I am in the Oil industry. I not only own a % in physical wells but I raise a lot of money a year to drill domestically. I have to say that, we who own the physical oil do believe that the "Traders" push the markets.
Now with that said, we are not against the traders. In fact in Texas we are light sweet crude not brent crude.
The Speculators are there to play a game. That is all. Some go long, some go short. Is the Crack Spread outa wack. Sure, historical so.
Do we flair off gas due to the low prices, yes sometimes..
The OIL MAFFIA is not the traders its OPEC. We have enough Oil and Gas in this country and in the Gulf to get off the TIT of OPEC.
However, the NYMEX and DUBAI floors are very powerful and have a lot of influence on breaking away from OPEC. They do not want that to happen.
But, with that said, blaming the traders is just a way to divert you from the true ASS CLOWNS, like OBAMA and OPEC. Obama funds Columbia Refineries with US TAX DOLLARS but does not want to drill here. Obama funds Brazil oil drilling and praises the 3rd world for drilling but does not want to drill here in the US.
OPEC is just a bunch of clowns in general.
Look between the lines and maybe you will find the truth.