted deliveries to Europe to a 9-month high in May, with loadings weighted toward the end of the April, according to tanker tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.
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