Tomorrow (11/11/11), the Summit Energy contingent in Louisville are heading to the hallowed turf of Churchill Downs to celebrate (…good times, come on!) and to witness the seventh race, which will be none other than…The Summit Energy Classic.   

As we know, all roads lead back to energy. So as I delved into the schedule for this Friday’s race meet, some themes emerged in the horse’s names relating to some pertinent energy trends. But first, a word from the wise:    

“There is a rich tapestry of horse racing here at Churchill Downs: from the Kentucky Derby to The Breeders Cup. And now the Summit Energy Classic can be added to this list.” – Steve Wilhite, CEO, Summit Energy.

Now onto those horse’s names, and how they canter back to energy:

1) Aviation is a key theme. In a week where the first commercial flight in the US was fueled by algae, there are no fewer than seven references to flying (“All American Flyer”, “A Cat That Flies”, “Ascending Brightly”, “Circletherunway”, “Kenyafly”, “She Can Fly” …and perhaps at a stretch “Speedacious”).

2) “Special Exchange” may be worth a flutter in the ninth race, as this is the first full week of trading on the world’s first exchange for biomass renewable energy. The index was launched in Amsterdam by Endex last Friday.  

3) There is even a hat-tip to our dearly beloved US natural gas (but it’s not “Causin’ Havoc”) ; the name of a horse in the sixth race is somewhat reminiscent of current natural gas prices. Trying to call the bottom of this market is like trying to catch “A Falling Knife”.

4) Gold is another strong theme – both in this race meet and in current commodity markets – as it once again approaches record highs. There are four horses racing on Friday which relate to the alchemist’s metal (“Gold Policy”, “Golden Meadow”, “Golden ticket”, and “Goldenexpectations”).  

5) The name “Stray Dog” jumps out, as gasoline is currently the stray dog of the crude complex. Despite crude prices hitting three-month highs this week and distillate demand being strong, gasoline demand is down 5.6% versus last year, but still retail prices are up 20%…..“The Bitter Truth”.

The pictures in this post by the way are created by staff members showing their “Summit energy”. The members of the winning team entry (pictured below) will present the trophy on Friday.

Finally, I have surveyed some of the most worldly-wise energy folk I know to get their tip for The Summit Energy Classic. Summit Energy COO Mark Boyer is calling for “Bell of Buddha”. He is in good company; an enquiry with the energy reporters at the Wall Street Journal yielded exactly the same response. To get an international perspective, I spoke with the energy writers at the Agence France Presse (from the land of our parent company), who plumped with “Ninewithit” (because of a French sounding jockey) and “Phantom Star”, while the mighty Tom Fowler from The Houston Chronicle’s Fuelfix went for “Ofourooneofive”. The entire field for Friday can be found here. Good luck!  

Yep, goats in a tree. Happy Friday, and welcome to another random assortment of educational and odd. Confusion reigns in relation to the European debt crisis as Greece threw a spanner (=ratchet) in the works after last week’s bailout plan had been agreed upon. This week’s bout of economic data has been decidedly mixed – good enough to inspire hope that slow economic growth will continue, but weak enough to provoke wariness and apprehension. Crude oil continues to gauge itself off general market sentiment – swaying like a reed with the news flow - while natural gas sold off after last weekend’s Northeastern snowstorm, only to see bargain-hunting coming back into the market late in the week. Before the weekend respite, let’s hit up the bites:  

–The six natural resources most drained by our 7 billion population.

–Shale gas reserves could reignite the US economy.

–Kardashianomics.

–Study shows the internet accounts for 2% of global energy.

–Google-funded project confirms vast potential for geothermal energy in the US.

–40% of 2-4 year olds can use a smartphone or iPad.

–One of the most effective ways to reduce electricity use is a guilt trip.

–How solar can save Gulf oil exports.

–10 cool underground hotels.

–Carbon Fear and Loathing in Riyadh.

–US government announces desert ’solar energy zones’.

–Infographic about the downside of bottled water. (h/t @EnergyMrktIntel)

–5 myths about energy in America.

–Halloween arrest mugshots.

The Burrito Deluxe Award of the week goes to European leaders and their powers of persuasion to get G-Pap (Greece prime minister George Papandreou) to recant on his call for a referendum vote to approve the EU bailout package.

The Burnt Burrito Award of the week goes to G-Pap for making the call in the first place.

May your Guy Fawkes weekend be full of sparklers!

Happy Halloween weekend, as we make it to the end of another week. General markets have surprisingly been shy of both scares and bears, as the cup of positive sentiment overfloweth after European leaders managed to defer their problems carve out a last minute agreement to halve the value of Greek debt and inflate the Euro bailout fund to €1 trillion (whoop! whoop! let’s party!). The crude complex has rallied like a banshee on hope, hope, and hope², while natural gas has seen a stronger December contract roll onto the board and run higher as the first bout of winter (hark, snow for NY) hits the US. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the frights; but for now..burrito bites: 

–US LNG export terminal gets its first major customer.

–Do gasoline based cars use more electricity than electric vehicles?

–Giant Lego man washes up on Florida beach (h/t Eric Bickel)

–Sustainable energy not such a remote concept after all.

–Quiz time!: Oil. (tip: write down your answers, not a,b,c or d)

–Nerdy doodle, Part 1: the euro bailout plan sketched by an advisor in the talks.

–The positive impact of the Marcellus shale on the Pennsylvania economy.

–Nerdy doodle: Part 2: Math-geek Tip.

–World power swings back to America. (really?)

–24 Awesome pet Halloween costumes.

–GE: solar panels to become as easy to install as a new roof.

–API says shale gas a ‘major contributor’ in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

–Freaky…concealing Zombie Boy’s tattoos.

–Energy corridors and the Turkish Zeybek Dance. (h/t EnergyMrktIntel)

–Bizarre pumpkin carvings.

The Burrito Deluxe Award of the Week goes to Jordan Martin for making an absolutely genius energy-related superhero outfit for last week’s competition on the burrito, and posting a picture of it in the comments of the post.

The Burnt Burrito Award of the Week goes to last-ditch plans which yield headlines but lack substance, in an effort to dodge harsh realities and defer the problem for another few months (yes, Euro leaders, I’m talking to you!).    

Have a frightfully good weekend!

–Peak oil postponed.

–Does expensive oil inevitably cause a recession?

–12 lessons for us all from the life of Steve Jobs.

–UT making a big bet on algae.

–Amazing aerial photographs.

–Biofuels may push 120 million people into hunger by 2050.

–27 mile police chase…at 10mph.

–’Solar-coaster’ hits as sun sets on federal subsidies.

–Flow chart to help to pick which one of 100 Sci-fi books to read.

–North Sea gas production falls 25% from previous year.

–The shape of things to come? China outbids oil majors in Iraq.

–Earlier bedtimes means slimmer children.

–Report highlights the need to clean the Gulf of Mexico.

–Curry-eating contest leaves two in hospital.

The Burrito Deluxe Award of the Week goes to this interview with Michael Lewis on NPR about the financial crisis. As I listened I was hugely impressed, without realizing it was one of my favorite writers. (think ‘The Blind Side’, ‘Moneyball‘ – yep, the movies - and financial books such as ‘Liar’s Poker’ and ‘The Big Short’). Legen…wait for it…dary.

The Burnt Burrito Award of the Week goes to the lack of a Greek default. Both Greece / the Eurozone can take their own lesson from the song ‘The Gambler’ by Don Schlitz…’Got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em. Know when to walk away. know when to run’. 

The Burrito Heartwarming Interlude Award of the Week goes to this video of a deaf woman hearing for the first time.

Have a tip-top, rockin’ weekend!

…and welcome to the last trading day in Q3, and the stormy conditions it brings. This week has dealt further downside pressure to natural gas, but no further low for the year as the themes of strong supply and weak demand continue. Crude has done a non-stop-flip-flop, remaining choppy but lacking conviction as Euro debt concerns continue, and as global economic worries ebb-flow-ebb-flow. Next week brings a new month, a new quarter, and  a new set of data points to usher markets this way and that. But before then, enjoy the respite…with these bites:    

–Commodities head for biggest quarterly drop since 2008 on economic woes.

–Report says North American oil output to hit a record by 2016.

–Infographic of infographics.

–A brief economic explanation of Peak Oil.

–The 30-second guide to European problems.

–Long jumper leaps over three minis.(in all fairness 3 was easy, jumping 4 would be much more Evil Knievel-ly) .

–Dept. of Environmental Conservation releases fracking regulations.

–Art made in rice fields.

–The mathematics of basketball.

–Cellulosic ethanol and jatropha, too much too soon. 

–A third of people prefer texting to talking.

–New drilling techniques reshape oil world.

–Dumb-bell cutlery helps you eat yourself skinny.

The Burrito Deluxe Award of the Week goes to kabluey! a natural gas storage injection of  a hugely huge 111 Bcf. This keeps prices bouncing around the price lows for the year, with further triple-digit doozie injections literally in the pipeline over the coming weeks.  

The Burnt Burrito Award of the Week goes to the increasing comparisons of market conditions with 2008. Falling commodity prices = good. The reason they are falling = bad.

Have a top weekend!